Patents by Inventor John E. Hoffmann

John E. Hoffmann has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210155424
    Abstract: An asphalt receiving vehicle includes a receiving hopper that is adapted to receive a load of asphalt paving material from a supply truck, and a conveyor that is adapted to convey the asphalt paving material received from the supply truck out of the receiving hopper. A plurality of guidance lights are mounted on the asphalt receiving vehicle so as to illuminate the roadway adjacent to the receiving hopper to provide a landing pattern to assist a driver of the supply truck to properly maneuver the supply truck as the supply truck is backed into position adjacent the receiving hopper. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of guidance lights may also be used individually as directional signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Roadtec, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, Nathan Beckman, Matthew Neisen
  • Patent number: 10907310
    Abstract: A material transfer vehicle has a discharge conveyor with a discharge chute mounted thereon. A controller is operatively connected to the elevation control system and the steering control system for the discharge conveyor. The controller is adapted to communicate with the elevation control system for the discharge conveyor to adjust the elevation of the discharge conveyor. The controller is also adapted to communicate with the steering control system for the discharge conveyor so that the angular orientation of the discharge conveyor with respect to the longitudinal axis of the material transfer vehicle may be adjusted. A paver-locating sensor is operatively connected to the controller, and is located and adapted to execute multiple non-contact sensor scan passes across the front end of the paving machine to determine the distance and orientation of the paving machine with respect to the paver-locating sensor and to communicate this information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Roadtec, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Tkachenko, John E. Hoffmann, David Swearingen, Irina Brown
  • Publication number: 20190377363
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the movement of a material transfer vehicle with respect to the front end of a paving machine that is being operated by a driver/operator and is being supplied with asphalt paving material by the material transfer vehicle includes a controller that is mounted on the material transfer vehicle and is operatively connected to control mechanisms for controlling the speed and braking of the material transfer vehicle. A sensor is mounted on the material transfer vehicle and is operatively connected to the controller. The sensor is located and adapted to execute non-contact sensor scan passes across the front end of the paving machine to determine the distance from the sensor to the paving machine. The sensor is also adapted to communicate information to the controller about the distance from the sensor to the paving machine. The apparatus includes no components that are mounted on the paving machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Roadtec, Inc.
    Inventors: Lillian Nichole Shelton, John E. Hoffmann, David Swearingen, Irina Brown, Kerry Malone, Oleg Tkachenko
  • Publication number: 20190003133
    Abstract: A material transfer vehicle that is adapted to supply asphalt paving material to a paving machine on a roadway has a discharge conveyor with an input end and an output end with a discharge chute mounted thereon. A controller is operatively connected to the elevation control system and the steering control system for the discharge conveyor. The controller is adapted to communicate elevation control signals to the elevation control system for the discharge conveyor so that the elevation of the discharge conveyor may be adjusted based upon communication from the controller. The controller is also adapted to communicate steering control signals to the steering control system for the discharge conveyor so that the angular orientation of the discharge conveyor with respect to the longitudinal axis of the material transfer vehicle may be adjusted based upon communication from the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: Roadtec, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Tkachenko, John E. Hoffmann, David Swearingen, Irina Brown
  • Publication number: 20180142427
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the movement of a material transfer vehicle with respect to the front end of a paving machine that is being supplied by the material transfer vehicle includes a controller that is mounted on the material transfer vehicle and is operatively connected to drive systems for controlling the steering and speed of the material transfer vehicle. A sensor is mounted on the material transfer vehicle and is operatively connected to the controller. The sensor is located and adapted to execute multiple non-contact sensor scan passes across the front end of the paving machine to determine the distance from the sensor to the paving machine. The sensor is also adapted to communicate information to the controller about the distance from the sensor to the paving machine. The apparatus includes no components that are mounted on the paving machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Applicant: Roadtec, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Tkachenko, John E. Hoffmann, David Swearingen, Irina Brown
  • Patent number: 9913271
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed regarding a wireless field unit, which may receive a plurality of forward link assignment messages for the wireless field unit over at least one first code channel. Each of the forward link assignment messages may indicate a modulation type, a data rate and assigned channel codes for a respective assigned forward link transmission. Also, forward link transmissions may be time multiplexed between wireless field units. The wireless field unit may receive a plurality of assigned forward link transmissions. In addition, the wireless field unit my process each of the received assigned forward link transmissions in response to the respective received forward link assignment messages. Further, the wireless field unit may receive power control information in assigned time intervals on a time division multiplexed second code channel, wherein the time division multiplexed second code channel is time multiplexed between a plurality of wireless field units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: IPR LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: George R. Nelson, John E. Hoffmann, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Patent number: 9807714
    Abstract: Multiple field units in a CDMA system are synchronized for communication with a base station using a shared forward and reverse link channel. Each field unit is assigned a time slot in a forward link channel to receive messages from the base station. Likewise, each field unit is assigned a time slot on a common reverse link channel for transmitting messages to the base station. Timing alignment among each of many field units and the base station is achieved by analyzing messages received at the base station in a corresponding time slot from each field unit. Thereafter, a message is transmitted in a corresponding time slot to a particular field unit from the base station for adjusting its timing so that future messages transmitted from the field unit are received in the appropriate time slot at the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: G. Rodney Nelson, Jr., John E. Hoffmann, Antoine J. Rouphael, James A. Proctor
  • Patent number: 9780930
    Abstract: A mobile device may generate reference bits. The mobile device may also produce a frame to send in an uplink transmission having two portions selectively with the reference bits or data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, George Rodney Nelson, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Patent number: 9661583
    Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a reference signal including pilot information is transmitted from a base station to one or multiple field units over a pilot channel. A message is also sent to the field units over a paging channel to indicate an effective radiated power level at which the reference signal is transmitted on the pilot channel. Based on a received power level of the reference signal at a field unit and the effective radiated power level of the reference signal, a forward path loss is estimated at the field unit for the forward link between the base station and field unit. Assuming the path loss in the reverse link is approximately the same as the estimated forward link path loss, the field unit can transmit, a reply message in the reverse link so that the base station generally receives a message at-a desired power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Nelson, Jr., James A. Proctor, Jr., John E. Hoffmann, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Publication number: 20170064682
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed regarding a wireless field unit, which may receive a plurality of forward link assignment messages for the wireless field unit over at least one first code channel. Each of the forward link assignment messages may indicate a modulation type, a data rate and assigned channel codes for a respective assigned forward link transmission. Also, forward link transmissions may be time multiplexed between wireless field units. The wireless field unit may receive a plurality of assigned forward link transmissions. In addition, the wireless field unit my process each of the received assigned forward link transmissions in response to the respective received forward link assignment messages. Further, the wireless field unit may receive power control information in assigned time intervals on a time division multiplexed second code channel, wherein the time division multiplexed second code channel is time multiplexed between a plurality of wireless field units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: IPR LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: George R. Nelson, John E. Hoffmann, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Patent number: 9497761
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed regarding a field unit, which may receive a plurality of forward link assignment messages for a plurality of time slots for a plurality of forward link transmissions, each message including an indication of a modulation and a code rate associated with a respective forward link transmission. The unit may receive at least one of the forward link transmissions in at least two of the time slots at the respective indicated modulation and code rate. The unit may receive a plurality of reverse link assignment messages for a plurality of time slots for a plurality of reverse link transmissions, each message including an indication of a modulation and a code rate associated with a respective reverse link transmission. The unit may transmit at least one of the reverse link transmissions in at least two of the time slots at the respective indicated modulation and code rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Nelson, John E. Hoffmann, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Publication number: 20160323074
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding digital communication signals is described herein. A wireless communication unit may comprise a processor configured to produce first symbols derived from data bits and parity bits. The wireless communication unit may transmit a wireless signal including the first symbols and reference symbols in a time interval including a plurality of symbol time intervals. In one of the symbol time intervals a plurality of the reference symbols may be transmitted in a predetermined pattern, which may have the reference symbols not adjacent to each other. A base station may receive a wireless signal including first and reference symbols. In one of the symbol time intervals a plurality of the reference symbols may be received in a predetermined pattern. The base station may then demodulate the first symbols using the reference symbols, wherein the first symbols are derived from data bits and parity bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: IPR Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, George R. Nelson, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Patent number: 9461698
    Abstract: A communications device may include a transmit path, a receive path operable simultaneously with the transmit path and at a same frequency as the transmit path, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry may be configured to generate a baseband signal for the transmit path, generate a feedforward signal based upon the baseband signal, and use the feedforward signal to reduce self-interference in the receive path from the transmit path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher D. Moffatt, John E. Hoffmann, Richard Lilley
  • Publication number: 20160212720
    Abstract: A method for use in a field unit operable in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving an indication of a plurality of access identifiers from a base station. The field unit selects an access identifier from the plurality of access identifiers received from the base station. The selected access identifier is associated with a type of field unit request. The field unit transmits the selected access identifier to the base station. The field unit then receives a message from the base station. The message is based on the transmitted selected access identifier. The message contains a timing adjustment that indicates an amount to advance timing. A corresponding field unit apparatus, a base station method, and corresponding base station apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: G. Rodney Nelson, Jr., John E. Hoffmann, Antoine J. Rouphael, James A. Proctor
  • Patent number: 9397808
    Abstract: A technique for encoding digital communication signals. Data symbols are augmented in pilot symbols inserted at predetermined positions. The pilot augmented sequence is then fed to a deterministic error correction block encoder, such as a turbo product coder, to output a coded sequence. The symbols in the error correction encoded sequence are then rearranged to ensure that the output symbols derived from input pilot symbols are located at regular, predetermined positions. As a result, channel encoding schemes can more easily be used which benefits from power of two length block sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, George R. Nelson, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael, III
  • Patent number: 9369235
    Abstract: The present invention provides for making code rate adjustments and modulation type adjustments in a pseudonoise (PN) encoded CDMA system. Coding rate adjustments may be made by changing the number of information bits per symbol, or Forward Error Code (FEC) coding rate. A forward error correction (FEC) block size is maintained at a constant amount. Therefore, as the number of information bits per symbol are increased, an integer multiple of bits per epoch is always maintained. The scheme permits for a greater flexibility and selection of effective data rates providing information bit rates ranging from, for example, approximately 50 kilobits per second to over 5 mega bits per second (Mbps) in one preferred embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, George Rodney Nelson, Daniel I. Riley, Antoine J. Rouphael, James A. Proctor
  • Patent number: 9301274
    Abstract: Multiple field units in a CDMA system are synchronized for communication with a base station using a shared forward and reverse link channel. Each field unit is assigned a time slot in a forward link channel to receive messages from the base station. Likewise, each field unit is assigned a time slot on a common reverse link channel for transmitting messages to the base station. Timing alignment among each of many field units and the base station is achieved by analyzing messages received at the base station in a corresponding time slot from each field unit. Thereafter, a message is transmitted in a corresponding time slot to a particular field unit from the base station for adjusting its timing so that future messages transmitted from the field unit are received in the appropriate time slot at the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: G. Rodney Nelson, Jr., John E. Hoffmann, Antoine J. Rouphael, James A. Proctor
  • Publication number: 20160066323
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed regarding a field unit, which may receive a plurality of forward link assignment messages for a plurality of time slots for a plurality of forward link transmissions, each message including an indication of a modulation and a code rate associated with a respective forward link transmission. The unit may receive at least one of the forward link transmissions in at least two of the time slots at the respective indicated modulation and code rate. The unit may receive a plurality of reverse link assignment messages for a plurality of time slots for a plurality of reverse link transmissions, each message including an indication of a modulation and a code rate associated with a respective reverse link transmission. The unit may transmit at least one of the reverse link transmissions in at least two of the time slots at the respective indicated modulation and code rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: IPR LICENSING, INC.
    Inventors: George R. Nelson, John E. Hoffmann, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Patent number: 9185604
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed regarding data rate and resource allocation decisions which are made for a communications channel, such as a wireless reverse connection. The wireless reverse connection may be between stations. One of the stations may be a base station and another station may be a field unit. The field unit may transmit data to a base station at a first data rate, based on a first resource allocation. Also, the field unit may transmit, to the base station, an indication, such as a digital data word, that the field unit has the capability to support the transmission of uplink data at a second data rate. The base station may transmit a second resource allocation to the field unit. After receiving the second resource allocation, the field unit may transmit additional uplink data to the base station at the second data rate based on the second resource allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Nelson, John E. Hoffmann, James A. Proctor, Antoine J. Rouphael
  • Publication number: 20150222392
    Abstract: The present invention provides for making code rate adjustments and modulation type adjustments in a pseudonoise (PN) encoded CDMA system. Coding rate adjustments may be made by changing the number of information bits per symbol, or Forward Error Code (FEC) coding rate. A forward error correction (FEC) block size is maintained at a constant amount. Therefore, as the number of information bits per symbol are increased, an integer multiple of bits per epoch is always maintained. The scheme permits for a greater flexibility and selection of effective data rates providing information bit rates ranging from, for example, approximately 50 kilobits per second to over 5 mega bits per second (Mbps) in one preferred embodiment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: John E. Hoffmann, George Rodney Nelson, Daniel I. Riley, Antoine J. Rouphael, James A. Proctor