Patents by Inventor Neil A. Hankin

Neil A. Hankin 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).

  • Patent number: 8943213
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Robin J. Blackwell, Neil A. Hankin, Peter J. Lanigan, Nicoll B. Shepherd, Philip A. Rudland
  • Patent number: 8874689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type from which no other device type depends and a basic device type from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Robin J. Blackwell, Neil A. Hankin, Peter J. Lanigan, Nicoll B. Shepherd, Philip A. Rudland
  • Patent number: 8392601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Robin J. Blackwell, Neil A. Hankin, Peter J. Lanigan, Nicoll B. Shepherd, Philip A. Rudland
  • Publication number: 20120059898
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Robin J. Blackwell, Neil A. Hankin, Peter J. Lanigan, Nicoll B. Shepherd, Philip A. Rudland
  • Patent number: 8078742
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Robin J. Blackwell, Neil A. Hankin, Peter J. Lanigan, Nicoll B. Shepherd, Philip A. Rudland
  • Publication number: 20070052548
    Abstract: A radio frequency controlled system (10,20,30) is described in which a user's remote control (30) having a unique identifier is only accepted by a device (10, 40a) to enable remote control if authenticated. The authentication process causes the device (10, 40a) to generate and issue a key sequence which the user must input. Commands from a remote control unit (30) having the identifier are only accepted if the key sequence has been previously, and correctly input. The key sequence is issued so that only a user in close proximity of the device with direct line of sight/hearing can input it on the device. Hence, inadvertent control by a neighbours' radio frequency remote control unit is eliminated. The invention is described employing the ZigBee radio standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventors: Neil Hankin, Barrie Barnes, Roderick Miller, Robin Blackwell
  • Publication number: 20060041649
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Robin Blackwell, Neil Hankin, Peter Lanigan, Nicoll Shepherd, Philip Rudland
  • Publication number: 20060031192
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: Robin Blackwell, Neil Hankin, Peter Lanigan, Nicoll Shepherd, Philip Rudland
  • Publication number: 20060031570
    Abstract: The invention relates to bridging between networks. One network uses a composite device type with a number of sub-devices. In response to a device description query from a first network device (202) a bridge device (206) responds with a message indicating its device type as being the composite device type and the number of sub-devices being the number of devices in the second network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: Robin Blackwell, Neil Hankin, Nicoll Shepherd, Philip Rudland
  • Publication number: 20060026291
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protocol for communications between networked devices. The devices are logically arranged as a hierarchy of device types including a controller device type (52) from which no other device type depends and a basic device type (54) from which a number of other device types depend. The devices implement a simple device description message of fixed length and format which includes the device type, and some devices further implement an extended device description message including additional information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Robin Blackwell, Neil Hankin, Peter Lanigan, Nicoll Shepherd, Philip Rudland