Patents by Inventor Nicholas P. Sands

Nicholas P. Sands 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: 12097405
    Abstract: A system may include an exercise device and an external device. The exercise device may include a rigid rod, a plurality of light sources, at least one load sensor for detecting an applied longitudinal force, and a first processor coupled to the at least one load sensor and to the plurality of light sources and configured to obtain a signal indicating a magnitude of the applied longitudinal force, and cause a subset of the plurality of light sources to emit light. The external device may comprise a communication interface, a display, and a second processor coupled to the communication interface and to the display and configured to establish a communication link with the exercise device using the communication interface, obtain data over the communication link, and cause the display to present information associated with the exercise device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Justin Andrews, Krista S. Jacobsen, Daniel K. Harden, Cole Derby, Britt Jensen
  • Patent number: 11571608
    Abstract: An exercise device comprises a rigid rod having a first and second ends, a plurality of light sources arranged in a row along at least a portion of an axis extending between the first and second ends of the rigid rod, at least one load sensor for detecting an applied longitudinal force, and a processor coupled to the at least one load sensor and to the plurality of light sources. The processor is configured to execute machine-executable instructions that cause the processor to obtain a signal indicating a magnitude of the applied longitudinal force, and cause a subset of the plurality of light sources to emit light. A ratio of a number of light sources in the subset to a total number of the plurality of light sources represents the magnitude of the applied longitudinal force relative to a reference longitudinal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Disruptive Force LLC, Campbell, CA
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Justin Andrews, Krista S. Jacobsen, Daniel K. Harden, Cole Derby, Britt Jensen
  • Patent number: 10835781
    Abstract: An exercise device comprising a rigid rod, a base, at least one load sensor inside the base or the rigid rod, the at least one load sensor for detecting a longitudinal force applied to the exercise device, and a processor coupled to the at least one load sensor, the processor for executing one or more machine-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause at least one of the plurality of light sources to emit light to instruct a user to apply a target longitudinal force to the exercise device, obtain a signal indicating a magnitude of the applied longitudinal force, and control at least one characteristic of at least a subset of the plurality of light sources to provide an indication of the magnitude of the applied longitudinal force relative to the magnitude of the target longitudinal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: DISRUPTIVE FORCE LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Justin Andrews, Krista S. Jacobsen, Daniel K. Harden, Cole Derby, Britt Jensen
  • Patent number: 9584182
    Abstract: A vector DSL system includes a plurality of modems, which may be multi-port devices. Unprocessed user data is extracted from the modems and passed through a private vectoring data routing apparatus to one or more vectoring modules, such as vectoring cards. Each vectoring module includes one or more vector processors that include processing units configured to process the unprocessed user data on the basis of all modems' data for a given DSL tone grouping. Processing of the unprocessed user data removes the effects of FEXT from upstream and downstream user data and returns the processed user data to the modems using the vectoring data routing apparatus, which can be a specialized data transmission network utilizing one or more vector routers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin D. Fisher, Nicholas P. Sands
  • Patent number: 9490872
    Abstract: A reduced-memory vectored DSL system reduces the bandwidth and memory storage demands on a vectored DSL system in which FEXT data is transmitted and stored. When test signal data, such as training and/or tracking data, is sent to determine FEXT characteristics of the DSL system, error signals are available for all or substantially all of the upstream and/or downstream frequency band DSL tones used in the system. Dividing a frequency band into sub-bands, only a subset of tones in each sub-band is used for deriving FEXT data. For tones in the sub-band subsets, full-precision FEXT data values can be derived. For other tones, approximations of the FEXT data can be derived. Memory is reduced in both the transmission of such FEXT data (between upstream and downstream ends) and within an upstream-end device such as a DSLAM that performs vectoring using a separate or internal vectoring processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Kevin D. Fisher
  • Patent number: 9270831
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses (e.g., DSL system hardware, DSL systems, vectoring control entities), techniques, systems, etc. are used for initializing one or more DSL lines joining a vectored DSL line group operating in Showtime. A super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequence from a set of super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequences is assigned to each joining DSL line, wherein each such super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequence in the set has length L and is orthogonal to other sequences in the set over length T. These super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequences are used on the joining DSL lines to generate at least T sync-symbols worth of initialization data, which is processed to generate initialization data and FEXT mitigation coefficients for use when the joining DSL lines become part of the vectored DSL line group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitkumar Mahadevan, Kevin D. Fisher, Nicholas P. Sands
  • Patent number: 8897347
    Abstract: A vectored DSL system reduces or eliminates correlated alien interference in active DSL lines in the vectored system by collecting pseudo signals from inactive lines that do not carry upstream DSL transmissions and/or from common-mode voltage signals from active lines. The collected pseudo signals contain in-domain interference, such as FEXT interference from the active DSL lines in the vectored system, and correlated alien interference. After removing the in-domain interference from the pseudo signals, the remaining alien interference data can be used to generate FEXT cancellation coefficients or the like that are used in DSL vectoring to remove the correlated alien interference from upstream DSL user signals from the active DSL lines. The generated FEXT cancellation coefficients are used in a manner analogous to in-domain FEXT data collected from the active lines during training, tracking, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Kevin D. Fisher
  • Patent number: 8854941
    Abstract: A vector DSL system includes a plurality of modems, which may be multi-port devices. Unprocessed user data is extracted from the modems and passed through a private vectoring data routing apparatus to one or more vectoring modules, such as vectoring cards. Each vectoring module includes one or more vector processors that include processing units configured to process the unprocessed user data on the basis of all modems' data for a given DSL tone grouping. Processing of the unprocessed user data removes the effects of FEXT from upstream and downstream user data and returns the processed user data to the modems using the vectoring data routing apparatus, which can be a specialized data transmission network utilizing one or more vector routers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin D. Fisher, Nicholas P. Sands
  • Patent number: 8817857
    Abstract: Residual FEXT resulting from intended and/or inherent partial cancellation of crosstalk in vectored DSL systems impairs upstream power back-off (UPBO) as traditionally implemented. By considering and taking into account the effects of residual crosstalk on vectored DSL system performance and operation, improved data rates and/or other vectored DSL system performance are realized through the use of UPBO parameters generated for a given residual FEXT environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailendra K. Singh, Sigurd Schelstraete, Nicholas P. Sands
  • Patent number: 8780686
    Abstract: The memory storage, transmission and processing demands of a vectored DSL system are reduced by sampling a subset of DSL tones in the DSL tone range used in the vectored system. This data is smoothed (denoised) to further reduce the data's size, sacrificing some fidelity or precision as a result. Finally, lossless entropy coding or the like is performed to encode the FEXT cancellation data for storage and use. The resulting data is less likely to cause transmission bottlenecks in the vectored system, can be stored and used more efficiently for both on-chip and off-chip vectoring implementations, and can be readily updated in various ways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Stephanie F. Pereira, Darren B. Hutchinson, Kevin D. Fisher, Amitkumar Mahadevan
  • Patent number: 8687497
    Abstract: A reduced-memory vectored DSL system includes methods and apparatus for reducing the bandwidth and memory storage demands on a vectored DSL system in which FEXT data is transmitted and stored. An upstream-end device such as a DSLAM communicates with a plurality of downstream-end devices such as CPE modems. When test signal data, such as training and/or tracking data, is sent to determine FEXT characteristics of the DSL system, error signals are available for all or substantially all of the upstream and/or downstream frequency band DSL tones used in the system. Dividing a frequency band into sub-bands, only a subset of tones in each sub-band is used for deriving FEXT data, such as a FEXT channel response, FEXT channel coefficients and/or FEXT cancellation coefficients. For tones in the sub-band subsets, full-precision FEXT data values can be derived. For other tones, approximations of the FEXT data can be derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Kevin D. Fisher
  • Patent number: 8619843
    Abstract: A vectored DSL system reduces or eliminates correlated alien interference in active DSL lines in the vectored system by collecting pseudo signals from inactive lines that do not carry upstream DSL transmissions and/or from common-mode voltage signals from active lines. The collected pseudo signals contain in-domain interference, such as FEXT interference from the active DSL lines in the vectored system, and correlated alien interference. After removing the in-domain interference from the pseudo signals, the remaining alien interference data can be used to generate FEXT cancellation coefficients or the like that are used in DSL vectoring to remove the correlated alien interference from upstream DSL user signals from the active DSL lines. The generated FEXT cancellation coefficients are used in a manner analogous to in-domain FEXT data collected from the active lines during training, tracking, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Kevin D. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20120275591
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses (e.g., DSL system hardware, DSL systems, vectoring control entities), techniques, systems, etc. are used for initializing one or more DSL lines joining a vectored DSL line group operating in Showtime. A super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequence from a set of super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequences is assigned to each joining DSL line, wherein each such super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequence in the set has length L and is orthogonal to other sequences in the set over length T. These super-periodic orthogonal pilot sequences are used on the joining DSL lines to generate at least T sync-symbols worth of initialization data, which is processed to generate initialization data and FEXT mitigation coefficients for use when the joining DSL lines become part of the vectored DSL line group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Ikanos Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitkumar Mahadevan, Kevin D. Fisher, Nicholas P. Sands
  • Publication number: 20110142111
    Abstract: A vectored DSL system reduces or eliminates correlated alien interference in active DSL lines in the vectored system by collecting pseudo signals from inactive lines that do not carry upstream DSL transmissions and/or from common-mode voltage signals from active lines. The collected pseudo signals contain in-domain interference, such as FEXT interference from the active DSL lines in the vectored system, and correlated alien interference. After removing the in-domain interference from the pseudo signals, the remaining alien interference data can be used to generate FEXT cancellation coefficients or the like that are used in DSL vectoring to remove the correlated alien interference from upstream DSL user signals from the active DSL lines. The generated FEXT cancellation coefficients are used in a manner analogous to in-domain FEXT data collected from the active lines during training, tracking, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Kevin D. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20110110409
    Abstract: A reduced-memory vectored DSL system includes methods and apparatus for reducing the bandwidth and memory storage demands on a vectored DSL system in which FEXT data is transmitted and stored. An upstream-end device such as a DSLAM communicates with a plurality of downstream-end devices such as CPE modems. When test signal data, such as training and/or tracking data, is sent to determine FEXT characteristics of the DSL system, error signals are available for all or substantially all of the upstream and/or downstream frequency band DSL tones used in the system. Dividing a frequency band into sub-bands, only a subset of tones in each sub-band is used for deriving FEXT data, such as a FEXT channel response, FEXT channel coefficients and/or FEXT cancellation coefficients. For tones in the sub-band subsets, full-precision FEXT data values can be derived. For other tones, approximations of the FEXT data can be derived.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, Kevin D. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20110080938
    Abstract: A vector DSL system includes a plurality of modems, which may be multi-port devices. Unprocessed user data is extracted from the modems and passed through a private vectoring data routing apparatus to one or more vectoring modules, such as vectoring cards. Each vectoring module includes one or more vector processors that include processing units configured to process the unprocessed user data on the basis of all modems' data for a given DSL tone grouping. Processing of the unprocessed user data removes the effects of FEXT from upstream and downstream user data and returns the processed user data to the modems using the vectoring data routing apparatus, which can be a specialized data transmission network utilizing one or more vector routers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin D. Fisher, Nicholas P. Sands
  • Patent number: 6434119
    Abstract: A variety of methods of initializing a connection between a remote modem and a central unit in a communication system that utilizes a multi-carrier modulation scheme are described. In one aspect of the invention, a relatively long duration single frequency activation signal that ramps up and ramps down in intensity is utilized. In a preferred embodiment, the activation signal is transmitted on a sub-carrier that is outside a range of sub-channels used for data transmission in the multi-carrier modulation scheme. In a separate aspect of the invention, an initialization sequence that includes central synchronization signal, a remote synchronization signal, a central setup signal, a remote setup signal, a central setup complete signal a remote message and a central message. The central unit transmits a central setup complete signal when it has completed a central setup procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Wiese, Krista Jacobsen, Nicholas P. Sands, Jacky Chow
  • Patent number: 6134283
    Abstract: An improved techniques for synchronizing transmissions and receptions of a data transmission system utilizing time division duplexing is disclosed. The improved synchronization techniques utilize the time-varying nature of the energy of the received data to obtain synchronization. In one embodiment, the improved synchronization technique uses the output signals from a multicarrier modulation unit (FFT unit) and thus provides the ability to avoid frequency tones that are susceptible to RF interference. The improved synchronization techniques can also utilize crosstalk interference levels to obtain synchronization. Remote receivers in the data transmission system are able to synchronize to central transmitters, central receivers in the data transmission system are able to synchronize to remote transmitters, and central transmitters are able to synchronize with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Amati Communications Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Sands, John A. C. Bingham
  • Patent number: D842940
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Disruptive Force LLC
    Inventors: Dan Harden, Cole Derby, Justin Andrews, Nicholas P. Sands