Patents by Inventor Robert C. Tufford

Robert C. Tufford 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: 7620047
    Abstract: A method of transporting a RapidIO packet (135) from an initiator RapidIO domain (102) over an IP packet network (110) to a receiver RapidIO domain (104) can include the initiator RapidIO domain creating the RapidIO packet and reading a destination domain ID (483) of the RapidIO packet, where the destination domain ID corresponds to the receiver RapidIO domain. The destination domain ID is mapped to a receiver RapidIO domain IP address (473). The RapidIO packet is encapsulated in an IP packet (436) and the IP packet is communicated to the receiver RapidIO domain over the IP packet network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power - Embedded Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7561565
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system (100) includes a VXS backplane (104), a switched fabric (106) operating on the VXS backplane, a parallel bus (108) operating coincident with the switched fabric on the VXS backplane, a VXS payload module (102) coupled to the VXS backplane, and a storage module (110) coupled to the VXS payload module, wherein the storage module is coupled to communicate with the switched fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power - Embedded Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7532616
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system, includes a backplane (104), a switched fabric (106) on the backplane, and at least one of a VMEbus network and a PCI network coincident with the switched fabric on the backplane. A payload module (102) has one of a 3U form factor, a 6U form factor and a 9U form factor, where the payload module is communicatively coupled with the backplane using the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network. At least one multi-gigabit connector (118) is coupled to a rear edge (119) of the payload module, where the at least one multi-gigabit connector is coupled to communicatively interface the payload module to the backplane, and where the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network are communicatively coupled with the payload module through the at least one multi-gigabit connector. A storage module (112, 113) is coupled to the payload module, where the storage module is coupled to communicate with the switched fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power - Embedded Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7443844
    Abstract: A switched fabric mezzanine storage module (560) includes a storage module (562) and a switched fabric connector (563) coupled to the storage module. The storage module is coupled to directly communicate with a switched fabric (506), where the switched fabric storage mezzanine module is coupled to a payload module (502) having one of a 3U form factor, a 6U form factor and a 9U form factor. The payload module can include at least one multi-gigabit connector (518) coupled to a rear edge (519) of the payload module, where the at least one multi-gigabit connector is coupled to communicatively interface with a backplane (504).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power - Embedded Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7440450
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system, includes a backplane (104), a switched fabric (106) on the backplane, and at least one of a VMEbus network and a PCI network coincident with the switched fabric on the backplane. A payload module (102) has one of a 3U form factor, a 6U form factor and a 9U form factor, where the payload module is communicatively coupled with the backplane using the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network. At least one multi-gigabit connector (118) is coupled to a rear edge (119) of the payload module, where the at least one multi-gigabit connector is coupled to communicatively interface the payload module to the backplane, and where the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network are communicatively coupled with the payload module through the at least one multi-gigabit connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Emerson Network Power-Embedded Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Harris, Douglas L. Sandy, Robert C. Tufford
  • Publication number: 20080113604
    Abstract: An embedded computer chassis may include a fan tray receptacle adapted to receive at least one primary fan tray, where the at least one primary fan tray is adapted to be non-redundant in providing cooling air to the embedded computer chassis. Embedded computer chassis may also include a cooling air plenum, where the cooling air plenum is adapted to receive a service fan tray, where the service fan tray is adapted to temporarily provide the cooling air to the embedded computer chassis absent the at least one primary fan tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: MOTOROLA, INC.
    Inventors: Robert C. Tufford, Mark S. Lanus
  • Patent number: 7307987
    Abstract: A payload module (202) includes a payload subunit (212) coupled to the payload module, where the payload module has one of a 3U form factor, a 6U form factor and a 9U form factor. At least one multi-gigabit connector (218) is coupled to a rear edge (219) of the payload module and to the payload subunit, where the at least one multi-gigabit connector is coupled to communicatively interface the payload subunit to a backplane (204), where the backplane includes a switched fabric (206) coincident with at least one of a VMEbus network and a PCI network, and where the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network are communicatively coupled with the payload subunit through the at least one multi-gigabit connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Tufford, Jeffrey M. Harris, Douglas L. Sandy
  • Patent number: 7254039
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system (100, 200, 300, 400) includes a computer chassis (101, 201, 301, 401) having a plurality of 3U slots (205), a backplane (104) integrated in the computer chassis, a switched fabric (106) on the backplane. At least one of a VMEbus network and a PCI network are coincident with the switched fabric on the backplane. A payload module (102) having a 3U form factor is coupled to interface with one of the plurality of 3U slots, where the payload module is communicatively coupled with the backplane using the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network. At least one multi-gigabit connector (118) is coupled to a rear edge (119) of the payload module, where the at least one multi-gigabit connector is coupled to communicatively interface the payload module to the backplane, and where the switched fabric and at least one of the VMEbus network and the PCI network are communicatively coupled with the payload module through the at least one multi-gigabit connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7242578
    Abstract: A bladed architecture, backplane-based network (100) having N payload slots (108) includes an N/2 slot switch module (102), wherein the N/2 slot switch module is reconfigurable to one of a left-hand slot switch configuration (603) and a right-hand slot switch configuration (605), and wherein the N/2 slot switch module is coupled to N/2 of the N payload slots such that the bladed architecture, backplane-based network is in a sub-optimal configuration (601).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Mark S. Lanus, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7154747
    Abstract: A switch module includes a board (114) having one of a 3U form factor and a 9U form factor, and a central switching resource (116) coupled to the board, where the central switching resource is coupled to operate a switched fabric (106) on a backplane (104), where the switched fabric operates coincident with at least one of a VMEbus network and a PCI network on the backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Tufford, Jeffrey M. Harris, Douglas L. Sandy
  • Patent number: 7152126
    Abstract: A stacked 3U payload module unit (207) includes a base module (220), where the base module has a 3U form factor (229), and where the base module is coupled to directly communicate with a switched fabric (106) on a backplane (104) of a computer chassis (112), where the backplane comprises the switched fabric and a VMEbus network (108) operating concurrently. Stacked 3U payload module unit (207) can also include a stacking module (222) coupled to the base module, wherein the stacking module has the 3U form factor, wherein the stacking module is communicatively coupled to the base module through a stacking switched fabric connector (209), and wherein the stacking module is communicatively coupled to the switched fabric via the base module and the stacking switched fabric connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7120725
    Abstract: A method of communicating a VMEbus transfer (235) from an initiator VMEbus domain (202) over an IP packet network (210) to a responder VMEbus domain (204) can include the initiator VMEbus domain creating the VMEbus transfer and reading a VMEbus destination address (452) of the VMEbus transfer. The VMEbus destination address can be mapped to a responder VMEbus domain IP address and the VMEbus transfer encapsulated in an IP packet (236). The IP packet can be communicated to the responder VMEbus domain over the IP packet network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7073009
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system (100) having a VXS backplane (104) includes a VXS payload module (102) coupled to the VXS backplane, and a switched fabric enabled mezzanine card (112) coupled to the VXS payload module, wherein the switched fabric enabled mezzanine card is coupled to directly communicate with the VXS backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7039749
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system (200) having a VXS backplane (204) includes a VXS payload module (202) coupled to the VXS backplane, a first switched fabric enabled mezzanine card (212) coupled to the VXS payload module, and a second switched fabric enabled mezzanine card (213) coupled to the VXS payload module. VXS payload module also includes a switching element (215) communicatively interposed between the first and second switched fabric enabled mezzanine card and the switching element, wherein the first and second switched fabric enabled mezzanine card are coupled to directly communicate with a switched fabric (206, 207) via the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Patent number: 7020727
    Abstract: A multi-service platform system (100) includes a switched fabric backplane (102), a baseboard (104) coupled to interface with the switched fabric backplane, a full-span switched fabric carrier module (106) coupled to interface with the baseboard, and a switched fabric link (108), wherein the full-span carrier interfaces with the baseboard via the switched fabric link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Tufford, Jeffrey M. Harris
  • Patent number: 6978332
    Abstract: A VXS multi-service platform system (100) includes a VXS computer chassis (103), a monolithic backplane (102) in the VXS computer chassis having a VMEbus network (108) on the monolithic backplane and a switched fabric (110) operating coincident with the VMEbus network on the monolithic backplane. A switched fabric link (260) extends the switched fabric external to the VXS computer chassis and the monolithic backplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Harris, Robert C. Tufford
  • Publication number: 20040233856
    Abstract: A bladed architecture, backplane-based network (100) having N payload slots (108) includes an N/2 slot switch module (102), wherein the N/2 slot switch module is reconfigurable to one of a left-hand slot switch configuration (603) and a right-hand slot switch configuration (605), and wherein the N/2 slot switch module is coupled to N/2 of the N payload slots such that the bladed architecture, backplane-based network is in a sub-optimal configuration (601).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Mark S. Lanus, Douglas L. Sandy, Robert C. Tufford
  • Publication number: 20040233652
    Abstract: A bladed architecture, backplane-based network (100) having N payload slots (108) includes an N/2 slot switch module (102), wherein the N/2 slot switch module is reconfigurable to one of a left-hand slot switch configuration (603) and a right-hand slot switch configuration (605), and wherein the N/2 slot switch module is coupled to N/2 of the N payload slots such that the bladed architecture, backplane-based network is in a sub-optimal configuration (601).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Douglas L. Sandy, Mark S. Lanus, Robert C. Tufford
  • Publication number: 20040236867
    Abstract: A bladed architecture, backplane-based network (100) having N payload slots (108) includes an N/2 slot switch module (102), wherein the N/2 slot switch module is reconfigurable to one of a left-hand slot switch configuration (603) and a right-hand slot switch configuration (605), and wherein the N/2 slot switch module is coupled to N/2 of the N payload slots such that the bladed architecture, backplane-based network is in a sub-optimal configuration (601).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Mark S. Lanus, Douglas L. Sandy, Robert C. Tufford