Patents by Inventor Robert E. BARTON

Robert E. BARTON 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: 12683650
    Abstract: As reconfigurable Intelligent Surface devices (RISs) and ambient power devices become more common, it is advantageous to connect and leverage the capabilities of these devices into various wireless networks, including Wi-Fi networks. Configuring an RIS in a wireless network to provide and improve communications between an access point (AP) and an ambient power device is described. Configuring the RIS may include using a series of sounding frames between the AP and the ambient power device to update and control an RIS to improve transmission between the AP and the ambient power device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Indermeet S. Gandhi, Robert E. Barton, Jerome Henry
  • Patent number: 12684341
    Abstract: A network controller provides proactive notification of a wireless client device's address rotation to layer 2 (L2) and/or layer 3 (L3) devices. Traditional methods of device address discovery rely on broadcasting of address queries across a plurality of links until a path to a device having the queried address responds. As device address changes become more frequent in an effort to improve user privacy, traditional methods of address discovery impose a large burden on networks, reducing their performance and efficiency. By proactively propagating address changes to upstream devices, the need for broadcast oriented address discovery techniques is reduced, resulting in improved network performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2026
    Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert E. Barton, Jerome Henry, Stephen Michael Orr
  • Patent number: 12672139
    Abstract: Multi-AP Coordination (MAPC) group with Multi-Link Device (MLD) awareness may be provided. Link information of one or more stations associated with each Access Point (AP) of a plurality of APs of a MAPC group may be received. The link information may include a Multi-Link Device (MLD) capability of each of the one or more stations. A proposed transmission schedule of a plurality of stations associated with the plurality of APs of the MAPC group may be received. Transmission Opportunities (TXOPs) for an upcoming interval may be assigned based on the proposed transmission schedule of the plurality of APs and the MLD capabilities of each of the plurality of stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm M. Smith, Robert E. Barton, Indermeet S. Gandhi, Jerome Henry
  • Publication number: 20260178988
    Abstract: Techniques for improved networking are provided. An indication that a mobile device is in a region of a physical space is received, and current exogenous data is determined for the physical space. Positioning technique accuracy is predicted for each respective positioning technique of a plurality of positioning techniques by processing the identifier of the region and the current exogenous data as input to a machine learning model. A first positioning technique of the plurality of positioning techniques is selected based on the predicted positioning technique accuracies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2026
    Publication date: June 25, 2026
    Inventors: Gino M. CORLETO, Robert E. BARTON, Jerome HENRY, Malcolm M. SMITH
  • Publication number: 20260181686
    Abstract: Techniques for delegated peer-to-peer scheduling are provided. A first peer-to-peer device determines one or more wireless channels allocated, by an access point, for peer-to-peer communication, and receives a request indicating a set of transmission characteristics from a second peer-to-peer device that uses the first peer-to-peer device as a communications proxy. The first peer-to-peer device schedules wireless resources of the one or more wireless channels to a plurality of peer-to-peer devices based at least in part on the set of transmission characteristics, and performs peer-to-peer communications with the second peer-to-peer device in accordance with the scheduled wireless resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2026
    Publication date: June 25, 2026
    Inventors: Brian D. HART, Malcolm M. SMITH, Pooya MONAJEMI, Jerome HENRY, Robert E. BARTON
  • Publication number: 20260181565
    Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, an example process herein may comprise: identifying a power budget threshold to maintain existing mesh backhaul links in a mesh tree; determining an estimated power budget among potential mesh backhaul links in the mesh tree; performing a channel evaluation of each candidate channel available to establish a backhaul link in the mesh tree; and reconfiguring the mesh tree, in response to a modified power budget for the mesh tree, wherein reconfiguring is based on the estimated power budget and the channel evaluation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2026
    Publication date: June 25, 2026
    Inventors: Vishal Satyendra Desai, Robert E. Barton, Alessandro Erta
  • Patent number: 12659795
    Abstract: Techniques for wireless network management are provided. A first set of characteristics data for a plurality of wireless networks in a common physical space is collected. A use timeline for at least a first wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks is generated based at least in part on the first set of characteristics data, where the first use timeline indicates, for a plurality of time windows, typical expected network characteristics of the first wireless network. A set of radio frequency (RF) parameter modifications is generated based on the first use timeline, and one or more of the plurality of wireless networks are instructed to implement the set of RF parameter modifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinay Saini, Robert E. Barton, Jerome Henry, Vishal S. Desai, Matthew A. Silverman, John M. Swartz, Joshua D. Suhr
  • Patent number: 12659919
    Abstract: Receiver and transmitter assistance for Backscatter Devices (BKDs) may be provided. Network devices enabled to assist with management of BKDs in a network may be identified. A relative position of each of network devices may be determined with respect to an Access Point (AP) it is associated with. A first group of network devices from the network devices may be determined to relay BKD frames based on the relative position of each of the network devices and positions of the BKDs. Each APs of the network with which the first group of network devices are associated with may be caused to send a BKD relay assistance request to each of the first group of network devices. The BKD relay assistance request may include a request to detect the BKD frames backscattered by the BKDs and to relay the detected BKD frames to the AP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Henry, Robert E. Barton, Indermeet S. Gandhi
  • Publication number: 20260156639
    Abstract: Techniques for improved peer-to-peer communication are provided. A wireless access point (AP) may initiate peer-to-peer communication between multilink peer-to-peer devices by sending a trigger frame addressed to the peer-to-peer devices to hand over a transmission opportunity (TXOP). The trigger frame is sent based on the AP's knowledge of the availability of the peer-to-peer devices for peer-to-peer communication. The trigger frame indicates a link to be used for the peer-to-peer communication. In response to receiving the trigger frame one or more of the peer-to-peer devices acknowledge the trigger frame, tune to the assigned link, and use the remaining portion of the TXOP for peer-to-peer communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2026
    Publication date: June 4, 2026
    Inventors: Pooya MONAJEMI, Robert E. BARTON, Juan Carlos ZUNIGA, Malcolm M. SMITH, Jerome HENRY
  • Patent number: 12648024
    Abstract: A signaling mechanism is provided that includes a restricted random access resource unit (XRA RU) that restricts uplink random access, such as by using Uplink Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access-based Random Access (UORA), to a subset of a plurality of stations that are associated with an Access Point (AP). In one aspect, an AP allocates a resource unit as an XRA RU that restricts uplink random access to a subset of a plurality of stations (STAs) that are associated with the AP. The AP transmits an uplink trigger that includes the XRA RU. The AP restricts use of the XRA RU to the subset of the plurality of STAs. In this way, STAs of the subset can attempt contention-based random access with the XRA RU while other STAs are prevented from attempting random access with the XRA RU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Malcolm M. Smith, Brian D. Hart, Matthew A. Silverman, Robert E. Barton
  • Publication number: 20260149690
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for a network-based Internet-of-Things device inventory system includes forming, by a process, a dedicated multicast group comprising a plurality of network devices that support an asset discovery protocol and receiving, by the process, a query comprising a series of descriptors corresponding to features associated with one or more network devices among the plurality of network devices. The method further includes executing, by the process, the query within the dedicated multicast group and generating, by the process, a report comprising specific details associated with the one or more network devices among the plurality of network devices in response to executing the query and based on the asset discovery protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2024
    Publication date: May 28, 2026
    Inventors: Robert E. BARTON, Ashok HEGDE, Srinivasa Rao NALLURI, Saravanan M KARUNANIDHI, Priyanka BANSAL
  • Patent number: 12641408
    Abstract: Roaming validation for Access Network Providers (ANPs), and particularly to protecting communications between Stations (STAs) and ANPs while providing roaming validation for ANPs may be provided. An ANP may first register a roaming federation system. The ANP may determine a roaming message based on subscription features of the network, and the ANP may request signing of the roaming message by the roaming federation system. The ANP may receive the signed roaming message from the roaming federation system and send the signed roaming message to a STA. The ANP may then receive a request to connect to the network from the STA and initiate a connection for the STA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Henry, Robert E. Barton, Vinay Saini, Bart A. Brinckman, Mark Grayson
  • Patent number: 12635015
    Abstract: Techniques for intelligent multi-link operation (MLO) mode selection are provided. One or more metrics for wireless communication in a wireless network is collected. A set of multi-link operation (MLO) modes available for the wireless communication between a station multi-link device (STA MLD) and a first access point multi-link device (AP MLD) in the wireless network is determined. A first MLO mode of the set of MLO modes is selected based on the one or more collected metrics. The wireless communication is performed using the selected first MLO mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Barton, Jerome Henry, Juan Carlos Zuniga, Malcolm M. Smith
  • Patent number: 12628185
    Abstract: Techniques for managing communications between access points (APs) and stations (STAs) are described herein. In one embodiment, an AP broadcasts a trigger message to a plurality of STAs, the trigger message including a matrix defining a plurality of resource units (RUs) that the plurality of STAs are assigned to transmit or receive data, and a fragment flag. The presence of the fragment flag, within the scheduling matrix, informs the AP that the data transmission that the fragment flag is appended to is a partial transmission that will be completed in a subsequent transmission opportunity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Pascal Thubert, Jerome Henry, Juan Carlos Zuniga, Matthew A. Silverman, Domenico Ficara, Amine Choukir, Robert E. Barton
  • Publication number: 20260129029
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device receives discovery data generated by a plurality of networking devices in a network. The device determines, based on the discovery data, a hierarchy of layers of the network. The device receives a request by a client that is external to the network to access remotely a particular endpoint in the network. The device configures, and in response to the request, a proxy chain of remote access agents executed by a subset of networking devices from the plurality of networking devices to allow the client to access remotely the particular endpoint, each of those networking devices proxying traffic between different layers of the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Inventors: Robert E. Barton, Flemming Stig Andreasen, Jerome Henry, Elango Ganesan
  • Publication number: 20260122662
    Abstract: Wireless Local-Area Network (WLAN) channel management in the presence of Ambient Power (AMP) devices may be provided. First, an Access Point (AP) may receive a data packet indicating a perceived Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) that a Backscatter Device (BKD) received a signal at from the AP. Then the AP may provide a controller the perceived RSSI that the BKD received the signal at from the AP and a frequency on which the AP received the data packet. Next, the AP may receive channel assignment instructions from the controller based on the perceived RSSI that the BKD received the signal at from the AP and the frequency on which the AP received the data packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2024
    Publication date: April 30, 2026
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Caldarola, Robert E. Barton, Domenico Ficara, Indermeet S. Gandhi
  • Publication number: 20260113774
    Abstract: Method for application control and Quality of Service (QoS) handling may be provided. A request may be received for scheduling a communication between an Access Point (AP) and a user device for sending data of an application. It may be determined that the request does not comprise network characteristics of the application. In response to determining that the request does not comprise the network characteristics of the application, the network characteristics may be requested from a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) controller. The network characteristics may be received from the WLAN controller. Schedules for the application may be determined based on the network characteristics. The schedules may be enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2025
    Publication date: April 23, 2026
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome Henry, Robert E. Barton, Thomas Szigeti
  • Publication number: 20260107295
    Abstract: Adapting transmission schedules in a Radio Frequency (RF) environment may be provided. A Central Network Controller (CNC) of a Time Sensitive Network (TSN) may determine that a data path to a client device comprises a wireless link. The CNC of the TSN may generate a proposed transmission schedule for the time sensitive traffic to the client device through the wireless link in response to determining that the data path to the client device comprises the wireless link. The CNC may provide the proposed transmission schedule to a Wireless Network Controller (WLC) of the wireless link. The CNC may receive a confirmation from the WLC that the proposed transmission schedule can be met. The proposed transmission schedule may be configured in response to receiving the confirmation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2025
    Publication date: April 16, 2026
    Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Barton, Jerome Henry, Maik Guenter Seewald, Malcolm Muir Smith
  • Patent number: 12604336
    Abstract: Techniques for delegated peer-to-peer scheduling are provided. A first peer-to-peer device determines one or more wireless channels allocated for peer-to-peer communication, and receives a request indicating a set of transmission characteristics from a second peer-to-peer device that uses the first peer-to-peer device as a communications proxy. The first peer-to-peer device schedules wireless resources of the one or more wireless channels to a plurality of peer-to-peer devices based at least in part on the set of transmission characteristics, and performs peer-to-peer communications with the second peer-to-peer device in accordance with the scheduled wireless resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian D. Hart, Malcolm M. Smith, Pooya Monajemi, Jerome Henry, Robert E. Barton
  • Publication number: 20260101179
    Abstract: A system and method for using 802.11v action report messages to enhance roaming. In one embodiment, a method includes transmitting, to a station, a transition management message that identifies a recommended access point for roaming for the station, receiving, from the station, an action report in response to the transition management message, where the action report indicates feedback to the recommended access point identified in the transition management message, and determining a roaming recommendation based on the action report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2025
    Publication date: April 9, 2026
    Inventors: Robert E. Barton, Jerome Henry, Federico Lovison, Indermeet Singh Gandhi