Patents by Inventor Robert Neal Beard

Robert Neal Beard 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: 11822810
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a network switch for an information handling system includes: a central processing unit (CPU); and a fan module removably coupled to the network switch, the fan module including: a housing having a front end and a back end; a plurality of fans disposed within the housing proximate to the back end; a memory interface disposed within the housing proximate to the front end, the memory interface communicably coupled to the CPU; a memory device disposed within the housing proximate to the memory interface, the memory device storing information associated with the networking operations and communicably coupled to the memory interface, the memory device removably coupled to the fan module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Neal Beard, Colin John Montgomery, Shree Ramakrishna Rathinasamy, Padmanabhan Narayanan
  • Publication number: 20230126639
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a network switch for an information handling system includes: a central processing unit (CPU); and a fan module removably coupled to the network switch, the fan module including: a housing having a front end and a back end; a plurality of fans disposed within the housing proximate to the back end; a memory interface disposed within the housing proximate to the front end, the memory interface communicably coupled to the CPU; a memory device disposed within the housing proximate to the memory interface, the memory device storing information associated with the networking operations and communicably coupled to the memory interface, the memory device removably coupled to the fan module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Robert Neal Beard, Colin John Montgomery, Shree Ramakrishna Rathinasamy, Padmanabhan Narayanan
  • Patent number: 11509491
    Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments of a power-over-Ethernet (PoE) breakout system that may be used to breakout a PoE port from a PoE information handling system into a number of breakout ports. In one or more embodiments, a PoE breakout system comprises: a PoE port for connecting to a PoE information handling system, such as a PoE switch; a plurality of breakout ports for connecting to powered devices, wherein each breakout port is configured to supply power to a powered device; and a power management module electrically coupled to the PoE port and configured to supply power to each breakout port according to a configuration that sets a power level for that breakout port. In one or more embodiments. the PoE breakout system comprises a data communications module that switches data traffic to a correct PoE breakout port according to its intended powered device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
    Inventors: Shree Rathinasamy, Robert Neal Beard, Victor Teeter
  • Publication number: 20210392006
    Abstract: Presented herein are embodiments of a power-over-Ethernet (PoE) breakout system that may be used to breakout a PoE port from a PoE information handling system into a number of breakout ports. In one or more embodiments, a PoE breakout system comprises: a PoE port for connecting to a PoE information handling system, such as a PoE switch; a plurality of breakout ports for connecting to powered devices, wherein each breakout port is configured to supply power to a powered device; and a power management module electrically coupled to the PoE port and configured to supply power to each breakout port according to a configuration that sets a power level for that breakout port. In one or more embodiments. the PoE breakout system comprises a data communications module that switches data traffic to a correct PoE breakout port according to its intended powered device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
    Inventors: Shree RATHINASAMY, Robert Neal BEARD, Victor TEETER
  • Patent number: 11011288
    Abstract: A hybrid electrical/optical data/power cabling system includes a hybrid electrical/optical data/power transceiver device connected to a computing device. The hybrid electrical/optical data/power transceiver device includes a power transmission element that receives power and transmits the power to a first power transmission layer included in a hybrid electrical/optical data/power cable connected to the hybrid electrical/optical data/power transceiver device. The hybrid electrical/optical data/power transceiver device also includes optical data signal transmission element that transmits optical data signals to a first optical data signal transmission layer in the hybrid electrical/optical data/power cable connected to the hybrid electrical/optical data/power transceiver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Victor Teeter, Shree Rathinasamy, Robert Neal Beard
  • Patent number: 11012156
    Abstract: A hybrid electrical/optical data/power cabling system includes a pair of cable connectors and an elongated cable base extending between the cable connectors. A first hybrid electrical/optical data/power wire extends through the elongated cable base and is connected to each of the cable connectors. A first power transmission layer in the first hybrid electrical/optical data/power wire is configured to transmit power between the cable connectors, and a first optical data signal transmission layer included in the first hybrid electrical/optical data/power wire is configured to transmit optical data signals between the cable connectors. In some examples, the first power transmission layer may include a tubular cylindrical power transmission layer, and the first optical data signal transmission layer may include a tubular optical data signal transmission layer that is positioned within the tubular cylindrical power transmission layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Victor Teeter, Shree Rathinasamy, Robert Neal Beard
  • Publication number: 20210126803
    Abstract: A single cable optical data and power transmission system includes a powering device that transmits electrical signal data and power via its powering device port to a first transceiver. The first transceiver then transmits the power via an electrical wire in a cable connected to the first transceiver, while converting the electrical signal data to optical signal data and transmitting the optical signal data via an optical wire in the cable connected to the first transceiver. A second transceiver coupled to the cable receives the optical signal data transmitted over the optical wire in the cable, receives the power transmitted over the electrical wire in the cable, converts the optical signal data to electrical signal data, and transmits the electrical signal data and the power via a powered device port to a powered device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Inventors: Victor B. Teeter, Shree RamaKrishna Rathinasamy, Robert Neal Beard
  • Patent number: 10938477
    Abstract: A hybrid electrical/optical data/power cabling system includes a cable connector, and an elongated cable base extending from the cable connector. A first hybrid electrical/optical data/power wire extends through the elongated cable base and is connected to the cable connector. The first hybrid electrical/optical data/power wire includes a first power transmission layer that is configured to transmit power through the elongated cable base, and a first optical data signal transmission layer that is configured to transmit optical data signals through the elongated cable base. An electrical/optical data signal conversation subsystem is coupled to the first hybrid electrical/optical data/power wire, and operates to receive electrical data signals, convert the electrical data signals to optical data signals, and provide the optical data signals for transmission via the first optical data signal transmission layer in the first hybrid electrical optical data/power wire and through the elongated cable base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Victor Teeter, Shree Rathinasamy, Robert Neal Beard
  • Patent number: 10146022
    Abstract: An electrical/optical signal conversion system includes a PoE powering device with powering device electrical data ports, and a PoE powered device (PD) with a power controller coupled to PoE-powered signal conversion subsystems that each include an electrical/optical signal converter coupled to a PD electrical data port and a PD optical data port. The PD electrical data ports receive power and electrical data signals transmitted by a powering device electrical data port, transmit the electrical data signals to their electrical/optical signal converter, and provide the power to the power controller. The corresponding PD optical data port then receives power from the power controller that was provided by the PD electrical data port, receives optical data signals from the electrical/optical signal converter that were converted from the electrical data signals transmitted by the PD electrical data port, and transmits the optical data signals to a first optical signal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Neal Beard, Victor Barrett Teeter, Andrew Blake Berry