Patents by Inventor Robert W. Liang

Robert W. Liang 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: 11329693
    Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yanjun Sun, Gang Xu, Soon-Hyeok Choi, Bhadra Sandeep, Xiaolin Lu, Ariton E. Xhafa, Minghua Fu, Robert W. Liang, Susan Yim
  • Patent number: 10833890
    Abstract: Systems and methods for carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method may include performing a virtual carrier sensing operation and, in response to the virtual carrier sensing operation indicating that a communication channel is idle, calculating a contention window. The method may also include performing a physical carrier sensing operation subsequent to the virtual carrier sensing operation, the physical carrier sensing operation based, at least in part, upon the contention window. In response to the physical carrier sensing operation indicating that the communication channel is idle, the method may then include transmitting data over the channel. In other embodiments, another method may include determining that a data transmission is a unicast transmission and that an acknowledgement message has not been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Shu Du, Robert W. Liang, Xiaolin Lu
  • Publication number: 20200220574
    Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Yanjun Sun, Gang Xu, Soon-Hyeok Choi, Bhadra Sandeep, Xiaolin Lu, Ariton E. Xhafa, Minghua Fu, Robert W. Liang, Susan Yim
  • Patent number: 10644750
    Abstract: A method for implementing a convergence layer. Data is received on a first communication medium by a first transceiver. Data is transmitted on the first communication medium by the first transceiver. A signal is received. Causing, through the convergence layer, by a control logic in response to the signal, the data received and transmitted on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by a second transceiver on a second communication medium, wherein the convergence layer is configured to conceal from a routing layer at least one of: information related to the first signal, and information related to the data being received and transmitted on the second communication medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yanjun Sun, Gang Xu, Soon-Hyeok Choi, Bhadra Sandeep, Xiaolin Lu, Ariton E. Xhafa, Minghua Fu, Robert W. Liang, Susan Yim
  • Publication number: 20190044751
    Abstract: Systems and methods for carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method may include performing a virtual carrier sensing operation and, in response to the virtual carrier sensing operation indicating that a communication channel is idle, calculating a contention window. The method may also include performing a physical carrier sensing operation subsequent to the virtual carrier sensing operation, the physical carrier sensing operation based, at least in part, upon the contention window. In response to the physical carrier sensing operation indicating that the communication channel is idle, the method may then include transmitting data over the channel. In other embodiments, another method may include determining that a data transmission is a unicast transmission and that an acknowledgement message has not been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Shu Du, Robert W. Liang, Xiaolin Lu
  • Patent number: 10097371
    Abstract: Systems and methods for carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method may include performing a virtual carrier sensing operation and, in response to the virtual carrier sensing operation indicating that a communication channel is idle, calculating a contention window. The method may also include performing a physical carrier sensing operation subsequent to the virtual carrier sensing operation, the physical carrier sensing operation based, at least in part, upon the contention window. In response to the physical carrier sensing operation indicating that the communication channel is idle, the method may then include transmitting data over the channel. In other embodiments, another method may include determining that a data transmission is a unicast transmission and that an acknowledgement message has not been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shu Du, Robert W. Liang, Xiaolin Lu
  • Publication number: 20160028438
    Abstract: A method for implementing a convergence layer. Data is received on a first communication medium by a first transceiver. Data is transmitted on the first communication medium by the first transceiver. A signal is received. Causing, through the convergence layer, by a control logic in response to the signal, the data received and transmitted on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by a second transceiver on a second communication medium, wherein the convergence layer is configured to conceal from a routing layer at least one of: information related to the first signal, and information related to the data being received and transmitted on the second communication medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Yanjun Sun, Gang Xu, Soon-Hyeok Choi, Bhadra Sandeep, Xiaolin Lu, Ariton E. Xhafa, Minghua Fu, Robert W. Liang, Susan Yim
  • Patent number: 9184779
    Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yanjun Sun, Gang Xu, Soon-Hyeok Choi, Bhadra Sandeep, Xiaolin Lu, Ariton E. Xhafa, Minghua Fu, Robert W. Liang, Susan Yim
  • Publication number: 20150288534
    Abstract: Systems and methods for carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method may include performing a virtual carrier sensing operation and, in response to the virtual carrier sensing operation indicating that a communication channel is idle, calculating a contention window. The method may also include performing a physical carrier sensing operation subsequent to the virtual carrier sensing operation, the physical carrier sensing operation based, at least in part, upon the contention window. In response to the physical carrier sensing operation indicating that the communication channel is idle, the method may then include transmitting data over the channel. In other embodiments, another method may include determining that a data transmission is a unicast transmission and that an acknowledgement message has not been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Shu Du, Robert W. Liang, Xiaolin Lu
  • Patent number: 9094234
    Abstract: Systems and methods for carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method may include performing a virtual carrier sensing operation and, in response to the virtual carrier sensing operation indicating that a communication channel is idle, calculating a contention window. The method may also include performing a physical carrier sensing operation subsequent to the virtual carrier sensing operation, the physical carrier sensing operation based, at least in part, upon the contention window. In response to the physical carrier sensing operation indicating that the communication channel is idle, the method may then include transmitting data over the channel. In other embodiments, another method may include determining that a data transmission is a unicast transmission and that an acknowledgement message has not been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shu Du, Robert W. Liang, Xiaolin Lu
  • Publication number: 20140233586
    Abstract: Systems and methods for carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) protocols for power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, a method may include performing a virtual carrier sensing operation and, in response to the virtual carrier sensing operation indicating that a communication channel is idle, calculating a contention window. The method may also include performing a physical carrier sensing operation subsequent to the virtual carrier sensing operation, the physical carrier sensing operation based, at least in part, upon the contention window. In response to the physical carrier sensing operation indicating that the communication channel is idle, the method may then include transmitting data over the channel. In other embodiments, another method may include determining that a data transmission is a unicast transmission and that an acknowledgement message has not been received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Shu Du, Robert W. Liang, Xiaolin Lu
  • Publication number: 20130188673
    Abstract: An electronic communication device comprises a first transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a first communication medium; a second transceiver capable of a bi-directional communication session on a second communication medium; and a control logic coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver and capable of implementing a convergence layer, wherein the control logic is configured to receive, from the first transceiver, a first signal; and cause, in response to the first signal, data received and transmitted by the first transceiver on the first communication medium as part of a communication session to be received and transmitted instead by the second transceiver on the second communication medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yanjun SUN, Gang Xu, Soon-Hyeok Choi, Bhadra Sandeep, Xiaolin Lu, Ariton E. Xhafa, Minghua Fu, Robert W. Liang, Susan Yim