Patents by Inventor Rodger J. Lea

Rodger J. Lea 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: 6349352
    Abstract: A method and system for providing basic command functionality and expanded command functionality between a plurality of devices in a network. When a first device is coupled to a home audio video network which includes a second device, a generic control module for the first device is generated by the second device. The generic control module is a basic abstraction of the capabilities of the first device. The generic control module enables the first device to respond to a basic set of commands from the second device. The second device then uses the generic control module to obtain descriptive information from the first device. The descriptive information describes the capabilities of the first device. The second device then generates a parameterized control module for the first device by modifying the generic control module based upon the descriptive information. The second device is then able to access the first device via the parameterized control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Rodger J. Lea
  • Patent number: 6330717
    Abstract: A process and system for compiling an application program for a distributed adaptive run-time platform. Using the present software run-time environment, application designers would be able to quickly develop distributed adaptive software, such as network or web software, without having to deal with the details of the distribution and adaptation. In one embodiment, compile-time and run-time components configure the application execution environments depending on hints provided with the application. In order to offer application designers an easy and intuitive access to the platform services, the present invention further comprises a compiler for assisting application designers in developing the complex code required by the platform, and for providing an easy access to services provided by the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre-Guillaume Raverdy, Rodger J. Lea
  • Patent number: 6324619
    Abstract: A method and system for managing run-time adaptation for general purpose distributed adaptive applications. Using the present software run-time environment, application designers would be able to quickly develop distributed adaptive software, such as network or web software, without having to deal with the details of the distribution and adaptation. To achieve both distribution and adaptation, meta-level object programming techniques and run-time monitoring techniques are applied. Importantly, a run-time adaptation manager is provided for configuring the application execution environments, and for managing adaptations for both reflective methods and adaptive methods. In addition, the adaptation manager coordinates the adaptation of multiple objects in a coherent manner by keeping track of instances of the adaptive classes and the platform services that they are using. The adaptation manager also records the adaptation policies and monitors the system state and user preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre-Guillaume Raverdy, Rodger J. Lea
  • Patent number: 6314447
    Abstract: A system and method for determining processing capabilities of devices in an electronic network comprises a host device that creates and locally registers one or more processor FCMs that include self-describing data from corresponding remote hosted devices in the electronic network. A device application from the host device may then query the self-describing data to determine relative processing capabilities of the hosted devices in order to perform a first-level load-balancing procedure. The device application may also utilize the various processor FCMs to determine current processing-load levels for the various hosted devices to thereby perform a second-level load-balancing procedure. In addition, the device application may utilize the processor FCM to perform one or more sniplet procedures in which hosted devices may advantageously download and execute segments of software code from the device application to assist in a particular task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger J. Lea, Scott D. Smyers
  • Patent number: 6169725
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the restoration of internal connections of consumer electronic devices in a home audio/video network. The present invention automatically maintains and manages the internal connections for each of the devices on the network. In the currently preferred embodiment, each internal connection is labeled according to its status (e.g., active or inactive) and/or condition (e.g., network compliancy). Whenever a new device is added to or an old device is removed from the network, a network reset is initiated. The network reset causes a device control module to terminate its normal mode of operation and enter into a “restore” mode of operation. During the restore mode, the device control module accepts connection information sent by the various stream managers of those devices currently coupled to the network. Based on this information, the device control module updates the label data for each of the internal connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon J. Gibbs, Feng Zou, Rodger J. Lea
  • Patent number: 6085236
    Abstract: A method and system for providing seamless interoperability and integration between a plurality of devices in a network using a common protocol, wherein at least one of the devices is a legacy device which commmunicates with the network using a proprietary protocol. When a legacy device is coupled to the network, one of the plurality of devices on the network queries the legacy device via the proprietary protocol to determine a set of basic capabilities supported by the legacy device. The set of basic capabilities are then mapped from the proprietary protocol to a set of basic commands from the common protocol. A control module is generated for the legacy device, wherein the control module is based upon the set of basic commands. The set of basic capabilites of the legacy device are then accessed via the control module, thereby providing seamless interoperability and integration of the legacy device with the plurality of devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Rodger J. Lea
  • Patent number: 6052750
    Abstract: A method and system for ensuring future upgradability and expandabiliy of devices in a home audio video network. The system of the present invention generates a default control module for a first device coupled to the network by using a second device coupled to the network. The the default control module is configured to ensure at least a minimum degree of interoperability between the first device and the second device. The second device access the first device via the default control module, wherein the default control module enables the first device to respond to a default set of commands from the second device. When an updated control module for the first device is received, the default control module is replaced with the updated control module by unlinking the default control module and linking the updated control module using a registry. The updated control module can be received from a wide variety of sources (e.g., the internet, satellite broadcast, cable TV provider, disk from the manufacture, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Rodger J. Lea
  • Patent number: 6032202
    Abstract: A method and system for providing seamless interoperability and integration of a plurality of devices in a network. When a new device is coupled to a home audio video network, the device is queried to obtain a description of first level functions supported by the device. A first level control module which implements the first level functions is generated for the device based upon the description. If the new device contains software for implementing second level functions, the software is retrieved from the device and a second level control module which implements the second level functions is generated using the software. The device is subsequently accessed via the control module in order to access the first level functions or the second level functions and provide seamless interoperability and integration of the device with the plurality of devices in the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation of Japan, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rodger J. Lea, Harold Aaron Ludke