Patents by Inventor Sanford Helton

Sanford Helton 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).

  • Method and apparatus for an application interface module in a subscriber terminal unit
    Patent number: 6081533
    Abstract: A method for enhancing the functionalities of a subscriber terminal unit (STU) or ADSL terminal unit (ATU) through the use of different types of application interface modules (AIMs). This is accomplished by incorporating a slot in the STU/ATU through which a detachable AIM can be inserted and electrically coupled to the STU/ATU. The STU/ATU has circuitry for determining which particular type of AIM has been inserted. Depending on the type of AIM that has been inserted in the STU/ATU (e.g., installation, telephony, diagnostics, network interface, television, etc.), management information specific to the particular AIM is sent by the STU/ATU upstream to the headend unit. In response, the headend unit provides applications service(s) to the STU/ATU, depending on the particular type of device inserted into the subscriber terminal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Com21, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Laubach, Paul Baran, Ali Raissinia, Kenneth Gorman, Sanford Helton