Patents by Inventor Steve Thomas

Steve Thomas 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).

  • Publication number: 20050131988
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the invention for seamless port bypass controller operations for storage systems, for example, and may comprise a first port of a port bypass controller that receives an input signal and at least one of a plurality of selectors that selects at least a second port coupled in a chain to the first port. At least one of the selectors may switch at least a portion of the received input signal from the first port to at least the second port without initializing or reconfiguring the second port. A repeater may repeat at least a portion of the received input signal to the second port without initializing or reconfiguring the second port. A retimer may generate a retimed signal corresponding to at least a portion of the received input signal to the second port without initializing or reconfiguring the second port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Chung-Jue Chen, Ali Ghiasi, Jay Proano, Rajesh Satapathy, Steve Thomas
  • Publication number: 20050131987
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may be found in a method and system for handling data in port bypass controllers for storage systems and may comprise receiving a data stream from a receive port bypass controller's port and buffering at least a portion of the received data stream in at least one EFIFO buffer integrated within the port bypass controller. A data rate or frequency of the received data stream may be changed by inserting at least one extended fill word in the buffered portion of the received data stream or by deleting at least one fill word from the received data stream buffered in the EFIFO buffer. The extended fill word may comprise a loop initialization primitive (LIP), a loop port bypass (LPB), a loop port enable (LPE), a not operation state (NOS), an offline state (OLS), a link reset response (LRR) and/or a link reset (LR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Chung-Jue Chen, Ali Ghiasi, Jay Proano, Rajesh Satapathy, Steve Thomas
  • Publication number: 20050129057
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may be found in a method and system for operating ports in port bypass controllers through LIPf7 origination detection and LIPf8 suppression, which may be utilized, for example, in storage systems. Aspects of the method may comprise receiving a data stream at a receive port Rx(n) of a port bypass controller, where n is an integer indexing a port in the port bypass controller. LIPf8 primitives in the received data stream may be suppressed at the receive port Rx(n) and LIPf7 primitives inserted in place of at least a portion of the suppressed LIPf8 primitives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Chung-Jue Chen, Ali Ghiasi, Jay Proano, Rajesh Satapathy, Steve Thomas
  • Publication number: 20050132258
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the method may comprise receiving via a first port of the port bypass controller, a data stream comprising at least one known bit pattern. Upon locking onto at least a portion of the known bit pattern in the received data stream, a bit error rate may be generated based on a bit-by-bit comparison of at least a portion of the data stream received after locking occurs. At least a portion of the data stream may be compared with a corresponding portion of expected data. The bit error rate may be calculated based on results from comparing at least a portion of the data stream with a corresponding portion of the expected data. The known bit pattern may be internally generated within the port bypass controller or it may be externally generated by a host system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Chung-Jue Chen, Ali Ghiasi, Jay Proano, Rajesh Satapathy, Steve Thomas
  • Publication number: 20050062238
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a point-of-care (POC) station that comprises a mobile cabinet with securable compartments and a pylon release mechanism. The POC station also comprises an immovable pylon, an articulated arm, and a terminal having a monitor. The POC station extends the medication and supply infrastructure into the patient room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Laird Broadfield, Steve Thomas, Rob Sobie, Graham Ross, Chris Buckley, Andrzei Skoskiewicz, Stephen Wahl, Roshi Givechi, Mark Siminoff, Paul Frey, Adrian James
  • Publication number: 20050034008
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating a second clock signal, having a second effective clock frequency, from a first clock signal, having a first effective clock frequency. Clock pulses of the first clock signal are counted to generate a count value. When the count value reaches a predetermined blanking value, a blanking signal is generated. The blanking signal blanks at least one clock pulse of the first clock signal. The process is repeated multiple times at a predetermined rate corresponding to the predetermined blanking value to generate the second clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Kang Xiao, Steve Thomas, Robert Holder, Timothy Chan
  • Patent number: 6844764
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating a second clock signal, having a second effective clock frequency, from a first clock signal, having a first effective clock frequency. Clock pulses of the first clock signal are counted to generate a count value. When the count value reaches a predetermined blanking value, a blanking signal is generated. The blanking signal blanks at least one clock pulse of the first clock signal. The process is repeated multiple times at a predetermined rate corresponding to the predetermined blanking value to generate the second clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Kang Xiao, Steve Thomas, Robert Holder, Timothy Chan
  • Patent number: 6785082
    Abstract: A method of writing servo patterns on a disc in a servo track writer includes sealing the STW to form an enclosed interior environment and then filling the STW with a low-density gas. Once the servo patterns are written to the disc, the low-density gas may be purged from the STW and recycled by directing the purged gas to a recovery system that separates the low-density gas from air. The disc may be preinstalled within a disc drive which in turn is loaded within the STW. Alternatively, the STW may comprise a multi-disc writer having a plurality of dedicated servo writing heads. The servo writer includes a cover having a sealable opening for loading either the disc drive in the STW or for loading a disc stack within the MDW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Louis John Fiorvanti, Steve Thomas Sheeran, Randy Lee Oxley, Jerry D. Pasi
  • Publication number: 20040135614
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for generating a second clock signal, having a second effective clock frequency, from a first clock signal, having a first effective clock frequency. Clock pulses of the first clock signal are counted to generate a count value. When the count value reaches a predetermined blanking value, a blanking signal is generated. The blanking signal blanks at least one clock pulse of the first clock signal. The process is repeated multiple times at a predetermined rate corresponding to the predetermined blanking value to generate the second clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Kang Xiao, Steve Thomas, Robert Holder, Timothy Chan
  • Publication number: 20040095952
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a method and system for a communication bus for resetting one or more devices connected to the bus. The transceiver bus (620) may include a single serial data line (616), a single serial clock line (614) and a single reset line (612). A status of a slave device coupled to the transceiver bus (620) may be determined by a master device. Based on the status of the slave device, the master device may execute a forced reset or a normal reset. In a case where a device may be unresponsive, the master device may execute a forced reset. Additionally, in a case where a device is responsive but requires resetting, the master device may execute a normal reset and selectively reset a slave device requiring reset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Chenmin Zhang, Steve Thomas, Randall Stolaruk
  • Publication number: 20030119871
    Abstract: A class of styryl amidine derivatives which are antagonists of the hum NMDA receptor, being selective for those containing the NR2B subunit, are active in the treatment and/or prevention of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, in particular neuropathic pain and headache, specifically migraine, whils displaying fewer ataxic and related side-effects associated with other classes of NMDA receptor antagonists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Neil Roy Curtis, Janusz Jozef Kulagowski, Steve Thomas, Alan Paul Watt
  • Publication number: 20030081344
    Abstract: A method of writing servo patterns on a disc in a servo track writer includes sealing the STW to form an enclosed interior environment and then filling the STW with a low-density gas. Once the servo patterns are written to the disc, the low-density gas may be purged from the STW and recycled by directing the purged gas to a recovery system that separates the low-density gas from air. The disc may be preinstalled within a disc drive which in turn is loaded within the STW. Alternatively, the STW may comprise a multi-disc writer having a plurality of dedicated servo writing heads. The servo writer includes a cover having a sealable opening for loading either the disc drive in the STW or for loading a disc stack within the MDW.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Louis John Fioravanti, Steve Thomas Sheeran, Randy Lee Oxley, Jerry D. Pasi
  • Patent number: 5557723
    Abstract: A method and system for user-customizable forms in an electronic mail system is provided. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, an electronic mail system provides for the receiving and displaying of mail information in conjunction with the use of a user-customizable form. The user provides a form data structure containing a description of the form fields and a form control procedure that implements the behavior of the fields. A transaction event processor is provided that invokes the form control procedure in response to the occurrence of events. The events include user entry of data. When the form control procedure completes the processing of the event, it returns to the transaction event processor. The electronic mail system provides the means for sending mail messages input through the use of a user-developed form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Nick Holt, Steve Thomas