Patents by Inventor Steven J. Howard

Steven J. Howard 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: 20020177447
    Abstract: Techniques to schedule uplink data transmission for a number of terminals in a wireless communication system. In one method, a number of sets of terminals are formed for possible data transmission, with each set including a unique combination of terminals and corresponds to a hypothesis to be evaluated. The performance of each hypothesis is evaluated (e.g., based on channel response estimates for each terminal) and one of the evaluated hypotheses is selected based on the performance. The terminals in the selected hypothesis are scheduled for data transmission. A successive cancellation receiver processing scheme may be used to process the signals transmitted by the scheduled terminals. In this case, one or more orderings of the terminals in each set may be formed, with each terminal ordering corresponding to a sub-hypothesis to be evaluated. The performance of each sub-hypothesis is then evaluated and one of the sub-hypotheses is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Jay Rod Walton, Mark S. Wallace, Steven J. Howard
  • Publication number: 20010028638
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the transmission of signals from one or more of a plurality of mobile stations to a base station on a plurality of M multiple access channels. A power control information packet formed from a plurality of power control bits is transmitted from the base station to the one or more mobile stations. Each of the power control bits in the power control information packet has a position that is mapped to a selected access channel and to a time offset within the selected access channel. The power control information packet is received at a first mobile station. A message is then transmitted from the first mobile station to the base station on a first access channel and at a first time offset associated with the first access channel. The message is transmitted from the first mobile station at a power level determined in response to a first power control bit in the power control information packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Jay R. Walton, John W. Ketchum, Steven J. Howard, Mark S. Wallace
  • Patent number: 6256301
    Abstract: A mobile station accesses a base station by randomly selecting a first reverse link common control channel from a set of random access channels. The mobile station transmits a request portion of an access probe over the first reverse link common control channel. The request portion is subject to collision with other signals. The request portion comprises a hash identification which is derived from a uniquely identifying number using a hash function. The hash identification quasi-uniquely identifies the mobile station. The mobile station receives a channel assignment message from the base station designating the hash identification and a reserved access channel. The reserved access channel provides communication with a low probability of contention. The mobile station transmits a message portion of the access probe over the reserved access channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Edward G. Tiedemann, Jr., Steven J. Howard, Rod Walton, Mark S. Wallace
  • Patent number: 6252865
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the transmission of signals from one or more of a plurality of mobile stations to a base station on a plurality of M multiple access channels. A power control information packet formed from a plurality of power control bits is transmitted from the base station to the one or more mobile stations. Each of the power control bits in the power control information packet has a position that is mapped to a selected access channel and to a time offset within the selected access channel. The power control information packet is received at a first mobile station. A message is then transmitted from the first mobile station to the base station on a first access channel and at a first time offset associated with the first access channel. The message is transmitted from the first mobile station at a power level determined in response to a first power control bit in the power control information packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay R. Walton, John W. Ketchum, Steven J. Howard, Mark S. Wallace
  • Patent number: 5862658
    Abstract: This is a grass remover to remove grass from the surface of an area in a circular path about the top of a guide hole in which a termite bait station may be inserted. This includes a circular skirt with a hub in the middle and a plurality of cutting blades sharpened at the lower end and carried between the hub and the skirt. A guide cylinder is fixed to the hub and extends downwardly into the guide hole. A stem extends upwardly from the hub and is of a character to fit into the chuck of a hand drill. Operation of the hand drill when the guide cylinder is in the guide hole causes the grass to be removed from the circular area about the top of the guide hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Inventor: Steven J. Howard