Patents by Inventor Steven R. Blackwell
Steven R. Blackwell 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).
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Patent number: 9568974Abstract: A system for monitoring, controlling and optimizing power usage and cooling utilization within a data center infrastructure. The system may make use of a subsystem which is adapted to obtain real time information on both facility devices and information technology (IT) devices. The subsystem may be used to evaluate the real time information to provide an alert and diagnostic information with respect to at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices. The subsystem may also make use of a mechanism that provides real time control over at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices to optimize at least one of cooling utilization, power usage or performance of at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE, LLCInventors: Bharat A. Khuti, Steven Geffin, Joe Kutner, Jack Basiago, Sheldon Altman, Brian Williams, Juarez Carvalho, Michael Browner, Mitesh Patel, Kenneth L. Harper, James H. Shelton, Steven Clark, Donald A. Sturgeon, David John Cowen, Mark Kershner, Steven R. Blackwell, Karl Mills, Yang Pu, Dai Jun, Richard M. Tobin, Aman Khan, Roy D. Pestone, Jean-Maxime Lachapelle
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Patent number: 9560371Abstract: A improvement to video compression techniques is described in which blocks of video input information are compared in their respective pixel values to corresponding blocks of immediately preceding frames. The blocks are analyzed to determine whether change has occurred in accordance with two tests. First, the pixel values of the block are compared to the pixel values of a preceding block and if a threshold number of pixel values in the block exceed their counterparts by a threshold amount, then the block is assumed to have changed and is communicated via a standard communication protocol, compression technique and media. Second, even if the threshold number of pixels in the block has not changed, the pixel values are compared with their prior frame counterparts to determine if any one pixel value has changed in magnitude more than a second threshold amount. Again, one such pixel is identified, then the block is assumed to have changed and is communicated.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2003Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Avocent CorporationInventors: Timothy A. Johnson, Steven R. Blackwell
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Patent number: 9537879Abstract: A security monitoring system is disclosed which is adapted for use with a component having a service processor. The system may use a device configured to communicate with the component. A network may be used which is dedicated to communicating with the service processor for routing only data concerning performance or health of the component. The device may also use at least one subsystem for analyzing the data concerning health or performance of the component to determine if a security threat has affected operation of the component.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE, LLCInventor: Steven R. Blackwell
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Patent number: 9413630Abstract: A remote access appliance is disclosed for facilitating communications between a managed device and a user located remotely from the appliance and from the managed device. The appliance may have a processor adapted to facilitate the communication of keyboard, video and mouse information between the appliance and the managed device. A manageability subsystem may be incorporated for communicating with the managed device and collecting information concerning operation of the managed device, without the need to first transmit the information over a network.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE CORP.Inventors: Donald A. Sturgeon, Richard T. Holloway, Steven R. Blackwell
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Patent number: 9319295Abstract: In one aspect the present disclosure relates to a remote access appliance for facilitating communications between a managed device and a user located remotely from the managed device. The appliance may have a processor adapted to facilitate the communication of keyboard, video and mouse information between the appliance and the managed device. A rack data unit (RDU) subsystem may be used which is adapted to manage communications with, and to receive sensor data directly from, at least one remotely located sensor located at the managed device, without the need to transmit the sensor data over a network. An interface may also be used for interfacing the appliance to the managed device.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2011Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE CORP.Inventors: Donald A. Sturgeon, Richard T. Holloway, Steven R. Blackwell
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Publication number: 20150373038Abstract: A security monitoring system is disclosed which is adapted for use with a component having a service processor. The system may use a device configured to communicate with the component. A network may be used which is dedicated to communicating with the service processor for routing only data concerning performance or health of the component. The device may also use at least one sub-system for analyzing the data concerning health or performance of the component to determine if a security threat has affected operation of the component.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: December 24, 2015Applicant: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE CORP.Inventor: Steven R. BLACKWELL
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Publication number: 20140025968Abstract: A system for monitoring, controlling and optimizing power usage and cooling utilization within a data center infrastructure. The system may make use of a subsystem which is adapted to obtain real time information on both facility devices and information technology (IT) devices. The subsystem may be used to evaluate the real time information to provide an alert and diagnostic information with respect to at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices. The subsystem may also make use of a mechanism that provides real time control over at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices to optimize at least one of cooling utilization, power usage or performance of at least one of the facility devices or at least one of the IT devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2011Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE CORP.Inventors: Bharat A. Khuti, Steven Geffin, Richard Williams, Joe Kutner, Jack Basiaago, Sheldon Altman, Brian Williams, Juarez Carvalho, Michael Browner, Mitesh Patel, Kenneth L. Harper, James H. Shelton, Steven Clark, Donald A. Sturgeon, David John Cowen, Mark Kershner, Steven R. Blackwell, Karl Mills, Yang Pu, Dai Jun, Richard M. Tobin, Aman Khan, Roy D. Pestone, Jean-Maxime Lachapelle
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Publication number: 20130227136Abstract: In one aspect the present disclosure relates to a remote access appliance for facilitating communications between a managed device and a user located remotely from the managed device. The appliance may have a processor adapted to facilitate the communication of keyboard, video and mouse information between the appliance and the managed device. A rack data unit (RDU) subsystem may be used which is adapted to manage communications with, and to receive sensor data directly from, at least one remotely located sensor located at the managed device, without the need to transmit the sensor data over a network. An interface may also be used for interfacing the appliance to the managed device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE CORP.Inventors: Donald A. Sturgeon, Richard T. Holloway, Steven R. Blackwell
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Publication number: 20130219060Abstract: A remote access appliance is disclosed for facilitating communications between a managed device and a user located remotely from the appliance and from the managed device. The appliance may have a processor adapted to facilitate the communication of keyboard, video and mouse information between the appliance and the managed device. A manageability subsystem may be incorporated for communicating with the managed device and collecting information concerning operation of the managed device, without the need to first transmit the information over a network.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2011Publication date: August 22, 2013Applicant: AVOCENT HUNTSVILLE CORP.Inventors: Donald A. Sturgeon, Richard T. Holloway, Steven R. Blackwell
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Patent number: 7106760Abstract: Techniques for carrying out multi-pair mode transmission in a DSL system are disclosed. A data stream is transmitted to a receiving node on two or more bonded channels. At the receiving node, the bonded channels are processed to yield the original data stream. Differential delay between the two or more channels of the bond group is dynamically neutralized by keying on the channel having the greatest latency, although static mechanisms for neutralizing the differential delay can also be used.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2002Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: Centillium Communications, Inc.Inventors: Sathi Perumal, Trevor Pearman, Simon Huang, Steven R. Blackwell
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Patent number: 6975676Abstract: A timing loop is used in a data communications receiver to time lock the receiver to a transmitter sending data across a communications loop, where the receiver includes a linear equalizer for correcting signal distortion associated with the communications loop. The timing loop includes a timing equalizer filter functionally positioned to provide an equalized signal to the phase detector portion of the timing loop. After the linear equalizer trains, the equalizer coefficients are copied to the timing equalizer.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2000Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Adtran, Inc.Inventors: Richard L. Goodson, Steven R. Blackwell, Ayman Ghobrial, Cynthia Lin
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Patent number: 6940830Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for echo cancellation in a communication system utilizing a bidirectional transmission medium. The invention significantly reduces computational overhead associated with echo cancellation by using sub-Nyquist sampling in the echo path. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for echo cancellation in a communication system utilizing different signaling or baud rates in the transmit and receive directions, whereby the computational overhead of the echo cancellation is significantly reduced as compared to traditional methods. In a preferred embodiment herein, the present invention reduces by one-half the computational overhead associated with echo cancellation in a data communications system utilizing symmetrical information rates at asymmetrical signal rates.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 6, 2005Assignee: Adiran, Inc.Inventors: Steven R Blackwell, Richard L. Goodson
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Patent number: 6876696Abstract: A method of training and operating a dual-duplex, four-wire communications system to provide for time alignment in the receivers of data that is time aligned in the transmitters, even in the presence of a differential transmission delay in the wire pairs. In a training mode, a known sequence of training data is concurrently sent across each wire pair such that equalizers in the receivers are forced to train together. After the equalizers have been trained to eliminate the differential delay, the system is switched to a data mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2000Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Adtran, Inc.Inventors: Richard L. Goodson, Steven R. Blackwell, Ayman Ghobrial, Cynthia Lin
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Patent number: 6725176Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for performing loop diagnostics in DSL communication systems.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2002Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Centilliune Communications, Inc.Inventors: Guozhu Long, Jalil Kamali, Syed A. Abbas, Steven R. Blackwell
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Patent number: 6680978Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a precoder filter having peak-to-average ratio (PAR) controller that also serves as a high-pass, low-pass, or band-pass filter. The described invention is includes a modulo device connected in series with the PAR controller and a precoder filter connected in a feedback arrangement. The input to the apparatus is a sequence of data symbols and the output is a spectrally shaped precoded signal having a controlled peak-to-average ratio.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1999Date of Patent: January 20, 2004Assignee: Adtran, Inc.Inventors: Kevin W. Schneider, Richard L. Goodson, Steven R. Blackwell, Fred T. Y. Chu
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Patent number: 6631178Abstract: A system and method for transmitting data over a twisted pair with or without load coils using a transmitter and receiver is disclosed. The system detects load coils by generating and transmitting a test signal having signal power concentrated in two different frequency bands across the twisted pair and comparing the signal power of the received signal to determine whether the twisted pair is loaded or unloaded. If load coils are detected, an adjustment circuit is used to configure the receiver for reception of data over a twisted pair having load coils. Otherwise, the adjustment circuit configures the receiver for reception of data over a twisted pair without load coils.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2001Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: Adtran, Inc.Inventors: Steven R. Blackwell, Richard L. Goodson, Jason N. Morgan, Ayman Ghobrial
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Patent number: 6597479Abstract: A fiber quadrupler device and method multiplexes the four optical fibers in a synchronous optical network (SONET) ring into a single linking fiber for full duplex optical transmission. The fiber quadrupler device optically couples two of the SONET fibers to a transmit converter for communications of downstream data from the SONET ring to a network element linked to the quadrupler by a single linking fiber. Two other SONET ring fibers are optically coupled to a receive converter for communications of upstream data from the network element over the single linking fiber to the SONET. An optical transceiver processes and directs the downstream and upstream signals to the receive and transmit converters. Either subcarrier modulation (SCM) or wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) is used in the receive and transmit converters.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1999Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Adtran, Inc.Inventors: Fred Chu, Kevin W. Schneider, Peter O. Brackett, W. Stuart Venters, Steven R. Blackwell
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Publication number: 20030123487Abstract: Techniques that allow SHDSL-based systems to share the same transmission line with low frequency voice services such as POTS are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Steven R. Blackwell, Farrokh Rashid-Farrokhi, Cynthia Lin
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Patent number: 6438156Abstract: A distortion compensation filtering mechanism for a direct spread-spectrum radio receiver comprises an iteratively adaptive FIR filter installed in the received signal processing path of the radio just upstream of the despreading function. The filter may be implemented as a relatively small numbered tap filter, having its precursor tap fixed at a maximum value. The remaining filter tap values are individually adaptively adjusted by the radio's control processor, which executes a tap adjustment routine to iteratively increment or decrement each variable tap value of the FIR filter to an ‘optimized’ value, that effectively minimizes the total (I and Q) power in the error in the data decisions performed by data signal analyzer.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 1999Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Adtran, Inc.Inventors: Ayman K. Ghobrial, Steven R. Blackwell
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Publication number: 20020009057Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for echo cancellation in a communication system utilizing a bidirectional transmission medium. The invention significantly reduces computational overhead associated with echo cancellation by using sub-Nyquist sampling in the echo path. In particular, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for echo cancellation in a communication system utilizing different signaling or baud rates in the transmit and receive directions, whereby the computational overhead of the echo cancellation is significantly reduced as compared to traditional methods. In a preferred embodiment herein, the present invention reduces by one-half the computational overhead associated with echo cancellation in a data communications system utilizing symmetrical information rates at asymmetrical signal rates.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2001Publication date: January 24, 2002Inventors: Steven R. Blackwell, Richard L. Goodson