Patents by Inventor Thomas C. Sheppard

Thomas C. Sheppard 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: 5579301
    Abstract: A first voice channel transmits voice signals into a second voice channel through a plurality of network nodes and data links. Preferably the voice signals are in packets each having a plurality of bits containing voice information and each having at least one additional bit to indicate whether a congestion has been encountered at any of the nodes. Preferably the voice signals in each packet have a particular bandwidth and a particular compression. When a congestion of a packet is encountered at one of the nodes, the node produces at the additional bit in the packet an indication that congestion has occurred. The packet with this indication then passes through the nodes to the second channel. The second channel then produces and sends to the first channel signals acknowledging the reception of the packets and the encountering of congestion. The first channel then reduces the bandwidths of the signals in the packets transmitted to the second channel and increases the compression of the signals in the packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: MICOM Communications Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas Ganson, Thomas C. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 5384775
    Abstract: Symbols, each having a particular number (e.g. 9) of binary bits in first channels have individual periodicities. A symbol in each channel indicates the start and the periodicity of the symbols in that channel. Another symbol indicates the end of the symbols in that channel. The symbols from each channel are merged into sequential time slots, in a priority dependent upon the symbol periodicities in the different channels. Aperiodic symbols in second channels are merged sequentially into the time slots not occupied by the periodic symbols. Second portions (e.g. 5 bits) of the symbols in groups are provided in character frames without change. The binary bits (e.g. 4) in the first portion of each symbol in each group represent a decimal integer. The resultant decimal value is represented in the character frame by a reduced number (e.g. 10) of binary bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Micom Communications Corp.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 5291487
    Abstract: Symbols, each having a particular number (e.g. 9) of binary bits in first channels have individual periodicities. A symbol in each channel indicates the start and the periodicity of the symbols in that channel. Another symbol indicates the end of the symbols in that channel. The symbols from each channel are merged into sequential time slots, during the occurrence of the symbols in such channel, in a priority dependent upon the symbol periodicities in the different channels. Aperiodic symbols in second channels are merged sequentially into the time slots not occupied by the periodic symbols. Second portions (e.g. 5 bits) of the symbols in groups are provided in character frames without change. The binary bits (e.g. 4) in the first portion of each symbol in each group represent a decimal integer with an individual decimal significance. The resultant decimal value is represented in the character frame by a reduced number (e.g. 10) of binary bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Micom Communications Corp.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Sheppard