Patents by Inventor Tracy Lee Nelson

Tracy Lee Nelson 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: 6147994
    Abstract: The invention is a system and method for processing connections. Connection identifiers are assigned to indexes and stored in corresponding index latches. When communications arrive over a particular connection, the identifier for the particular connection is provided to all of the index latches. The index latch that stores a matching connection identifier provides its associated index. The index can be used to access a memory location that houses a processing instruction for the particular connection. The invention can be used within ATM multiplexers and gateways to facilitate connection processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Albert Daniel Duree, Tracy Lee Nelson, Michael Joseph Gardner
  • Patent number: 6137800
    Abstract: A system and method connects a call in a broadband system using the asynchronous transfer mode protocol for switching. Calls are connected over a SONET ring that has SONET multiplexers coupled by SONET paths. The SONET multiplexers are adapted to add calls to, and drop calls from, the SONET ring. An ATM cross connect system that has ATM cross connect devices is coupled to the SONET ring. The ATM cross connect devices provide provisioned ATM connections over the SONET ring. ATM interworking units are coupled to the ATM cross connect system. The ATM interworking units interwork calls with selected ATM connections in response to control messages. The selected ATM connections are provisioned between the ATM interworking units by the ATM cross connect system over the SONET ring. A signaling processor system receives call signaling for the calls, processes the call signaling to select the ATM connections for the calls, and sends the control messages to the selected ATM interworking units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company, L. P.
    Inventors: William Lyle Wiley, Michael Joseph Gardner, Tracy Lee Nelson, Royal Dean Howell, Albert Daniel DuRee
  • Patent number: 6023474
    Abstract: The invention is a system for interfacing a GR-303 system with a broadband system. The broadband system can be an ATM system. The invention can process the GR-303 signaling to select ATM connections and then interwork the GR-303 connections with the selected ATM connections. The invention can interwork GR-303 signaling and SS7 signaling. The invention can also process SS7 signaling to select GR-303 connections and then interwork ATM connections with the selected GR-303 connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Sprint Communications C.O.L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Gardner, Tracy Lee Nelson, William Lyle Wiley
  • Patent number: 6014378
    Abstract: The invention is a tandem system for providing a tandem connection for circuit-based traffic. This tandem system comprises an ATM cross-connect, ATM interworking multiplexers, and a signaling processor. The multiplexer converts the traffic received by the tandem system into ATM where it is routed through the cross-connect and re-converted back into the circuit-based format at an ATM interworking multiplexer. The signaling processor controls the virtual connections and out going circuit-based connections used by the multiplexers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Christie, deceased, by Joseph S. Christie, legal representative, by Jean M. Christie, legal representative, Michael Joseph Gardner, William Lyle Wiley, Albert Daniel DuRee, Tracy Lee Nelson
  • Patent number: 6002689
    Abstract: A system to interworking a call between a plurality of networks having different formats. The system has a GR-303 system, an integrated services digital network system, a service platform, and an asynchronous transfer mode system. The system has a signaling processor that is adapted to receive the call signaling and to process the call signaling to select a connection to one of the GR-303 system, the integrated services digital network system, the service platform, or the asynchronous transfer mode system. The signaling processor thereby selects the corresponding system on the connection. The signaling processor transports a control message identifying the selected connection. An interworking unit receives the user communications and the control message. The interworking unit converts the user communications from the format in which it was received to the format that is compatible with the selected system. The user communications are then transported on the selected connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Co. L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Christie, deceased, by Joseph S. Christie, executor, by Jean M. Christie, executor, Michael Joseph Gardner, William Lyle Wiley, Albert Daniel Duree, Tracy Lee Nelson
  • Patent number: 5940393
    Abstract: The invention is a system and method for processing connections. Connection identifiers are assigned to indexes and stored in corresponding index latches. When communications arrive over a particular connection, the identifier for the particular connection is provided to all of the index latches. The index latch that stores a matching connection identifier provides its associated index. The index can be used to access a memory location that houses a processing instruction for the particular connection. The invention can be used within ATM multiplexers and gateways to facilitate connection processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Co. L.P.
    Inventors: Albert Daniel Duree, Tracy Lee Nelson
  • Patent number: 5920562
    Abstract: A system and method provide enhanced services for a call that is transported from a communication device through an asynchronous transfer mode system. The call has user communications in asynchronous transfer mode cells and call signaling. A signaling processor receives the call signaling and processes the call signaling to determine a connection to a service platform. The signaling processor transports a processor control message designating the selected connection. An asynchronous transfer mode interworking unit receives the user communications from the communication device and the processor control message from the signaling processor. The asynchronous transfer mode interworking unit converts the user communications from the asynchronous transfer mode cells to a format compatible with the service platform and dynamically transports the user communications to the service platform in real time. The service platform processes the user communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Co. L.P.
    Inventors: Joseph Michael Christie, deceased, Joseph S. Christie, legal representative, Jean M. Christie, legal representative, Tracy Lee Nelson