Patents by Inventor William J. Pinkston, II

William J. Pinkston, II 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).

  • KVM (keyboard, video, and mouse) switch having a network interface circuit coupled to an external network and communicating in accordance with a standard network protocol
    Patent number: 6378009
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for providing control, status, and security functions in a peripheral switch for connecting one or more computers to one or more user stations. Information from a remote terminal is transferred on a network in a packet where the switch information in the packet uses a standardized management protocol. When the packet is received by a network interface card in the peripheral switch the switch information is translated to a proprietary protocol. The peripheral switch then responds to the switch information by performing a control function, providing status information to the remote terminal, or by changing security information. In addition to the transfer of peripheral information from the remote terminal, the peripheral switch is capable of transferring switch information from one of the user stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Avocent Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Pinkston, II, Charles H. Williams, Paul D. Durden, David H. Stafford
  • Communication system for a network and method for configuring a controller in a communication network
    Patent number: 5557735
    Abstract: A data communication system 10 has a controller 14 for managing the system. A controller backup unit (CBU) 24 contains configuration information for the controller 14. If controller 14 is replaced, the new controller 14 obtains the configuration information from the CBU 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Pinkston, II, Charles E. Polk, Jr., Douglas D. Reed