Patents by Inventor William Mellette

William Mellette 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: 11632330
    Abstract: A method may include determining whether the topology of a network includes a direct path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint in the network. A direct path may be used to send a first type of traffic from the first endpoint to the second endpoint whereas any currently available path may be used to send a second type of traffic from the first endpoint to the second endpoint. If the topology of the network does not include a direct path, the first type of traffic may be buffered at the first endpoint until the topology of the network is reconfigured to include the direct path. The topology of the network may be reconfigured when at least one switch in the network reconfigures, for example, by switching from one interconnection to another interconnection pattern. Related systems and articles of manufacture are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: William Mellette, Alex Snoeren, George Porter, George Papen
  • Patent number: 11550104
    Abstract: An apparatus for network switching may include a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a subset of pre-configured interconnection patterns including some but not all of the possible interconnection patterns between the input ports and the output ports. The apparatus may be communicatively coupled to a network via the input ports and/or the output ports. The apparatus may be configured to switch to a first interconnection pattern and a second interconnection pattern from the subset of pre-configured interconnection patterns. The first interconnection pattern and the second interconnection pattern may each provide a set of connections between the input ports and the output ports. At least one signal between the input ports and the output ports may be transmitted via the first interconnection pattern and/or the second interconnection pattern. Related methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: George Porter, Joseph Ford, Alex Snoeren, George Papen, William Mellette
  • Patent number: 11368336
    Abstract: An apparatus for interfacing with a circuit switched network may be configured to detect when a data carrier signal from a circuit switched network is offline. While the data carrier signal from the circuit switched network is offline, the apparatus may send, to a network element coupled with the circuit switched network via the apparatus, control packets indicating that the data carrier signal is offline. The apparatus may further maintain an active data carrier signal between the apparatus and the network device by sending, to the network element, protocol idle frames. The apparatus may buffer, at the apparatus, packets sent from the network element to the circuit switched network. Once the data carrier signal is restored, the apparatus may send, to the circuit switched network, control packets indicating that the data carrier signal is online and the packet buffered at the apparatus while the data carrier signal is offline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: George Porter, William Mellette
  • Publication number: 20210141158
    Abstract: An apparatus for network switching may include a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a subset of pre-configured interconnection patterns including some but not all of the possible interconnection patterns between the input ports and the output ports. The apparatus may be communicatively coupled to a network via the input ports and/or the output ports. The apparatus may be configured to switch to a first interconnection pattern and a second interconnection pattern from the subset of pre-configured interconnection patterns. The first interconnection pattern and the second interconnection pattern may each provide a set of connections between the input ports and the output ports. At least one signal between the input ports and the output ports may be transmitted via the first interconnection pattern and/or the second interconnection pattern. Related methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: George Porter, Joseph Ford, Alex Snoeren, George Papen, William Mellette
  • Publication number: 20210044531
    Abstract: A method may include determining whether the topology of a network includes a direct path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint in the network. A direct path may be used to send a first type of traffic from the first endpoint to the second endpoint whereas any currently available path may be used to send a second type of traffic from the first endpoint to the second endpoint. If the topology of the network does not include a direct path, the first type of traffic may be buffered at the first endpoint until the topology of the network is reconfigured to include the direct path. The topology of the network may be reconfigured when at least one switch in the network reconfigures, for example, by switching from one interconnection to another interconnection pattern. Related systems and articles of manufacture are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: William Mellette, Alex Snoeren, George Porter, George Papen
  • Patent number: 10809444
    Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided a display. The display may include a waveguide layer, a first active layer, a redirecting layer, and a lenset layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Joseph Ford, William Mellette
  • Publication number: 20200235960
    Abstract: An apparatus for interfacing with a circuit switched network may be configured to detect when a data carrier signal from a circuit switched network is offline. While the data carrier signal from the circuit switched network is offline, the apparatus may send, to a network element coupled with the circuit switched network via the apparatus, control packets indicating that the data carrier signal is offline. The apparatus may further maintain an active data carrier signal between the apparatus and the network device by sending, to the network element, protocol idle frames. The apparatus may buffer, at the apparatus, packets sent from the network element to the circuit switched network. Once the data carrier signal is restored, the apparatus may send, to the circuit switched network, control packets indicating that the data carrier signal is online and the packet buffered at the apparatus while the data carrier signal is offline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: George PORTER, William MELLETTE
  • Publication number: 20190018181
    Abstract: In one aspect, there is provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a waveguide layer to guide an optical beam, and a lenslet layer, coupled to a surface of the waveguide layer, to focus a portion of the optical beam. The apparatus may further include a first active layer, coupled to another surface of the waveguide layer, to allow the portion of the optical beam to decouple from the waveguide layer by passing through the first active layer in at least one selectable region of the first active layer. The apparatus may further include a redirecting layer, coupled to or proximate to the first active layer, to redirect the portion of the optical beam decoupled from the waveguide towards the lenslet layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Joseph Ford, William Mellette