Patents by Inventor William P. Robbins

William P. Robbins 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: 6330666
    Abstract: A pipeline video decoder and decompression system handles a plurality of separately encoded bit streams arranged as a single serial bit stream of digital bits and having separately encoded pairs of control codes and corresponding data carried in the serial bit stream. The pipeline system employs a plurality of interconnected stages to decode and decompress the single bit stream, including a start code detector. When in a search mode, the start code detector searches for a specific start code corresponding to one of multiple compression standards. The start code detector responding to the single serial bit stream generates control tokens and data tokens. A respective one of the tokens includes a plurality of data words. Each data word has an extension bit which indicates a presence of additional words therein. The data words are thereby unlimited in number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P Wise, Martin W Sotheran, William P Robbins, Anthony M Jones, Helen R Finch, Kevin J Boyd, Anthony Peter J Claydon
  • Patent number: 6263422
    Abstract: A plurality of processing stages interposed between an input and an output of a system including a pipeline machine interconnect for conveyance of tokens along the pipeline. Control and or data tokens in the form of universal adaptation units interface with all of the stages in the pipeline and alternatively interact with selected stages in the pipeline so that the processing stages in the pipeline are afforded enhanced flexibility in configuration and processing. In one embodiment of the system, the stages accept a data stream having portions encoded according to respectively different video formats. At least one of the stages includes circuitry for generating signals to indicate an end-of-picture data decoding. The stage includes state machine logic that is responsive to the generated signals for effecting an end of picture data decoding by clearing the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin W. Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6141721
    Abstract: A method of asynchronously accessing a random access memory having a plurality of rows and columns, where each row has a wordline connected to read and write row decoders and each column is connected to bitlines. A row address is assigned to a first and second row, i.e. a pair of rows. A read address is provided to the read row decoder and a write address is provided to the write row decoder. The read and write addresses are decoded by the read and write row decoders, respectively, and one of the first or second rows is selected for reading. Asynchronous with selecting one of the first or second rows for reading, one of the first or second rows is selected for writing. Data is then read from the row selected for reading and asynchronously data is written into the row selected for writing. Signals are provided which coordinate the reading and writing of data, where in the event reading or writing is being performed, another of the reading or writing is deferred until completion of the first reading or writing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Donald William Patterson, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6119213
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for addressing memory there is a procedure for providing a word with fixed width, having a fixed number of bits to be used for addressing variable width data, and having a width defining field and address field, is disclosed. In addition, a procedure for addressing memory with a fixed width word, having a fixed number of bits, to be used for addressing data and having a substitution field and an address field, is discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventor: William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6067417
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin W Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6047112
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 6018776
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian Philip Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5984512
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in select stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stages to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystems circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony Mark Jones, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Donald William Patterson, William P. Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 5910960
    Abstract: A CMOS Reed-Solomon decoding circuit calculates syndromes, executes a Berlekamp algorithm, performs a Chien Search, and corrects a delayed version of the received data according to a calculated magnitude of error. The circuit is optimized in terms of chip territory and circuit complexity. Signals are provided to indicate uncorrectable packet errors and other transmission errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony Peter J. Claydon, Charles D. MacFarlane, Richard J. Gammack, Anthony Mark Jones, William P. Robbins, Mark Barnes
  • Patent number: 5878273
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin William Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5842033
    Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Martin Sotheran, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5835792
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. Dewar, Anthony Mark Jones, Martin William Sotheran, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Donald William Patterson, Mark Barnes, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, William P. Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 5829007
    Abstract: A RAM implementation of asynchronous swing buffering is provided in which two buffers are operated asynchronously; one is written while the other is read. Accordingly, this allows for a data stream having a fast rate of through-put to be resynchronized to another rate, while still maintaining a desired rate. In the invention, the write control and read control both have state indicators for communicating which buffer they are using and whether the controls are waiting for access or are, in fact, accessing that buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. Dewar, Anthony Mark Jones, Martin William Sotheran, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Donald William Patterson, Mark Barnes, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, William P. Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 5821885
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. Dewar, Anthony Mark Jones, Martin William Sotheran, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Donald William Patterson, Mark Barnes, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, William P. Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 5801973
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. DeWar, William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5768629
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. Dewar, Anthony Mark Jones, Martin William Sotheran, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Donald William Patterson, Mark Barnes, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, William P. Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 5740460
    Abstract: An MPEG video decompression method and apparatus utilizing a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system, including memory addressing, transforming data using a common processing block, time synchronization, asynchronous swing buffering, storing of video information, a parallel Huffman decoder, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Adrian P. Wise, Kevin D. Dewar, Anthony Mark Jones, Martin William Sotheran, Colin Smith, Helen Rosemary Finch, Anthony Peter John Claydon, Donald William Patterson, Mark Barnes, Andrew Peter Kuligowski, William P. Robbins, Nicholas Birch, David Andrew Barnes
  • Patent number: 5692020
    Abstract: An integrated digital communication system utilizing multilevel vestigial sideband transmission is provided. The communication system receives a multi-level pulse-amplitude modulated digital signal from a limited bandwidth channel. The system includes processing stages which demodulate, sample and filter the incoming signal prior to recovery of the digital data. Other stages recover the timing and lock on to the frequency and phase of the transmitted signal, as well as provide for automatic gain control. An adaptive equalizer, error correction circuitry, and an output interface recover the digital data and provide for transfer to other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventor: William P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 5668831
    Abstract: An integrated digital communication system utilizing multilevel vestigial sideband transmission is provided. The communication system receives a multi-level pulse-amplitude modulated digital signal from a limited bandwidth channel. The system includes processing stages which demodulate, sample and filter the incoming signal prior to recovery of the digital data. Other stages recover the timing and lock on to the frequency and phase of the transmitted signal, as well as provide for automatic gain control. An adaptive equalizer, error correction circuitry, and an output interface recover the digital data and provide for transfer to other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Discovision Associates
    Inventors: Anthony Peter J. Claydon, Charles D. MacFarlane, Richard J. Gammack, Anthony Mark Jones, William P. Robbins, Mark Barnes
  • Patent number: 5285688
    Abstract: A system for detecting wood-destroying insects by sensing acoustic emissions generated by the insects as they feed. The system comprises two acoustic emission sensors, an amplification section, a signal processing section and an indicator section. The system comes into mechanical contact with the wood to be inspected through the use of a bolt which is inserted into the wood and attaches to an acoustic emission sensor or through the use of an adhesive layer which directly attaches an acoustic emission sensor to the wood. The acoustic emission sensors are electrically connected to the amplification section which is electrically connected to the signal processing section. The signal processing section is capable of distinguishing between insect-caused acoustic emissions and noise-caused acoustic emissions detected by the acoustic emission sensors. The results of the signal processing section are sent to the indicator section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: William P. Robbins, Rolf K. Mueller