In A Bus System Patents (Class 370/257)
  • Publication number: 20100080148
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of an adaptive enterprise service bus (ESB) runtime system and an associated method, which build, at a restart, only the most advantageous path configuration between composable units (e.g., between applications and/or between primitives within a single application). Specifically, during the execution of instantiations of modeled paths and branches thereof, metrics (e.g., the number of times each flow and each branch are activated, the CPU usage associated with building each flow and each branch, etc.) are collected. Then, at a restart of the runtime system, a cost-benefit analysis is performed on the collected metrics and, based on the results of this cost-benefit analysis, only selected ones of the paths and the branches thereof are built (e.g., paths and branches for which operational usefulness outweighs building costs). Other paths and branches are built only as required, during running of the runtime system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Hulse, Callum P. Jackson
  • Patent number: 7675871
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for communicating between a host and an agent. The method includes the step of performing a first transaction between a host controller and a hub. The hub is operable to perform a single transaction with an agent based on the first transaction. The method then includes the step of performing a second transaction between the host controller and the hub. The second transaction is based on the single transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John I. Garney, John S. Howard
  • Patent number: 7668944
    Abstract: A unified setting interface that enables a management application to configure network manageable devices, regardless of their type or manufacturer. Configuration of a network manageable device requires that certain information be provided to the network manageable device. For different types of devices from different manufacturers, this information and its format can vary. A management application using the unified setting interface does not require the individual interfaces for configuring network manageable devices from different manufacturers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Inventors: Evgeny Leib, Joshua Glazer, Leonid Liansky
  • Patent number: 7656823
    Abstract: Collection of topology mapping linkage information between a Storage Area Network (“SAN”) and a transparent interconnecting transport network is at least partially automated. Physical topology information is gathered by detecting use of a physical path between a port of a first SAN device and a port of a second SAN device logically proximate to the transport network. This may be accomplished by discovering World Wide Names of end-points in a Fibre Channel SAN, and discovering Media Access Control addresses of end-points in an Ethernet SAN. The discovered physical topology information is then employed with known transport network logical topology information to determine which logical path or paths are associated with the physical path, i.e., to generate a mapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Indermohan Monga, Bruce Schofield, Pierre Miller
  • Patent number: 7656956
    Abstract: A system and method for conveying supervisory signaling and power over the same twisted wire pairs in a cable as are used to carry data communications in accordance with a predetermined communications protocol. Supervisory signals having first and second differential components are generated. The first component is coupled to both wires of one of the twisted wire pairs as a common mode signal and the second component of the supervisory signal is coupled to both wires of another twisted pair as a common mode signal. The first and second components are recovered at the remote end of the cable. Physical interfaces are AC coupled to the respective twisted pairs at both ends of the cable and positive and negative voltage rails powered by a power sourcing device are coupled to predetermined twisted pairs to convey a DC voltage over the cable which may be used to power a remote electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Nigel J. R. King
  • Patent number: 7653012
    Abstract: Methods to and devices capable of transmitting data in a centralized network are disclosed. A central coordinator receives data from a source device to be relayed to at least one destination device. The central coordinator acknowledges reception of the data from the source device and transmits data to at least one destination device. The central coordinator then waits for an acknowledgement of data reception from each destination device to which the data was sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Ayyagari, Tomohiko Ozeki
  • Patent number: 7646735
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection and communication of a missing LAN or WAN compliant device is disclosed. The method and apparatus provide a front card configured to accept a Fast Ethernet device on a PCI-compliant bus, and the front card includes a switch which is serially disposed on a PCI_Idsel line corresponding to a particular channel of the front card. The switch is further configured to receive a sensing signal corresponding to the channel from the device. The apparatus is configured to provide the PCI_Idsel line to the front card if the sensing signal is in a first state, and to provide a low potential to the front card if the sensing signal is in a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel Naumann
  • Publication number: 20090274070
    Abstract: A network-centric, power management system and method is disclosed for monitoring and controlling device nodes attached to a network. The monitoring and controlling includes collecting and processing information available on the network about the device nodes and using the collected information to manage power on the device nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Shankar Mukherjee, Jean Walrand, Nicholas Bambos
  • Patent number: 7596640
    Abstract: A computer program product for managing connections comprises a computer readable storage medium having the following computer instructions. The instructions cause a controller to perform: outputting an image including icons representing respective devices connected to an IEEE 1394 serial bus to display means; and establishing a logical connection between two of the connected devices by updating the contents of iPCR and oPCR stored in register spaces in the two connected devices and updating data for management of a band and a channel that is stored in a register space provided in an isochronous resource manager, which is a node for isochronous resource management on the IEEE 1394 serial bus, when a user enters a selection of the two connected devices to be logically connected to each other from among the connected devices on the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Sakai
  • Patent number: 7590067
    Abstract: A method of computing allowable routes through a data network that includes a subnetwork that introduces a subnet intransitivity constraint on allowable paths through the network involves using an abstracted network map to construct a directed graph that compensates for the subset intransitivity constraint by removing all unallowable paths. The abstracted network map may be used to compute least cost allowable paths through the network. The directed graph represents the same network, and is constructed by representing bi-directional links between the subnetwork elements with two directed edges, and representing the subnetwork elements as paired ingress and egress nodes. A method for constructing the directed graph representing an abstracted map of a network that exhibits subset intransitivity is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limtied
    Inventors: Hong Zhang, Peter Ashwood Smith, Guo Qiang Wang
  • Patent number: 7586933
    Abstract: The invention concerns a network comprising an interconnecting network and several network nodes that are coupled to said interconnecting network and are designed to adapt their local communication time schedule to the communication time schedule of at least one other network mode, prior to being integrated as active network nodes. A network node to be integrated checks the activity of other network nodes and if no activity is identified, sends out positional messages for other network nodes, said message being fixed by predetermination in its communication time schedule. If a network node cannot be integrated as a reference node, it can only be integrated as an active node if it adapts its local communication time schedule to that of the reference node after receiving positional messages and if a check as to whether its own communication time schedule agrees with the communication time schedules of at least some of the active network nodes proves positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, DaimlerChrysler AG, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., NXP B.V., DECOMSYS—Dependable Computer Systems, Hardware und Software Entwicklung GmbH
    Inventors: Ing Ralf Belschner, Bernd Hedenetz, Christopher Temple, Anton Schedl, Josef Berwanger, Martin Peller, Thomas Führer, Arnold Millsap, Thomas Forest, Gregor Pokorny, Peter Fuhrmann
  • Patent number: 7583692
    Abstract: The invention relates to a communications network with at least two network nodes, between which data may be transmitted via a transmission medium, in which a communications schedule is provided which allots time slots to the network nodes for access to the transmission medium, in which the network nodes each comprise at least one communication controller with a first scheduler for controlling access by the network nodes to the transmission medium according to the communications schedule, in which the communications network comprises at least one bus guardian with a second scheduler for monitoring accesses by the network nodes to the transmission medium according to a monitoring schedule, in which the communication controller comprises means for generating a local, independent clock signal and a global clock signal, which may be influenced by at least one parameter of the communications system and in which the global clock signal is provided both to control the first schedulers of the communication control
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Fuhrmann, Manfred Zinke
  • Patent number: 7583618
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for allocating a unique ID to a node in a network making a request to that effect, wherein the requesting node generates an ID and sends an ID request comprising the ID over the network, wherein each node in the network that already possesses said generated ID will send an ID ban comprising the generated ID over the network in response to detection of said ID request. The invention furthermore relates to a method for communication between objects in a network, in particular sensors, actuators and/or control objects. The invention furthermore relates to a method for controlling objects in a network, in particular sensors, actuators and/or control objects, wherein a controlling object sends a message comprising data on its characteristic variables over the network via data output means without being requested to do so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Inventor: Roelof Reinders
  • Patent number: 7577139
    Abstract: A star topology platform management bus architecture and system that provides disaggregation of the platform control element portion and the routing element portion of a central management controller, which provides for physical design efficiency as well as other advantages. Such disaggregation is particularly beneficial in the context of modular electronic platforms that are standardized, since standardized boards are often highly constrained in the available backplane connection pins. The platform control element can be implemented on a standardized board and use a small number of pins to communicate via the backplane with a non-standardized board that implements one or more routing elements, which themselves require a large number of pins to communicate with various satellite management controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Pigeon Point Systems
    Inventor: Mark D. Overgaard
  • Patent number: 7562143
    Abstract: A job is submitted into a first selection of resources in a grid environment from among a hierarchy of discrete sets of resources accessible in the grid environment. Discrete sets of resources may include locally accessible resources, enterprise accessible resources, capacity on demand resources, and grid resources. The performance of the first selection of resources is monitored and compared with a required performance level for the job. If the required performance level is not met, then the discrete sets of resources are queried for available resources to meet the required performance level in an order designated by said hierarchy. Available resources in a next discrete set of resource from the hierarchy of discrete sets of resources are added to a virtual organization of resources handling the job within the grid environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Fellenstein, Rick Allen Hamilton, II, Joshy Joseph, James Seaman
  • Patent number: 7558217
    Abstract: A network includes multiple segments and bridges interconnecting the segments, with hosts coupled to the segments. The bridges are smart bridges that each perform a host location initialization function. The host location initialization function in one bridge is performed in corporation with all other bridges in the bridged network via an instance through a propagation order spanning tree (POST). The initialization method includes obtaining prior host location information which is at least a partial representation of the host locations in the bridged network before the network topology change, obtaining hints on host location changes resulting from the network topology change, and modifying the prior host location information according to the hints to construct host location information for initialization. Location information for at least a portion of the hosts in the bridged network is preserved or discovered quickly each time when the network topology changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Thomas Lee Rodeheffer, Mark D. Lillibridge, Chandramohan A. Thekkath
  • Patent number: 7551893
    Abstract: Communications control apparatus CCUn involved in unitary tile carpet CPn has functions of performing communication with communications terminal TRX and wired communication with other communication control apparatus CCUn in adjoining tile carpet CPn. Each tile carpet CPn is laid out on the floor and connected to adjoining tile carpet CPn via connector CNn. Thus, a plurality of tile carpet CPn forms local area network LAN. Communication terminal TRX functions as a terminal of LAN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Fukumoto, Toshiaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7545822
    Abstract: When a plurality of information signal processing apparatuses are connected via IEEE 1394 communication control buses, these buses are connected via bridges, and bus reset occurs on a remote bus other than connected buses (step S1501), occurrence of remote bus reset is notified (steps S1502, S1505). Thus, even if bus reset occurs, the consistency of bus reset processing in an upper protocol layer can be ensured to realize normal data communication between buses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Fukunaga, Kiyoshi Katano, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7542434
    Abstract: A communication apparatus as a node of a communication network comprises a reading device that reads management information representing management status of a dominated node stored in the dominated node connected via the communication network, a writing device that writes identification information for managing the dominated node into the dominated node when the management information does not include identification information of other dominating node, and a management device that manages the dominated node. The communication apparatus is complied with the IEEE 1394 Standard and capable of managing the other nodes on the communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Oohara
  • Publication number: 20090135739
    Abstract: A network on chip (‘NOC’) that includes integrated processor (‘IP’) blocks, routers, memory communications controllers, and network interface controllers, with each IP block adapted to a router through a memory communications controller and a network interface controller, where each memory communications controller controlling communications between an IP block and memory, and each network interface controller controlling inter-IP block communications through routers, with the network organized into partitions, each partition including at least one IP block, each partition assigned exclusive access to a separate physical memory address space and one or more applications executing on one or more of the partitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Russell D. Hoover, Eric O. Mejdrich, Paul E. Schardt, Robert A. Shearer
  • Publication number: 20090122725
    Abstract: A network and method for non-disruptively disconnecting communication devices are disclosed. The network includes a primary network unit including a first logical layer, and a plurality of secondary network units. Each secondary network unit of the plurality of secondary network units includes the first logical layer, a second logical layer, and a connector arranged at a junction of the first logical layer and the second logical layer. The network also includes a plurality of electrically conductive links, wherein an electrically conductive link of the plurality of electrically conductive links is connected to the first logical layer of a first network unit at a first end, and to the first logical layer of a second network unit at a second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Keith A. Souders, Jamal Haque
  • Patent number: 7519123
    Abstract: A method of shaping an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal spectrum of a transmitted signal is disclosed. An input signal including an input component is received and a first instance of the input component is generated. The method also includes determining that a second instance of the input component is to be different than the first instance. The second instance of the input component that is different from the first instance is generated. An output signal to be transmitted is generated and includes the first instance and the second instance of the input component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Staccato Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Torbjorn A. Larsson, Nishant Kumar
  • Patent number: 7512082
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for communicating between a host and an agent. According to an embodiment of the invention a method for communicating data between a host and an agent is described. The method includes performing a first transaction at a first time between a host and a hub. The method then includes performing a second transaction between the hub and an agent. The method then includes performing the first transaction at a second time between the host and the hub. The second transaction is based on the first transaction for the second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John I. Garney, John S. Howard
  • Publication number: 20090080346
    Abstract: A method for point-to-point ethernet communication over point-to-multipoint shared single conductor channel topology comprises transmitting an ethernet signal upstream over the point-to-multipoint topology from one end point of the topology to the root of the topology, transmitting the ethernet signal downstream over the point-to-multipoint topology from the root of the topology to all end points of the topology, and selectively processing only at a designated end point the ethernet signal received at all end points. An ethernet system may comprise single conductor channel cabling (e.g., coaxial cabling) including a trunk line and a plurality of branch lines connecting to the trunk line at a plurality of points along the trunk line, a single root transceiver (root-PHY) connected at an end of the trunk line, and a plurality of end point transceivers (EP-PHYs), each connected to a respective one of the plurality of branch lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Scott Powell, Ali Abaye
  • Patent number: 7508775
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the automatic configuration of a communications device using a reserved identification number, at least one network node device, which administers an associated subnetwork of a network, at least one virtual network, with which the communications device is associated, whereby data packets exchanged within the virtual network are tagged with the reserved identification number. According to the inventive method, a network address of the subnetwork is determined by a network element arranged in the network. A configuration message adjusted with the network address of the subnetwork as the target address is transmitted by the network element to the network node device, which message is transmitted by the network node device to the virtual network as a broadcast message tagged with the reserved identification number. The broadcast message is received by the communications device and the communications device is configured using the identification number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Achim Ackermann-Markes, Oliver Veits
  • Publication number: 20090010183
    Abstract: A function configuration method according to the invention is cooperated with a master apparatus and a plurality of slave apparatuses. The function configuration method includes the steps of: assigning identification codes respectively to the slave apparatus by the master apparatus; transmitting the identification codes to the corresponding slave apparatuses through a network; and setting function configurations of the slave apparatuses according to the identification codes in the master apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Cheng-Ru Lin, Cheng-Yue Chang, Jeng-Chun Chen
  • Publication number: 20090003245
    Abstract: Several local IEEE1394 buses are bridged together over a second bus type to create a global bus wherein each local bus node is able to address nodes across the global bus without the local nodes being aware of the bridging operation. A bridging device operates by translating local bus node addresses to a global bus for communication over the second bus type. Alternatively, the local bus node identification process is controlled by the bridging device operating as the root node to cause the local nodes to be identified with a node address that is unique for the global network. The second bus type operates as a backbone for the global network and can be any type of communication bus or network with capability to transport the local bus traffic. The bridging devices that interface the local IEEE1394 buses to the backbone contain portals specific to each bus type that can communicate data between the dissimilar buses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Entropic Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Zong Liang Wu, Ronald Lee, Yusuf Ozturk
  • Patent number: 7451242
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing network access using network controllers and network interfaces. A network controller has one or more subsystems including a monitoring system that monitors a plurality of communication paths to detect a presence of link pulses in one of the communication paths, a communication providing system that routs the available network signal to a first device, and a communication halting system that prevents the available network signal from being transmitted to one or more other devices. A network interface has a first circuit path routing a first network signal received at a first input of the network interface to a first device. Moreover, the network interface has a second circuit path routing a second network signal received at a second input of the network interface to a first output of the first network interface to be received at a first input of a second network interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Rui M. Amorin, Marc C. Keller, Robert S Westfall, James R York, Thomas Higgins
  • Publication number: 20080273475
    Abstract: A bus system in which a bus controller, such as a complex programmable logic device, manages a communication channel coupling modules which can implement a node in a sensor network and/or an embedded system device. The system abstracts the communication channel from communicating processors of the modules. A processor of each module interacts with the communication channel through the bus controller. In this manner, the communication channel is decoupled from the processor, allowing different processors running at different speeds to share the communication channel without impacting throughput of the communication channel. The bus controller and the processors of the modules can employ a handshake protocol to asynchronously communicate with each other. The bus controllers can employ a reconfigurable TDMA protocol to communicate with each other and/or communicate between modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Nissanka Bodhi Priyantha, Feng Zhao, Dimitrios Lymberopoulos
  • Patent number: 7428222
    Abstract: Several local IEEE1394 buses are bridged together over a second bus type to create a global bus wherein each local bus node is able to address nodes across the global bus without the local nodes being aware of the bridging operation. A bridging device operates by translating local bus node addresses to a global bus for communication over the second bus type. Alternatively, the local bus node identification process is controlled by the bridging device operating as the root node to cause the local nodes to be identified with a node address that is unique for the global network. The second bus type operates as a backbone for the global network and can be any type of communication bus or network with capability to transport the local bus traffic. The bridging devices that interface the local IEEE1394 buses to the backbone contain portals specific to each bus type that can communicate data between the dissimilar buses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Entropic Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Zong Liang Wu, Ronald B. Lee, Yusuf Ozturk
  • Publication number: 20080219188
    Abstract: A media switch includes a backplane. A controller module is connected to the backplane for transferring a user command to a media device. A set of audio/video signal busses are connected to the backplane for transferring signals. A power bus is connected to the backplane for supplying power. A bus interface is connected to the bus to provide a connection point for the media device. A bus switch is positioned between the interface and the bus for transferring signals to the bus. The switch is operated by the controller module. A command bus is connected to the backplane for transferring a user command to the media device via a command interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lei Liu, Hai Y. Zhang, Ting Zhang
  • Patent number: 7421526
    Abstract: A communication network comprises a communication bus and at least two line cards. Each of the line cards are coupled to the communication bus The line cards comprise a processor and a configuration memory coupled to the processor. The communication occurring on the communication bus is predetermined, but can be reconfigured during real time operation by events or by the addition or subtraction of line cards. The configuration memory comprising an array of configuration tables, each configuration table storing a listing of processes to run and data to be transmitted or received by the process. A current configuration table is selected from the array of configuration tables upon the occurrence of a predefined event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Mitchell S. Fletcher, Randall H. Black
  • Patent number: 7417958
    Abstract: A method of identifying a control element of a telecommunication system as well as a telecommunication system and a control element for executing this method. The telecommunication system has a plurality of control elements, wherein the control element are connected via respective predefined ports with respective predefined Ethernet switches of a communication network connecting elements of the telecommunication system. The control element sends a request for determining its identification to an Ethernet switch. The Ethernet switch determines the position of the control element in the communication network based on the position of the Ethernet switch within the communication network and based on the port, the control element is connected with the Ethernet switch. It replies position information to the control element. The control element uses an identification based on the received position information for identifying the control element against other elements of the telecommunication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: ALCATEL
    Inventor: Hartmut Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20080192654
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product implement InfiniBand (IB) network topology simplification. A Subnet Manager (SM) of an IB subnet sends a subnet discovery request to each switch requesting the number of ports that are attached to the switch. Each of the switches and target channel adapters (TCAs) within the IB subnet includes a Subnet Management Agent (SMA). The Subnet Management Agent (SMA) of the receiving switch responds to the SM indicating a sufficient number of ports on the switch to support at least one port for each TCA. Each TCA supports at least two local IDs (LIDs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Block, Charles Scott Graham, Kris Marie Kendall
  • Patent number: 7411913
    Abstract: A process for automatically detecting and configuring with the throughput of a network, in which a device: (a) goes into a listen mode; (b) obtains a triplet of successive transitions in a transmitted signal, the triplet delimiting first and second signal levels, one dominant and the other recessive; (c) measures the duration of each of the first and second levels; (d) as a function of the measured durations, obtains a new throughput configuration by determining values for parameters that define a bit length LBIT; (e) validates the new throughput configuration; (g) if at least one throughput adaptation condition is verified, goes into a normal mode, otherwise obtains a next transition of the signal, which delimits with the last previous transition a new level of the signal, then measures the duration of the new level and reiterates steps (d) to (g) taking account of the new signal level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Nantes SA
    Inventors: Laurentiu Birsan, Marc Laurent, Thierry Delalande, Jean-Sebastien Berthy
  • Publication number: 20080159175
    Abstract: Network connectivity is selectively established by monitoring, on a client, communications activity incident to accessing a network, the communications activity including a request to access the network. An application associated with the communications activity is be identified. A communications configuration associated with the application is accessed, the communications configuration indicating how the application is configured to access the network. Network connectivity is selectively established based on the communications configuration, and the application may be enabled to access the network to support the communications activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: AOL LLC
    Inventor: Philip W. Flack
  • Patent number: 7392445
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided that allow an electronic system having a signaling bus with a fault on a signaling conductor to operate at a degraded performance. A block of data is transferred from a first electronic unit to a second electronic unit over the signaling bus. A transmission sequence sends the block of data using all of the nonfaulty signaling conductors using a minimum number of beats required to complete the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Michael Borkenhagen, Laura Marie Zumbrunnen
  • Publication number: 20080144534
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining the length of node-to-node links in a computer network. The method includes measuring the forwarding time for each node-to-node link in the network, eliminating queuing time from each forwarding time measurement, determining and subtracting store-forward time from each forwarding time measurement, determining and subtracting execution time from each forwarding time measurement to obtain a propagation time for a signal being transmitted on each node-to-node link and, based upon the propagation time for each node-to-node link, calculating a length of each node-to-node link. A network map may also be derived by identifying internal nodes in the network, translating each store-forward time into a hop count, constructing a connectivity map of the network including a connection map of internal nodes and superimposing the calculated link lengths onto the connectivity map to determine cable length between any internal nodes with more than two connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC
    Inventor: Kevin P. Gross
  • Patent number: 7379201
    Abstract: An image processing system includes a plurality of image processing sections for performing predetermined image processing on input image data and for outputting the processed image data. A header in which image processing information is described is added to the input image data in order to create packet data, and the created packet data is transferred sequentially to a plurality of image processing sections. A given image processing section inputs the transferred packet data, performs image processing on the image data in accordance with the image processing information described in the header, recreates packet data by adding a header in which the image processing information is rewritten to the image data after processing, and outputs the recreated packet data. Thus, even in a state in which the number of pieces of image data, the amount of the management information thereof, etc., are large, it is possible to easily manage image processing without imposing a large load on a CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehito Utsunomiya
  • Patent number: 7372821
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a signal processing system, and proposes the switching operation of device selection which is naturally performed for a user. The signal input device 5 comprises a registration means for registering the signal output devices 3, 4, and an establishment means for, when an establishment request signal requesting the establishment of a signal path is sent from any signal output device 3, 4 out of a plurality of the signal output devices 3, 4, judging whether the signal output device 3, 4, which sent the establishment request signal, is registered in the signal input device 5, and establishing the signal path between the signal output device 3, 4 and the signal input device 5 depending on the judged result, thereby avoiding unnatural operation which is not performed in accordance with user operation, thus making it possible to perform the switching operation of device selection which is naturally performed for a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Sato, Junji Kato, Michio Miyano, Yuichi Kageyama, Norifumi Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 7366115
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a transmission system for sending digital data on a digital bus (1), to which are connected a number of master and slave modules. The system is characterized by the fact that a number of modules may comprise two connectors (20, 21) to said bus, and a switch (22) or switches (52, 53), allowing the interruption of said bus. This design allows an address setting procedure to take place, before starting normal operation. During this initialization, the addresses of the modules are set by consecutively closing the switches, and setting the address. Every time a switch is closed in one module, the following module can receive its address. The invention is related to several embodiments of the system allowing this procedure, and to the method of initializing such a system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: AMI Semiconductor Belgium BVBA
    Inventor: Geert Maria Marcel Vandensande
  • Patent number: 7352708
    Abstract: A method and apparatus relating to the behavior of border nodes within a high performance serial bus system is disclosed. A method for determining and communicating the existence of a hybrid bus is disclosed. A method for determining a path to a senior border node is disclosed, as is a method for identifying a senior border node Various methods for properly issuing gap tokens within a beta cloud are disclosed. A method for returning control to the senior border node is disclosed. A method for determining whether a BOSS node may issue a grant is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jerrold V. Hauck, Colin Whitby-Strevens
  • Patent number: 7346010
    Abstract: The hybrid data bus includes client nodes and an IEEE-1394b-based network operably associated with those client nodes. At least one of the client nodes is a legacy-based client node that utilizes a non-deterministic network bus type for network interfacing. An IEEE-1394b-based network is operably associated with the client nodes via at least one network interface bridge (NIB). The IEEE-1394b-based network provides a deterministic data passing capability between the legacy-based client node and at least one other of the client nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Gary A. Kinstler
  • Patent number: 7346071
    Abstract: Broadband multi-drop local network, interface and method for multimedia access. A local network architecture include a wired bus coupleable directly to an external data network terminal and configured for carrying broadband packetized data traffic over a frequency spectrum uninterrupted by other defined data channels or services; and one or a plurality of network transceivers operable individually for coupling an addressable network device processing a defined class of information to the bus wherein each network appliance is configured for and further operable for providing communication interfacing of the class of information of each addressable network appliance with the packetized IP data traffic on the wired bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Inventor: Bernard F. Bareis
  • Publication number: 20080062892
    Abstract: A method of adapting the frequency of a protocol in a communication system is provided. The method includes changing a bus cycle used by communication nodes in a communication system based on cycle interval instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Dodgen, Karl H. Becker, Jamal Haque, Keith A. Souders
  • Patent number: 7343425
    Abstract: A network device includes a media access control (MAC) device that transmits a first data stream at a first data rate that includes symbols having M bits. A translator converts the first data stream to a second data stream at a second data rate. The translator includes a data appender that appends N bits to the symbols in the first data stream to generate second symbols having M+N bits. A data duplicator duplicates the second symbols X times to produce the second data stream at the second data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: William Lo, Nafea Bishara
  • Patent number: 7334061
    Abstract: Disclosed are interface buses that facilitate communications among two or more electronic devices in standard mode and burst mode, and bus bridges from such buses to a memory unit of such a device. In one aspect, interface buses group the data lines according to groups of bits, and include group-enable lines to convey a representation of which groups of data lines are active for each data transfer operation. In another aspect, exemplary interface buses include burst-length lines to convey a representation of the number of data bursts in a burst sequence, thereby obviating the need to provide sequential addresses over the bus. Exemplary bus bridges are capable of interpreting the signals on the interface bus and transferring data bursts between the interface bus and one or more memory units within the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kartik Raju, Mehmet Un
  • Patent number: 7333511
    Abstract: A communications network for transporting data packets among L2/L3 nodes based on dynamically L1-channelizable multi-source buses. The dynamic channelization of a packet transport bus among source-node-specific L1 connections is managed by a bus control process, which periodically optimizes the allocation of bus capacity pool among the source nodes based on real-time bus capacity demand figures by the source nodes of the bus. The invention provides means for real-time dynamic, traffic load adaptive allocation of transport network capacity to continuously maximize the data throughput of the transport network for dynamic packet traffic, such as Internet traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Optimum Communications Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Henrik Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 7330442
    Abstract: A communication apparatus as a node of a communication network comprises a reading device that reads management information representing management status of a dominated node stored in the dominated node connected via the communication network, a writing device that writes identification information for managing the dominated node into the dominated node when the management information does not include identification information of other dominating node, and a management device that manages the dominated node. The communication apparatus is complied with the IEEE 1394 Standard and capable of managing the other nodes on the communication network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Oohara
  • Patent number: 7317694
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining and communicating the existence of a hybrid bus. The method comprises the acts of determining whether the node has a connection to a Legacy link layer; if the node determines that it has a connection to a Legacy link layer, then transmitting a Self-ID packet without a Speed Code; and if the node determines that it does not have a connection to a Legacy link layer, then transmitting a Self-ID packet without a Speed Code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jerrold V. Hauck, Colin Whitby-Strevens