Stephen R Vogel

US Patent:

7155711, Dec 26, 2006

Filed:

Dec 8, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/733402

Inventors:

Stephen R. Vogel - Medford NJ, US
Steven Jeffrey Zack - Burlington NJ, US

Assignee:

Sedna Patent Services, LLC - Philadelphia PA

International Classification:

G06F 9/44
G06F 17/50

US Classification:

717169, 717171, 717173, 326 37, 326 38, 326 39, 716 16

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for programming a remote programmable logic device. The apparatus comprises a processing system having a first file to second file conversion program stored therein. The processing system receives the first file from a first communications medium and transmits the converted second file through a second communications medium in a format native to the remote programmable logic device. The method comprises sending a first file to a processing system via a first communications medium, converting the first file to a second file in a format native to the remote programmable logic device, and sending the second file in a format native to the remote programmable logic device to the remote programmable logic device via a second communications medium.

US Patent:

7487531, Feb 3, 2009

Filed:

Mar 31, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/540178

Inventors:

Stephen R. Vogel - Medford NJ, US
James B. Armstrong - Princeton NJ, US
Hiep T. Nguyen - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Sedna Patent Services, LLC - Philadephia PA

International Classification:

H04N 7/173

US Classification:

725 93, 725 94, 709239

Abstract:

Apparatus and method providing improved fault tolerance through redundancy of hardware and software suitable for use in a head-end of an interactive information distribution system. Communications between each of a head-end controllers and each of the server modules are coincidentally sent along at least two signal paths to provide to additional fault tolerance in the event one of the signal paths becomes inoperable. In one embodiment, a video switch comprises a plurality of I/O ports coupled between a plurality of server modules and a plurality of subscriber equipment for transferring video information between the server and the subscriber equipment. A primary and secondary switch controller are each coupled to the head-end controllers and the plurality of I/O ports. The primary switch controller is used for routing data packets containing said video information between the plurality of I/O ports. The secondary switch controller monitors status of the primary switch controller and I/O ports, and initiates a switchover event in an instance where the primary switch controller exhibits a failure.

US Patent:

7778158, Aug 17, 2010

Filed:

Aug 31, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/930154

Inventors:

Stephen R. Vogel - Medford NJ, US
James B. Armstrong - Princeton NJ, US
Hiep T. Nguyen - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Cox Communications, Inc. - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

G01R 31/08
G06F 11/00
G08C 15/00
H04J 1/16
H04J 3/14
H04L 1/00
H04L 12/26

US Classification:

370217, 370244

Abstract:

Apparatus and method providing improved fault tolerance through redundancy of hardware and software suitable for use in a head-end of an interactive information distribution system. Communications between each of a head-end controllers and each of the server modules are coincidentally sent along at least two signal paths to provide to additional fault tolerance in the event one of the signal paths becomes inoperable. In one embodiment, a video switch comprises a plurality of I/O ports coupled between a plurality of server modules and a plurality of subscriber equipment for transferring video information between the server and the subscriber equipment. A primary and secondary switch controller are each coupled to the head-end controllers and the plurality of I/O ports. The primary switch controller is used for routing data packets containing said video information between the plurality of I/O ports. The secondary switch controller monitors status of the primary switch controller and I/O ports, and initiates a switchover event in an instance where the primary switch controller exhibits a failure.