Mahlon D Kimbrough

6353609, Mar 5, 2002

Jun 19, 1998

09/100392

Barry Joe Ethridge - Forth Worth TX
James Joseph Gainer - Keller TX
Mahlon Danny Kimbrough - Bedford TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H04L 1264

370352, 370356

A digital packet access network for transporting voice and data signals in the local loop between a central office location and a plurality of remote local users. The network architecture may also include: (1) a dual-pipelined structure for separately transporting the voice and data signals; (2) a mechanism for prioritizing the transport of the voice signals, or (3) a method of synchronizing the timing of the voice signals to a telephone switch.

6362908, Mar 26, 2002

Dec 2, 1998

09/203409

Mahlon Danny Kimbrough - Bedford TX
John Matthes - Southlake TX
Barry Joe Ethridge - Forth Worth TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H04B 1000

359163, 359109, 359118, 359119

A multi-service, adaptable optical network unit (ONU) is disclosed for use in a fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) digital loop carrier system, including a multi-service common card and a plurality of multi-media service cards that are connected to the common card using a card-link interface. The card-link interface is preferably a high-speed LVDS serial-bus connection that is organized in a star configuration such that each service card is connected to the multi-service common card using a separate point-to-point card-link. By eliminating the traditional backplane structure found in present ONU designs, the present invention provides a scalable, adaptable, future-proof FTTC system that can transport present-day multi-media services as well as yet-to-be-defined future high-bandwidth applications.

6366464, Apr 2, 2002

Aug 16, 1999

09/375312

Michael R. Cosley - Crystal Lake IL
John Matthes - Southlake TX
James Zipper - Addison IL
Barry Joe Ethridge - Fort Worth TX
Mahlon Danny Kimbrough - Bedford TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H05K 500

361752, 361753, 361707, 361785, 361796, 361825, 361827, 174 38, 174 72 R

An ONU includes circuit cards, a card cage, and electrical connector hardware. The card cage releaseably engages and supports the circuit cards in installed positions in the card cage. At least one pair of the circuit cards have serial interconnections with each other. The electrical connector hardware defines all of those serial interconnections and is free of a backplane.

6466572, Oct 15, 2002

Jun 3, 1999

09/325619

Barry J. Ethridge - Fort Worth TX
Mahlon D. Kimbrough - Bedford TX
James J. Gainer - Keller TX
Joseph L. Whitehead - Decatur TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H04L 1266

370352, 370901, 359128

A technique for multiplexing high speed computed data with digitized voice signals onto a fiber optic cable for transfer to a local central office. The data packets of a number of computers are networked by way of a distributed hub that extends to residences, offices, apartments, etc. The data packets are switched outside the switching fabric of a local central office and routed to the internet or elsewhere. Command signals that are for accessing the internet are transmitted and received as 10 MHz Ethernet data packets on the distributed hub.

6535308, Mar 18, 2003

Feb 12, 1999

09/249733

George H. BuAbbud - South Lake TX
Mahlon D. Kimbrough - Bedford TX
Mark W. Hastings - Weatherford TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H04B 1000

359113, 359152, 359123, 372101, 372102, 372103

Circuitry for controlling a diode optically coupled to an optical fiber suitable for transmitting digital light signals therethrough. The circuitry includes a temperature compensated driver when operating in the transmit mode and receiving circuitry for conditioning and amplifying electrical signals generated by the diode when it operates in a photodetection mode. A sweep circuit is provided for isolating amplifiers in the receiving circuitry and for discharging residual charge left in the diode during the transmission mode thereby reducing the signal-to-noise ratio.

6609842, Aug 26, 2003

Mar 27, 2000

09/536047

Mahlon D. Kimbrough - Bedford TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H04B 1004

398195, 398194

A linear laser diode driver circuit is provided in which a solid state laser diode and its back-facet photodiode are configured into the feedback loop of a high-speed operational amplifier. In this configuration, the light output from the laser diode is directly proportional to the input voltage to the operational amplifier and is independent of the laser diodes temperature characteristics.

6707833, Mar 16, 2004

Mar 31, 2000

09/539395

Mahlon D. Kimbrough - Bedford TX

Marconi Communications, Inc. - Cleveland OH

H01S 313

372 3802, 372 2901, 372 29011, 372 3801, 372 38007

A digital laser driver circuit is provided in which a digital synthesizer synthesizes a modulation index signal for precisely setting the modulation level of the laser, and a pair of feedback loops control the average power level and modulation index of the laser diode. The laser diode includes a back-facet photodiode that is used to monitor the lasers average and peak optical power levels. The average power level is measured by an analog feedback loop and compared to an externally supplied reference voltage in order to maintain the laser at a particular average optical power level. The peak power is measured by a digital feedback loop and compared to a pair of threshold levels based on a ratio of the average power level using digital comparators. The comparators provide signals to the digital synthesizer in order to indicate that the modulation level is too low or too high. The digital synthesizer then re-synthesizes the laser modulation index signal to maintain the optical modulation between the two threshold levels.

6781981, Aug 24, 2004

Sep 11, 1998

09/150817

Mahlon Danny Kimbrough - Bedford TX

Advanced Fibre Access Corporation - Petaluma CA

H04L 1266

370352, 370356, 37039553

An improved digital loop carrier system for transporting voice and DSL data signals in the local loop. The digital loop carrier system includes a remote digital terminal having an interface terminal, a common equipment shelf for interfacing digital voice signals to the central office switch, and a plurality of copper shelves coupled to the common shelf for holding voice line-cards that convert digital voice signals into analog voice signals (and vice versa) for transport to customer premises. At least one copper shelf is configured to include an auxiliary packet data bus for connecting combination voice/DSL line-cards and at least one data uplink card. The data uplink card is coupled to the interface terminal to enable DSL data transport without impacting digital voice capabilities through the common equipment. Also disclosed is an optional Ethernet switch in the remote digital terminal for concentrating multiple DSL signals prior to transport back to the central office.