Daniel K Kilkenny

US Patent:

8161332, Apr 17, 2012

Filed:

Oct 30, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/609929

Inventors:

David Aaron Skirmont - Los Gatos CA, US
Daniel Kiernan Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US
Surya Parkash Varanasi - Dublin CA, US
Kung-Ling Ko - Union City CA, US

Assignee:

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G06F 11/00

US Classification:

714704

Abstract:

Pluggable transceiver modules with additional functions and circuitry contained within the module. In a first embodiment, additional circuitry is added to determine bit error rates at the point of the module itself. This allows a much better diagnostic evaluation of location of problem. In an alternate embodiment, various logic is placed in the module. In a first alternate embodiment encryption/decryption units are placed in the converter module so that encryption and decryption operations on the serial bitstream do not need to be performed in a switch. Existing switches can be used but the interconnecting links can still be encrypted. A second alternate embodiment includes compression/decompression units placed in the module to allow effective higher throughput on the selected links.

US Patent:

8477508, Jul 2, 2013

Filed:

Nov 17, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/620361

Inventors:

David A. Skirmont - Los Gatos CA, US
Daniel K. Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US

Assignee:

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H05K 5/00

US Classification:

361752, 361803, 361759, 361804, 361758, 361742

Abstract:

A blade for a chassis-based system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted at a tilt angle within the blade. The tilt angle provides space above or below the PCB at the front end of the blade, such that media interface modules can be flexibly positioned within the blade. A tilt angle that positions the PCB higher near the front end of the blade may enable media interface modules mounted in a belly-to-belly configuration on the PCB to be fitted within the front end of the blade. A tilt angle that positions the PCB lower near the front end of the blade may enable media interface modules mounted on the upper surface of the PCB to be fitted within the first end of the blade. The tilt angle also positions a backplane connector mounted on the PCB to properly engage a backplane when the blade is inserted into a slot.

US Patent:

20100315788, Dec 16, 2010

Filed:

Jun 16, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/485420

Inventors:

ANTHONY SIEBE VANDERVEEN - SAN JOSE CA, US
DANIEL KIERNAN KILKENNY - PLEASANTON CA, US

Assignee:

BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC - SAN JOSE CA

International Classification:

H05K 5/00

US Classification:

361724, 174 50, 454184, 361752

Abstract:

A cooling system for rack mount electrical or electronic equipment comprises a hollow, box-shaped exhaust shelf having a vent on at least one end face thereof. The exhaust shelf may be configured for rack mounting. A side duct, open on its inner side, is mounted between the exhaust shelf and a top rail adapted to be mounted between a front post and an opposing rear post in a four-post rack mount enclosure. A plenum in the side duct is in fluid communication with the interior chamber of the exhaust shelf. A chassis having a side-facing exhaust for cooling air may be mounted on or over the exhaust shelf such that warm air exiting the chassis is collected in the plenum of the side duct and channeled into the exhaust shelf and out through the vent. In this way, the desired front-to-back cooling air flow within a rack mount enclosure may be maintained even if one or more individual chassis mounted in the enclosure have side cooling air exhausts. In other embodiments of the invention, the airflow may be in the reverse direction—i.e., cooling air may be drawn into the shelf, pass through the side duct and enter the chassis.

US Patent:

20120173935, Jul 5, 2012

Filed:

Mar 15, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/421666

Inventors:

David Aaron Skirmont - Los Gatos CA, US
Daniel Kiernan Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US
Surya Parkash Varanasi - Dublin CA, US
Kung-Ling Ko - Union City CA, US

Assignee:

BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G06F 11/08
H03M 13/00

US Classification:

714704, 714752, 714E11179, 714E1103

Abstract:

Pluggable transceiver modules with additional functions and circuitry contained within the module. In a first embodiment, additional circuitry is added to determine bit error rates at the point of the module itself. This allows a much better diagnostic evaluation of location of problem. In an alternate embodiment, various logic is placed in the module. In a first alternate embodiment encryption/decryption units are placed in the converter module so that encryption and decryption operations on the serial bitstream do not need to be performed in a switch. Existing switches can be used but the interconnecting links can still be encrypted. A second alternate embodiment includes compression/decompression units placed in the module to allow effective higher throughput on the selected links.

US Patent:

20120270492, Oct 25, 2012

Filed:

Feb 17, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/399554

Inventors:

Anthony Siebe VanDerVeen - San Jose CA, US
Daniel Kiernan Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US

Assignee:

BROCADE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H05K 7/20
H05K 5/00

US Classification:

454184, 16510434

Abstract:

A cooling device for rack mount equipment comprises an extensible side duct, open on its inner and rear-facing sides which redirects warm exhaust air exiting vents in the side of a chassis towards the rear of an enclosure holding the chassis. An apparatus incorporating the cooling device may be installed in a rack with the extensible side duct in a retracted position. The extensible side duct may extend under the influence of air pressure, forming a plenum in fluid communication with the interior of a chassis on which it is mounted such that warm air exiting the chassis is collected in the plenum formed by the extensible side duct and directed out towards the rear of the chassis. Use of the apparatus permits conventional front-to-back cooling airflow patterns to be maintained even with chassis having side exhaust vents.

US Patent:

20130161277, Jun 27, 2013

Filed:

Jul 25, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/558319

Inventors:

Scott W. Augsburger - San Jose CA, US
Daniel K. Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US
David A. Skirmont - Los Gatos CA, US

Assignee:

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

A47B 96/00

US Classification:

211175

Abstract:

A plenum assembly for a shallow chassis in a rack-mount system. The rack mount system includes a first set of posts at a first end of the rack, a second set of posts at a second end of the rack, and guide rails that extend between the first and second sets of posts. A shallow chassis mounted on the guide rails extends from the first end of the rack to an intermediate location, between the first and second ends of the rack. The plenum assembly is also mounted on the guide rails, and extends from the second end of the rack to the intermediate location, providing an airway from the second end of the rack to the shallow chassis. The plenum assembly can include telescoping sections to extend various lengths. Alternately, the plenum assembly can have a two piece construction, which is assembled after routing cables to the shallow chassis.

US Patent:

20130265706, Oct 10, 2013

Filed:

Jun 6, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/911464

Inventors:

Daniel K. Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US

International Classification:

H05K 7/14
H05K 13/04

US Classification:

36167902, 29829

Abstract:

A blade for a chassis-based system includes a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted at a tilt angle within the blade. The tilt angle provides space above or below the PCB at the front end of the blade, such that media interface modules can be flexibly positioned within the blade. A tilt angle that positions the PCB higher near the front end of the blade may enable media interface modules mounted in a belly-to-belly configuration on the PCB to be fitted within the front end of the blade. A tilt angle that positions the PCB lower near the front end of the blade may enable media interface modules mounted on the upper surface of the PCB to be fitted within the first end of the blade. The tilt angle also positions a backplane connector mounted on the PCB to properly engage a backplane when the blade is inserted into a slot.

US Patent:

8144464, Mar 27, 2012

Filed:

Apr 29, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/770467

Inventors:

Anthony Siebe VanDerVeen - San Jose CA, US
Daniel Kiernan Kilkenny - Pleasanton CA, US

Assignee:

Brocade Communication Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H05K 7/20

US Classification:

361692, 36167946, 36167948, 36167949, 3616795, 361725, 361727, 16510434, 165121, 454184

Abstract:

A cooling device for rack mount equipment comprises an extensible side duct, open on its inner and rear-facing sides which redirects warm exhaust air exiting vents in the side of a chassis towards the rear of an enclosure holding the chassis. An apparatus incorporating the cooling device may be installed in a rack with the extensible side duct in a retracted position. The extensible side duct may extend under the influence of air pressure, forming a plenum in fluid communication with the interior of a chassis on which it is mounted such that warm air exiting the chassis is collected in the plenum formed by the extensible side duct and directed out towards the rear of the chassis. Use of the apparatus permits conventional front-to-back cooling airflow patterns to be maintained even with chassis having side exhaust vents.