Gary L Dotson

US Patent:

6611257, Aug 26, 2003

Filed:

Sep 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/676127

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI
Reginald W. Sprecher - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345174, 178 1805

Abstract:

A method of determining a type of touch plane operator input device comprises sensing the impedance across first and second terminals of a touch plane operator input device to distinguish the touch plane operator input device as being one of at least two different types of touch plane operator input devices. A method of processing an input from a touch plane operator input device comprises determining a first location of a first touch on the touch plane operator input device; determining a second location of a second touch on the touch plane operator input device; comparing the first and second locations to obtain an indication of an amount of difference between the first and second locations; and determining whether the indication of the amount of difference exceeds a predetermined amount. These steps are performed by discrete logic circuitry that provides an event notification to a microprocessor when the indication of the amount of difference exceeds the predetermined amount. An interface circuit for a touch plane operator input device comprises a digital signal processor that includes a data processing path along which data from a touch plane operator input device passes while being processed by the digital signal processor.

US Patent:

6665760, Dec 16, 2003

Filed:

Sep 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/677035

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G06F 1314

US Classification:

710240, 710244

Abstract:

An arbiter system comprises a plurality of hardware resources, a common resource, and an arbiter. The plurality of hardware resources are divided into groups of hardware resources and are coupled to the common resource and the arbiter. The arbiter controls which of the plurality of hardware resources has priority to access to the common resource. The arbiter includes a group shifting arbiter which shifts priority among the groups of hardware resources and a level shifting arbiter which separately shifts priority among the hardware resources within each of the groups. An error checking value generator system comprises a general purpose DMA controller and an arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit is coupled to receive data from the general purpose DMA controller. The arithmetic circuit generates an error checking value based on the data received from the general purpose DMA controller and based on a polynomial equation. The arithmetic circuit is capable of being programmed with a plurality of different polynomial equations usable to generate error checking values of different types.

US Patent:

6734866, May 11, 2004

Filed:

Sep 28, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/672638

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G06T 1700

US Classification:

345546, 345545

Abstract:

An improved raster engine adapted to render video data from a frame buffer to one of a plurality of disparate displays is disclosed which comprises an integral bounded video signature analyzer, a hardware cursor apparatus supporting dual scanned displays, programmatic support for multiple disparate display types, multi-mode programmable hardware blinking, programmable multiple color depth digital display interface, and programmable matrix controlled grayscale generation.

US Patent:

6753853, Jun 22, 2004

Filed:

Sep 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/677103

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345173, 178 1805

Abstract:

A method of determining a type of touch plane operator input device comprises sensing the impedance across first and second terminals of a touch plane operator input device to distinguish the touch plane operator input device as being one of at least two different types of touch plane operator input devices. A method of processing an input from a touch plane operator input device comprises determining a first location of a first touch on the touch plane operator input device; determining a second location of a second touch on the touch plane operator input device; comparing the first and second locations to obtain an indication of an amount of difference between the first and second locations; and determining whether the indication of the amount of difference exceeds a predetermined amount. These steps are performed by discrete logic circuitry that provides an event notification to a microprocessor when the indication of the amount of difference exceeds the predetermined amount. An interface circuit for a touch plane operator input device comprises a digital signal processor that includes a data processing path along which data from a touch plane operator input device passes while being processed by the digital signal processor.

US Patent:

6765558, Jul 20, 2004

Filed:

Sep 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/675791

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G09G 500

US Classification:

345173, 345174, 345179, 178 1801, 178 1804, 178 1805, 178 1901, 3404071

Abstract:

A method of determining a type of touch plane operator input device comprises sensing the impedance across first and second terminals of a touch plane operator input device to distinguish the touch plane operator input device as being one of at least two different types of touch plane operator input devices. A method of processing an input from a touch plane operator input device comprises determining a first location of a first touch on the touch plane operator input device; determining a second location of a second touch on the touch plane operator input device; comparing the first and second locations to obtain an indication of an amount of difference between the first and second locations; and determining whether the indication of the amount of difference exceeds a predetermined amount. These steps are performed by discrete logic circuitry that provides an event notification to a microprocessor when the indication of the amount of difference exceeds the predetermined amount. An interface circuit for a touch plane operator input device comprises a digital signal processor that includes a data processing path along which data from a touch plane operator input device passes while being processed by the digital signal processor.

US Patent:

6831647, Dec 14, 2004

Filed:

Sep 28, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/672632

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G06F 1500

US Classification:

345501, 714 25, 714 30, 714 31, 714 46, 714732, 714733

Abstract:

An improved raster engine adapted to render video data from a frame buffer to one of a plurality of disparate displays is disclosed which comprises an integral bounded video signature analyzer, a hardware cursor apparatus supporting dual scanned displays, programmatic support for multiple disparate display types, multi-mode programmable hardware blinking, programmable multiple color depth digital display interface, and programmable matrix controlled grayscale generation.

US Patent:

6883132, Apr 19, 2005

Filed:

Sep 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/675855

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI, US

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

H03M013/00

US Classification:

714774

Abstract:

An arbiter system comprises a plurality of hardware resources, a common resource, and an arbiter. The plurality of hardware resources are divided into groups of hardware resources and are coupled to the common resource and the arbiter. The arbiter controls which of the plurality of hardware resources has priority to access to the common resource. The arbiter includes a group shifting arbiter which shifts priority among the groups of hardware resources and a level shifting arbiter which separately shifts priority among the hardware resources within each of the groups. An error checking value generator system comprises a general purpose DMA controller and an arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit is coupled to receive data from the general purpose DMA controller. The arithmetic circuit generates an error checking value based on the data received from the general purpose DMA controller and based on a polynomial equation. The arithmetic circuit is capable of being programmed with a plurality of different polynomial equations usable to generate error checking values of different types.

US Patent:

6940516, Sep 6, 2005

Filed:

Apr 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/837043

Inventors:

Gary Dan Dotson - Muskego WI, US

Assignee:

Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. - Mayfield Heights OH

International Classification:

G06F013/00

US Classification:

345537, 345503, 345531, 345545, 345558

Abstract:

An improved raster engine adapted to render video data from a frame buffer to one of a plurality of disparate displays is disclosed which comprises apparatus for detecting one or more video underflow conditions. The raster engine includes a first in first out (FIFO) memory, which obtains video data from a frame buffer and provides video data to a video pipeline, along with input and output counters associated with the FIFO memory. A control logic system is associated with the FIFO memory and adapted to provide an underflow indication according to the input and output counter values. A method for detecting video underflow in a video controller raster engine is also disclosed. The method includes obtaining an input counter value indicative of video data obtained from the frame buffer and an output counter value indicative of video data provided from a memory to a video pipeline in the raster engine, performing a comparison of the input and output counter values, and selectively providing an underflow indication according to the input and output counter value comparison.