James W Whitehouse

US Patent:

60578750, May 2, 2000

Filed:

Dec 27, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/579183

Inventors:

Bruce Robert Ferguson - Anaheim CA
James Bruce Whitehouse - Brea CA

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Trans Com Inc. - Irvine CA

International Classification:

H03H 740

US Classification:

348 8

Abstract:

A remotely-controlled cable equalization system includes a control unit containing a non-volatile memory, a plurality of remote video display devices, each of which includes an adjustable cable equalization circuit, and an interface for connecting the control unit to each of the plurality of remote video display devices. Each of the plurality of remote video display devices includes a receiver for receiving a 12-bit digital code, from the control unit, through the interface. A 12-bit register is connected to the receiver and a 12-bit digital-to-analog converter is then connected to the 12-bit register, for receiving a 12-bit digital code from the 12-bit register and for converting the digital signal to an analog signal. The adjustable cable equalization circuit in each of the plurality of remote video display devices receives the analog signal from the 12-bit digital-to-analog converter and provides the necessary cable equalization for each of the plurality of remote video display devices based on the received analog signal.

US Patent:

58729348, Feb 16, 1999

Filed:

Aug 26, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/697484

Inventors:

James Bruce Whitehouse - Brea CA
Bruce Robert Ferguson - Anaheim CA
Kaz Takata - Placentia CA
Kunjan Zaveri - Arcadia CA

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Transcom Inc. - Irvine CA

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

395281

Abstract:

A technique and system for isolating segments of a serial data bus for remote configuration of equipment in in-flight entertainment systems. The system allows the automatic initialization, or configuration, of multiple terminal units, attached to a serial data bus, without requiring physical access to the multiple units.

US Patent:

59448032, Aug 31, 1999

Filed:

Mar 25, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/824199

Inventors:

James B. Whitehouse - Brea CA

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Trans Com Inc. - Irvine CA

International Classification:

G06F 1314

US Classification:

710 63

Abstract:

A communication interface circuit in an aircraft entertainment system uses a single Universal Asynchronous Receiver and Transmitter (UART) for sending and receiving data to and from a number of devices. The UART is coupled to a number of transceivers each having a transmitter buffer and a receiver buffer. A circuit is used to enable and disable the receiver buffers. A masking element is coupled between the receiver buffers and the UART to mask off the data from the disabled receiver buffers allow only the data from the enabled receiver buffer to go to the UART. With this communication interface circuit, the amount of hardware is significantly reduced.

US Patent:

58812288, Mar 9, 1999

Filed:

Aug 29, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/705128

Inventors:

Michael Atkinson - Irvine CA
Dilip C. Shah - Laguna Hills CA
James Whitehouse - Brea CA
Kouwei Shen - Newport Coast CA

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Trans Com, Inc. - Irvine CA

International Classification:

G06F 1500
H04J 316

US Classification:

39520014

Abstract:

A communication subsystem used in an aircraft entertainment system employs a microcontroller and a dual-ported RAM to relieve burden from the host processor in handling low-level operations in communicating with external devices. The host processor and the microcontroller accesses the dual-ported RAM by testing the semaphore to determine if the DPRAM is available. If available, the processor and/or the microcontroller will read/write the messages from/to the DPRAM as appropriate. The microcontroller controls the communication interface controllers directly and will send messages read from the DPRAM to the CICs or write to the DPRAM messages received from the CICs without host processor's intervention. The microcontroller also performs other low-level operations such as header/trailer processing and error checking/correcting free from the host processor.

US Patent:

57961859, Aug 18, 1998

Filed:

Oct 15, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/732526

Inventors:

Kazuo Takata - Placentia CA
James Bruce Whitehouse - Brea CA
Bruce Robert Ferguson - Anaheim CA

Assignee:

Sony Corporation - Tokyo
Sony Trans Com Inc. - Irvine CA

International Classification:

G06F 1300

US Classification:

307140

Abstract:

A system on an aircraft that eliminates hot-swapping of circuit boards to prevent damage to the circuit board connector interfaces. The system supplies power to a circuit card only when there is an effective coupling between a circuit card connector and an opposite mating connector. A power control circuit responds to a card present signal which indicates when the circuit card connector is coupled to the opposite mating connector. A logic circuit converts the card present signal to a power supply enable signal. A main power supply receives the power supply enable signal and provides power to the circuit card only when the circuit card connector and the opposite mating connector are appropriately coupled.