Brian Alan Whitehead

Title: Brian Alan Whitehead: Innovator in Data Switching Systems

Introduction

Brian Alan Whitehead is a notable inventor based in Manchester, GB. He has made significant contributions to the field of data switching systems, particularly through his innovative patent. His work focuses on improving the efficiency of resource arbitration in data communication.

Latest Patents

Brian holds a patent for an "Apparatus and method for resource arbitration." This invention outlines an arbitration process that sets the connections between ingress and egress ports of a crossbar switch in a data switching system. The method utilizes a weight parameter for each pair of ingress and egress ports. Connection requests are generated to indicate which ingress ports should connect to which egress ports. The process includes selecting among conflicting connection requests to produce a connection proposal for each egress port. Notably, any connection request with a weight parameter of zero is not selected. When a connection request is realized, the corresponding weight parameter is decreased by one. If there are no connection requests with non-zero weights for a given egress port, all weight parameters for that port are reset to default values.

Career Highlights

Brian is currently employed at Xyratex Technology Limited, where he continues to develop innovative solutions in data switching technology. His expertise and contributions have positioned him as a valuable asset in his field.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Brian has collaborated with talented individuals such as Ian David Johnson and Marek Piekarski. These collaborations have further enhanced his work and contributed to advancements in technology.

Conclusion

Brian Alan Whitehead is a distinguished inventor whose work in data switching systems has led to innovative solutions that improve resource arbitration processes. His contributions continue to impact the field positively.