Patents by Inventor Alastair Wolman
Alastair Wolman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9327199Abstract: Some implementations may include one or more servers to host multiple game instances of game modules. The one or more servers may determine whether a difference between a total rendering time to render output data for the multiple game instances and a rendering capacity of the one or more processors is less than a predetermined rendering threshold. In response to determining that the difference between the total rendering time and the rendering capacity of the one or more processors is less than the predetermined rendering threshold, the one or more servers may adjust a rendering complexity associated with one or more of the plurality of game instances.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2014Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: David Chiyuan Chu, Alastair Wolman, Roger Wattenhofer, Sergey Grizan
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Patent number: 9332427Abstract: A wireless computing device includes an antenna that is configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The wireless computing device comprises a transmitter component that causes a first wireless signal to be transmitted to a wireless access point via the antenna, wherein the first wireless signal comprises a request for a location proof, wherein the request for the location proof comprises data that identifies the wireless computing device, and wherein the location proof comprises data that is indicative of a geographic location of the wireless access point. The system also includes a receiver component that receives, via the antenna, a second wireless signal from the wireless access point, wherein the second wireless signal is received by the receiver component subsequent to the transmitter component causing the first wireless signal to be transmitted to the wireless access point.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Alastair Wolman, Stefan Saroiu
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Publication number: 20160105464Abstract: Technologies, systems, and methods for ordered message delivery that avoid message races or crisscrosses between communicating nodes. For example, if Node A sends message 3 towards Node B and, shortly thereafter, Node B sends message X to Node A, Node A would like to know whether or not message X reflects Node B's state after receiving message 3. If Node B received message 3 prior to sending message X, then proper state may be maintained between the nodes. But if messages 3 and X crisscrossed, or if message 3 was never properly received by Node B, then the state between the nodes may be corrupt. Technologies, systems, and methods are provided to avoid such corruption.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: Atul Adya, Alastair Wolman, John D. Dunagan
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Publication number: 20160048678Abstract: A “Firmware-Based TPM” or “fTPM” ensures that secure code execution is isolated to prevent a wide variety of potential security breaches. Unlike a conventional hardware based Trusted Platform Module (TPM), isolation is achieved without the use of dedicated security processor hardware or silicon. In general, the fTPM is first instantiated in a pre-OS boot environment by reading the fTPM from system firmware or firmware accessible memory or storage and placed into read-only protected memory of the device. Once instantiated, the fTPM enables execution isolation for ensuring secure code execution. More specifically, the fTPM is placed into protected read-only memory to enable the device to use hardware such as the ARM® architecture's TrustZone™ extensions and security primitives (or similar processor architectures), and thus the devices based on such architectures, to provide secure execution isolation within a “firmware-based TPM” without requiring hardware modifications to existing devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2015Publication date: February 18, 2016Inventors: Stefan Thom, Jeremiah Cox, David Linsley, Magnus Nystrom, Himanshu Raj, David Robinson, Stefan Saroiu, Rob Spiger, Alastair Wolman
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Patent number: 9264749Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to performing collaborative rendering. A GPU of a mobile device can generate a mobile-rendered video stream based on a first instance of an application executed on the mobile device. A GPU of a server can generate one or more server-rendered video streams based on instance(s) of the application executed on the server. Based on the one or more server-rendered video streams, the server can generate a compressed server-manipulated video stream. The mobile device can further combine the mobile-rendered video stream and the compressed server-manipulated video stream to form a collaborative video stream, and a display screen of the mobile device can be caused to display the collaborative video stream. The mobile-rendered video stream can have a first level of a quality attribute and the collaborative video stream can have a second level of the quality attribute greater than the first level of the quality attribute.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2012Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Alastair Wolman, Eduardo Alberto Cuervo Laffaye, Stefan Saroiu, Madanlal Musuvathi
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Publication number: 20160026782Abstract: Described is a technology by which the identity of a person (e.g., a customer in a commercial transaction) is determinable without active identification effort, via biometric data is obtained without action by the person. Machine processing of the biometric data over a set of possible persons, determined from secondary proximity sensing, is used to determine or assist in determining the identity of the person.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Christopher Stephen Frederick Smowton, Ronnie Chaiken, Weidong Cui, Oliver H. Foehr, Jacob Rubin Lorch, David Molnar, Bryan Jeffrey Parno, Stefan Saroiu, Alastair Wolman
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Patent number: 9219673Abstract: Technologies, systems, and methods for ordered message delivery that avoid message races or crisscrosses between communicating nodes. For example, if Node A sends message 3 towards Node B and, shortly thereafter, Node B sends message X to Node A, Node A would like to know whether or not message X reflects Node B's state after receiving message 3. If Node B received message 3 prior to sending message X, then proper state may be maintained between the nodes. But if messages 3 and X crisscrossed, or if message 3 was never properly received by Node B, then the state between the nodes may be corrupt. Technologies, systems, and methods are provided to avoid such corruption.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2015Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Atul Adya, Alastair Wolman, John D Dunagan
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Patent number: 9189653Abstract: A “Firmware-Based TPM” or “fTPM” ensures that secure code execution is isolated to prevent a wide variety of potential security breaches. Unlike a conventional hardware based Trusted Platform Module (TPM), isolation is achieved without the use of dedicated security processor hardware or silicon. In general, the fTPM is first instantiated in a pre-OS boot environment by reading the fTPM from system firmware or firmware accessible memory or storage and placed into read-only protected memory of the device. Once instantiated, the fTPM enables execution isolation for ensuring secure code execution. More specifically, the fTPM is placed into protected read-only memory to enable the device to use hardware such as the ARM® architecture's TrustZone™ extensions and security primitives (or similar processor architectures), and thus the devices based on such architectures, to provide secure execution isolation within a “firmware-based TPM” without requiring hardware modifications to existing devices.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2013Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Stefan Thom, Jeremiah Cox, David Linsley, Magnus Nystrom, Himanshu Raj, David Robinson, Stefan Saroiu, Rob Spiger, Alastair Wolman
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Patent number: 9152868Abstract: Described is a technology by which the identity of a person (e.g., a customer in a commercial transaction) is determinable without active identification effort, via biometric data is obtained without action by the person. Machine processing of the biometric data over a set of possible persons, determined from secondary proximity sensing, is used to determine or assist in determining the identity of the person.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2012Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Christopher Stephen Frederick Smowton, Ronnie Chaiken, Weidong Cui, Oliver H. Foehr, Jacob Rubin Lorch, David Molnar, Bryan Jeffrey Parno, Stefan Saroiu, Alastair Wolman
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Publication number: 20150251092Abstract: Some implementations may include one or more servers to host multiple game instances of game modules. The one or more servers may determine whether a difference between a total rendering time to render output data for the multiple game instances and a rendering capacity of the one or more processors is less than a predetermined rendering threshold. In response to determining that the difference between the total rendering time and the rendering capacity of the one or more processors is less than the predetermined rendering threshold, the one or more servers may adjust a rendering complexity associated with one or more of the plurality of game instances.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2014Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: David Chiyuan Chu, Alastair Wolman, Roger Wattenhofer, Sergey Grizan
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Publication number: 20150256641Abstract: Application data prefetching embodiments are presented that prefetch and provide application data for use by an application operating on a mobile computing device during a period of disconnectivity from a communications network. In this way, an online experience can be achieved even during periods of network disconnectivity. In one implementation, application data is pushed to a mobile computing device by a cloud-based application data prefetching service. In another implementation, the mobile computing device takes on the tasks of prefetching the application data and providing it to the application.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2014Publication date: September 10, 2015Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Sharad Agarwal, Alastair Wolman, David Chu, Paramvir Bahl, Lara Deek
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Publication number: 20150256332Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to a computing device that includes secure hardware (e.g., a TPM, a secure processor of a processing platform, protected memory that includes a software-based TPM, etc.). The secure hardware includes a shared secret, which is shared by the secure hardware and a server computing system. The shared secret is provisioned by the server computing system or a provisioning computing system of a party affiliated with the server computing system. The secure hardware further includes a cryptographic engine that can execute a cryptographic algorithm using the shared secret or a key generated from the shared secret. The cryptographic engine can execute the cryptographic algorithm to perform encryption, decryption, authentication, and/or attestation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventors: Himanshu Raj, Stefan Saroiu, Alastair Wolman, Chen Chen
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Publication number: 20150222518Abstract: Technologies, systems, and methods for ordered message delivery that avoid message races or crisscrosses between communicating nodes. For example, if Node A sends message 3 towards Node B and, shortly thereafter, Node B sends message X to Node A, Node A would like to know whether or not message X reflects Node B's state after receiving message 3. If Node B received message 3 prior to sending message X, then proper state may be maintained between the nodes. But if messages 3 and X crisscrossed, or if message 3 was never properly received by Node B, then the state between the nodes may be corrupt. Technologies, systems, and methods are provided to avoid such corruption.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2015Publication date: August 6, 2015Inventors: Atul Adya, Alastair Wolman, John D. Dunagan
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Publication number: 20150156330Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a method for split billing. The method includes receiving a requested token. The requested token specifies conditions under which network traffic is allowed to be billed against a third party for content requested from a mobile computing device. The method also includes matching network traffic between the mobile computing device and a content provider to the specified conditions. The method further includes metering the matched network traffic to a billing account for the third party.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2015Publication date: June 4, 2015Applicant: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Himanshu Raj, Stefan Saroiu, Alastair Wolman
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Publication number: 20150139057Abstract: Techniques for increasing the battery life on a mobile device by decreasing the energy consumption of the mobile device's wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface are described. In one embodiment, the mobile device's Wi-Fi interface is automatically disabled when the device is not engaged. When the device receives a wake up call from a server via its Cellular interface, the Wi-Fi interface is enabled if the device answers the wake up call and the Wi-Fi interface is available. Using its Wi-Fi interface, the mobile device then connects to an IP-based network via a Wi-Fi access point.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Paramvir Bahl, Alastair Wolman, Ranveer Chandra, Kevin Chin, Yuvraj Agarwal
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Patent number: 9015349Abstract: Technologies, systems, and methods for ordered message delivery that avoid message races or crisscrosses between communicating nodes. For example, if Node A sends message 3 towards Node B and, shortly thereafter, Node B sends message X to Node A. Node A would like to know whether or not message X reflects Node B's state after receiving message 3. If Node B received message 3 prior to sending message X, then proper state may be maintained between the nodes. But if messages 3 and X crisscrossed, or if message 3 was never properly received by Node B, then the state between the nodes may be corrupt. Technologies, systems, and methods are provided to avoid such corruption.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2012Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Atul Adya, Alastair Wolman, John D Dunagan
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Patent number: 8966121Abstract: An exemplary method includes booting a computing device, in response to the booting, accessing a file that includes domain names and resolving at least one of the domain names by issuing a request to a server where the resolving occurs as a background process. An exemplary method includes receiving a notice to invalidate client DNS resolver cache information for a domain name, accessing a list of client subscribers to an invalidation service for the domain name and issuing an instruction to the client subscribers to invalidate their respective client DNS resolver cache information for the domain name. An exemplary method includes receiving a request to resolve a domain name, resolving the domain name and transmitting information for the resolved domain name and additional information for at least one other domain name. Other methods, devices and systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2008Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Arne Josefsberg, John D Dunagan, Mark D. Scheibel, Alastair Wolman
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Patent number: 8965330Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a method for split billing. The method includes receiving a requested token. The requested token specifies conditions under which network traffic is allowed to be billed against a third party for content requested from a mobile computing device. The method also includes matching network traffic between the mobile computing device and a content provider to the specified conditions. The method further includes metering the matched network traffic to a billing account for the third party.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2011Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Himanshu Raj, Stefan Saroiu, Alastair Wolman
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Publication number: 20140359270Abstract: In a cloud computing environment, a production server virtualization stack is minimized to present fewer security vulnerabilities to malicious software running within a guest virtual machine. The minimal virtualization stack includes support for those virtual devices necessary for the operation of a guest operating system, with the code base of those virtual devices further reduced. Further, a dedicated, isolated boot server provides functionality to securely boot a guest operating system. The boot server is isolated through use of an attestation protocol, by which the boot server presents a secret to a network switch to attest that the boot server is operating in a clean mode. The attestation protocol may further employ a secure co-processor to seal the secret, so that it is only accessible when the boot server is operating in the clean mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2014Publication date: December 4, 2014Inventors: Himanshu Raj, Stefan Saroiu, Alastair Wolman, Paul England, Anh M. Nguyen, Shravan Rayanchu
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Patent number: 8880053Abstract: Techniques for increasing the battery life on a mobile device by decreasing the energy consumption of the mobile device's wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) interface are described. In one embodiment, the mobile device's Wi-Fi interface is automatically disabled when the device is not engaged. When the device receives a wake up call from a server via its Cellular interface, the Wi-Fi interface is enabled if the device answers the wake up call and the Wi-Fi interface is available. Using its Wi-Fi interface, the mobile device then connects to an IP-based network via a Wi-Fi access point.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2013Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Paramvir Bahl, Alastair Wolman, Ranveer Chandra, Kevin Chin, Yuvraj Agarwal