Patents by Inventor Darin Lee Frink
Darin Lee Frink 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: 10468061Abstract: Technologies are provided for using an index in one region of a storage device to track modifications to data stored in another region of the storage device. The index can be stored in a first storage region using a first storage format, and data items can be stored in a second storage region using a second storage format. The index can map logical identifiers for data items to locations in the second storage region where the data items are stored. Instead of modifying a data item in the second storage device region, an entry in the index can be updated to mark the data item as deleted. Requests for data items can be reconciled using the index before returning the requested data items. Storage locations in the second region that are associated with index entries that are marked as deleted can be reclaimed and used to store additional data items.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Munif F. Farhan, Douglas Stewart Laurence, Darin Lee Frink
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Patent number: 10452301Abstract: Technologies are provided for storing data by alternating the performance of data write operations using multiple clusters of storage devices. Data is written to internal buffers of storage devices in one cluster while data stored in buffers of storage devices in another cluster is transferred to the storage devices' permanent storages. When available buffer capacity in a cluster falls below a specified threshold, data write commands are no longer sent the cluster and the storage devices in the cluster transfer data stored in their buffers to their permanent storages. While the data is being transferred, data write commands are transmitted to other clusters. When the data transfer is complete, the storage devices in the cluster can be scheduled to receive data write commands again. A cluster can be selected for performing a given data write request by matching the attributes of the cluster to parameters of the data write request.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Munif M. Farhan, Darin Lee Frink, Douglas Stewart Laurence
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Patent number: 10444805Abstract: A brace can be installed over a juncture between releasably joined case pieces. The brace includes a first tab and a second tab interconnected by a transition portion. The tabs are arranged to deform or break apart from one another along the transition portion in response to relative rotation between the case pieces. The deformation or breakage along the transition portion provides a tamper-evident indication of the case having been opened by rotation for access to the interior of the case since the brace was installed on the case.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2016Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Strickland Beall, Frank Charles Paterra, Darin Lee Frink, Robert Hastings, Scott Song, Felix An
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Patent number: 10426060Abstract: A system for storing data includes a rack and one or more data storage modules mounted on the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more vertically-oriented backplanes coupled to the chassis, two or more mass storage devices coupled to the backplanes, and one or more air passages extending beneath one or more of the backplanes. Each backplane is configured to preclude airflow through the backplane between opposite vertical faces and can couple mass storage devices on one or more of the opposite vertical faces. One or more of the air passages can supply an upwards-directed airflow along one of the opposite vertical faces of a backplane to remove heat from a heat producing component of a mass storage device coupled to the vertical face of the vertically-oriented backplane.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Strickland Beall, David Edward Bryan, Darin Lee Frink, Jason Alexander Harland
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Patent number: 10425385Abstract: A data transport computing device includes a housing, a drive bay framing assembly including an upper platform bracket and a lower platform bracket, a first computing board mounted to an upper surface of the upper platform bracket, and a second computing board mounted to a lower surface of the lower platform bracket. The first computing board is secured between the upper platform bracket and front, rear, and top sides of the housing, and the second computing board is secured between the lower platform bracket and the front side, rear, and bottom sides of the housing. Data storage drives are mounted between the upper and lower platform brackets. In operation, the second computing board encrypts data from a customer and transmits the encrypted data to the first computing board over a network cable within the housing, and the first computing board writes the encrypted data to the data storage drives.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2016Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Bianca Nagy, Frank Charles Paterra, Christopher Strickland Beall, Darin Lee Frink
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Publication number: 20190272246Abstract: A system and method are described for configuring a motherboard using expansion cards plugged into motherboard slots. In particular, each of the expansion cards can include a control signal that is supplied to the motherboard and that can configure hardware positioned on the motherboard. In one embodiment, the configuration allows a communication path to be switched on to allow the expansion cards to cross communicate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jason Alexander Harland, Max Jesse Wishman, Darin Lee Frink
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Patent number: 10398061Abstract: A portable data center includes a cooling system comprising a cooling circuit, one or more air plenums, and one or more air moving devices. The cooling circuit circulates a heat transfer fluid through a portion of the cooling circuit that passes through the one or more air plenums. The heat transfer fluid that passes through the one or more air plenums cools air flowing through the one or more air plenums via the one or more air moving devices. The cooling circuit also circulates the heat transfer through a separate portion of the portable data center where heat is rejected from the heat transfer fluid into the separate portion of the portable data center. In some embodiments, the air plenums and at least a portion of the cooling circuit are mounted in a sub-floor space between a platform within the portable data center and an outer structure of the portable data center.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Peter George Ross, Frank Charles Paterra, Darin Lee Frink
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Patent number: 10398032Abstract: A computing system includes a circuit board assembly and multiple expansion cards connected to one another and also connected to the circuit board assembly. The connected expansion cards form a modular expansion card bus that allows the expansion cards to communicate between each other without routing the communications through the circuit board assembly. In some embodiments, the expansion cards are mounted on a tray that includes mounting pins that engage mounting slots of the expansion cards, allowing for simple installation of various combinations of expansion cards connected together to form a modular expansion card bus.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2018Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kevin Bailey, Priscilla Lam, Darin Lee Frink, Jason Alexander Harland, Felipe Enrique Ortega Gutierrez
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Patent number: 10398060Abstract: A system for storing data includes a discrete cooling module that can enable discrete cooling of mass storage devices installed in the chassis interior of a data storage module coupled to a rack. The discrete cooling module includes an air moving device and an air cover. The air moving device can induce and airflow through the chassis interior of the data storage module to remove heat from heat producing components of mass storage devices installed in the chassis interior. The air cover directs the airflow through the chassis interior. The discrete cooling module can isolate rotational vibrations generated by the air moving device from the mass storage devices installed in the chassis. Partial isolation can include indirectly coupling the discrete cooling module to the chassis via directly coupling with the rack.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2014Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: Amazon technologies, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Strickland Beall, David Edward Bryan, Darin Lee Frink, Jason Alexander Harland
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Publication number: 20190246525Abstract: A data center may include a tape library rack module along with rack computer systems. The rack computer systems may be configured to provide computing capacity within a data center environment. In some embodiments, the tape library rack module may include an enclosure encompassing an interior of the tape library rack module, a rack within the interior, and a tape library unit mounted on the rack. The tape library rack unit may include tape cartridges configured to store data within a tape environment that is different than the data center environment. The tape library rack unit may be within a portion of the interior that is enclosed such that it is environmentally isolated from the data center environment. In some examples, the tape library rack module may include a cooling unit and/or a humidifier unit, which may provide the tape environment to the environmentally isolated portion of the interior of the tape library rack module.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Darin Lee Frink, Kevin Bailey, Peter George Ross, Bryan James Donlan, James Caleb Kirschner, Mary Crys Calansingin, Paul David Franklin, Mastaka Kubo
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Patent number: 10368466Abstract: A cooling canister includes a canister body and a sealing surface that seals with a subset of servers mounted in a rack. A cooling canister facilitates airflow isolation between subsets of servers mounted in a rack and is configured to couple with one or more fans that direct airflow through the subset of servers coupled with the cooling canister. In some embodiments, a cooling canister includes louvers configured to restrict airflow through empty rack slots to which the cooling canister is coupled.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Darin Lee Frink, Felipe Enrique Ortega Gutierrez, Christopher Strickland Beall, Peter George Ross
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Patent number: 10348124Abstract: Automatic transfer switch and power supply units (ATSPSUs) and related methods condition switching to a second AC power source to allow a battery module to supply DC power to a load. An ATSPSU includes a power supply unit (PSU), an automatic transfer switch (ATS), and an ATSPSU controller configured to control the ATS to switch to the second AC power source in response to the voltage of the first AC power source having decreased in magnitude by a voltage drop value over a period of time greater than an allowable amount of time for the voltage drop value, and at least one of a voltage differential between DC power supply lines being less than a voltage threshold value, and a state of charge of a battery module operatively coupled with the DC power supply lines being less than a threshold state of charge.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2017Date of Patent: July 9, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mike MacGregor, Darin Lee Frink, Richard Arvel Stevens, William Mische
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Patent number: 10321608Abstract: A cooling canister includes a canister body with an opening in the canister body that is configured to couple with a corresponding opening in a canister body of an adjacent cooling canister in a rack. Servers are coupled with the cooling canister and a set of fans are coupled with the cooling canister. The cooling canister provides at least partial airflow isolation between an airflow through the set of servers coupled with the cooling canister and other airflows through other servers in the rack. In the event of a control anomaly, such as a fan failure, the opening in the canister body of the cooling canister is configured to permit airflow between the cooling canister and an adjacent cooling canister to supplement an airflow through the cooling canister. In some embodiments, a dampers is included in the opening in the canister body of the cooling canister.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2015Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Strickland Beall, Felipe Enrique Ortega Gutierrez, Darin Lee Frink
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Publication number: 20190171606Abstract: A system for storing data includes a rack, one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack, and one or more data control modules coupled to the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more backplanes coupled to the chassis, and one or more mass storage devices (for example, hard disk drives) coupled to the backplanes. The data control modules may access the mass storage devices in the data storage modules.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Applicant: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Darin Lee Frink, Peter George Ross
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Patent number: 10296478Abstract: A system and method are described for configuring a motherboard using expansion cards plugged into motherboard slots. In particular, each of the expansion cards can include a control signal that is supplied to the motherboard and that can configure hardware positioned on the motherboard. In one embodiment, the configuration allows a communication path to be switched on to allow the expansion cards to cross communicate.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Jason Alexander Harland, Max Jesse Wishman, Darin Lee Frink
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Patent number: 10283987Abstract: Described herein is a smart battery unit capable of assessing its suitability to support a particular load. In some embodiments, the battery unit may receive an indication of power requirements for the particular load with respect to a period of time and may evaluate a total electrical capacity that would be required to support such a load based on those power requirements. The battery backup unit may monitor and dynamically update a full-charge capacity value related to its battery cells as well as the capacity requirement related to the load. The two values may then be compared to determine whether the battery backup unit is capable of supporting the load. If the full-charge capacity value is less than the capacity requirement for the load, then the battery unit may determine that it is not suitable for that load.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ligong Wang, Darin Lee Frink
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Patent number: 10271463Abstract: A data center may include a tape library rack module along with rack computer systems. The rack computer systems may be configured to provide computing capacity within a data center environment. In some embodiments, the tape library rack module may include an enclosure encompassing an interior of the tape library rack module, a rack within the interior, and a tape library unit mounted on the rack. The tape library rack unit may include tape cartridges configured to store data within a tape environment that is different than the data center environment. The tape library rack unit may be within a portion of the interior that is enclosed such that it is environmentally isolated from the data center environment. In some examples, the tape library rack module may include a cooling unit and/or a humidifier unit, which may provide the tape environment to the environmentally isolated portion of the interior of the tape library rack module.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Darin Lee Frink, Kevin Bailey, Peter George Ross, Bryan James Donlan, James Caleb Kirschner, Mary Crys Calansingin, Paul David Franklin, Mastaka Kubo
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Patent number: 10237998Abstract: A system for providing computing resources includes a mounting bar and one or more computing devices supported on the mounting bar. The computing devices are coupled to the mounting bar such that the computing devices can slide along the mounting bar from one position to another while the computing devices remains in service and installed on the mounting bar.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2016Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Charles D. Phillips, Peter George Ross, Darin Lee Frink
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Patent number: 10222842Abstract: A computing system includes a chassis, one or more backplanes coupled to the chassis. Computing devices are coupled to the one or more backplanes. The one or more backplanes include backplane openings that allow air to pass from one side of the backplane to the other side of the backplane. Air channels are formed by adjacent circuit board assemblies of the computing devices and the one or more backplanes. Channel capping elements at least partially close the air channels.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2013Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Peter George Ross, Michael David Marr, Darin Lee Frink, James R. Hamilton
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Patent number: 10198390Abstract: A system for storing data includes a rack, one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack, and one or more data control modules coupled to the rack. The data storage modules may include a chassis, two or more backplanes coupled to the chassis, and one or more mass storage devices (for example, hard disk drives) coupled to the backplanes. The data control modules may access the mass storage devices in the data storage modules.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2017Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Darin Lee Frink, Peter George Ross