Patents by Inventor George Thomas Letey

George Thomas Letey 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).

  • Patent number: 11444918
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to firewalls. In one example of the technology, a first firewall is used such that communication is blocked from a first subsystem of a device upon boot of the device. The first firewall is enabled to be configured by secure code subsequent to boot such that code that is not secure code is prevented from configuring the first firewall. After configuration of the first firewall, based on the configuration, the first firewall is used to selectively allow the first subsystem access to the first memory based on ranges of addresses of the first memory configured as accessible to the first subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Douglas L. Stiles, Edmund B. Nightingale
  • Patent number: 11036654
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to protection against unauthorized code. In one example of the technology, a read request to a restricted region of memory is detected. The read request is associated with a first processor. In response to detecting the read request to the restricted region of memory, a data value that causes an exception in response to execution by the first processor is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Felix Stefan Domke, Edmund B. Nightingale
  • Patent number: 10942798
    Abstract: In one example of the technology, via a first independent execution environment of a set of independent execution environments in an integrated circuit, a first watchdog timer is caused to reset on a periodic basis. The set of independent execution environments is configured to have a defense-in-depth hierarchy. The set of independent execution environments includes a first independent execution environment and a second independent execution environment. The first independent execution environment is a most trusted execution environment on the integrated circuit. Via the second independent execution environment: a second watchdog timer is periodically caused to reset on a periodic basis. In response to the second watchdog timer timing out, an interrupt is communicated from the second watchdog timer to the first independent execution environment. In response to the first watchdog timer timing out, at least a portion of the integrated circuit is reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Douglas L. Stiles, Edmund B. Nightingale, Stephen E. Hodges, Philip John Joseph Wright
  • Patent number: 10783075
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to data security. In one example of the technology, data is stored in a memory. The memory includes a plurality of memory banks including a first memory bank and a second memory bank. At least a portion of the data is interleaved amongst at least two of the plurality of memory banks. Access is caused to be prevented to at least one of the plurality of memory banks while a debug mode or recovery mode is occurring. Also, access is caused to be prevented to the at least one of the plurality of memory banks starting with initial boot until a verification by a security complex is successful. The verification by the security complex includes the security complex verifying a signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Douglas L. Stiles, Edmund B. Nightingale
  • Patent number: 10715526
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to integrated circuit technology with defense-in-depth. In one example of the technology, an integrated circuit includes a set of independent execution environments including at least two independent execution environments. At least two of the independent execution environments are general purpose cores with differing capabilities. The independent execution environments in the set of independent execution environments are configured to have a defense-in-depth hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Edmund B. Nightingale, Reuben R. Olinsky, Galen C. Hunt, Douglas Stiles, George Thomas Letey
  • Publication number: 20200120067
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to firewalls. In one example of the technology, a first firewall is used such that communication is blocked from a first subsystem of a device upon boot of the device. The first firewall is enabled to be configured by secure code subsequent to boot such that code that is not secure code is prevented from configuring the first firewall. After configuration of the first firewall, based on the configuration, the first firewall is used to selectively allow the first subsystem access to the first memory based on ranges of addresses of the first memory configured as accessible to the first subsystem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Patent number: 10587575
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to firewalls. In one example of the technology, a first firewall is used such that communication is blocked from a first subsystem of a device upon boot of the device. The first firewall is enabled to be configured by secure code subsequent to boot such that code that is not secure code is prevented from configuring the first firewall. After configuration of the first firewall, based on the configuration, the first firewall is used to selectively allow the first subsystem access to the first memory based on ranges of addresses of the first memory configured as accessible to the first subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Douglas L. Stiles, Edmund B. Nightingale
  • Publication number: 20200004721
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to peripheral access. In one example of the technology, stored configuration information is read. The stored configuration information is associated with mapping a plurality of independent execution environments to a plurality of peripherals such that the peripherals of the plurality of peripherals have corresponding independent execution environments of the plurality of independent execution environments. A configurable interrupt routing table is programmed based on the configuration information. An interrupt is received from a peripheral. The interrupt is routed to the corresponding independent execution environment based on the configurable interrupt routing table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Publication number: 20190370103
    Abstract: In one example of the technology, via a first independent execution environment of a set of independent execution environments in an integrated circuit, a first watchdog timer is caused to reset on a periodic basis. The set of independent execution environments is configured to have a defense-in-depth hierarchy. The set of independent execution environments includes a first independent execution environment and a second independent execution environment. The first independent execution environment is a most trusted execution environment on the integrated circuit. Via the second independent execution environment: a second watchdog timer is periodically caused to reset on a periodic basis. In response to the second watchdog timer timing out, an interrupt is communicated from the second watchdog timer to the first independent execution environment. In response to the first watchdog timer timing out, at least a portion of the integrated circuit is reset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE, Stephen E. HODGES, Philip John Joseph WRIGHT
  • Publication number: 20190317904
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to protection against unauthorized code. In one example of the technology, a read request to a restricted region of memory is detected. The read request is associated with a first processor. In response to detecting the read request to the restricted region of memory, a data value that causes an exception in response to execution by the first processor is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Felix Stefan DOMKE, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Publication number: 20190236007
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to data security. In one example of the technology, data is stored in a memory. The memory includes a plurality of memory banks including a first memory bank and a second memory bank. At least a portion of the data is interleaved amongst at least two of the plurality of memory banks. Access is caused to be prevented to at least one of the plurality of memory banks while a debug mode or recovery mode is occurring. Also, access is caused to be prevented to the at least one of the plurality of memory banks starting with initial boot until a verification by a security complex is successful. The verification by the security complex includes the security complex verifying a signature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Patent number: 10353815
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to data security. In one example of the technology, data is stored in a memory. The memory includes a plurality of memory banks including a first memory bank and a second memory bank. At least a portion of the data is interleaved amongst at least two of the plurality of memory banks. Access is caused to be prevented to at least one of the plurality of memory banks while a debug mode or recovery mode is occurring. Also, access is caused to be prevented to the at least one of the plurality of memory banks starting with initial boot until a verification by a security complex is successful. The verification by the security complex includes the security complex verifying a signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Douglas L. Stiles, Edmund B. Nightingale
  • Patent number: 10346345
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to peripheral access. In one example of the technology, stored configuration information is read. The stored configuration information is associated with mapping a plurality of independent execution environments to a plurality of peripherals such that the peripherals of the plurality of peripherals have corresponding independent execution environments of the plurality of independent execution environments. A configurable interrupt routing table is programmed based on the configuration information. An interrupt is received from a peripheral. The interrupt is routed to the corresponding independent execution environment based on the configurable interrupt routing table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: George Thomas Letey, Douglas L. Stiles, Edmund B. Nightingale
  • Publication number: 20180343234
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to firewalls. In one example of the technology, a first firewall is used such that communication is blocked from a first subsystem of a device upon boot of the device. The first firewall is enabled to be configured by secure code subsequent to boot such that code that is not secure code is prevented from configuring the first firewall. After configuration of the first firewall, based on the configuration, the first firewall is used to selectively allow the first subsystem access to the first memory based on ranges of addresses of the first memory configured as accessible to the first subsystem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Publication number: 20180341584
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to data security. In one example of the technology, data is stored in a memory. The memory includes a plurality of memory banks including a first memory bank and a second memory bank. At least a portion of the data is interleaved amongst at least two of the plurality of memory banks. Access is caused to be prevented to at least one of the plurality of memory banks while a debug mode or recovery mode is occurring. Also, access is caused to be prevented to the at least one of the plurality of memory banks starting with initial boot until a verification by a security complex is successful. The verification by the security complex includes the security complex verifying a signature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Publication number: 20180341620
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to peripheral access. In one example of the technology, stored configuration information is read. The stored configuration information is associated with mapping a plurality of independent execution environments to a plurality of peripherals such that the peripherals of the plurality of peripherals have corresponding independent execution environments of the plurality of independent execution environments. A configurable interrupt routing table is programmed based on the configuration information. An interrupt is received from a peripheral. The interrupt is routed to the corresponding independent execution environment based on the configurable interrupt routing table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: George Thomas LETEY, Douglas L. STILES, Edmund B. NIGHTINGALE
  • Publication number: 20180165448
    Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to integrated circuit technology with defense-in-depth. In one example of the technology, an integrated circuit includes a set of independent execution environments including at least two independent execution environments. At least two of the independent execution environments are general purpose cores with differing capabilities. The independent execution environments in the set of independent execution environments are configured to have a defense-in-depth hierarchy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Edmund B. Nightingale, Reuben R. Olinsky, Galen C. Hunt, Douglas Stiles, George Thomas Letey
  • Patent number: 7171534
    Abstract: A memory controller system for processing memory access requests comprising a first memory controller operable to address a first plurality of memory modules a second memory controller operable to address a second plurality of memory modules, the first and second memory controllers configurable to process a memory transaction in an operational mode of the memory controller system selected from the group consisting of an independent cell mode, a multiplexer-mode (mux-mode), and a lockstep mode, and a bus interface block operable to convey the memory transaction to both of the first and second memory controllers is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeff G. Hargis, George Thomas Letey, Michael Kennard Tayler
  • Patent number: 6901486
    Abstract: A method of determining whether to issue a pre-fetch transaction in a memory control system comprising generating a pre-fetch threshold dependent on a demand load of a memory controller, calculating a probability measure of pre-fetch accuracy, comparing the threshold with the calculated probability measure, and determining whether to issue a pre-fetch transaction based upon the comparison of the threshold with the calculated probability measure is provided. A pre-fetch apparatus implemented in a memory control system comprising a pre-fetch threshold generator operable to output a pre-fetch threshold in response to a signal indicative of a memory controller demand load, and a comparator circuit operable to compare the pre-fetch threshold and a probability measure of pre-fetch accuracy, wherein the pre-fetch apparatus issues a pre-fetch transaction on the basis of the comparison by the comparator is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Erin Antony Handgen, George Thomas Letey
  • Patent number: 6854043
    Abstract: A memory controller system for processing memory access requests comprising a first memory controller operable to address a first plurality of memory modules a second memory controller operable to address a second plurality of memory modules, the first and second memory controllers configurable to process a memory transaction in an operational mode of the memory controller system selected from the group consisting of an independent cell mode, a multiplexer-mode (mux-mode), and a lockstep mode, and a bus interface block operable to convey the memory transaction to both of the first and second memory controllers is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeff G. Hargis, George Thomas Letey, Michael Kennard Tayler