Patents by Inventor NICHOLAS OLLERICH

NICHOLAS OLLERICH 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).

  • Publication number: 20240163266
    Abstract: A system and method for pairing two devices for secure communications. A user selects a first device to pair with a second device. The first and second devices have the ability to securely communicate with each other through the use of encrypted communications. An encryption key is written to the first device and then burned into the encryption module on the first device. A third device is selected to pair with the first device. A second encryption key is written to the first device and then burned into the encryption module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20240064926
    Abstract: Provided is a damper system for an electronic equipment rack. The damper system may include an electronic equipment rack, a battery back-up unit, and a plurality of rails disposed within the electronic equipment rack. The battery back-up unit is slidably secured to the plurality of rails and tuned to dampen seismic oscillations of the electronic equipment rack during an earthquake. The battery back-up unit is also able to provide power to the electronic equipment disposed in the rack during a power outage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: CHAD ALBERTSON, Eric J. Campbell, NICHOLAS OLLERICH, Kevin O'Connell
  • Patent number: 11902263
    Abstract: A system and method for pairing two devices for secure communications. A user selects a first device to pair with a second device. The first and second devices have the ability to securely communicate with each other through the use of encrypted communications. An encryption key is written to the first device and then burned into the encryption module on the first device. A corresponding decryption key is written to the second device and then is burned into the decryption module of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11880469
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a secure image load. The system includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller has a plurality of physically modifiable internal components (PMIC). Each of the plurality of PMICs can only be modified one time. The system further includes an image loader configured to load a boot image from the memory of the microcontroller, and a checksum calculator configured to calculate a checksum value for the boot image. The system further includes a checksum burner configured to modify the plurality of PMICs to create a binary representation of the checksum value for the image. A checksum value is calculated for the image. This checksum value is written to the microcontroller. The value is burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs. Further, responses to the checksum mismatch are burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs that are present in the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20230318806
    Abstract: A system and method of securely controlling a device from another device. The user of the device attempts to modify the device in some way. In response to the attempted modification a request is generated and sent to a controlling device. The request includes information related to the desired modification. The controlling device analyzes the request and a determination on how to respond to the request is made. This response is encrypted at the controlling device and transmitted to the device. The device then decrypts the response and implements the indicated response to the request. The encryption and decryption keys are burned into the corresponding devices such that information needed to decrypt the response is not transmitted to the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
  • Publication number: 20230308261
    Abstract: A system and method to tie a removable component to a host device. A first pairing key is stored into a security module on a host device such as a server rack. A removable component is inserted into the server rack for the first time. In response to this first insertion the first pairing key is burned into the removable component using a plurality of physically modifiable internal components. The server rack/security module receives a request form the removable component to operate on the server rack, the request includes a burned in pairing key. The security module compares the received pairing key with the first pairing key and permits operation of the removable component in response to a match between the received pairing key and the first pairing key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
  • Patent number: 11729472
    Abstract: A system and method for providing content to a user outside of a home region. A portable device displays content to a user through a network connection. A home content provider provides content to the portable device from the home region. Some of the content provided is region restricted content. A location verifier determines that the portable device and the user are both physically located within the home region. The location verifier issues to the user a location token when the user and the portable device are in the home region. A token verifier verifies the location token when the user requests the region restricted content outside of the home region. The token verifier further instructs the home content provider to provide region restricted content to the user when the user has the location token.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Chad Albertson, Christopher Steffen, Nicholas Ollerich
  • Publication number: 20230155986
    Abstract: A system and method for pairing two devices for secure communications. A user selects a first device to pair with a second device. The first and second devices have the ability to securely communicate with each other through the use of encrypted communications. An encryption key is written to the first device and then burned into the encryption module on the first device. A corresponding decryption key is written to the second device and then is burned into the decryption module of the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11570156
    Abstract: A system and method for pairing two devices for secure communications. A user selects a first device to pair with a second device. The first and second devices have the ability to securely communicate with each other through the use of encrypted communications. An encryption key is written to the first device and then burned into the encryption module on the first device. A corresponding decryption key is written to the second device and then is burned into the decryption module of the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20220335133
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a secure image load. The system includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller has a plurality of physically modifiable internal components (PMIC). Each of the plurality of PMICs can only be modified one time. The system further includes an image loader configured to load a boot image from the memory of the microcontroller, and a checksum calculator configured to calculate a checksum value for the boot image. The system further includes a checksum burner configured to modify the plurality of PMICs to create a binary representation of the checksum value for the image. A checksum value is calculated for the image. This checksum value is written to the microcontroller. The value is burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs. Further, responses to the checksum mismatch are burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs that are present in the microcontroller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20220326287
    Abstract: Provided is a method for collecting sensor data using time-domain reflectometry (TDR). A primary device transmits a TDR signal to a first sensor. A reflected signal is received in response to the transmitted TDR signal. The reflected signal is analyzed to determine an impedance of the first sensor. Based on the impedance of the first sensor, a sensor value for the first sensor is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
  • Patent number: 11409882
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a secure image load. The system includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller has a plurality of physically modifiable internal components (PMIC). Each of the plurality of PMICs can only be modified one time. The system further includes an image loader configured to load a boot image from the memory of the microcontroller, and a checksum calculator configured to calculate a checksum value for the boot image. The system further includes a checksum burner configured to modify the plurality of PMICs to create a binary representation of the checksum value for the image. A checksum value is calculated for the image. This checksum value is written to the microcontroller. The value is burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs. Further, responses to the checksum mismatch are burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs that are present in the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11402418
    Abstract: Provided is a method for collecting sensor data using time-domain reflectometry (TDR). A primary device transmits a TDR signal to a first sensor. A reflected signal is received in response to the transmitted TDR signal. The reflected signal is analyzed to determine an impedance of the first sensor. Based on the impedance of the first sensor, a sensor value for the first sensor is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
  • Publication number: 20220006796
    Abstract: A system and method for pairing two devices for secure communications. A user selects a first device to pair with a second device. The first and second devices have the ability to securely communicate with each other through the use of encrypted communications. An encryption key is written to the first device and then burned into the encryption module on the first device. A corresponding decryption key is written to the second device and then is burned into the decryption module of the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20210165884
    Abstract: A system and method for providing a secure image load. The system includes a microcontroller. The microcontroller has a plurality of physically modifiable internal components (PMIC). Each of the plurality of PMICs can only be modified one time. The system further includes an image loader configured to load a boot image from the memory of the microcontroller, and a checksum calculator configured to calculate a checksum value for the boot image. The system further includes a checksum burner configured to modify the plurality of PMICs to create a binary representation of the checksum value for the image. A checksum value is calculated for the image. This checksum value is written to the microcontroller. The value is burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs. Further, responses to the checksum mismatch are burned into the microcontroller using the PMICs that are present in the microcontroller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20210168455
    Abstract: A system and method for providing content to a user outside of a home region. A portable device displays content to a user through a network connection. A home content provider provides content to the portable device from the home region. Some of the content provided is region restricted content. A location verifier determines that the portable device and the user are both physically located within the home region. The location verifier issues to the user a location token when the user and the portable device are in the home region. A token verifier verifies the location token when the user requests the region restricted content outside of the home region. The token verifier further instructs the home content provider to provide region restricted content to the user when the user has the location token.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Chad Albertson, Christopher Steffen, Nicholas Ollerich
  • Publication number: 20210072296
    Abstract: Provided is a method for collecting sensor data using time-domain reflectometry (TDR). A master device transmits a TDR signal to a first sensor. A reflected signal is received in response to the transmitted TDR signal. The reflected signal is analyzed to determine an impedance of the first sensor. Based on the impedance of the first sensor, a sensor value for the first sensor is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, CHAD ALBERTSON, NICHOLAS OLLERICH