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).
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Publication number: 20240163266Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2023Publication date: May 16, 2024Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Publication number: 20240064926Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2022Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: CHAD ALBERTSON, Eric J. Campbell, NICHOLAS OLLERICH, Kevin O'Connell
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Patent number: 11902263Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 3, 2023Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Patent number: 11880469Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 1, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Publication number: 20230318806Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2022Publication date: October 5, 2023Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
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Publication number: 20230308261Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2022Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
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Patent number: 11729472Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 3, 2019Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Eric J. Campbell, Chad Albertson, Christopher Steffen, Nicholas Ollerich
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Publication number: 20230155986Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2023Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Patent number: 11570156Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 2, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Publication number: 20220335133Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2022Publication date: October 20, 2022Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Publication number: 20220326287Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
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Patent number: 11409882Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 2, 2019Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Patent number: 11402418Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2019Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich
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Publication number: 20220006796Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2020Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Publication number: 20210165884Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2019Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Christopher Steffen, Chad Albertson, Nicholas Ollerich, Eric J. Campbell
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Publication number: 20210168455Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2019Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Chad Albertson, Christopher Steffen, Nicholas Ollerich
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Publication number: 20210072296Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Eric J. Campbell, Christopher Steffen, CHAD ALBERTSON, NICHOLAS OLLERICH