Patents by Inventor Richard Beckert

Richard Beckert 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: 20060069853
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating computing devices are described. In one embodiment, a small amount of static RAM (SRAM) is incorporated into an automotive computing device. The SRAM is battery-backed to provide a non-volatile memory space in which critical data, e.g. the object store, can be maintained in the event of a power loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Sharon Drasnin, Ronald Radko
  • Publication number: 20060036805
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating automotive computing devices are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Sharon Drasnin, Ronald Radko
  • Publication number: 20050268058
    Abstract: An exemplary system includes a microprocessor executing an operating system, a memory, a bus connecting the microprocessor to the memory, and a memory protection module controlling access to the memory independent of the microprocessor. Access to the memory may be based on a combination of an address, data, and memory control signals received from the microprocessor. A method includes, independent of the microprocessor executing an operating system, controlling access to a system memory based on a combination of signals received from the microprocessor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sharon Drasnin, Edward Lansigner, Richard Beckert
  • Publication number: 20050209719
    Abstract: A vehicle computer system has an audio entertainment system implemented in a logic unit and audio digital signal processor (DSP) independent from the host CPU. The audio entertainment system employs a set of ping/pong buffers and direct memory access (DMA) circuits to transfer data between different audio devices. Audio data is exchanged using a mapping overlay technique, in which the DMA circuits for two audio devices read and write to the same memory buffer. The computer system provides an audio manager API (application program interface) to enable applications running on the computer to control the various audio sources without knowing the hardware and implementation details of the underlying sound system. Different audio devices and their drivers control different functionality of the audio system, such as equalization, volume controls and surround sound decoding. The audio manager API transfers calls made by the applications to the appropriate device driver(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Mark Moeller, Hang Li
  • Publication number: 20050209852
    Abstract: A vehicle computer system has an audio entertainment system implemented in a logic unit and audio digital signal processor (DSP) independent from the host CPU. The audio entertainment system employs a set of ping/pong buffers and direct memory access (DMA) circuits to transfer data between different audio devices. Audio data is exchanged using a mapping overlay technique, in which the DMA circuits for two audio devices read and write to the same memory buffer. The computer system provides an audio manager API (application program interface) to enable applications running on the computer to control the various audio sources without knowing the hardware and implementation details of the underlying sound system. Different audio devices and their drivers control different functionality of the audio system, such as equalization, volume controls and surround sound decoding. The audio manager API transfers calls made by the applications to the appropriate device driver(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Mark Moeller, Hang Li
  • Publication number: 20050085955
    Abstract: Automotive computing devices are described. In one embodiment, the system comprises means for maintaining a translation look-aside buffer that contains entries for recently translated virtual page addresses; means for maintaining a page table in device memory that contains a map for every valid virtual page address; and means for maintaining an object store page table in device SRAM that contains information associated with locations for every object store page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Sharon Drasnin, Ronald Radko
  • Publication number: 20050063228
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating automotive computing devices are described. In one embodiment, multiple object store pages are maintained in device SRAM that is configured to be battery backed in an event of a power loss. One or more object store pages are periodically flushed to device non-volatile memory to make room for additional object store pages. The frequency of object store page writes is tracked, and object store pages that are least frequently written to are flushed before object store pages that are more frequently written to. In addition, in the event of a power loss, the SRAM is battery backed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Sharon Drasnin, Ronald Radko
  • Publication number: 20050055498
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating automotive computing devices are described. In one embodiment, a small amount of static RAM (SRAM) is incorporated into an automotive computing device. The SRAM is battery-backed to provide a non-volatile memory space in which critical data can be maintained in the event of a power loss. Circuitry is provided to ensure that the SRAM receives back up power from the battery at the appropriate time. Software manages the SRAM and the other storage assembly components and makes use of virtual paging or virtual addressing techniques to keep track of where various pages, including object store pages, are stored in the system. The software knows exactly where all of the object store pages are stored so that in the event of a power loss, the page locations are known and hence the pages can be used when power is restored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Sharon Drasnin, Ronald Radko
  • Publication number: 20050044306
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating automotive computing devices are described. In one embodiment, a small amount of static RAM (SRAM) is incorporated into an automotive computing device. The SRAM is battery-backed to provide a non-volatile memory space in which critical data can be maintained in the event of a power loss. Circuitry is provided to ensure that the SRAM receives back up power from the battery at the appropriate time. Software manages the SRAM and the other storage assembly components and makes use of virtual paging or virtual addressing techniques to keep track of where various pages, including object store pages, are stored in the system. The software knows exactly where all of the object store pages are stored so that in the event of a power loss, the page locations are known and hence the pages can be used when power is restored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Beckert, Sharon Drasnin, Ronald Radko