Patents by Inventor Rick A. Kato

Rick A. Kato 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: 8601463
    Abstract: Computer-readable storage media, methods and systems are provided for managing firmware on a plurality of field-replaceable units (“FRU”) (12). An aspect of installed firmware of the FRU (12) may be compared to an aspect of a firmware bundle. The firmware bundle may contain one or more images that are expected to be installed on the plurality of FRUs (10, 20) already or that are intended to be installed. A mismatch indication may be produced where the aspect of the installed firmware does not match the aspect of the firmware bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Bouchier, Timothy A. Frye, Peter M. Piotrowski, Rick A. Kato
  • Publication number: 20120278795
    Abstract: Computer-readable storage media, methods and systems are provided for managing firmware on a plurality of field-replaceable units (“FRU”) (12). An aspect of installed firmware of the FRU (12) may be compared to an aspect of a firmware bundle. The firmware bundle may contain one or more images that are expected to be installed on the plurality of FRUs (10, 20) already or that are intended to be installed. A mismatch indication may be produced where the aspect of the installed firmware does not match the aspect of the firmware bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Paul Bouchier, Timothy A. Frye, Peter M. Piotrowski, Rick A. Kato
  • Patent number: 7085884
    Abstract: A cartridge storage system comprising a movable component, a removable nonvolatile memory component (RNMC), and logic configured to store operational data indicative of an operational history of the movable component in the RNMC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: William Wesley Torrey, Colette Toone Howe, Myron Eugen Yoknis, Rick A. Kato, Curtis C. Ballard
  • Publication number: 20040268039
    Abstract: A cartridge storage system comprising a movable component, a removable nonvolatile memory component (RNMC), and logic configured to store operational data indicative of an operational history of the movable component in the RNMC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Curtis C. Ballard, Colette T. Howe, Rick A. Kato, William W. Torrey, Myron E. Yoknis
  • Patent number: 5870630
    Abstract: An online repairable multiple drive library computer system, and method of online drive repair for repairing same, wherein the method comprises the steps of detecting that a drive has failed, placing the failed drive in an offline state, removing power to the failed drive, disconnecting any cabling attached to the failed drive, replacing the failed drive, reconnecting cabling to the replaced drive, restoring power to the replaced drive, and placing the replaced drive in an online state. All of the steps occur while one or more good drives in the multiple drive library computer system remain online, and accessible to a host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Kelly J. Reasoner, Rick A. Kato, David P. Jones
  • Patent number: 5164928
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disk handling system, called an autochanger, having two control systems to provide the six motions necessary to move optical disk cartridges from storage holding cells to an optical drive. Whenever the mechanisms are being moved, the control systems monitor the progress of the movement, and should the control system detect an error conditon, a state update flag is changed to prevent further updates of the state of the system. With state updates disabled, the control system will stop all mechanisms and prevent further movement of the mechanisms. When the operation appears complete, an error recovery software function is called. When the error recovery software detects that the state update flag is in an error condition, error recovery is initiated. After the mechanism's state has been established, error recovery movement is started, based on the operation that was being performed at the time of the error, and the state of the machine at the time of the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Thomas C. Oliver, Mark J. Bianchi, Rick A. Kato, Kraig A. Proehl
  • Patent number: 5040159
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disk handling system, called an autochanger, having two control systems to provide the six motions necessary to move optical disk cartridges from storage holding cells to an optical drive. The system uses shaft encoders on the motors of the two control systems, and current or votlage feedback from the motors, for all positioning, and for detecting the location of the mechanisms during and at the end of moves. The shaft encoders are used to position a mechanism close to the eventual move location, then motor current or voltage feedback is used to determine opposition to the movement to the mechanism, which informs the control system as to whether the mechanism has reached its destination. An important aspect of the invention is that the motor current or voltage feedback is used by one control system to provide five of the six motions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Thomas C. Oliver, Mark E. Wanger, Donald J. Stavely, Jennifer L. Methlie, Mark J. Bianchi, Rick A. Kato, Kraig A. Proehl