Patents by Inventor Drew Major

Drew Major 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).

  • Method and apparatus for electronic licensing
    Patent number: 5553143
    Abstract: The present invention allows for the electronic management and enforcement of software licenses. The present invention can be used in a network or non-network environment to facilitate product licensing and upgrades. Further, the present invention accommodates the use of compact disc read-only memory (CD ROM) product distribution. Further, the present invention can retain useful, after-market information. The present invention provides the ability to implement a license policy. Further, the license policy can be implemented or modified without requiring a new version of the associated product. The present invention provides the ability to create electronic licenses. Further, the present invention provides the ability to extract and transfer licenses from an inventory of licenses to a final distribution media. Licenses can be transferred to a reseller in batches. A reseller can extract unused licenses from these batches to generate licenses. An optional companion license can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Novell, Inc.
    Inventors: Cliff D. Ross, Neil W. Taylor, Kevin W. Kingdon, Howard R. Davis, Drew Major
  • Fault tolerant computer system
    Patent number: 5455932
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a fault-tolerant backup system such that if there is a failure of a primary processing system, a replicated system can take over without interruption. The invention provides a software solution for providing a backup system. Two servers are provided, a primary and secondary server. The two servers are connected via a communications channel. The servers have associated with them an operating system. The present invention divides this operating system into two "engines." An I/O engine is responsible for handling and receiving all data and asynchronous events on the system. The I/O engine controls and interfaces with physical devices and device drivers. The operating system (OS) engine is used to operate on data received from the I/O engine. All events or data which can change the state of the operating system are channeled through the I/O engine and converted to a message format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Novell, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Major, Kyle Powell, Dale Neibaur
  • Fault tolerant computer system
    Patent number: 5157663
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a fault-tolerant backup system such that if there is a failure of a primary processing system, a replicated system can take over without interruption. The invention provides a software solution for providing a backup system. Two servers are provided, a primary and secondary server. The two servers are connected via a communications channel. The servers have associated with them an operating system. The present invention divides this operating system into two "engines." An I/O engine is responsible for handling and receiving all data and asynchronous events on the system. The I/O engine controls and interfaces with physical devices and device drivers. The operating system (OS) engine is used to operate on data received from the I/O engine. All events or data which can change the state of the operating system are channeled through the I/O engine and converted to a message format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Novell, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Major, Kyle Powell, Dale Neibaur