Patents by Inventor Duane C. Skelton

Duane C. Skelton 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: 11895152
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to operate in a recovery mode after initiating a startup operation, transmit a data frame to a device of an electric power delivery system during the recovery mode, the data frame indicating a request for a security association key (SAK), receive the SAK from the device in response to transmitting the data frame, and use the SAK to communicate data via a media access control security (MACsec) communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane C. Skelton, Colin Gordon
  • Patent number: 11722501
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a connection association (CA) with a receiving device using a MACsec Key Agreement (MKA). The processor is configured to automatically send device management information via the MKA process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Duane C. Skelton
  • Patent number: 11601278
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a communication link according to a media access control security (MACsec) Key Agreement (MKA). The TED receives a plurality of access control secure association keys (SAKs) via the communication link. The TED receives one or more checked-out SAKs indicating a request to access the TED The TED allows access based on the one or more checked-out access control SAKs matching at least one of the plurality of access control SAKs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Timothy J. Watkins, Paul Stoaks, Duane C. Skelton, Dennis Gammel
  • Publication number: 20230050220
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to operate in a recovery mode after initiating a startup operation, transmit a data frame to a device of an electric power delivery system during the recovery mode, the data frame indicating a request for a security association key (SAK), receive the SAK from the device in response to transmitting the data frame, and use the SAK to communicate data via a media access control security (MACsec) communication link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane C. Skelton, Colin Gordon
  • Patent number: 11489554
    Abstract: A system includes a switch of an electric power distribution system, the switch being configured to receive data and to transmit data, and the system includes a controller configured to communicatively couple to the switch. The controller is configured to create a software defined network by instructing the switch to transmit data to a location, and the controller is configured to generate a set of keys and to provide the set of keys to the switch to enable the switch to communicate data via a Media Access Security (MACsec) communication link, a MACsec key agreement (MKA) connectivity association, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Duane C. Skelton
  • Publication number: 20220311615
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a communication link according to a media access control security (MACsec) Key Agreement (MKA). The TED receives a plurality of access control secure association keys (SAKs) via the communication link. The TED receives one or more checked-out SAKs indicating a request to access the TED The TED allows access based on the one or more checked-out access control SAKs matching at least one of the plurality of access control SAKs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Timothy J. Watkins, Paul Stoaks, Duane C. Skelton, Dennis Gammel
  • Publication number: 20220303253
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a connection association (CA) with a receiving device using a MACsec Key Agreement (MKA). The processor is configured to automatically send device management information via the MKA process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Duane C. Skelton
  • Publication number: 20220294824
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory that includes instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to transmit a first data frame and a second data frame to a switch of the electric power distribution system, determine whether the switch transmits the first data frame and not the second data frame, and establish a media access control security key agreement (MKA) based on a determination of whether the switch transmits the first frame and not the second data frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Duane C. Skelton, Abhilash Manjunath
  • Publication number: 20220140863
    Abstract: A system includes a switch of an electric power distribution system, the switch being configured to receive data and to transmit data, and the system includes a controller configured to communicatively couple to the switch. The controller is configured to create a software defined network by instructing the switch to transmit data to a location, and the controller is configured to generate a set of keys and to provide the set of keys to the switch to enable the switch to communicate data via a Media Access Security (MACsec) communication link, a MACsec key agreement (MKA) connectivity association, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin Gordon, Duane C. Skelton