Patents by Inventor Gregory S. DROBA

Gregory S. DROBA 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: 11372981
    Abstract: A redundant processing system with profile-based monitoring is disclosed. In embodiments, the redundant system includes two or more redundant lanes, each lane having equivalent processing components. In a testing state, template processors and hardware monitoring sensors are connected to a selected trusted lane and input vectors submitted thereto; the hardware sensors characterize the response of the selected lane and the resulting testing data compiled into system templates. In an operational environment, the template processors send challenges based on the input vectors to each of the redundant lanes in real time, collecting response data from each lane via identical sets of monitoring sensors. The template processors correlate the response data with the corresponding system templates, identifying anomalous lanes and system anomalies based on discorrelations between the response data and the system templates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Reginald D. Bean, Carl J. Henning, Gregory S. Droba, Carlen R. Welty
  • Patent number: 11321463
    Abstract: A hardware malware profiling and detection system is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes a primary (e.g., trusted) system including template processors and hardware sensors. The template processors submit input vectors to the primary system and characterize the system response via power trace data collected by the hardware sensors. Based on the input vectors and power trace data, the template processors generate system templates and derive system challenges therefrom. The template processors submit the system challenges to a remote system under test and characterize the remote system response in real time via identical remote hardware sensors. The template processors correlate the real-time remote system response data with the system templates corresponding to the issued challenges to detect system anomalies or malware within the remote system or its components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Reginald D. Bean, Carl J. Henning, Gregory S. Droba
  • Publication number: 20210216632
    Abstract: A hardware malware profiling and detection system is disclosed. In embodiments, the system includes a primary (e.g., trusted) system including template processors and hardware sensors. The template processors submit input vectors to the primary system and characterize the system response via power trace data collected by the hardware sensors. Based on the input vectors and power trace data, the template processors generate system templates and derive system challenges therefrom. The template processors submit the system challenges to a remote system under test and characterize the remote system response in real time via identical remote hardware sensors. The template processors correlate the real-time remote system response data with the system templates corresponding to the issued challenges to detect system anomalies or malware within the remote system or its components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Reginald D. Bean, Carl J. Henning, Gregory S. Droba
  • Publication number: 20210216641
    Abstract: A redundant processing system with profile-based monitoring is disclosed. In embodiments, the redundant system includes two or more redundant lanes, each lane having equivalent processing components. In a testing state, template processors and hardware monitoring sensors are connected to a selected trusted lane and input vectors submitted thereto; the hardware sensors characterize the response of the selected lane and the resulting testing data compiled into system templates. In an operational environment, the template processors send challenges based on the input vectors to each of the redundant lanes in real time, collecting response data from each lane via identical sets of monitoring sensors. The template processors correlate the response data with the corresponding system templates, identifying anomalous lanes and system anomalies based on discorrelations between the response data and the system templates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Reginald D. Bean, Carl J. Henning, Gregory S. Droba, Carlen R. Welty
  • Patent number: 9928181
    Abstract: A computing device within a reflective memory system includes a memory block and a special purpose processor. The memory block includes a plurality of memory areas, which are configured to store data of a corresponding one of a plurality of external devices. The special purpose processor is configured to intercept a write request. The write request is associated with a first external device of the plurality of external devices, and the first external device is associated with a first memory area of the plurality of memory areas. The special purpose processor is configured to determine whether the write request is valid or invalid, write the data of the first external device to the first memory area if the write request is valid, and prevent the data of the first external device from being written to the memory block if the write request is invalid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS, LLC
    Inventors: Oscar L. Meek, Gregory S. Droba
  • Patent number: 9568613
    Abstract: A method, system and/or apparatus for remotely monitoring the operation of a radiation sensor may include a radiation sensor configured to detect a presence of radiation in the area, the radiation sensor including a Geiger-Muller tube, a test signal generator configured to generate a high frequency test signal used to test the radiation sensor, the high frequency test signal transmitted to the radiation sensor, and a test signal detector configured to detect a response of the radiation sensor to the test signal, and determine whether the radiation sensor is operating correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Droba, Oscar L. Meek
  • Patent number: 9547328
    Abstract: A computing system includes at least a first division and a second division. The first division has a first clock rate and the second division has a second clock rate. The computing system includes a first processor configured to execute a task on the first division and a second processor configured to execute the task of the second division. The task executed on the first division operates according to the first clock rate, and the task executed on the second division operates according to the second clock rate. A method of executing a task in order to reduce common mode failures in a computing system includes varying a program speed of each of the plurality of divisions such that the task, when executed on a corresponding one of the plurality of divisions, operates at a clock rate according to the corresponding one of the plurality of divisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC
    Inventors: Bishara E. Kakunda, Gregory S. Droba, Oscar L. Meek
  • Publication number: 20160377739
    Abstract: A method, system and/or apparatus for remotely monitoring the operation of a radiation sensor may include a radiation sensor configured to detect a presence of radiation in the area, the radiation sensor including a Geiger-Muller tube, a test signal generator configured to generate a high frequency test signal used to test the radiation sensor, the high frequency test signal transmitted to the radiation sensor, and a test signal detector configured to detect a response of the radiation sensor to the test signal, and determine whether the radiation sensor is operating correctly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. DROBA, Oscar L. MEEK
  • Publication number: 20160147674
    Abstract: A computing device within a reflective memory system includes a memory block and a special purpose processor. The memory block includes a plurality of memory areas, which are configured to store data of a corresponding one of a plurality of external devices. The special purpose processor is configured to intercept a write request. The write request is associated with a first external device of the plurality of external devices, and the first external device is associated with a first memory area of the plurality of memory areas. The special purpose processor is configured to determine whether the write request is valid or invalid, write the data of the first external device to the first memory area if the write request is valid, and prevent the data of the first external device from being written to the memory block if the write request is invalid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Oscar L. MEEK, Gregory S. DROBA
  • Publication number: 20150227161
    Abstract: A computing system includes at least a first division and a second division. The first division has a first clock rate and the second division has a second clock rate. The computing system includes a first processor configured to execute a task on the first division and a second processor configured to execute the task of the second division. The task executed on the first division operates according to the first clock rate, and the task executed on the second division operates according to the second clock rate. A method of executing a task in order to reduce common mode failures in a computing system includes varying a program speed of each of the plurality of divisions such that the task, when executed on a corresponding one of the plurality of divisions, operates at a clock rate according to the corresponding one of the plurality of divisions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: GE-HITACHI NUCLEAR ENERGY AMERICAS LLC
    Inventors: Bishara E. KAKUNDA, Gregory S. DROBA, Oscar L. MEEK