Patents by Inventor John Hensley

John Hensley 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 system for sharing utilities between operating systems
    Patent number: 5655154
    Abstract: A method and system for incorporation into an active operating system of a utility function performed by a utility provided by an external operating system. The functional instructions within the utility which perform the utility function, called a utility engine, are separated from user interface instructions which interface with the user in a fashion unique to the external operating system. The utility engine is stored in a data structure that can be loaded for execution by the active operating system as well as the external operating system. When the active operating system is running and obtains a request to perform the utility, it performs user interface instructions specific to the active operating system, and loads and executes the functional instructions in the utility engine to thereby execute the utility function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Naveen Jain, John Hensley
  • Method and system for placing a computer in a reduced power state
    Patent number: 5544082
    Abstract: A method and system for placing a computer in a reduced power state is provided. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system monitors the performance of a monitored activity of a program executing. The system determines whether the program is performing the monitored activity regularly. If the program is performing the monitored activity regularly, the system places the computer in a reduced power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Fernando Garcia-Duarte, John Hensley, Shanmugam Mohanraj, Nagarajan Subramaniyan, David B. Olsson
  • Method and system for placing a computer in a reduced power state
    Patent number: 5416726
    Abstract: A method and system for placing a computer in a reduced power state is provided. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system monitors the performance of a monitored activity of a program executing. The system determines whether the program is performing the monitored activity regularly. If the program is performing the monitored activity regularly, the system places the computer in a reduced power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Fernando Garcia-Duarte, John Hensley, Shanmugam Mohanraj, Nagarajan Subramaniyan, David B. Olsson