Patents by Inventor Keith Patrick McKay

Keith Patrick McKay 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: 10365920
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes executing a first firmware received from a computing host, the first firmware including a first firmware revision identifier, executing a second firmware received from the computing host, and returning the first firmware revision identifier to the computing host during the execution of the second firmware and before an event occurs. The returning the first firmware revision identifier enables the computing host to continue executing without detecting an error in response to a change in a value of a returned firmware revision identifier throughout the execution of the first firmware and during execution of the second firmware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Ross John Stenfort, Keith Patrick McKay
  • Publication number: 20180004504
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes executing a first firmware received from a computing host, the first firmware including a first firmware revision identifier, executing a second firmware received from the computing host, and returning the first firmware revision identifier to the computing host during the execution of the second firmware and before an event occurs. The returning the first firmware revision identifier enables the computing host to continue executing without detecting an error in response to a change in a value of a returned firmware revision identifier throughout the execution of the first firmware and during execution of the second firmware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Ross John Stenfort, Keith Patrick McKay
  • Patent number: 9766878
    Abstract: Management of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host enables continuously running an OS on the host across a device firmware update, e.g., via delaying visibility of at least a portion of effects of the firmware update, such as in a context where without the delay in visibility the OS would encounter an unrecoverable error and crash. For example, a device (e.g. an SSD) is coupled to a computing host running an unmodified version of Windows. Firmware on the device is updated/activated, such as by being booted. Visibility of a portion of information that would otherwise become immediately visible to the OS (upon activation of updated firmware) is delayed until a power cycle of the device. If the portion includes, e.g., a firmware revision identifier, then the delayed visibility enables continuously running the OS across the firmware update/activation without rebooting the OS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Ross John Stenfort, Keith Patrick McKay
  • Publication number: 20160085541
    Abstract: Management of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host enables continuously running an OS on the host across a device firmware update, e.g., via delaying visibility of at least a portion of effects of the firmware update, such as in a context where without the delay in visibility the OS would encounter m unrecoverable error and crash. For example, a device (e.g. an SSD) is coupled to a computing host running an unmodified version of Windows. Firmware on the device is updated/activated, such as by being booted. Visibility of a portion of information that would otherwise become immediately visible to the OS (upon activation of updated firmware) is delayed until a power cycle of the device. If the portion includes, e.g., a firmware revision identifier, then the delayed visibility enables continuously running the OS across the firmware update/activation without rebooting the OS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Ross John Stenfort, Keith Patrick McKay
  • Patent number: 9223563
    Abstract: Management of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host enables continuously running an OS on the host across a device firmware update, e.g., via delaying visibility of at least a portion of effects of the firmware update, such as in a context where without the delay in visibility the OS would encounter an unrecoverable error and crash. For example, a device (e.g. an SSD) is coupled to a computing host running an unmodified version of Windows. Firmware on the device is updated/activated, such as by being booted. Visibility of a portion of information that would otherwise become immediately visible to the OS (upon activation of updated firmware) is delayed until a power cycle of the device. If the portion includes, e.g., a firmware revision identifier, then the delayed visibility enables continuously running the OS across the firmware update/activation without rebooting the OS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Ross John Stenfort, Keith Patrick McKay
  • Publication number: 20140189673
    Abstract: Management of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host enables continuously running an OS on the host across a device firmware update, e.g., via delaying visibility of at least a portion of effects of the firmware update, such as in a context where without the delay in visibility the OS would encounter an unrecoverable error and crash. For example, a device (e.g. an SSD) is coupled to a computing host running an unmodified version of Windows. Firmware on the device is updated/activated, such as by being booted. Visibility of a portion of information that would otherwise become immediately visible to the OS (upon activation of updated firmware) is delayed until a power cycle of the device. If the portion includes, e.g., a firmware revision identifier, then the delayed visibility enables continuously running the OS across the firmware update/activation without rebooting the OS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: LSI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ross John Stenfort, Keith Patrick McKay