Patents by Inventor Kenneth Alexander Nicolson

Kenneth Alexander Nicolson 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: 9589115
    Abstract: An obfuscation assisting apparatus assists in the obfuscation of a program. The obfuscation assisting apparatus includes an analyzer which identifies corresponding respective blocks in the source code and in the transformed code generated through the obfuscation of the source code. A browser obtains obfuscation information relating to obfuscation of the respective blocks of the source code and the transformed code, and causes an output device to display the respective parts of the source code and the transformed code, and the obfuscation information in association with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Rieko Asai, Taichi Sato, Hideki Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9081596
    Abstract: A device (110) according to an implementation of the present invention, having a plurality of virtual machines (1002, 1003, 1004, and 1005), includes a virtualization software (1001) which manages the virtual machines. The virtualization software includes an application VM creating unit (1300) which creates a virtual machine for executing a program. A first virtual machine (1002) determines whether a first program is to be executed on the first virtual machine or to be executed on a virtual machine other than the first virtual machine. When the first virtual machine determines that the first program is to be executed on the other virtual machine, the application VM creating unit creates a second virtual machine for executing the first program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Hideki Matsushima, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson
  • Patent number: 8938811
    Abstract: A content display apparatus which processes protected information configured, with an aim to prevent access from any unauthorized program, to include: a process managing unit which manages a plurality of processes operable in the content display apparatus; and an access detecting unit configured to detect access to the protected-information access detecting unit which detects access to the protected information. The process managing unit includes an application execution control unit which temporarily stops the operation of each of at least one process other than a process which accesses the protected information among the plurality of processes when the access to the protected information is detected by the protected-information access detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Hideki Matsushima, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Tomoyuki Haga
  • Patent number: 8904518
    Abstract: An information processing device includes an external connection unit which connects to an external device; and a communication control unit which obtains data from a first virtual machine, transmits the data to a second virtual machine, and transmits, to the external connection unit, transmission completion information indicating that the data is already transmitted to the second virtual machine. The external connection unit (i) determines, based on the transmission completion information, whether or not a virtual machine is the second virtual machine to which the data is already transmitted, when the external connection unit receives, from the virtual machine, a request for a connection to the external device, and (ii) permits a connection between the virtual machine and the external device, when the external connection unit determines that the virtual machine is not the second virtual machine to which the data is already transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Hideki Matsushima, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson
  • Patent number: 8892862
    Abstract: A method for executing a predetermined software component which is verifiable against integrity measurements, the method including (i) providing a first mapping from logical identifiers to software component enabled status flags, (ii) providing a second mapping from the logical identifiers and previous software component statuses information to actual integrity measurement certificates containing verification data, (iii) looking up the first mapping for a given logical identifier identifying the predetermined software component to get a status flag indicating whether the predetermined software component is enabled, (iv) if the status flag indicates that the predetermined software component is not enabled, updating a current integrity measurement stored within a disabled integrity measurement certificate, and (v) if the status flag indicates that the predetermined software component is enabled and verification of the predetermined software component is successful, updating a current integrity measurement store
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Hisashi Takayama, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga, Manabu Maeda
  • Patent number: 8732444
    Abstract: A method to allow a value to be written into one PCR domain, only if values from a second PCR domain are valid, thus ensuring the extension of the chain of trust between domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Hisashi Takayama, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga
  • Patent number: 8732445
    Abstract: An information processing terminal includes first sealed data respectively having usability conditions of matching with predetermined terminal environment information during a secure boot and second sealed data respectively having usability conditions of matching with terminal environment information upon completion of the secure boot. Upon completion of the secure boot, the second sealed data is unsealed and the first sealed data is resealed using the unsealed data. It is possible to update and re-seal sealed data having a usability condition of matching with predetermined terminal environment information during a secure boot without rebooting a terminal when a program using the sealed data is updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Takayuki Ito, Hisashi Takayama
  • Patent number: 8677108
    Abstract: A method to allow a device to boot in a secure fashion, even though some of the components within the secure device's firmware may not be present, not correctly authorized, or not correctly operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Hisashi Takayama, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga
  • Patent number: 8555049
    Abstract: A terminal that performs secure boot processing when booting, thereby booting reliably even if, during updating of a software module, the power is cut off or the update is otherwise interrupted. The terminal comprises a CPU, a software module storage unit, a certificate storage unit, an updating unit for updating the software module and certificate, a security device provided with a configuration information storage unit for storing the configuration information of the software module, an alternate configuration information storage unit for storing the configuration information of a software module in the configuration before the update, and a boot control unit for verifying and executing the software module by using the certificate. The terminal verifies the certificate of the software module by comparing the configuration information stored by the configuration information storage unit with the configuration information stored by the alternate configuration information storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Takayama, Hideki Matsushima, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson
  • Patent number: 8510544
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing apparatus that is capable of continuously performing secure boot between module groups in the case where software of a terminal device consists of module groups provided by a plurality of providers, while keeping independence between the providers. The information processing apparatus is provided with a linkage certificate that contains a first configuration comparison value, which indicates a cumulative hash value of the first module group to be started up by secure boot, and a module measurement value, which indicates a hash value of the first module of the second module group to be started up by secure boot. After the secure boot of the first module group, it is verified that the first module group has been started up by comparison with the first configuration comparison value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Takayama, Hideki Matsushima, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Manabu Maeda
  • Publication number: 20130185816
    Abstract: A content display apparatus which processes protected information configured, with an aim to prevent access from any unauthorized program, to include: a process managing unit which manages a plurality of processes operable in the content display apparatus; and an access detecting unit configured to detect access to the protected-information access detecting unit which detects access to the protected information. The process managing unit includes an application execution control unit which temporarily stops the operation of each of at least one process other than a process which accesses the protected information among the plurality of processes when the access to the protected information is detected by the protected-information access detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Hideki Matsushima, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Tomoyuki Haga
  • Patent number: 8479000
    Abstract: The present invention provides an information processing device, an authentication system, etc. that save a server the trouble of updating a database, etc., even when a software module in a client device is updated, and that are capable of verifying whether software modules that have been started in the client device are valid. The terminal device A100 holds private keys 1 and 2, and performs authentication processing with the terminal device B101 using the private key 2. The private key 1 has been encrypted such that the private key 1 is decryptable only when secure boot is completed. The private key 2 has been encrypted such that the private key 2 is decryptable using the private key 1 only when the application module X that has been started is valid. When the authentication processing is successful, the terminal device B101 verifies that the terminal device A100 has completed secure boot and the application module X that has been started in the terminal device A100 is valid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Takayama, Hideki Matsushima, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson
  • Publication number: 20120260250
    Abstract: A device (110) according to an implementation of the present invention, having a plurality of virtual machines (1002, 1003, 1004, and 1005), includes a virtualization software (1001) which manages the virtual machines. The virtualization software includes an application VM creating unit (1300) which creates a virtual machine for executing a program. A first virtual machine (1002) determines whether a first program is to be executed on the first virtual machine or to be executed on a virtual machine other than the first virtual machine. When the first virtual machine determines that the first program is to be executed on the other virtual machine, the application VM creating unit creates a second virtual machine for executing the first program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Hideki Matsushima, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson
  • Publication number: 20120246470
    Abstract: Techniques for protecting memory locations within a stakeholder's engine according to the Multi-Stakeholder Model, and a protocol for remote attestation to a device supporting the Multi-Stakeholder Model that provides extra evidence of the identity of the three actors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Manabu Maeda, Tomoyuki Haga
  • Patent number: 8219827
    Abstract: A method manages optional trusted components that are active within a device, such that the device itself controls the availability of trusted components. The device includes: a storing unit storing a plurality of pieces of software and a plurality of certificates; a receiving unit receiving the certificates; and a selecting unit selecting one of the certificates. The device further includes an executing unit verifying an enabled one of the plurality of pieces of software using the selected and updated one of the certificates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Hisashi Takayama, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga, Manabu Maeda
  • Publication number: 20120117566
    Abstract: Provided is an information processing device which is capable of preventing data leakage caused by a malicious application or malicious device driver and of allowing cooperation among virtual machines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Manabu Maeda, Hideki Matsushima, Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson
  • Publication number: 20120102313
    Abstract: A method to allow a device to boot in a secure fashion, even though some of the components within the secure device's firmware may be not present, not authorised, or not correctly operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Hisashi Takayama, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga, Manabu Maeda
  • Patent number: 8108689
    Abstract: An obfuscation evaluation method which sufficiently evaluates an obfuscation performed on a program. The obfuscation evaluation method includes: a step of executing an obfuscated code module produced by obfuscating an original code module of a program, and generating a trace output file by logging a result of the execution; and a step of identifying the degree of obfuscation of the obfuscated code module by evaluating the trace output file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Rieko Asai, Taichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20110276795
    Abstract: A method to allow a value to be written into one PCR domain, only if values from a second PCR domain are valid, thus ensuring the extension of the chain of trust between domains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Hisashi Takayama, Takayuki Ito, Tomoyuki Haga
  • Publication number: 20110185165
    Abstract: It is possible to update and re-seal sealed data having a usability condition of matching with predetermined terminal environment information during a secure boot without rebooting a terminal when a program using the sealed data is updated. An information processing terminal (10) has first sealed data (310, 320, 330) respectively having usability conditions (312, 322, 332) of matching with predetermined terminal environment information during a secure boot and second sealed data (340, 350, 360) respectively having usability conditions (342, 352, 362) of matching with terminal environment information upon completion of the secure boot. Upon completion of the secure boot, the second sealed data is unsealed and the first sealed data is resealed using the unsealed data (341, 351, 361).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Haga, Kenneth Alexander Nicolson, Hideki Matsushima, Takayuki Ito, Hisashi Takayama