Patents by Inventor Marc D. Alexander
Marc D. Alexander 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).
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Patent number: 8856550Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to encryption and decryption of data are provided. An information handling system may include a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, an encryption accelerator communicatively coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor. The encryption accelerator may be configured to encrypt or decrypt data in response to a command from the processor to perform an encryption or decryption task upon data associated with an input/output operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Amy Christine Nelson, Brian Decker, Kenneth W. Stufflebeam, Jr., Marc D. Alexander
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Publication number: 20110225406Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to encryption and decryption of data are provided. An information handling system may include a processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, an encryption accelerator communicatively coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable medium communicatively coupled to the processor. The encryption accelerator may be configured to encrypt or decrypt data in response to a command from the processor to perform an encryption or decryption task upon data associated with an input/output operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2010Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.Inventors: Amy Christine Nelson, Brian Decker, Kenneth W. Stufflebeam, JR., Marc D. Alexander
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Patent number: 7418590Abstract: An information handling system (“IHS”) includes a processor and a memory device for storing instructions processable by the processor for causing the IHS to determine whether configuration of a basic input output system (“BIOS”) has been modified. The instructions are also processable by the processor for causing the IHS to, in response to determining that the configuration has been modified, determine whether a previously stored configuration is likely a valid configuration. Moreover, the instructions are processable by the processor for causing the IHS to, in response to determining that the previously stored configuration is likely a valid configuration, store the configuration that has been modified in a new location of a storage device.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2005Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Douglas A. Azzarito, Marc D. Alexander, Todd Martin
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Patent number: 7165136Abstract: Bus numbering management for an information handling system, such as a personal computer, is provided by interfacing one or more selectively hidden devices with one or more buses through either a hardware or software implementation. If an inactive bus becomes active, then disabling of a selectively hidden device interfaced with another active bus provides a bus number to the newly active bus. For instance, if a graphics capability is added to a computer system through a PCI bus, a PCI bridge associated with a second PCI bus is disabled so that the PCI bus number for the portion of the second PCI bus between the chipset of the computer system and the PCI bridge is available for use as the PCI bus number for the PCI bus associated with the graphics capability. The PCI bus number for the portion of the second PCI bus between the PCI bridge and existing peripheral devices is available for use for both portions of the second PCI bus.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2005Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Lowell B. Dennis, Orbie A. Welch, Ricardo L. Martinez, Colin McCann, MyPhuong N. Sang, Marc D. Alexander, Todd W. Schlottman
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Patent number: 7162625Abstract: The present invention discloses an information handling system that reduces POST time in a boot operation. The information handling system includes a processor, a memory and a BIOS unit. The BIOS also includes memory test pointer and a test block size indicator. During the POST routine, the BIOS tests at least one test block during at least one idle period.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2003Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Jonathan T. Stern, Marc D. Alexander
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Patent number: 7111099Abstract: An information handling system comprises a first bus system comprising a plurality of connection pins wherein at least one pin is unused, at least one control line for controlling or communication with devices of the system, a controllable coupling/de-coupling unit for coupling/de-coupling the control line with the at least one previously unused pin, and a control unit for controlling the coupling/de-coupling unit coupled with the control line.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2002Date of Patent: September 19, 2006Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Marc D. Alexander, Todd Martin, Matthew B. Mendelow
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Patent number: 7062668Abstract: A power consumption manager and a power manager sequencer coordinate transition of information handling system components between active and inactive states to manage information handling system power consumption. The power manager transitions components to an inactive state upon a determination of inactivity and then shuts down, for instance by operating as a module in the BIOS. Activation of an I/O device, such as the power switch, restores the power manager to an active state to allow recovery of the information handling system to an operational status. The power manager sequencer detects activation of the I/O device to restore selected components to an active state substantially simultaneous with the power manager so that the selected components have power to accept recovery instructions from the power manager. For instance, a network interface controller receives power to recover from an inactive state before the BIOS sends a PCI bus reset command.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2003Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Jonathan A. Kwahk, Marc D. Alexander
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Patent number: 7000159Abstract: A system and method for reducing the amount of time for a boot operation is provided that includes a test management module that divides the memory into multiple test blocks and then selects a limited number of test blocks to test during a boot operation, thereby decreasing the overall amount of memory test time.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2003Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Jonathan T. Stern, Marc D. Alexander
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Patent number: 6973525Abstract: Bus numbering management for an information handling system, such as a personal computer, is provided by interfacing one or more selectively hidden devices with one or more buses through either a hardware or software implementation. If an inactive bus becomes active, then disabling of a selectively hidden device interfaced with another active bus provides a bus number to the newly active bus. For instance, if a graphics capability is added to a computer system through a PCI bus, a PCI bridge associated with a second PCI bus is disabled so that the PCI bus number for the portion of the second PCI bus between the chipset of the computer system and the PCI bridge is available for use as the PCI bus number for the PCI bus associated with the graphics capability. The PCI bus number for the portion of the second PCI bus between the PCI bridge and existing peripheral devices is available for use for both portions of the second PCI bus.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2002Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Lowell B. Dennis, Orbie A. Welch, Ricardo L. Martinez, Colin McCann, MyPhuong N. Sang, Marc D. Alexander, Todd W. Schlottman
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Patent number: 6973564Abstract: A system that includes a computer system configured to boot using a system firmware is provided. The system firmware includes instructions for causing the computer system to detect a test apparatus coupled to the computer system and initiate a manufacturing mode of the system firmware in response to detecting the test apparatus coupled to the computer system.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2001Date of Patent: December 6, 2005Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Cynthia M. Merkin, Marc D. Alexander
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Patent number: 6877057Abstract: An information handling system is provided which includes a dynamic interrupt router for balancing interrupt assignments among a plurality of devices requesting interrupt assignments. The system balances interrupt assignments among both fixed devices mounted on the processor board and interrupt assignments to devices situated in expansion slots. When the system is populated with a large number of devices relative to the number of available interrupts, improved interrupt sharing is desirably achieved by causing a device which generates a large number of interrupt requests to share a common interrupt with a device which generates a lower number of interrupts.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2002Date of Patent: April 5, 2005Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Marc D. Alexander, Matthew B. Mendelow
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Patent number: 6842855Abstract: A method is provided that includes booting a computer system using a first system firmware stored on a circuit coupled to the computer system and, in response to detecting a test apparatus coupled to the computer system, causing the first system firmware to be stored onto a device in the computer system.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2001Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Marc D. Alexander, Jay Baxter, Lois D. Mermelstein
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Patent number: 6813730Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system are provided that include reading a first indicator from a memory location, checking a first port associated with the first indicator for the presence of a peripheral device, and, in response to the peripheral device not being present on the first port, storing a second indicator associated with a second port in the memory location.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2001Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Marc D. Alexander, Ricardo Luis Martinez
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Publication number: 20040215983Abstract: A power consumption manager and a power manager sequencer coordinate transition of information handling system components between active and inactive states to manage information handling system power consumption. The power manager transitions components to an inactive state upon a determination of inactivity and then shuts down, for instance by operating as a module in the BIOS. Activation of an I/O device, such as the power switch, restores the power manager to an active state to allow recovery of the information handling system to an operational status. The power manager sequencer detects activation of the I/O device to restore selected components to an active state substantially simultaneous with the power manager so that the selected components have power to accept recovery instructions from the power manager. For instance, a network interface controller receives power to recover from an inactive state before the BIOS sends a PCI bus reset command.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2003Publication date: October 28, 2004Inventors: Jonathan A. Kwahk, Marc D. Alexander
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Publication number: 20040181716Abstract: A system and method for reducing the amount of time for a boot operation is provided that includes a test management module that divides the memory into multiple test blocks and then selects a limited number of test blocks to test during a boot operation, thereby decreasing the overall amount of memory test time.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2003Publication date: September 16, 2004Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Jonathan T. Stern, Marc D. Alexander
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Publication number: 20040181656Abstract: The present invention discloses an information handling system that reduces POST time in a boot operation. The information handling system includes a processor, a memory and a BIOS unit. The BIOS also includes memory test pointer and a test block size indicator. During the POST routine, the BIOS tests at least one test block during at least one idle period.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2003Publication date: September 16, 2004Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Jonathan T. Stern, Marc D. Alexander
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Patent number: 6751569Abstract: A system that includes a computer system configured to boot using a system firmware is provided. The system firmware includes instructions for causing the computer system to provide a control code to a test apparatus configured to perform a functional test on the computer system and receive information provided by the test apparatus in response to the control code.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2001Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Cynthia M. Merkin, Marc D. Alexander
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Publication number: 20040015634Abstract: An information handling system comprises a first bus system comprising a plurality of connection pins wherein at least one pin is unused, at least one control line for controlling or communication with devices of the system, a controllable coupling/de-coupling unit for coupling/de-coupling the control line with the at least one previously unused pin, and a control unit for controlling the coupling/de-coupling unit coupled with the control line.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2002Publication date: January 22, 2004Applicant: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.Inventors: Marc D. Alexander, Todd Martin, Matthew B. Mendelow
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Publication number: 20030182487Abstract: Bus numbering management for an information handling system, such as a personal computer, is provided by interfacing one or more selectively hidden devices with one or more buses through either a hardware or software implementation. If an inactive bus becomes active, then disabling of a selectively hidden device interfaced with another active bus provides a bus number to the newly active bus. For instance, if a graphics capability is added to a computer system through a PCI bus, a PCI bridge associated with a second PCI bus is disabled so that the PCI bus number for the portion of the second PCI bus between the chipset of the computer system and the PCI bridge is available for use as the PCI bus number for the PCI bus associated with the graphics capability. The PCI bus number for the portion of the second PCI bus between the PCI bridge and existing peripheral devices is available for use for both portions of the second PCI bus.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2002Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: Lowell B. Dennis, Orbie A. Welch, Ricardo L. Martinez, Colin McCann, MyPhuong N. Sang, Marc D. Alexander, Todd W. Schlottman
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Publication number: 20030145147Abstract: An information handling system is provided which includes a dynamic interrupt router for balancing interrupt assignments among a plurality of devices requesting interrupt assignments. The system balances interrupt assignments among both fixed devices mounted on the processor board and interrupt assignments to devices situated in expansion slots. When the system is populated with a large number of devices relative to the number of available interrupts, the interrupts are shared between devices which generates a high number of interrupts and devices which generate a lower number of interrupts.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2002Publication date: July 31, 2003Applicant: Dell Products L.P.Inventors: Marc D. Alexander, Matthew B. Mendelow