Patents by Inventor MICHAEL W. WEBSTER

MICHAEL W. WEBSTER 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: 10346071
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for validating firmware and/or firmware images. A data storage device may transmit a request to validate a firmware image, to a storage drive. The data storage device may receive data indicating whether the firmware image is valid, from the storage drive. The data storage device may initiate operation using the firmware image if the firmware image is valid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Webster
  • Publication number: 20180188986
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for validating firmware and/or firmware images. A data storage device may transmit a request to validate a firmware image, to a storage drive. The data storage device may receive data indicating whether the firmware image is valid, from the storage drive. The data storage device may initiate operation using the firmware image if the firmware image is valid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventor: Michael W. WEBSTER
  • Patent number: 9971659
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for programming non-volatile storage. Methods involve identifying boot loader code stored in a first partition of a non-volatile storage, the boot loader code being marked as active, executing the boot loader code using one or more processors of the computing system, loading a firmware image to a second partition of the non-volatile storage, the second partition being separate from the first partition, and marking the firmware image as active. Methods further involve detecting a power loss event and, following a power cycle, determining that the firmware image is stored in the second partition and has been marked as active, and, in response to said determination, making a copy of the firmware image and storing the copy in the first partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. McCabe, Edwin D. Barnes, Michael W. Webster, Paul Bricketto, Hee Kwong, Karman Tam, Michael F. Klett, Tino Lin, Mark Nguyen, John Minh Hon Quan
  • Patent number: 9710170
    Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed for processing data storage commands for enclosure services. In one embodiment, a data storage device may include a virtual ATA packet interface (VATAPI). The VATAPI may identify itself as a SCSI enclosure services (SES) device. The VATAPI may allow the data storage device to use SES operations/commands to perform operations/commands for enclosure services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Webster
  • Publication number: 20160259567
    Abstract: Systems and method are disclosed for processing data storage commands for enclosure services. In one embodiment, a data storage device may include a virtual ATA packet interface (VATAPI). The VATAPI may identify itself as an SES device. The VATAPI may allow the data storage device to use SES operations/commands to perform operations/commands for enclosure services.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventor: MICHAEL W. WEBSTER
  • Patent number: 9275697
    Abstract: A host including a controller configured to be connected to a storage device separate from the host. The controller is configured to maintain random access memory (RAM) code on the host, the RAM code configured to provide a destructive function, temporarily load the RAM code onto a volatile memory in the storage device during a manufacturing process, wherein the loaded RAM code, when executed by a processor in the storage device, is configured to cause the processor in the storage device to perform a destructive function on the storage device, and remove the loaded RAM code from the volatile memory after the manufacturing process, wherein the destructive function is unable to be performed by the processor when the loaded RAM code is removed from the volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Webster
  • Publication number: 20150100722
    Abstract: A host including a controller configured to be connected to a storage device separate from the host. The controller is configured to maintain random access memory (RAM) code on the host, the RAM code configured to provide a destructive function, temporarily load the RAM code onto a volatile memory in the storage device during a manufacturing process, wherein the loaded RAM code, when executed by a processor in the storage device, is configured to cause the processor in the storage device to perform a destructive function on the storage device, and remove the loaded RAM code from the volatile memory after the manufacturing process, wherein the destructive function is unable to be performed by the processor when the loaded RAM code is removed from the volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: MICHAEL W. WEBSTER