Patents by Inventor Nicholas D. Grobelny

Nicholas D. Grobelny 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).

  • Publication number: 20230063135
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing trusted local orchestration of workspaces are described. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: receive an orchestration code from a workspace orchestration service; record, using a trusted controller coupled to the processor, a log comprising: the orchestration code, and an indication of a sequence of operations performed during an instantiation of a workspace by the local management agent; provide a copy of the log to the workspace orchestration service; and establish a connection between the workspace and the workspace orchestration service in response to the workspace orchestration service's successful: (i) authentication of the orchestration code, and (ii) verification of the sequence of operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Ricardo L. Martinez, Carlton A. Andrews, Charles D. Robison
  • Patent number: 11595322
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing self-contained posture assessment from within a protected portable-code workspace are described. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory having program instructions that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: transmit, from an orchestration service to a local agent, a workspace definition that references an application, where the application comprises a first portion of code provided by a developer and a second portion of code provided by the orchestration service; and receive, from a local agent at the orchestration service, a message in response to the execution of the second portion of code within a workspace instantiated based upon the workspace definition. The second portion of code may inspect the contents of the runtime memory of the workspace upon execution, for example, by performing a stack canary check, a hash analysis, a boundary check, and/or a memory scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Girish S. Dhoble, Joseph Kozlowski, David Konetski
  • Patent number: 11586738
    Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluating security risks using a manufacturer-signed software identification manifest are described. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: receive a request to perform attestation of a client device; retrieve, from an agent executed by the client device, a manifest comprising: (i) a signature portion encrypted with a first key, and (ii) a software identification (SWID) portion encrypted with a second key; retrieve the first key from a manufacturer database; retrieve the second key from a customer database; decrypt the signature and the manifest with the first and second keys; and perform the attestation using the decrypted manifest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles D. Robison, Nicholas D. Grobelny
  • Publication number: 20230042384
    Abstract: A lock for an information handling system includes a sensor configured to detect removal of an element from a chassis prior to verification of a user credential, and a plunger that engages the chassis at a first position. A security controller verifies the user credential, and causes the muscle wire to move the plunger from the first position to a second position in response to the verified user credential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Michael David, Christian L. Critz
  • Publication number: 20230004656
    Abstract: Systems and methods for endpoint context-driven, dynamic workspaces are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlton A. Andrews, Girish S. Dhoble, Nicholas D. Grobelny, David Konetski, Joseph Kozlowski, Ricardo L. Martinez, Charles D. Robison
  • Publication number: 20220413560
    Abstract: A main housing portion of a portable information handing system. The main housing portion includes: a top cover portion; a bottom cover portion; and, an information handling system locking system, the information handling system locking system including a bottom cover locking component, the bottom cover locking component being mounted to the bottom cover, the bottom cover locking component defining a bottom cover locking portion aperture, the bottom cover locking portion aperture being aligned with the top cover aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Jason S. Morrison, Patrick A. Hampton, Michael David, Ernesto Ramirez
  • Publication number: 20220391498
    Abstract: Systems and methods for modernizing workspace and hardware lifecycle management in an enterprise productivity ecosystem are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlton A. Andrews, Girish S. Dhoble, Nicholas D. Grobelny, David Konetski, Joseph Kozlowski, Ricardo L. Martinez, Charles D. Robison
  • Patent number: 11522708
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing trusted local orchestration of workspaces are described. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: receive an orchestration code from a workspace orchestration service; record, using a trusted controller coupled to the processor, a log comprising: the orchestration code, and an indication of a sequence of operations performed during an instantiation of a workspace by the local management agent; provide a copy of the log to the workspace orchestration service; and establish a connection between the workspace and the workspace orchestration service in response to the workspace orchestration service's successful: (i) authentication of the orchestration code, and (ii) verification of the sequence of operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Ricardo L. Martinez, Carlton A. Andrews, Charles D. Robison
  • Patent number: 11522883
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating and handling workspace indicators of compromise (IOC) based upon configuration drift are described. In some embodiments, a memory storage device may have program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by one or more processors of an Information Handling System (IHS) of a workspace orchestration service, cause the IHS to: receive configuration information from a client IHS at a workspace orchestration service, where the configuration information represents a change in a configuration of a workspace executed by the client IHS, and where the workspace is instantiated based upon a workspace definition provided by the workspace orchestration service; determine, by the workspace orchestration service, that the configuration information matches an IOC; and transmit, from the workspace orchestration service to the client IHS, an instruction to perform an action responsive to the IOC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Girish S. Dhoble, Nicholas D. Grobelny, Ricardo L. Martinez, Joseph Kozlowski
  • Patent number: 11514196
    Abstract: A lock for an information handling system includes a sensor configured to detect removal of an element from a chassis prior to verification of a user credential, and a plunger that engages the chassis at a first position. A security controller verifies the user credential, and causes the muscle wire to move the plunger from the first position to a second position in response to the verified user credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Michael David, Christian L. Critz
  • Patent number: 11509603
    Abstract: Systems and methods adjust workspaces based on available hardware resource of an IHS (Information Handling System) by which a user operates a workspace supported by a remote orchestration service. A security context and a productivity context of the IHS are determined based on reported context information. A workspace definition for providing access to a managed resource is selected based on the security context and the productivity context. A notification specifies a hardware resource of the IHS that is not used by the workspace definition, such as a microphone or camera that has not been enabled for use by workspaces. A productivity improvement that results from the updated productivity context that includes use of the first hardware resource is determined. Based on the productivity improvement, an updated workspace definition is selected that includes use of the first hardware resource in providing access to the managed resource via the IHS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlton A. Andrews, Girish S. Dhoble, Nicholas D. Grobelny, David Konetski, Joseph Kozlowski, Ricardo L. Martinez, Charles D. Robison
  • Patent number: 11495121
    Abstract: Systems and methods that may be implemented to employ a programmable integrated circuit within a smart battery pack to detect and/or log occurrence of chassis intrusion and/or tampering events in a battery-powered information handling system within which the smart battery pack is installed. A battery management unit (BMU) or other programmable integrated circuit of the installed smart battery pack may be utilized to detect occurrence of a tampering and/or intrusion event into the chassis of the host information handling system based on a current state of a system present (Sys_Pres) signal at the battery pack that indicates temporary or permanent disconnection of system motherboard circuitry from the smart battery pack of the battery-powered information handling system. Such a detected occurrence of a tampering and/or intrusion event may be reported to a remote human user of remote system and/or to a local human user of the local system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Geroncio O. Tan, Richard C. Thompson, Adolfo S. Montero
  • Patent number: 11496518
    Abstract: Various embodiments of network access control (NAC) systems and methods are provided herein to control access to a network comprising a plurality of network endpoint nodes, where each network endpoint node includes a policy information point and a policy decision point. The policy information point within each network endpoint node stores a distributed ledger including one or more client policies that must be satisfied to access the network, and a smart contract including a set of predefined rules defining network access behaviors and actions. Upon receiving a network access request from a client device outside of the network, the policy decision point within each network endpoint node executes the smart contract to determine whether the client device should be granted access, denied access or have restricted access to the network, and executes consensus algorithm to select one of the network endpoint nodes to be a policy decision point leader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Charles D. Robison, Nicholas D. Grobelny, Jason Kolodziej
  • Publication number: 20220350615
    Abstract: An information handling system is configured to support first and second boot sequences, which invokes first and second bootloaders respectively. The bootloaders may be stored in an NVMe storage boot partition. Each bootloader may be associated with a corresponding encryption key generated by a trusted platform module, which may seal the first and second keys in accordance with one or more measurements taken during the respective boot sequences. The system determines whether a boot sequence in progress comprises is to invoke the first or second bootloader. The system then unseals the appropriate encryption key to access the appropriate bootloader. The first bootloader may be a host OS bootloader and the second bootloader may be for a recovery resource invoked when the host OS fails to load. The recovery resource may enables BIOS to connect to a remote store and download an image via a HTTP mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. GROBELNY, Shun-Tang HSU, Lip Vui KAN, Sumanth VIDYAHARA
  • Publication number: 20220350717
    Abstract: Establishing a diagnostic OS for an information handling system platform performing a UEFI BIOS boot to place the platform in a pre-OS state. Upon detecting a particular POST error and/or a platform configuration policy, an embedded OS kernel may be launched into a DRTM-authenticated measured launch environment (MLE). Additional objects for the diagnostic OS may be downloaded. The additional objects may include an initial ramdisk (initrd) module and one or more applications specific to the particular diagnostic OS. The diagnostic OS may be launched as follows: for each diagnostic OS application, launching the application and extending a measurement of the application into a DRTM PCR. Launching the diagnostic OS may include launching an initrd module and extending a measurement of the initrd module into the DRTM PCR. A measurement of embedded OS kernel may be extended into the TPM and the embedded OS kernel may validate the UEFI BIOS sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Sumanth VIDYADHARA, Nicholas D. GROBELNY, Lip Vui KAN, Ricardo L. MARTINEZ
  • Patent number: 11487881
    Abstract: Systems and methods for endpoint context-driven, dynamic workspaces are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlton A. Andrews, Girish S. Dhoble, Nicholas D. Grobelny, David Konetski, Joseph Kozlowski, Ricardo L. Martinez, Charles D. Robison
  • Patent number: 11481248
    Abstract: An SMI task to be completed across multiple SMI events. An OS agent can be employed to determine a current load on a computing device. Based on the load, the OS agent can create an SMI message that specifies a maximum duration for an SMI event and that segments the SMI data for the SMI task. The OS agent can provide the SMI message to BIOS as part of requesting that the SMI task be performed. During the resulting SMI event, the BIOS can reassemble the segmented SMI data and then perform the SMI task. If this processing cannot be completed within the specified maximum duration for an SMI event, the BIOS can pause its processing and cause a subsequent SMI event to occur during which the processing can be resumed. In this way, the SMI task can be completed across multiple SMI events while ensuring that no single SMI event exceeds the specified maximum duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Balasingh P. Samuel, Richard M. Tonry, Nicholas D. Grobelny
  • Patent number: 11475126
    Abstract: Systems and methods for modernizing workspace and hardware lifecycle management in an enterprise productivity ecosystem are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: Carlton A. Andrews, Girish S. Dhoble, Nicholas D. Grobelny, David Konetski, Joseph Kozlowski, Ricardo L. Martinez, Charles D. Robison
  • Publication number: 20220278837
    Abstract: A system includes a communication channel monitor configured to calculate a hash value of a first encrypted code segment based on a measurement. A security module may derive a first encryption key using a key decryption function operation from the hash value of the first encrypted code segment. A processor decrypts the first encrypted code segment with a seed key retrieved from a storage device, and if the decryption is successful then executes the first decrypted code segment. The processor may retrieve a second one of the encrypted code segments, wherein the second encrypted code segment is a next encrypted code segment for execution after the first encrypted code segment according to a sequence of execution, decrypt the second encrypted code segment with the first encryption key, and if the decryption is successful then execute the second decrypted code segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Grobelny, Richard M. Tonry, Balasingh P. Samuel
  • Patent number: RE49226
    Abstract: An information handling system (IHS) unambiguously addresses networked devices connected by a local area network (LAN) based network interface controller (NIC) by detecting a device descriptor of LAN-based NIC, determining that the device descriptor indicates a capability for assigning a reserve media access control (MAC) address to the networked device, writing the reserve MAC address in the LAN-based NIC of the networked device, and associating the reserve MAC address with the networked device in an inventory data structure for the IHS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
    Inventors: James T. Gillon, Thomas E. Voor, Nicholas D. Grobelny, Nathan F. Martell