Patents by Inventor Ralph A. Lipe

Ralph A. Lipe 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: 5819107
    Abstract: A system for managing the assignment of device drivers to devices of a computer system. The computer system can maintain device-related information for a primary device and for devices that are "compatible" with the primary device. This device information supplies an indication of whether a device driver intended for primary use with a device is maintained by the computer system. Moreover, the device information provides an indication of whether one or more device drivers compatible with the primary device are maintained by the computer system. During assignment of device drivers to devices of the computer system, the device information is examined to determine whether the intended device driver for the primary device is available to support the operations of that device. If not, the device information is examined to determine whether a device driver for a device that is compatible with the primary device is available for supporting computer operations of the primary device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Moshe Lichtman, Mark R. Enstrom, Thomas E. Lennon, Ralph A. Lipe, Pierre-Yves Santerre, Robert T. Short, David W. Voth
  • Patent number: 5809329
    Abstract: A system for managing the configuration of devices of a computer system. Device information is obtained to uniquely identify each device and to describe the device characteristics associated with device operation. To obtain device information, a particular device is detected on a selected system bus and thereafter assigned an identification code that uniquely identifies the detected device. A system bus code, which uniquely identifies the selected system bus, is appended to the identification code, thereby forming a device identification code associated with the particular device. Logical configuration data, which supplies configuration requirements for device operation, is also obtained for the detected device. This data collection process is repeated until device information is obtained for each of the devices connected to the selected system bus. Resources are allocated to each device based on the device identification code and the logical configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Moshe Lichtman, Mark R. Enstrom, Thomas E. Lennon, Ralph A. Lipe, Pierre-Yves Santerre, Robert T. Short, David W. Voth
  • Patent number: 5793979
    Abstract: A system for allocating resources for use by devices of a computer system. A possible configuration of elements of a resource is obtained. This possible configuration defines the resource elements that are appropriate for operating the devices within the computer system. For a selected device, a determination is made whether a particular resource element is available for use by this device. If not, another possible configuration is obtained and the process begins anew. In contrast, if the particular resource element is available, then this resource element is assigned for use by the selected device. This resource allocation process continues until resource elements have been assigned to the remaining devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Moshe Lichtman, Mark R. Enstrom, Thomas E. Lennon, Ralph A. Lipe, Pierre-Yves Santerre, Robert T. Short, David W. Voth
  • Patent number: 5787246
    Abstract: A system for configuring devices of a computer system without user intervention. Device information for each of the devices is collected to uniquely identify the devices and to describe the device characteristics associated with the operation of devices with the computer. Computer resources, which support the functions of the devices within the computer, are allocated based upon the device information. This allocation process prevents a potential conflicting use of the resources by the devices. A device driver, which enables communications between the corresponding device and the computer system, is also identified for each of the devices in response to the device information. In response to the allocation of resources, the identified device drivers are loaded and the devices are activated for operation with the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Moshe Lichtman, Mark R. Enstrom, Thomas E. Lennon, Ralph A. Lipe, Pierre-Yves Santerre, Robert T. Short, David W. Voth
  • Patent number: 5758352
    Abstract: An operating system provides a common name space for both long filenames and short filenames. In this common namespace, a long filename and a short filename are provided for each file. Each file has a short filename directory entry and may have at least one long filename directory entry associated with it. The number of long filename directory entries that are associated with a file depends on the number of characters in the long filename of the file. The long filename directory entries are configured to minimize compatibility problems with existing installed program bases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron R. Reynolds, Dennis R. Adler, Ralph A. Lipe, Ray D. Pedrizetti, Jeffrey T. Parsons, Rasipuram V. Arun
  • Patent number: 5748980
    Abstract: A system for configuring a devices of a computer with minimal support by a user. Device information for the devices of the computer is collected to uniquely identify the devices and to describe the device characteristics associated with the operation of those devices with the computer. Computer resources, which support the functions of the devices within the computer, are allocated based upon this device information. This allocation process prevents a potential conflicting use of computer resources by the installed devices. A device driver, which enables communications between a corresponding device and the computer, is also identified and loaded for each of the devices in response to the allocation of computer resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph A. Lipe, Pierre-Yves Santerre
  • Patent number: 5694606
    Abstract: An interrupt handler may be run in multiple processor modes on a data processing system having a processor for executing instructions and a memory for storing information. The sharing of interrupt handler code across multiple processor modes minimizes the switching between processor modes during the handling of interrupts. The mode in which the interrupt handler executes is dictated by the current processor mode. The indicator of the current processor mode directs the interrupt handler to use information that is appropriate for the current processor mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Pletcher, Ralph A. Lipe
  • Patent number: 5692189
    Abstract: A method of individually isolating a circuit board that has been added to an expansion slot of a computer system. If a conflict exists between the circuit board and other resources of the computer system, the present invention isolates the memory resource requirements of the circuit board from the computer system. The memory resources requirements of the circuit board may be isolated from the computer system by disabling access to the memory of the computer system which is generally designated for circuit board use. Access to this memory may be disabled by disabling an address line of the expansion slot in which the circuit board has been added. In a computer system utilizing an industry standard bus system the present invention disables address A19 of the expansion slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph A. Lipe
  • Patent number: 5655148
    Abstract: A system for configuring a network adapter of a computer without user intervention. Device information for the devices of the computer, including each network adapter, is collected to uniquely identify the devices and to describe the device characteristics associated with the operation of those devices with the computer. Computer resources, which support the functions of the devices within the computer, are allocated based upon this device information. This allocation process prevents a potential conflicting use of computer resources by the installed devices. A device driver, which enables communications between a corresponding device and the computer, is also identified and loaded for each of the devices in response to the allocation of computer resources. In response to loading the driver for each network adapter, each network configuration routine or layer for a particular interface of the corresponding network adapter is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Darryl Steven Richman, Moshe Lichtman, Mark R. Enstrom, Thomas E. Lennon, Ralph A. Lipe, Pierre-Yves Santerre, Robert T. Short, David W. Voth
  • Patent number: 5640507
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for identifying ROM memories. The method first determines whether the same data is read from a predetermined unit of memory during successive reads and, if so, determines whether the read data includes more than a predetermined minimum number of different data bytes. If both tests are true, then the predetermined unit of memory is considered to be occupied by read only memory. If either test fails, then the predetermined unit of memory is considered to be unoccupied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph Lipe
  • Patent number: 5634046
    Abstract: The stack pointer register in a computer is made available for general purpose use by programs executing at lower privilege levels than interrupt handlers. A set of instructions in such programs, excluding stack operations, stores data other than the stack pointer, such as operands, and the like, in the stack pointer register. When switching execution to an interrupt handler on an interrupt, return address data for the currently executing program is pushed onto a stack at the interrupt handler's privilege level. Thus, storing other data in the stack pointer register does not result in stack corruption. Also, these instructions can store data in a scratch portion of a stack segment beyond the current stack pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Amit Chatterjee, Stuart R. Patrick, Ralph A. Lipe, David N. Weise, Raymond E. Endres
  • Patent number: 5627964
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for invoking a limited or "fail-safe" functionality from a computer system having a graphical user interface (GUI). In one aspect, a computer operating system having GUI functionality can be activated with two different sets of GUI features. Normally, the operating system provides a full complement of GUI features. Alternatively, the operating system provides a more limited set of GUI features. The operating system invokes the limited set of GUI features either in response to a user command, such as a keyboard function key pressed during the bootstrap loading sequence of the operating system, or automatically in response to a failure of an attempt by the computer system to load the normal complement of GUI functions. With the limited set of GUI features, the user of the computer can take advantage of the power of graphical user interfaces even when the computer system is not operating normally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian A. Reynolds, Pierre-Yves Santerre, Darryl S. Richman, Ralph A. Lipe, Robert M. McKaughan
  • Patent number: 5596755
    Abstract: An interrupt handler may be run in multiple processor modes on a data processing system having a processor for executing instructions and a memory for storing information. The sharing of interrupt handler code across multiple processor modes minimizes the switching between processor modes during the handling of interrupts. The mode in which the interrupt handler executes is dictated by the current processor mode. The indicator of the current processor mode directs the interrupt handler to use information that is appropriate for the current processor mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Pletcher, Ralph A. Lipe
  • Patent number: 5579517
    Abstract: An operating system provides a common name space for both long filenames and short filenames. In this common namespace, a long filename and a short filename are provided for each file. Each file has a short filename directory entry and may have at least one long filename directory entry associated with it. The number of long filename directory entries that are associated with a file depends on the number of characters in the long filename of the file. The long filename directory entries are configured to minimize compatibility problems with existing installed program bases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron R. Reynolds, Dennis R. Adler, Ralph A. Lipe, Ray D. Pedrizetti, Jeffrey T. Parsons, Rasipuram V. Arun
  • Patent number: 5548759
    Abstract: Multiple files are combined into a single file (64a) in new executable format to operate a hardware or software device, such as a peripheral device (30a), while retaining compatibility with an operating system (40). The resources portion (98) of the single file is extended to put one or more non-executable file (96) and executable file (97) in the single file. A header includes a resources table that identifies the location of the non-executable files and executable files within the resources section. The executable file is accessed and loaded by the operating system (40) after the peripheral device (30a) is connected to the computer (10), and the executable file is used to operate the peripheral device (30a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Ralph A. Lipe
  • Patent number: 5392427
    Abstract: A method and system for updating data stored on a computer storage device are provided. The data is contained in records or entries. Each record or entry has a primary pointer and an indicator. The indicator initially has each bit set to a predefined bit value. When data is to be updated (and thus, the record or entry containing the data is to be superseded), at least one bit of the indicator is changed from the predefined bit value to another bit value to point to the new record or entry and to indicate that the data in the new record or entry is an update of the data in the superseded record or entry. This method and system are especially suitable to be used in a write-once computer storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip L. Barrett, Scott D. Quinn, Ralph A. Lipe
  • Patent number: 5247658
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing files on a computer file storage device. The files are organized into an hierarchical directory structure. The directory structure comprises directory entries and file entries. The file entries and directory each contain a primary and a secondary pointer. The secondary pointer is initially set to a predefined value. When an entry is to be updated, the secondary pointer is overridden with a value that points to the superseding entry. This directory structure is especially suitable to be used in a write-once computer memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip L. Barrett, Scott D. Quinn, Ralph A. Lipe
  • Patent number: 4974159
    Abstract: An improved method and system for transferring control in a multitasking computer system is provided. In preferred embodiments for use with 80386 machines, the virtual machine monitor (VMM) writes a virtual machine break point (VMBP) instruction into the executable code of selected DOS routines to cause the DOS routines to transfer control to the VMM. By selecting systems calls of indefinite duration for the application of this method, system performance can be improved. In this preferred embodiment for 80386 machines, 8086 programs designed to run under DOS can be more efficiently executed in a multitasking environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard R. Hargrove, Phillip R. Barrett, Ralph A. Lipe, Aaron R. Reynolds, Marc D. Wilson
  • Patent number: RE35881
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing files on a computer file storage device. The files are organized into an hierarchical directory structure. The directory structure comprises directory entries and file entries. The file entries and directory each contain a primary and a secondary pointer. The secondary pointer is initially set to a predefined value. When an entry is to be updated, the secondary pointer is overridden with a value that points to the superseding entry. This directory structure is especially suitable to be used in a write-once computer memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip L. Barrett, Scott D. Quinn, Ralph A. Lipe