Patents by Inventor Robert Franklin Pryor
Robert Franklin Pryor 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: 9229933Abstract: System, method and program for managing download of a file. A current request to establish a session is received. In the session, there is a request to download the file beginning at a specified location after a start of the file. The current request does not specify a fixed length of the requested download. A length of the file to be downloaded is estimated based on prior requests to download the file beginning at other respective locations. In response to the current request, the estimated length of the file is downloaded beginning at the specified location. In response to downloading the estimated length of the file beginning at the specified location, the download of the file is suspended for a time window. If the session corresponding to the current request is not terminated within the time window, then download of the file is automatically resumed following the length in further response to the current request.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2016Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Daniel Allen Campbell, Robert Franklin Pryor, John Bradley Simmons
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Publication number: 20090089574Abstract: A system, method and program product for transferring data between a first computer and a second computer. A first request to start a session is received. An encrypted hash value in the first request is decrypted and a hash value for the information in the first request is independently determined. The independently determined hash value is compared to the decrypted hash value, and if there is match, a session with the first computer is started. Subsequently, a second request is received and the encrypted hash value in the second request is decrypted. A hash value for the information in the second request is independently determined. The independently determined hash value is compared to the decrypted hash value, and if there is match, the second computer processes a request to at least partially download or upload a file.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2008Publication date: April 2, 2009Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Robert Franklin PRYOR, Marc Lawrence STEINBRECHER
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Patent number: 7487353Abstract: A method for transferring data between a first computer and a second computer is provided. The first computer sends a request to start a session, an encrypted session ID, and an encrypted hash value to the second computer. The second computer receives the request, decrypts the encrypted hash value, independently determines a hash value and compares the independently determined value to the decrypted value. If they match, the second computer starts a session with the first computer. Subsequently, the first computer sends a request to download or upload data, an encrypted ID, an identity of the file, and an encrypted hash value to the second computer in a second connection in the session. The second computer receives the request, decrypts the encrypted hash value, independently determines a hash value and compares the independently determined value to the decrypted value. If they match, the second computer processes the request.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2004Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert Franklin Pryor, Marc Lawrence Steinbrecher
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Publication number: 20080147876Abstract: System, method and program for managing download of a file. A current request to establish a session is received. In the session, there is a request to download the file beginning at a specified location after a start of the file. The current request does not specify a fixed length of the requested download. A length of the file to be downloaded is estimated based on prior requests to download the file beginning at other respective locations. In response to the current request, the estimated length of the file is downloaded beginning at the specified location. In response to downloading the estimated length of the file beginning at the specified location, the download of the file is suspended for a time window. If the session corresponding to the current request is not terminated within the time window, then download of the file is automatically resumed following the length in further response to the current request.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2006Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Daniel Allen Campbell, Robert Franklin Pryor, John Bradley Simmons
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Patent number: 7047309Abstract: Available bandwidth utilization during transfer of large files over a TCP/IP network is improved by load balancing data streams and dynamically controlling the number of data streams utilized. A determination is made of the optimum number of data streams for a particular data file transfer in the early stage of transmission. An initial number of data streams, which is one unless otherwise specified or determined, is used to transmit one or more file segments, each on a different data stream, immediately followed by a second initial number of data streams, which is at least two greater than the initial number of data streams, is used to transmit another portion of the large data file. During each transmission, individual and aggregate transmission bandwidths are determined. Responsive to a determination that the latest aggregate transmission bandwidth is significantly different from the previous aggregate transmission bandwidth, the number of data streams is modified.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2002Date of Patent: May 16, 2006Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gerald Walter Baumann, Robert Franklin Pryor, Marc Steinbrecher
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Patent number: 6854061Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method of creating a trial software product on a target system is provided. The method consists of intercepting file system calls from an installation process associated with a full software product and, responsive to a write request from the installation process, encrypting data associated with the write request if the write request is associated with one of a predetermined set of critical product files. The predetermined set of critical product files including those product files comprising the full software product that have been identified as files to which access is to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Robert Franklin Pryor
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Patent number: 6654888Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method of creating a trial software product on a target system is provided. The method consists of intercepting file system calls from an installation process associated with a full software product and, responsive to a write request from the installation process, encrypting data associated with the write request if the write request is associated with one of a predetermined set of critical product files. The predetermined set of critical product files including those product files comprising the full software product that have been identified as files to which access is to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1999Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Robert Franklin Pryor
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Publication number: 20030088515Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method of creating a trial software product on a target system is provided. The method consists of intercepting file system calls from an installation process associated with a full software product and, responsive to a write request from the installation process, encrypting data associated with the write request if the write request is associated with one of a predetermined set of critical product files. The predetermined set of critical product files including those product files comprising the full software product that have been identified as files to which access is to be controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2002Publication date: May 8, 2003Inventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Robert Franklin Pryor
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Publication number: 20020099844Abstract: Available bandwidth utilization during transfer of large files over a TCP/IP network is improved by load balancing data streams at the initiation of a large data transfer and dynamically controlling the number of data streams utilized as conditions within the infrastructure environment change. Software code running in both the client and the server optimizes the number of data streams utilized for each data transfer. A determination is quickly made of the optimum number of data streams for a particular data file transfer in the early stage of transmission. During the first few seconds of the transfer, an initial number of data streams, which is one unless otherwise specified or determined, is used to transmit one or more file segments, each on a different data stream, immediately followed by a second initial number of data streams, which is at least two greater than the initial number of data streams, is used to transmit another portion of the large data file.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2002Publication date: July 25, 2002Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Gerald Walter Baumann, Robert Franklin Pryor, Marc Steinbrecher
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Patent number: 5757907Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for distributing a software object from a source to a user. A software object is encrypted with an encryption operation utilizing a long-lived encryption key. It is directed from the source to the user. It is loaded onto a user-controlled data processing system having a particular configuration. A numerical machine identification is derived based at least in part upon the particular data processing system configuration of the user-controlled data processing system. A temporary key is derived which is based at least in part upon the numerical machine identification and the long-lived encryption key. The long-lived key generator is provided for receiving the temporary key and producing the long-lived encryption key. The user is allowed to utilize the temporary key for a prescribed interval to generate the long-lived encryption key to access the software object.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1994Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Robert Franklin Pryor
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Patent number: 5757908Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided in a data processing system for securing access to particular files which are stored in a computer-accessible memory media. A file management program is provided as an operating system component of the data processing system. A plurality of files are stored in a computer-accessible memory media, including at least one encrypted file and at least one unencrypted file. For each encrypted file, a preselected portion of the file is recorded in memory, a decryption block is generated which includes information which can be utilized to decrypt the file, and the decryption block is incorporated in the file in lieu of the preselected portion which has been recorded in memory. Then, a file management program is utilized to monitor data processing system calls for files stored in the computer-accessible memory media. The file management program determines whether the called file has an associated decryption block.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 1996Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Hudson Wayne Philips, Robert Franklin Pryor
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Patent number: 5737416Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided in a data processing system for securing access to particular files which are stored in a computer-accessible memory media. A file management program is provided as an operating system component of the data processing system. At least one encrypted file and at least one unencrypted file are stored in the computer-accessible memory media. An unencrypted security stub is associated with each of the encrypted files. The security stub is at least partially composed of executable code. The file management program is utilized to monitor data processing calls for a called file stored in the computer-accessible memory media. The file management program determines what the called file has an associated unencrypted security stub. The called file is processed in a particular manner dependent upon whether or not the called file has an associated unencrypted security stub.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Hudson Wayne Phillips, Robert Franklin Pryor
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Patent number: 5689560Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for distributing software objects from a producer to a potential user. The software object is reversibly functionally limited, preferably through encryption, and loaded onto a computer-accessible memory media along with the file management program. The computer-accessible memory media is shipped from the producer to the potential user. The file management program is loaded into a user-controlled data processing system, and associated with the operating system for the user-controlled data processing system. The computer-accessible memory media is read with the user-controlled data processing system. The file management program is utilized to restrict access to the software object.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1994Date of Patent: November 18, 1997Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas Edward Cooper, Robert Franklin Pryor