Patents by Inventor Robert P. Ryan

Robert P. Ryan 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: 20200145099
    Abstract: A Multi-Chip Module (MCM) includes a substrate and a switch controller on the substrate. An optical module on the substrate includes at least one optical crosspoint switch for selectively routing optical signals received by the optical module out of the MCM without the MCM converting the optical signals into electrical signals for processing data from the optical signals by the switch controller. According to another aspect, at least one memory on the substrate is electrically connected to the switch controller by a parallel bus. In another aspect, the MCM includes a plurality of input optical paths for receiving optical signals from outside the MCM, a plurality of output optical paths for transmitting optical signals from the MCM, and a plurality of optical crosspoint switches each connecting an input optical path to an output optical path to selectively route optical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20200097432
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to receive a voltage at a first value at a voltage reducing adaptor, ascertain a voltage supply requirement for the memory arrangement to obtain and ascertained voltage supply requirement, reduce the voltage from the first value to the ascertained voltage supply requirement within the adaptor and supply the voltage at the ascertained voltage supply requirement to the memory arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Charles Neumann, Robert P. Ryan
  • Patent number: 10560765
    Abstract: A Multi-Chip Module (MCM) includes a substrate and a switch controller on the substrate. An optical module on the substrate includes at least one optical crosspoint switch for selectively routing optical signals received by the optical module out of the MCM without the MCM buffering data from the optical signals or without converting the optical signals into electrical signals for processing data from the optical signals by the switch controller. According to another aspect, at least one memory on the substrate is connected to the switch controller by a parallel bus. In another aspect, the MCM includes a plurality of input optical paths for receiving optical signals from outside the MCM, a plurality of output optical paths for transmitting optical signals from the MCM, and a plurality of optical crosspoint switches each connecting an input optical path to an output optical path to selectively route optical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20200014667
    Abstract: A network attached storage device coupled to a local network and including a network interface configured to receive digital content from a remote content provider outside the local network. The network attached storage device includes storage having a first region accessible by a user of the local network and a secure region. The network attached storage device includes a processor coupled to the storage, the processor configured to control access to the secure region of the storage based on instructions received from a remote content provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: DEAN M. JENKINS, ROBERT P. RYAN
  • Publication number: 20190335252
    Abstract: A Multi-Chip Module (MCM) includes a substrate and a switch controller on the substrate. An optical module on the substrate includes at least one optical crosspoint switch for selectively routing optical signals received by the optical module out of the MCM without the MCM buffering data from the optical signals or without converting the optical signals into electrical signals for processing data from the optical signals by the switch controller. According to another aspect, at least one memory on the substrate is connected to the switch controller by a parallel bus. In another aspect, the MCM includes a plurality of input optical paths for receiving optical signals from outside the MCM, a plurality of output optical paths for transmitting optical signals from the MCM, and a plurality of optical crosspoint switches each connecting an input optical path to an output optical path to selectively route optical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventor: Robert P. Ryan
  • Patent number: 10447667
    Abstract: A network attached storage device coupled to a local network and including a network interface configured to receive digital content from a remote content provider outside the local network. The network attached storage device includes storage having a first region accessible by a user of the local network and a secure region. The network attached storage device includes a processor coupled to the storage, the processor configured to control access to the secure region of the storage based on instructions received from a remote content provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean M. Jenkins, Robert P. Ryan
  • Patent number: 10383257
    Abstract: A server can be used for a cold storage application. The server can include a nest for holding a high density of bare storage drives. The nest can include a plurality of drive cooling channels residing on the underside of the nest. The server can further include rear, front, and side air flow paths for natural convection cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Wojciech Szeremeta, Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20190190979
    Abstract: Embodiments of network devices for content distribution are described. In some embodiments, an edge network device integrates network coding for content distribution with erasure coding for data storage. Embodiments of methods of integrating network coding and erasure coding are also disclosed. In some embodiments, an edge network device can determine content distribution and storage for content based on one or more penalty functions that assess storage capacity, computational power, user demand, and/or network bandwidth for optimal resource usage. In some embodiments, an edge network device creates fragments of content and transmits a subset of the fragments for early distribution. In response to a user request for the content, the edge network device can transmit the remaining fragments to the user device for the user device to reconstruct the original content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Jun Xu, Robert P. Ryan, Grant C. Mackey, James N. Malina, Robin O'Neill, Nils E. Larson
  • Patent number: 10284291
    Abstract: A node includes a switch controller and an optical module configured to receive optical signals from at least one other node in a network. It is determined from an electrical signal for a first optical signal whether to process data from one or more subsequent optical signals or to route the one or more subsequent optical signals out of the of the node without processing data from the one or more subsequent optical signals. According to another aspect, a first optical signal is transmitted from a first node in a data processing system to a second node in the data processing system. Based on evaluation at the second node, it is determined whether to route one or more subsequent optical signals to a third node without processing data from the one or more subsequent optical signals at the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. Ryan
  • Patent number: 10261553
    Abstract: A Data Storage Device (DSD) enclosure includes a chassis and at least one backplane mounted in the chassis. According to one aspect, each backplane includes a row of DSD slots and a switch slot located in a middle portion of the row of DSD slots. A plurality of signal traces connect the DSD slots to the switch slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Mitcham Jenkins, Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20190104647
    Abstract: A server can be used for a cold storage application. The server can include a nest for holding a high density of bare storage drives. The nest can include a plurality of drive cooling channels residing on the underside of the nest. The server can further include rear, front, and side air flow paths for natural convection cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Inventors: Wojciech Szeremeta, Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20190004901
    Abstract: A server chassis includes a plurality of microservers with each microserver including a Micro Baseboard Management Controller (?BMC) and at least one processor for controlling operation of the microserver. A BMC communication manager of the server chassis directly communicates with each ?BMC of the plurality of micro-servers. A Chassis BMC (CBMC) connects to the BMC communication manager and communicates with the BMC communication manager via a plurality of communication protocols. The BMC communication manager translates at least one of the plurality of protocols to a different protocol for direct communication with each ?BMC. According to one aspect, a ?BMC is connected to an out-of-band port of a microserver for communicating with at least one processor of the microserver. According to another aspect, the BMC communication manager includes at least one CBMC connector for communicating with the CBMC, and a plurality of ?BMC ports for communicating directly with a respective ?BMC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Robert P. Ryan, Dean M. Jenkins, Eric Lee
  • Publication number: 20190004826
    Abstract: A Chassis Baseboard Management Controller (CBMC) includes at least one memory for storing data related to a plurality of microservers in a server chassis. A request is received from a remote device for microserver hostnames to build a locality map for a storage or processing pool in a distributed storage or processing network. A device slot number corresponding to a physical location of the microserver in the server chassis is determined for each microserver. The determined device slot number is appended to a chassis hostname to create respective microserver hostnames. According to one aspect, a microserver hostname is received from a CBMC and stored in a memory of a ?BMC of a microserver. The microserver hostname is retrieved from the memory by a processor of the microserver during a boot sequence. The retrieved microserver hostname is set as a hostname for communicating via at least one network interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Robert P. Ryan, Dean M. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 10150239
    Abstract: An extruder for a three-dimensional additive printer can be used to receive and dispense material. The extruder can include a number of different components including a nozzle with an adjustable opening configured to discharge material. The nozzle can be configured to be moved and rotated so as to align the adjustable opening with a plurality of paths along which the material is configured to be deposited for generating a three-dimensional object. The adjustable opening can comprise a first orifice and an obstruction member configured to move with respect to the first orifice. The position of the obstruction member can adjust the size of the opening area of the adjustable opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert P. Ryan, Dean Mitcham Jenkins
  • Patent number: 10150249
    Abstract: A dual head extruder for a three-dimensional additive printer can be used to receive and dispense material. The extruder can include a number of different components including two nozzles, at least one having an adjustable opening configured to discharge material. The adjustable opening can be configured to be moved and rotated so as to align the adjustable opening with a plurality of paths along which the material is configured to be deposited for generating a three-dimensional object. The adjustable opening can comprise a first orifice and an obstruction member configured to move with respect to the first orifice. The position of the obstruction member can adjust the size of the opening area of the adjustable opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robert P. Ryan, Dean Mitcham Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20180234398
    Abstract: A network attached storage device coupled to a local network and including a network interface configured to receive digital content from a remote content provider outside the local network. The network attached storage device includes storage having a first region accessible by a user of the local network and a secure region. The network attached storage device includes a processor coupled to the storage, the processor configured to control access to the secure region of the storage based on instructions received from a remote content provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: DEAN M. JENKINS, ROBERT P. RYAN
  • Patent number: 9948618
    Abstract: A network attached storage device coupled to a local network and including a network interface configured to receive digital content from a remote content provider outside the local network. The network attached storage device includes storage having a first region accessible by a user of the local network and a secure region. The network attached storage device includes a processor coupled to the storage, the processor configured to control access to the secure region of the storage based on instructions received from a remote content provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean M. Jenkins, Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20180059742
    Abstract: A Data Storage Device (DSD) enclosure includes a chassis and at least one backplane mounted in the chassis. According to one aspect, each backplane includes a row of DSD slots and a switch slot located in a middle portion of the row of DSD slots. A plurality of signal traces connect the DSD slots to the switch slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: DEAN MITCHAM JENKINS, ROBERT P. RYAN
  • Patent number: 9877415
    Abstract: A server can be used for a cold storage application. The server can include a nest for holding a high density of bare storage drives. The nest can include a plurality of drive cooling channels residing on the underside of the nest. The server can further include rear, front, and side air flow paths for natural convection cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Wojciech Szeremeta, Robert P. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20170265335
    Abstract: A server can be used for a cold storage application. The server can comprise a nest for holding a high density of bare storage drives, wherein the nest comprises a plurality of drive cooling channels residing on the underside of the nest. The server can further comprise rear, front, and side air flow paths for natural convection cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: WOJCIECH SZEREMETA, ROBERT P. RYAN