Patents by Inventor Scott Thomas Elliott

Scott Thomas Elliott 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: 7673134
    Abstract: A method and system for remotely storing a user's admin key to gain access to an intranet is presented. The user's admin key and intranet user identification (ID) are encrypted using an enterprise's public key, and together they are concatenated into a single backup admin file, which is stored in the user's client computer. If the user needs his admin file and is unable to access it in a backup client computer, he sends the encrypted backup admin file to a backup server and his unencrypted intranet user ID to an intranet authentication server. The backup server decrypts the user's single backup admin file to obtain the user's admin key and intranet user ID. If the unencrypted intranet user ID in the authentication server matches the decrypted intranet user ID in the backup server, then the backup server sends the backup client computer the decrypted admin key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryan Charles Catherman, David Carroll Challener, Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff
  • Patent number: 7167982
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for securing decrypted files in a shared environment. A filter driver in a kernel space may be configured to control service requests to encrypted files stored in a shared area, e.g., a shared directory on a disk unit, accessible by multiple users. The filter driver may receive a service request to open an encrypted document in the shared area issued from an authorized user. Upon receiving the encrypted data, the filter driver may decrypt the encrypted data. The filter driver may subsequently store the decrypted data in a file in a non-shared area, e.g., a non-shared directory. The non-shared area may be accessible only by the authorized user that requested access to the encrypted file. By storing the decrypted data in a file in the non-shared area, a file once decrypted may be protected in a file sharing environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Christopher Scott Long, David Rivera, James Peter Ward
  • Patent number: 7107460
    Abstract: An embedded security subsystem, and method for implementing the same, which provide secure controllability of a data security device within a data processing system. The embedded security subsystem of the present invention includes a persistent enable flag for providing control access to the data security device, wherein the persistent enable flag is accessible only in response to a power-on reset cycle of the data processing system. The persistent enable flag is read-only accessible to runtime program instructions. A pending state change flag that is write accessible by runtime program instructions is utilized for setting an intended next state of the persistent enable flag such that control access to the data security device is enabled only during a subsequent power-on reset of said data processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daryl Carvis Cromer, Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Howard Jeffrey Locker, David Rivera, Randall Scott Springfield, James Peter Ward
  • Patent number: 6959390
    Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for maintaining secure user private keys in a non-secure storage device. A master key pair is established for the system. The master key pair includes a master private key and a master public key. The master key pair is stored in a protected storage device. A unique user key pair is established for each user. The user key pair includes a user private key and a user public key. The user private key is encrypted utilizing the master public key. The encrypted user private key is stored in the non-secure storage device, wherein the encrypted user private key is secure while stored in the non-secure storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Carroll Challener, Daryl Carvis Cromer, Mark Charles Davis, Scott Thomas Elliott, Howard Jeffrey Locker, Andy Lloyd Trotter, James Peter Ward
  • Publication number: 20030159056
    Abstract: An embedded security subsystem, and method for implementing the same, which provide secure controllability of a data security device within a data processing system. The embedded security subsystem of the present invention includes a persistent enable flag for providing control access to the data security device, wherein the persistent enable flag is accessible only in response to a power-on reset cycle of the data processing system. The persistent enable flag is read-only accessible to runtime program instructions. A pending state change flag that is write accessible by runtime program instructions is utilized for setting an intended next state of the persistent enable flag such that control access to the data security device is enabled only during a subsequent power-on reset of said data processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daryl Carvis Cromer, Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Howard Jeffrey Locker, David Rivera, Randall Scott Springfield, James Peter Ward
  • Publication number: 20030138105
    Abstract: A method and system for managing cryptology keys in a TCPA subsystem such as a Trusted Platform Module (TPM). The TPM encrypts/decrypts data being communicated with a processing system. Internal to the TPM is limited memory for storing cryptology private keys used in the encryption/decryption. Under the TCPA specification, the keys are hierarchical, such that a parent key must be in the TPM to load into the TPM the requested child cryptology private key. Thus there is an expense associated with replacing an existing key. This expense is determined by the probability that the evicted key will be needed and thus re-stored in the future and the likelihood that ancestor keys will have to be loaded into the TPM in order to load the requested child key. The present invention presents a method for determining this expense, in order to determine which key should be evicted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Carroll Challener, Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, James Peter Ward
  • Publication number: 20030088748
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for exclusively binding data to a data processing system. The logical binding apparatus of the present invention includes a detachable circuit device mounted within a system planar. Data to be bound within the system planar is stored in a memory device within the detachable circuit device. A battery signal is applied from the system planar to a binding pin on the detachable circuit device, wherein the binding pin is applied to the input of a binding latch. The binding latch remains in a reset state while the battery signal is applied. Upon removal of said binding signal from the binding pin, the binding latch is set thus signaling a processing unit within the detachable circuit device to remove the data from the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Randall Scott Springfield, James Peter Ward
  • Publication number: 20030056095
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for securing decrypted files in a shared environment. A filter driver in a kernel space may be configured to control service requests to encrypted files stored in a shared area, e.g., a shared directory on a disk unit, accessible by multiple users. The filter driver may receive a service request to open an encrypted document in the shared area issued from an authorized user. Upon receiving the encrypted data, the filter driver may decrypt the encrypted data. The filter driver may subsequently store the decrypted data in a file in a non-shared area, e.g., a non-shared directory. The non-shared area may be accessible only by the authorized user that requested access to the encrypted file. By storing the decrypted data in a file in the non-shared area, a file once decrypted may be protected in a file sharing environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Christopher Scott Long, David Rivera, James Peter Ward
  • Publication number: 20030053630
    Abstract: A method and system for control of key pair usage in a computer system is disclosed. The method and system comprise creating key pair material for utilization with an embedded security chip of the computer system. The key pair material includes tag data. The method and system further includes determining whether the key pair material is bound to the embedded security chip based on the tag data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Christopher Scott Long, David Rivera, Andy Llovd Trotter, James Peter Ward
  • Publication number: 20030056109
    Abstract: A method and system for binding a device to a planar is disclosed. According to the preferred embodiment of the method and system of the present invention, a programmable memory chip is provided on the planar and the device is detachably attached to the planar. The method and system further includes using the programmable memory chip to bind the device to the planar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Elliott, James Patrick Hoff, Christopher Scott Long, James Peter Ward