Patents by Inventor THOMAS FRANKLIN SHIRLEY, JR.

THOMAS FRANKLIN SHIRLEY, JR. 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: 9094402
    Abstract: A method begins by a processing module obtaining a set of recovered random numbers, decoding encrypted share slices to produce a set of encrypted shares, and obtaining a set of personalized authenticating values regarding user access to data. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of hidden passwords based on the set of personalized authenticating values, generating a set of blinded passwords based on the set of hidden passwords and a set of blinded random numbers, and generating a set of passkeys based on the set of blinded passwords and the set of recovered random numbers. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of decryption keys based on the set of blinded random numbers and the set of passkeys, decrypting the set of encrypted shares to produce a set of shares, and decoding the set of shares to reproduce the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube, S. Christopher Gladwin, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr., Timothy W. Markison
  • Publication number: 20150178160
    Abstract: A method begins with a computing device dividing data into data partitions. For a data partition of the data partitions, the method continues with the computing device associating indexing information with the data partition. The method continues with the computing device segmenting the data partition into a plurality of data segments. The method continues with the computing device dispersed storage error encoding the plurality of data segments to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the computing device grouping encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to produce a set of groupings of encoded data slices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Leggette, Andrew Baptist, Greg Dhuse, Jason K. Resch, Ilya Volvovski, Manish Motwani, S. Christopher Gladwin, Gary W. Grube, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Timothy W. Markison
  • Patent number: 9015556
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module determining whether at least a portion of temporarily stored data is to be stored long-term, wherein the temporarily stored data is stored in a set of distributed storage and task (DST) units in accordance with a computational-orientated dispersed storage error coding function. When the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data is to be stored long-term, the method continues with the DS processing module identifying one or more DST storing the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, recovering the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data, dispersed storage error encoding the at least a portion of the temporarily stored data in a pre-dispersed storage error encoded format into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, and storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the set of DST units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Leggette, Andrew Baptist, Greg Dhuse, Jason K. Resch, Ilya Volvovski, Manish Motwani, S. Christopher Gladwin, Gary W. Grube, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8984371
    Abstract: A method begins, as data objects are ingested, by determining, for each of some of the data objects, a priority indicator to produce a listing of priority indicators. The method continues for a data object by determining encoding parameters based on a corresponding priority indicator. The method continues by encoding the data object in accordance with the encoding parameters to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices and storing them. The method continues by identifying a first data object for analysis based on a corresponding priority indicator and an analysis priority. The method continues by decoding a plurality of sets of encoded data slices to recover the first data object and analyzing it in accordance with analysis criteria to determine its relevancy. The method continues by issuing a command to delete the plurality of sets of encoded data slices when the relevancy is below a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr., Jason K. Resch
  • Publication number: 20150067101
    Abstract: A dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit receives a data access request. An estimated end of life is determined for a plurality of DST execution units. A subset of the plurality of DST execution units is selected, based on a threshold number associated with the data access request and further based on the estimated end of life for the subset of the plurality of DST execution units. The data access request is executed via the subset of the plurality of DST execution units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., S. Christopher Gladwin
  • Patent number: 8935761
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving data objects from a plurality of authorized users and determining a system level storage efficiency preference for a data object. The method continues with the DS processing module selecting a set of storage nodes of an on-line media storage system based on the system level storage efficiency preference and determining dispersed storage error encoding parameters. The method continues with the DS processing module encoding the data object in accordance with the dispersed storage error encoding parameters to produce encoded data slices and generating system addressing information. The method continues with the DS processing module storing the encoded data slices in the set of storage nodes using the system addressing information and updating a user profile for the authorized user to include the system addressing information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Timothy W. Markison, Greg Dhuse, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr., Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube
  • Publication number: 20140359348
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) monitoring network traffic within the DSN. When the network traffic compares unfavorably to a desired network traffic function, the method continues with the DS processing module reducing a portion of the network traffic due to rebuilding flagged encoded data slices by at least one of changing rebuilding criteria for the flagged encoded data slices and changing rebuilding network traffic protocols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Ilya Volvovski, S. Christopher Gladwin, Gary W. Grube, Timothy W. Markison, Jason K. Resch, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Greg Dhuse, Manish Motwani, Andrew Baptist, Wesley Leggette
  • Publication number: 20140351659
    Abstract: In response to a write operation for a set of encoded data slices, a method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module determining whether to use a performance threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices. When the performance threshold number of encoded data slices is to be used, the method continues with the DS processing module determining the performance threshold number of encoded data slices and sending a performance threshold number of initial phase write requests to storage units. When a write threshold number of write responses are received, the method continues with the DS processing module sending a number of next phase write requests to the storage units, where the number of next phase write requests is equal to or greater than the write threshold number and is less than or equal to the performance threshold number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Greg Dhuse, Jason K. Resch, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR.
  • Patent number: 8898542
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving a partial task regarding an encoded data block grouping. The method continues with the DS processing module performing the partial task on the encoded data block grouping to produce a partial task result and determining subsequent treatment of the partial task result. When the subsequent treatment includes storage of the partial task result, the method continues with the DS processing module determining a manner in which the partial task result is to be stored. When the manner in which the partial task result is to be stored is dispersed storage, the method continues with the DS processing module dispersed storage error encoding the partial task result to produce one or more sets of encoded partial task result blocks and outputting the one or more sets of encoded partial task result blocks to a set of DST execution units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley Leggette, Andrew Baptist, Greg Dhuse, Jason K. Resch, Ilya Volvovski, Manish Motwani, S. Christopher Gladwin, Gary W. Grube, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140298138
    Abstract: A method begins, as data objects are ingested, by determining, for each of some of the data objects, a priority indicator to produce a listing of priority indicators. The method continues for a data object by determining encoding parameters based on a corresponding priority indicator. The method continues by encoding the data object in accordance with the encoding parameters to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices and storing them. The method continues by identifying a first data object for analysis based on a corresponding priority indicator and an analysis priority. The method continues by decoding a plurality of sets of encoded data slices to recover the first data object and analyzing it in accordance with analysis criteria to determine its relevancy. The method continues by issuing a command to delete the plurality of sets of encoded data slices when the relevancy is below a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Jason K. Resch
  • Publication number: 20140297776
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving data for storage and generating a dispersed storage network (DSN) source name for the data. The method continues with the DS processing module determining whether substantially identical data to the data has been previously stored in memory of the DSN. When the substantially identical data has been previously stored in the memory of the DSN, the method continues with the DS processing module generating an object linking file that links the data to the substantially identical data, dispersed storage error encoding the object linking file to produce a set of encoded link file slices, and outputting the set of encoded link file slices for storage in the memory of the DSN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Ilya Volvovski, S. Christopher Gladwin, Gary W. Grube, Timothy W. Markison, Jason K. Resch, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr., Greg Dhuse, Manish Motwani, Andrew Baptist, Wesley Leggette
  • Publication number: 20140298061
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) receiving a plurality of data access requests regarding a plurality of data objects. As individual data access requests of the plurality of data access requests are received, the method continues with the DS processing module, for each of the individual data access requests identifying a corresponding one of a plurality of logical storage pools of the DSN and determining power based access status of the corresponding one of the plurality of logical storage pools. When the power based access status is power saving mode, the method continues with the DS processing module queuing the individual data access request. When the power based access status is not in the power saving mode, the method continues with the DS processing module executing the individual data access request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Ilya Volvovski, S. Christopher Gladwin, Gary W. Grube, Timothy W. Markison, Jason K. Resch, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Greg Dhuse, Manish Motwani, Andrew Baptist, Wesley Leggette, Kumar Abhijeet
  • Publication number: 20140115334
    Abstract: A method begins by a processing module obtaining a set of recovered random numbers, decoding encrypted share slices to produce a set of encrypted shares, and obtaining a set of personalized authenticating values regarding user access to data. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of hidden passwords based on the set of personalized authenticating values, generating a set of blinded passwords based on the set of hidden passwords and a set of blinded random numbers, and generating a set of passkeys based on the set of blinded passwords and the set of recovered random numbers. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of decryption keys based on the set of blinded random numbers and the set of passkeys, decrypting the set of encrypted shares to produce a set of shares, and decoding the set of shares to reproduce the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube, S. Christopher Gladwin, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Timothy W. Markison
  • Publication number: 20140040417
    Abstract: A processing module of a computing device alternatingly sends a stream of data to a first or second processing device. When receiving the stream of data, the first processing device performs a first portion of a dispersed storage error encoding function on the received stream of data to produce a plurality of sets of a threshold number of slices and writes the plurality of sets of the threshold number of slices into first memory of a dispersed storage network (DSN). When not receiving the stream of data, the first processing device reads the plurality of sets of the threshold number of slices from the first memory, performs a second portion of the dispersed storage error encoding function using the plurality of sets of the threshold number of slices to produce a plurality of sets of redundancy slices, and writes the plurality of sets of redundancy slices into second DSN memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Timothy W. Markison, Greg Dhuse, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube
  • Publication number: 20140040660
    Abstract: A set of storage devices coordinates selection of dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing a stream of data and coordinates selection of encoded data storage devices and redundancy encoded data storage devices of the set of storage devices. The encoded data storage devices coordinates storage of a decode threshold amount of encoded data of the stream of data in accordance with the dispersed storage error encoding parameters. The encoded data storage devices send information regarding the decode threshold amount of encoded data to the redundancy encoded data storage devices. The redundancy encoded data storage devices generates redundancy encoded data based on the information regarding the decode threshold amount of encoded data and in accordance with the dispersed storage error encoding parameters. The redundancy encoded data storage devices store the redundancy encoded data to provide error encoded reliable storage of the stream of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Timothy W. Markison, Greg Dhuse, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube
  • Patent number: 8621580
    Abstract: A method begins by a processing module obtaining a set of recovered random numbers, decoding encrypted share slices to produce a set of encrypted shares, and obtaining a set of personalized authenticating values regarding user access to data. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of hidden passwords based on the set of personalized authenticating values, generating a set of blinded passwords based on the set of hidden passwords and a set of blinded random numbers, and generating a set of passkeys based on the set of blinded passwords and the set of recovered random numbers. The method continues with the processing module generating a set of decryption keys based on the set of blinded random numbers and the set of passkeys, decrypting the set of encrypted shares to produce a set of shares, and decoding the set of shares to reproduce the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube, S. Christopher Gladwin, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr., Timothy W. Markison
  • Publication number: 20130346795
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving data from a plurality of sources and queuing the data for storage in a dispersed storage network (DSN). The method continues with the DS processing module utilizing temporary dispersed storage error encoding parameters for efficient and reliable error encoded temporary storage of the data in the DSN. For a data object of the data temporarily stored in the DSN, the method continues with the DS processing module determining non-temporary storage parameters for the data object, retrieving first encoded data slices regarding the data object from the DSN, reconstructing the data object from the first encoded data slices in accordance with the temporary dispersed storage error encoding parameters, encoding the reconstructed data object in accordance with the non-temporary storage parameters for the data object to produce second encoded data slices, and storing the second encoded data slices in the DSN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Timothy W. Markison, Greg Dhuse, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube
  • Publication number: 20130347079
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving data objects from a plurality of authorized users and determining a system level storage efficiency preference for a data object. The method continues with the DS processing module selecting a set of storage nodes of an on-line media storage system based on the system level storage efficiency preference and determining dispersed storage error encoding parameters. The method continues with the DS processing module encoding the data object in accordance with the dispersed storage error encoding parameters to produce encoded data slices and generating system addressing information. The method continues with the DS processing module storing the encoded data slices in the set of storage nodes using the system addressing information and updating a user profile for the authorized user to include the system addressing information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: S. Christopher Gladwin, Timothy W. Markison, Greg Dhuse, Thomas Franklin Shirley, JR., Wesley Leggette, Jason K. Resch, Gary W. Grube
  • Publication number: 20130046992
    Abstract: A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving a certificate signing request (CSR) from a user device. The method continues with the DS processing module generating a set of hidden passwords based on the CSR and accessing a set of authenticating units to obtain a set of passkeys. The method continues with the DS processing module retrieving a set of encrypted shares and decrypting the set of encrypted shares to produce a set of encoded shares. The method continues with the DS processing module decoding the set of encoded shares to recapture a private key and generating a user signed certificate based on the private key. The method continues with the DS processing module discarding the private key to substantially protect the private key from the user device and outputting the user signed certificate to the user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: Jason K. Resch, S. Christopher Gladwin, Andrew Baptist, Thomas Franklin Shirley, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110286595
    Abstract: A method begins by a processing module applying a share encoding function on data to produce a plurality of encoded shares and generating a plurality of random numbers. The method continues with the processing module obtaining a set of personalized authenticating values regarding user access to the data and generating a plurality of hidden passwords based on the set of personalized authenticating values. The method continues with the processing module generating an encryption key based on a corresponding one of the plurality of hidden passwords and a corresponding one of the plurality of random numbers and encrypting the encoded share utilizing the encryption key to produce an encrypted share for each encoded share of the plurality of encoded shares. The method continues with the processing module facilitating storage of the plurality of random numbers and each of the encrypted shares.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: CLEVERSAFE, INC.
    Inventors: JASON K. RESCH, GARY W. GRUBE, S. CHRISTOPHER GLADWIN, THOMAS FRANKLIN SHIRLEY, JR., TIMOTHY W. MARKISON