Patents by Inventor Thomas Keane

Thomas Keane 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: 20260138029
    Abstract: The invention relates to determining activities to be performed by non-player characters (NPC) in an interactive experience, e.g. video game. Activities, e.g. dialogue, are generated using generative machine learning models using a received input activity from a player, an entire established context/lore within the experience, and a set of activity history within the experience, as input. The invention involves updating the entire established context/lore based on a comparison of semantic content of the entire established context and semantic content of the generated activity of the NPC. The invention involves determining subsequent activities to be performed by NPCs based on the updated entire established context/lore, thereby providing consistency within the experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Publication date: May 21, 2026
    Inventors: Benjamin Frederick Ackland, Daniel Harborne, Thomas Keane, Simon Rawles
  • Patent number: 11398953
    Abstract: Network management of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is standardized in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. An execution service remote from a cloud computing environment being managed implements workflows to manage different aspects of the cloud computing environment, including monitoring, incident management, deployment, and/or buildout. The execution service issues requests to perform management actions for network devices in the cloud computing environment. A device access service in the cloud computing environments receives the requests, and, in response to the requests, the device access service obtains access control data to access the network devices and perform the requested management actions for the network devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10924497
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for an external device. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes geolocation criteria limiting the geolocation from which JIT access can be automatically granted. The geolocation of the device is evaluated against the geolocation criteria. If the geolocation criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Veena Ramachandran, Sandeep Kalarickal, Thomas Knudson, Pavan Gopal Bandla, Chetan Shankar, Ranajoy Sanyal, Qingsu Wu, Chi Zhou, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10848522
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for an external device. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes screening criteria limiting automatic granting of JIT access to users who meet the screening criteria. Screening information for a user associated with the request is evaluated against one or more screening requirements set forth by the screening criteria. If the screening criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Veena Ramachandran, Sandeep Kalarickal, Thomas Knudson, Pavan Gopal Bandla, Chetan Shankar, Ranajoy Sanyal, Qingsu Wu, Chi Zhou, Doug Kirschner, Ryan Meyer, Thomas Keane
  • Publication number: 20200295999
    Abstract: Network management of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is standardized in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. An execution service remote from a cloud computing environment being managed implements workflows to manage different aspects of the cloud computing environment, including monitoring, incident management, deployment, and/or buildout. The execution service issues requests to perform management actions for network devices in the cloud computing environment. A device access service in the cloud computing environments receives the requests, and, in response to the requests, the device access service obtains access control data to access the network devices and perform the requested management actions for the network devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10762218
    Abstract: Network buildout of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is performed in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. A buildout service is located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments at which buildout is being performed. The buildout service implements workflows to manage different aspects of network buildout in the cloud computing environments. The buildout service does not have access to restricted data in the cloud computing environments, including access control data, such that the buildout service cannot directly interact with network devices. The buildout service issues requests for device configuration to hardware proxies in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the hardware proxies obtain access control data to access and configure the network devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Lihua Yuan, Sandeep Koushik Sheshadri, Shikhar Suri, Sharda Murthi, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10708136
    Abstract: Network management of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is standardized in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. Executions services and source of truth services are located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments being managed. The execution services implement workflows to manage different aspects of the cloud computing environments, including monitoring, incident management, deployment, and buildout. The source of truth services provide network configuration information for the cloud computing environments to allow automated operation of the execution services. The execution services issue requests for management operations to device access services in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the device access services obtain access control data to access the network devices and perform the management operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10567356
    Abstract: Monitoring of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is performed in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. A monitoring service is located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments being monitored. The monitoring service does not have access to restricted data in the cloud computing environments, including access control data, such that the monitoring service cannot directly interact with network devices. The monitoring service issues requests for monitoring data to device access services in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the device access services obtain access control data to access the network devices and obtain the requested data, which is returned to the monitoring service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Lihua Yuan, Percy Fitter, Mark Hennessy, Mohammad Qudeisat, Rashid Aga, Deepal Jayasinghe, George Chen, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Publication number: 20200045083
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for an external device. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes screening criteria limiting automatic granting of JIT access to users who meet the screening criteria. Screening information for a user associated with the request is evaluated against one or more screening requirements set forth by the screening criteria. If the screening criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: RAMNATH PRASAD, PRADEEP AYYAPPAN NAIR, VEENA RAMACHANDRAN, SANDEEP KALARICKAL, THOMAS KNUDSON, PAVAN GOPAL BANDLA, CHETAN SHANKAR, RANAJOY SANYAL, QINGSU WU, CHI ZHOU, DOUG KIRSCHNER, RYAN MEYER, THOMAS KEANE
  • Publication number: 20200045056
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for an external device. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes geolocation criteria limiting the geolocation from which JIT access can be automatically granted. The geolocation of the device is evaluated against the geolocation criteria. If the geolocation criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: RAMNATH PRASAD, PRADEEP AYYAPPAN NAIR, VEENA RAMACHANDRAN, SANDEEP KALARICKAL, THOMAS KNUDSON, PAVAN GOPAL BANDLA, CHETAN SHANKAR, RANAJOY SANYAL, QINGSU WU, CHI ZHOU, THOMAS KEANE
  • Patent number: 10484430
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for DevOps personnel who do not have persistent access to restricted data or the ability to modify the cloud computing environment to gain access to restricted data. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a DevOps device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes screening criteria limiting automatic granting of JIT access to DevOps personnel who meeting the screening criteria. Screening information for the DevOps personnel is evaluated against one or more screening requirements set forth by the screening criteria. If the screening criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the DevOps device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Veena Ramachandran, Sandeep Kalarickal, Thomas Knudson, Pavan Gopal Bandla, Chetan Shankar, Ranajoy Sanyal, Qingsu Wu, Chi Zhou, Doug Kirschner, Ryan Meyer, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10476886
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for DevOps personnel who do not have persistent access to restricted data or the ability to modify the cloud computing environment to gain access to restricted data. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a DevOps device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes geolocation criteria limiting the geolocation from which JIT access can be automatically granted. The geolocation of the DevOps device is evaluated against the geolocation criteria. If the geolocation criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the DevOps device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Veena Ramachandran, Sandeep Kalarickal, Thomas Knudson, Pavan Gopal Bandla, Chetan Shankar, Ranajoy Sanyal, Qingsu Wu, Chi Zhou, Thomas Keane
  • Publication number: 20180367407
    Abstract: Network management of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is standardized in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. Executions services and source of truth services are located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments being managed. The execution services implement workflows to manage different aspects of the cloud computing environments, including monitoring, incident management, deployment, and buildout. The source of truth services provide network configuration information for the cloud computing environments to allow automated operation of the execution services. The execution services issue requests for management operations to device access services in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the device access services obtain access control data to access the network devices and perform the management operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Publication number: 20180367515
    Abstract: Monitoring of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is performed in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. A monitoring service is located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments being monitored. The monitoring service does not have access to restricted data in the cloud computing environments, including access control data, such that the monitoring service cannot directly interact with network devices. The monitoring service issues requests for monitoring data to device access services in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the device access services obtain access control data to access the network devices and obtain the requested data, which is returned to the monitoring service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Lihua Yuan, Percy Fitter, Mark Hennessy, Mohammad Qudeisat, Rashid Aga, Deepal Jayasinghe, George Chen, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Publication number: 20180365435
    Abstract: Network buildout of cloud computing environments subject to different data control policies is performed in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. A buildout service is located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments at which buildout is being performed. The buildout service implements workflows to manage different aspects of network buildout in the cloud computing environments. The buildout service does not have access to restricted data in the cloud computing environments, including access control data, such that the buildout service cannot directly interact with network devices. The buildout service issues requests for device configuration to hardware proxies in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the hardware proxies obtain access control data to access and configure the network devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Lihua Yuan, Sandeep Koushik Sheshadri, Shikhar Suri, Sharda Murthi, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Publication number: 20180364996
    Abstract: Software deployment to network devices in cloud computing environments subject to data control policies is provided in a manner that ensures compliance with the data control policies. A deployment service is located in a remote cloud computing environment separate from the cloud computing environments to which software is being deployed. The deployment service does not have access to restricted data in the cloud computing environments, including access control data, such that the deployment service cannot directly interact with network devices. The deployment service issues deployment requests to hardware proxies in the cloud computing environments. In response to the requests, the hardware proxies obtain access control data to access the network devices and issue commands to install the software on the network devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Parvez Anandam, Ramnath Prasad, Pradeep Ayyappan Nair, Lihua Yuan, Yun Wu, George Chen, Jie Mao, David Maltz, Albert Greenberg, Thomas Keane
  • Patent number: 10002336
    Abstract: A change management system may use a phased status indicator that may illustrate several phases of a change request and a current status for each phase of a change management lifecycle. Additionally, a group of change requests may be displayed in a linked manner showing various relationships between change requests. The status indicator and linked display may be used together or separately to illustrate the status of various change requests and within interactive displays of change request data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Keane, Marisol Ontaneda, Thomas N. Martino, Nigel Graham Cain
  • Publication number: 20170244723
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for DevOps personnel who do not have persistent access to restricted data or the ability to modify the cloud computing environment to gain access to restricted data. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a DevOps device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes geolocation criteria limiting the geolocation from which JIT access can be automatically granted. The geolocation of the DevOps device is evaluated against the geolocation criteria. If the geolocation criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the DevOps device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: RAMNATH PRASAD, PRADEEP AYYAPPAN NAIR, VEENA RAMACHANDRAN, SANDEEP KALARICKAL, THOMAS KNUDSON, PAVAN GOPAL BANDLA, CHETAN SHANKAR, RANAJOY SANYAL, QINGSU WU, CHI ZHOU, THOMAS KEANE
  • Publication number: 20170244760
    Abstract: A JIT service in a cloud computing environment manages just-in-time access to resources in the cloud computing environment for DevOps personnel who do not have persistent access to restricted data or the ability to modify the cloud computing environment to gain access to restricted data. When JIT access to a resource is requested by a DevOps device, the JIT service retrieves a JIT policy for the resource that includes screening criteria limiting automatic granting of JIT access to DevOps personnel who meeting the screening criteria. Screening information for the DevOps personnel is evaluated against one or more screening requirements set forth by the screening criteria. If the screening criteria and any other criteria of the JIT policy are satisfied, the JIT service provisions JIT access to the resource for the DevOps device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: RAMNATH PRASAD, PRADEEP AYYAPPAN NAIR, VEENA RAMACHANDRAN, SANDEEP KALARICKAL, THOMAS KNUDSON, PAVAN GOPAL BANDLA, CHETAN SHANKAR, RANAJOY SANYAL, QINGSU WU, CHI ZHOU, DOUG KIRSCHNER, RYAN MEYER, THOMAS KEANE
  • Publication number: 20140019192
    Abstract: A change management system may use a phased status indicator that may illustrate several phases of a change request and a current status for each phase of a change management lifecycle. Additionally, a group of change requests may be displayed in a linked manner showing various relationships between change requests. The status indicator and linked display may be used together or separately to illustrate the status of various change requests and within interactive displays of change request data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Keane, Marisol Ontaneda, Thomas N. Martino, Nigel Graham Cain