Patents by Inventor Toby L. Nixon

Toby L. Nixon 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: 7290132
    Abstract: A trust web keying process provides secure peer networking of computing devices on an open network. A device is initially keyed at distribution to an end user or installer with a device-specific cryptographic key, and programmed to respond only to peer networking communication secured using the device's key. The device-specific key is manually entered into a keying device that transmits a re-keying command secured with the device-specific key to the device for re-keying the device with a group cryptographic key. The device then securely peer networks with other devices also keyed with the group cryptographic key, forming a trust web. Guest devices can be securely peer networked with the trust web devices via a trust web gateway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard D. Aboba, Toby L. Nixon
  • Patent number: 7082200
    Abstract: A trust web keying process provides secure peer networking of computing devices on an open network. A device is initially keyed at distribution to an end user or installer with a device-specific cryptographic key, and programmed to respond only to peer networking communication secured using the device's key. The device-specific key is manually entered into a keying device that transmits a re-keying command secured with the device-specific key to the device for re-keying the device with a group cryptographic key. The device then securely peer networks with other devices also keyed with the group cryptographic key, forming a trust web. Guest devices can be securely peer networked with the trust web devices via a trust web gateway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard D. Aboba, Toby L. Nixon
  • Publication number: 20030044020
    Abstract: A trust web keying process provides secure peer networking of computing devices on an open network. A device is initially keyed at distribution to an end user or installer with a device-specific cryptographic key, and programmed to respond only to peer networking communication secured using the device's key. The device-specific key is manually entered into a keying device that transmits a re-keying command secured with the device-specific key to the device for re-keying the device with a group cryptographic key. The device then securely peer networks with other devices also keyed with the group cryptographic key, forming a trust web. Guest devices can be securely peer networked with the trust web devices via a trust web gateway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard D. Aboba, Toby L. Nixon
  • Patent number: 5694457
    Abstract: A method for supporting uniform addressing of telephone numbers includes constructing a fully qualified number including all numbers necessary to place a telephone call regardless of where the call originates. An electronic dialing device automatically dials the fully qualified number and may also communicate with a system for electronically storing and retrieving fully qualified numbers. A call processor in the telephone system includes support for identifying and processing the fully qualified number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Toby L. Nixon, Robert M. Frankston
  • Patent number: 5475743
    Abstract: A system and method using canonical telephone numbers which allows automatic calling with any location in the world independent of the caller's location. The caller canonical telephone number and a plurality of caller prefixes are stored within the system. A telephone directory stores a plurality of callee canonical telephone numbers for locations throughout the world. The caller manually enters a callee telephone number or selects a callee telephone number from the telephone directory. The system determines if the callee telephone number is a canonical telephone number. The system expands non-canonical telephone numbers to canonical form using known telephone numbering rules for various countries. The system uses the callee canonical telephone number and the caller canonical telephone number to determine which digits of the callee canonical telephone number must be placed on the telephone line to complete the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Toby L. Nixon, Arul A. Menezes
  • Patent number: 5012489
    Abstract: A method for communicating with a plurality of hosts connected to an X.25 network and for selectably using a character as a control character or a data character. Each character received from the X.25 network is inspected to determine if it is one of a set of reserved characters. If so, the character is encoded before being sent to its final destination. Data intended for the X.25 network is inspected for the presence of a predetermined control character. If the control character is present, the next character is inspected to determine whether it is a command character or an encoded data character. If this next character is an encoded data character, it is decoded and provided to the X.25 network. If this next character is a command character, then the command is executed. The method allows the use of any character as either a command character or data character. Data transfer between the DTE and DCE is assigned a PAD and a virtual channel number which corresponds to a particular host on the X.25 network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Burton, John A. Copeland, III, John W. Jerrim, Toby L. Nixon, Martin H. Sauser, Jr., Robert E. Weatherford, Jr., Larry D. Becker, David F. Strawn