Patents by Inventor Tony Dwayne Pierce

Tony Dwayne Pierce 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).

  • Always ready computing device
    Patent number: 7689842
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a simulated off condition in a computing device using a set of software drivers that interact with a system service and the device BIOS. The computing device includes system components such as a power supply, processors and fans that are put into a low power state upon receiving a signal to power off the device. This provides the appearance to users that the computing device is off. The system components, however, remain enabled to run applications when the computing device is in the simulated off condition. If necessary, the device can be returned to a fully on condition to process applications that require the system components to be brought out of the low power state to execute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Michael Anderson, William Jefferson Westerinen, Tony Dwayne Pierce, Allen Marshall, Peter Viscaraola
  • ALWAYS READY COMPUTING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20080178022
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a simulated off condition in a computing device using a set of software drivers that interact with a system service and the device BIOS. The computing device includes system components such as a power supply, processors and fans that are put into a low power state upon receiving a signal to power off the device. This provides the appearance to users that the computing device is off. The system components, however, remain enabled to run applications when the computing device is in the simulated off condition. If necessary, the device can be returned to a fully on condition to process applications that require the system components to be brought out of the low power state to execute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Michael Anderson, William Jefferson Westerinen, Tony Dwayne Pierce, Allen Marshall, Peter Viscarola
  • Methods and systems for cooperative scheduling of hardware resource elements
    Patent number: 7337442
    Abstract: Cooperatively scheduling hardware resources by providing information on shared resources within processor packages to the operating system. Logical processors may be included in packages in which some or all processor execution resources are shared among logical processors. In order to better schedule thread execution, information regarding which logical processors are sharing processor execution resources and information regarding which system resources are shared among processor packages is provided to the operating system. Extensions to the SRAT (static resource affinity table) can be used to provide this information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Son VoBa, Valerie R. See, Tony Dwayne Pierce, William J. Westerinen
  • Method of providing a simulated off condition in a computing device wherein the device is able to run applications while in an off state
    Patent number: 7321974
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a simulated off condition in a computing device using a set of software drivers that interact with a system service and the device BIOS. The computing device includes system components such as a power supply, processors and fans that are put into a low power state upon receiving a signal to power off the device. This provides the appearance to users that the computing device is off. The system components, however, remain enabled to run applications when the computing device is in the simulated off condition. If necessary, the device can be returned to a fully on condition to process applications that require the system components to be brought out of the low power state to execute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Michael Anderson, William Jefferson Westerinen, Tony Dwayne Pierce, Allen Marshall, Peter Viscarola
  • Methods and systems for cooperative scheduling of hardware resource elements
    Publication number: 20040107421
    Abstract: Cooperatively scheduling hardware resources by providing information on shared resources within processor packages to the operating system. Logical processors may be included in packages in which some or all processor execution resources are shared among logical processors. In order to better schedule thread execution, information regarding which logical processors are sharing processor execution resources and information regarding which system resources are shared among processor packages is provided to the operating system. Extensions to the SRAT (static resource affinity table) can be used to provide this information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Son VoBa, Valerie R. See, Tony Dwayne Pierce, William J. Westerinen