Patents by Inventor Vincent J. Zimmer

Vincent J. Zimmer 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: 9158362
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention involves a system and method relating to managing power utilization in systems having multiple processing elements. In at least one embodiment, the present invention is intended to control the sleeping/wakefulness of processing elements, as necessary, to maintain a preferred level of power utilization in the platform. Activity is routed to sequestered processing elements instead of sleeping processing elements to save power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Inventors: Michael A. Rothman, Vincent J. Zimmer
  • Publication number: 20150277937
    Abstract: Technologies for managing image discovery includes a server controller to cause a server to enter a pre-boot state. The server controller communicates with the server while the server maintains the pre-boot state to determine identification data of the server in response to a transitioning the server to the pre-boot state. The server controller identifies a boot image of the server based on the identification data of the server and associates the server with the identified boot image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Robert C. Swanson, Mallik Bulusu, Vincent J. Zimmer, Robert W. Cone, Robert B. Bahnsen
  • Publication number: 20150278068
    Abstract: Platform controller, computer-readable storage media, and methods associated with initialization of a computing device. In embodiments, a platform controller may comprise a boot controller and one or more non-volatile memory modules, coupled with the boot controller. In embodiments, the one or more non-volatile memory modules may have first instructions and second instructions stored thereon. The first instructions may, when executed by a processor of a computing device hosting the platform controller, cause initialization of the computing device. The second instructions, when executed by the boot controller, may cause the boot controller to monitor at least a portion of the execution of the first instructions by the computing device and may generate a trace of the monitored portion of the execution of the first instructions. In embodiments, the trace may be stored in the one or more non-volatile memory modules. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Robert C. Swanson, C. Brendan Traw, Vincent J. Zimmer, Mallik Bulusu, John R. Lindsley, Mahesh S. Natu, Dimitrios Ziakas, Robert W. Cone, Madhusudhan Rangarajan, Babak Nikjou, Kirk D. Brannock, Russell J. Wunderlich, Miles F. Schwartz, Stephen S. Pawlowski
  • Publication number: 20150281237
    Abstract: Embodiments of multinode hubs for trust operations are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a multinode hub may include a plurality of memory regions, a trapping module, and a trusted platform module (TPM) component. Each memory region may be associated with and receive trust operation data from a coherent computing node. The trapping module may generate trap notifications in response to accesses to the plurality of memory regions by the associated coherent computing nodes. The trap notifications may indicate which of the plurality of memory locations has been accessed, and the TPM component may process the trust operation data in a memory region indicated by a trap notification. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Robert C. Swanson, Daniel Nemiroff, Vincent J. Zimmer, Mallik Bulusu, John R. Lindsley, Robert W. Cone, Malay Trivedi, Piotr Kwidzinski
  • Publication number: 20150281186
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to content protection for Data as a Service (DaaS). A device may receive encrypted data from a content provider via DaaS, the encrypted data comprising at least content for presentation on the device. For example, the content provider may utilize a secure multiplex transform (SMT) module in a trusted execution environment (TEE) module to generate encoded data from the content and digital rights management (DRM) data and to generate the encrypted data from the encoded data. The device may also comprise a TEE module including a secure demultiplex transform (SDT) module to decrypt the encoded data from the encrypted data and to decode the content and DRM data from the encoded data. The SMT and SDT modules may interact via a secure communication session to validate security, distribute decryption key(s), etc. In one embodiment, a trust broker may perform TEE module validation and key distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Ned M. Smith, Nathan Heldt-Sheller, Pablo A. Michelis, Vincent J. Zimmer, Matthew D. Wood, Richard T. Beckwith, Michael A. Rothman
  • Publication number: 20150271297
    Abstract: Technologies for broadcasting management information include a management server and a number of client devices. The management server encodes management data such as a certificate revocation list into a number of message fragments using a fountain code encoding algorithm and broadcasts the message fragments continually over a network. Each client device analyzes the network during a boot process to receive the broadcast message fragments. Each client device decodes the message fragments using a fountain code decoding algorithm and determines whether the message is complete. If the message is complete, the client device parses the message to retrieve the management data and may install the management data on the client device. If the message is incomplete, the client device may store the message fragments in nonvolatile storage for processing during future boot events. The client device may perform those operations in a pre-boot firmware environment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Michael A. Rothman
  • Patent number: 9141802
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to authenticating a chain of components of boot software of a computing device. An apparatus comprises a processor circuit and storage storing an initial boot software component comprising instructions operative on the processor circuit to select a first set of boot software components of multiple sets of boot software components, each set of boot software components defines a pathway that branches from the initial boot software component and that rejoins at a latter boot software component; authenticate a first boot software component of the first set of boot software components; and execute a sequence of instructions of the first boot software component to authenticate a second boot software component of the first set of boot software components to form a chain of authentication through a first pathway defined by the first set of boot software components. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jiewen Yao, Vincent J. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9135470
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include one or more operations. One of these operations may include, in response, at least in part, to a request to store input data in storage, encrypting, based least in part upon one or more keys, the input data to generate output data to store in the storage. The one or more keys may be authorized by a remote authority. Alternatively or additionally, another of these operations may include, in response, at least in part, to a request to retrieve the input data from the storage, decrypting, based at least in part upon the at least one key, the output data. Many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Michael A. Rothman
  • Publication number: 20150244559
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable storage medium with instructions to migrate full-disk encrypted virtual storage between blade servers. A key is obtained to perform an operation on a first blade server. The key is obtained from a virtual security hardware instance and provided to the first blade server via a secure out-of-band communication channel. The key is migrated from the first blade server to a second blade server. The key is used to perform hardware encryption of data stored on the first blade server. The data are migrated to the second blade server without decrypting the data at the first blade server, and the second blade server uses the key to access the data. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: PALSAMY SAKTHIKUMAR, VINCENT J. ZIMMER
  • Publication number: 20150220742
    Abstract: Methods, systems and storage media are disclosed for enhanced system boot processing that authenticates boot code based on biometric information of the user before loading the boot code to system memory. For at least some embodiments, the biometric authentication augments authentication of boot code based on a unique platform identifier. The enhanced boot code authentication occurs before loading of the operating system, and may be performed during a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) boot sequence. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Qian Ouyang, Jian Javen Wang, Vincent J. Zimmer, Michael A. Rothman, Chao Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150220353
    Abstract: Technologies for transitioning between operating systems include a computing device having a main memory and a data storage device. The computing device executes a first operating system and monitors for an operating system toggle event. The toggle event may be a software command, a hardware buttonpress, or other user command. In response to the toggle event, the computing device copies state data of the first operating system to a reserved memory area. After copying the state data, the computing device executes a second operating system. While the second operating system is executing, the computing device copies the state data of the first operating system from the reserved memory area to the data storage device. The computing device monitors for operating system toggle events during execution of the second operating system and may similarly toggle execution back to the first operating system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Michael A. Rothman, Vincent J. Zimmer, Zijian You
  • Publication number: 20150220738
    Abstract: Technologies for improving platform initialization on a computing device include beginning initialization of a platform of the computing device using a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the computing device. A security co-processor driver module adds a security co-processor command to a command list when a security processor command is received from the BIOS module. The computing device establishes a periodic interrupt of the initialization of the platform to query the security co-processor regarding the availability of a response to a previously submitted security co-processor command, forward any responses received by the security co-processor driver module to the BIOS module, and submit the next security co-processor command in the command list to the security co-processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Guo Dong, Jiewen Yao, Vincent J. Zimmer, Michael A. Rothman
  • Patent number: 9098282
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed to manage power consumption at a graphics engine. An example method to manage power usage of a graphics engine via an application level interface includes obtaining a policy directive for the graphics engine via the application level interface, the policy directive identifying a threshold corresponding to power consumed by the graphics engine operating in a first graphics state. The example method also includes determining a power consumed by the graphics engine during operation. The example method also includes comparing the power consumed to the threshold of the policy directive, and when the threshold is met, setting the graphics engine in a second graphics state to cause the graphics engine to comply with the policy directive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kanivenahalli Govindaraju, Vincent J. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9098300
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated code (SIC) may be provided in a binary format by a processor manufacturer. This SIC may include platform independent code of the processor manufacturer. Such code may include embedded processor logic to initialize the processor and at least one link that couples the processor to a memory, and embedded memory logic to initialize the memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Bin Xing, Scott H. Robinson
  • Publication number: 20150213269
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method to establish a secure pre-boot environment in a computer system and performs at least one secure operation in the secure environment. In one embodiment, the secure operation may be storage of a secret in the secure pre-boot environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Bryant E. Bigbee, Andrew J. Fish, Mark S. Doran
  • Publication number: 20150212828
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to pre-OS (pre Operating System) image rewriting to provide cross-architecture support, security introspection, and/or performance optimization are described. In an embodiment, logic rewrites a non-native firmware interface driver into a native firmware interface driver in response to a determination that sufficient space is available in an integrity cache storage device to store the native firmware interface driver. The logic rewrites the non-native firmware interface driver into the native firmware interface driver by performing one or more of its operations during operating system runtime. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Michael A. Rothman, Robert B. Bahnsen, Robert C. Swanson
  • Patent number: 9075751
    Abstract: Generally, this disclosure provides methods and systems for secure data protection with improved read-only memory locking during system pre-boot including protection of Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) tables. The methods may include selecting a region of system memory to be protected, the selection occurring in response to a system reset state and performed by a trusted control block (TCB) comprising a trusted basic input/output system (BIOS); programming an address decoder circuit to configure the selected region as read-write; moving data to be secured to the selected region; programming the address decoder circuit to configure the selected region as read-only; and locking the read-only configuration in the address decoder circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Palsamy Sakthikumar, Vincent J. Zimmer, Robert C. Swanson, Eswaramoorthi Nallusamy
  • Publication number: 20150186322
    Abstract: A mechanism to support reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) flows in a peer monitor is disclosed. A method of the disclosure includes receiving, by a processing device, a system management interrupt (SMI) event. The method further includes invoking, in response to the SMI event, a privilege manager to execute from a read-only memory (ROM) entry point to handle the SMI event, the privilege manager comprising a hot plug service module to provide support for memory hot plug functionality and processor hot plug functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Jiewen Yao, Vincent J. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9063836
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to protect segments of memory are disclosed herein. An example method includes intercepting an interrupt request indicating an error; determining whether a first segment of memory is corrupt, the first segment of memory being designated as a protected region of memory; when the protected region of memory is corrupt, repairing the corrupted region of memory using a parity block of code; and in response to validating the protected region of memory, generating an interrupt enabling a utilization of code stored in the protected region of memory to handle the error associated with the interrupt request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert C. Swanson, Eric R. Wehage, Vincent J. Zimmer, Mallik Bulusu
  • Patent number: 9047491
    Abstract: The subject matter herein relates to data processing and, more particularly, to encryption acceleration. Various embodiments herein provide devices and systems including a standardized encryption application programming interface embedded in firmware to perform encryption services. Some such embodiments move encryption operations away from operating system processes into firmware. As a result, encryption operations are generally accelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent J. Zimmer, Michael Rothman