Patents by Inventor Walter A. Gaspard

Walter A. Gaspard 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: 9858086
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to loading boot data. In an embodiment, a device loads boot data from a first portion of a first non-volatile memory to complete a first booting of the device. The first portion of the first non-volatile memory is then released to allow the device to overwrite the first portion. Next, the boot data is written to the first non-volatile memory before the device enters a reduced power state. The written boot data is to be loaded from the first non-volatile memory to complete a second booting of the device, if the second booting is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John J Briden, Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A Gaspard
  • Patent number: 9697115
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to segmenting and pinning a first non-volatile memory to store cache information. In an embodiment, the first non-volatile memory is divided into a plurality of segments. Then, a first type of software of a plurality of types of software is pinned to a first segment of the plurality of segments. The first pinned segment stores the cache information associated with the first type of software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A Gaspard, Chi W So
  • Patent number: 9535835
    Abstract: A method for managing a storage device including determining whether the storage device includes a non-volatile cache, scanning for a clear cache instruction received from a computing machine, and clearing the non-volatile cache on the storage device in response to authenticating the clear cache instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard E. Russo, Walter A. Gaspard, Walter W. Bellamy
  • Patent number: 8972679
    Abstract: A method for managing a storage device including identifying a lock timing for the storage device when coupling to a device, transitioning the storage device into a locked state in response to detecting the storage device decoupling from the device, and configuring the storage device to remain in the locked state if the storage device is re-coupled to the device after the lock timing has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard E Russo, Valiuddin Y Ali, Walter A Gaspard, Christoph J Graham
  • Publication number: 20140325133
    Abstract: Examples disclose determining an amount of memory for execution of an application, associated with a user preference, based on an inspection of data associated with the application. Further the example discloses transmitting a request to a non-volatile memory to allocate a segment corresponding to the amount of memory for execution of the application. Additionally, the example also discloses receiving a response of the amount of memory available for the segment and reserving a portion of the segment for the execution of the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Walter A. Gaspard, Fred Charles Thomas, III, Chi W. So, Christoph J. Graham
  • Publication number: 20140297937
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to segmenting and pinning a first non-volatile memory to store cache information. In an embodiment, the first non-volatile memory is divided into a plurality of segments. Then, a first type of software of a plurality of types of software is pinned to a first segment of the plurality of segments. The first pinned segment stores the cache information associated with the first type of software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A. Gaspard, Chi W. So
  • Publication number: 20140250295
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to loading boot data. In an embodiment, a device loads boot data from a first portion of a first non-volatile memory to complete a first booting of the device. The first portion of the first non-volatile memory is then released to allow the device to overwrite the first portion. Next, the boot data is written to the first non-volatile memory before the device enters a reduced power state. The written boot data is to be loaded from the first non-volatile memory to complete a second booting of the device, if the second booting is initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: John J Briden, Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A. Gaspard
  • Patent number: 8762637
    Abstract: According to an example, a data storage apparatus may include a non-volatile primary storage medium, a coupling interface to removably receive a non-volatile solid state device, a communication line connected to the non-volatile primary storage medium and the coupling interface, and a storage controller connected to the communication line. The storage controller may determine a memory type of the non-volatile solid state device, cache a first type of data in the non-volatile solid state device in response to a determination that the non-volatile to solid state device is of a first memory type, and cache a second type of data in the non-volatile solid state device in response to a determination that the non-volatile solid state device is of a second memory type, in which the second type of data differs from the first type of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred Thomas, Walter A. Gaspard
  • Publication number: 20130332663
    Abstract: According to an example, a data storage apparatus may include a non-volatile primary storage medium, a coupling interface to removably receive a non-volatile solid state device, a communication line connected to the non-volatile primary storage medium and the coupling interface, and a storage controller connected to the communication line. The storage controller may determine a memory type of the non-volatile solid state device, cache a first type of data in the non-volatile solid state device in response to a determination that the non-volatile to solid state device is of a first memory type, and cache a second type of data in the non-volatile solid state device in response to a determination that the non-volatile solid state device is of a second memory type, in which the second type of data differs from the first type of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A. Gaspard
  • Patent number: 8527692
    Abstract: A data storage apparatus includes a non-volatile hard disk drive platter, a coupling interface for removably receiving a non-volatile solid state device operable as a cache. The data storage apparatus also includes a communication line functionally connected to the hard disk drive platter and the coupling interface and a storage controller are connected to the communication line to control operations of the hard disk drive platter and the solid state device, in which the storage controller is to determine whether the solid state device is coupled to the coupling interface and to modify operations of the hard disk drive platter based upon whether the solid state device is coupled to the coupling interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A. Gaspard
  • Patent number: 8495757
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for placing an electronic apparatus into a protected state in response to environmental data. The method discloses: receiving a set of environmental data applicable to an electronic apparatus; generating an environmental status applicable to the electronic apparatus based-on the environmental data; and placing the electronic apparatus into a protected state based-on the environmental status. The system discloses an environment characterization module which receives a set of environmental data applicable to an electronic apparatus, and generates an environmental status applicable to the electronic apparatus based-on the environmental data; and an apparatus protection module which places the electronic apparatus into a protected state based-on the environmental status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard E. Russo, Walter A. Gaspard, Jeff W. Wolford, Richard J. Tomaszewski, Robert C. Elliott
  • Patent number: 8464041
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to storage devices, computing devices, and machine-readable storage media that optimize storage device operating parameters for desktop and notebook computing devices. Example embodiments allow for optimization of operating parameters of a storage device for one of a desktop computing device and a notebook computing devices based on provision of a command to the storage device. In example embodiments, upon receipt of such a command, the storage device may reconfigure its operating parameters to be optimized for the particular type of system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Walter A. Gaspard, Scotty M. Wiginton
  • Publication number: 20130067149
    Abstract: A method for managing a storage device including determining whether the storage device includes a non-volatile cache, scanning for a clear cache instruction received from a computing machine, and clearing the non-volatile cache on the storage device in response to authenticating the clear cache instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard E. Russo, Walter A. Gaspard, Walter W. Bellamy
  • Publication number: 20130054872
    Abstract: A data storage apparatus includes a non-volatile hard disk drive platter, a coupling interface for removably receiving a non-volatile solid state device operable as a cache. The data storage apparatus also includes a communication line functionally connected to the hard disk drive platter and the coupling interface and a storage controller are connected to the communication line to control operations of the hard disk drive platter and the solid state device, in which the storage controller is to determine whether the solid state device is coupled to the coupling interface and to modify operations of the hard disk drive platter based upon whether the solid state device is coupled to the coupling interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Fred Charles Thomas, III, Walter A. Gaspard
  • Publication number: 20130024638
    Abstract: A method for managing a storage device including identifying a lock timing for the storage device when coupling to a device, transitioning the storage device into a locked state in response to detecting the storage device decoupling from the device, and configuring the storage device to remain in the locked state if the storage device is re-coupled to the device after the lock timing has elapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard E Russo, Valiuddin Y Ali, Walter A Gaspard, Christoph J Graham
  • Patent number: 8140740
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the performance of a computer system having a solid-state (flash) memory device as the main system memory. After weeks or months of frequent use, solid-state memories can become badly fragmented, and although every memory cell has basically the same access time to retrieve or to write data from or into that cell, vendors have found that self-defragging utilities within the memory device often improves overall performance. Yet if such defragging utilities are automatically run when other applications are running simultaneously, the drain on system performance can be very detrimental. To avoid the occurrence of unwanted self-defragging of these solid-state memory devices, we inhibit under some circumstances such functionality until it is deemed safe to do so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Leonard Russo, James Kenneth Yates, Walter Gaspard
  • Publication number: 20110296153
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to storage devices, computing devices, and machine-readable storage media that optimize storage device operating parameters for desktop and notebook computing devices. Example embodiments allow for optimization of operating parameters of a storage device for one of a desktop computing device and a notebook computing devices based on provision of a command to the storage device. In example embodiments, upon receipt of such a command, the storage device may reconfigure its operating parameters to be optimized for the particular type of system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Walter A. Gaspard, Scotty M. Wiginton
  • Publication number: 20110265191
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for placing an electronic apparatus into a protected state in response to environmental data. The method discloses: receiving a set of environmental data applicable to an electronic apparatus; generating an environmental status applicable to the electronic apparatus based-on the environmental data; and placing the electronic apparatus into a protected state based-on the environmental status. The system discloses an environment characterization module which receives a set of environmental data applicable to an electronic apparatus, and generates an environmental status applicable to the electronic apparatus based-on the environmental data; and an apparatus protection module which places the electronic apparatus into a protected state based-on the environmental status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Leonard E. Russo, Walter A. Gaspard, Jeff W. Wolford, Richard J. Tomaszewski, Robert C. Elliott
  • Publication number: 20110107011
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the performance of a computer system having a solid-state (flash) memory device as the main system memory. After weeks or months of frequent use, solid-state memories can become badly fragmented, and although every memory cell has basically the same access time to retrieve or to write data from or into that cell, vendors have found that self-defragging utilities within the memory device often improves overall performance. Yet if such defragging utilities are automatically run when other applications are running simultaneously, the drain on system performance can be very detrimental. To avoid the occurrence of unwanted self-defragging of these solid-state memory devices, we inhibit under some circumstances such functionality until it is deemed safe to do so.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Leonard RUSSO, James Kenneth Yates, Walter Gaspard
  • Publication number: 20110022793
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for accessing hard disk drives. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer system comprises a hard disk drive (HDD), an operating system, and a translation element. The operating system is configured to transmit an HDD access command, which has a sector count indicating a first number of hard drive sectors to be accessed in response to the HDD access command. The translation element is configured to receive the HDD access command and to translate the HDD access command into a translated access command having a new sector count indicating a second number of hard drive sectors to be accessed in response to the translated access command. The second number is different than the first number, and the translation element is configured to transmit the translated access command to the hard disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventor: Walter A. Gaspard