Patents by Inventor William Robert Pettigrew
William Robert Pettigrew 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).
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Patent number: 10419413Abstract: A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Publication number: 20180302388Abstract: A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Patent number: 9935933Abstract: A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Publication number: 20160330187Abstract: A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2016Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Patent number: 9397997Abstract: A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Patent number: 9172544Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for authentication of networked devices in which a server device may authenticate a client device and/or a client device may authenticate a server device. Authentication credentials may be exchanged by the server device and the client device to enable mutual authentication. Upon authentication of the connection between the server device and the client device, authenticated, and potentially encrypted communications, may be exchanged by the server device and the client device.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Roy L. Jackson, Timothy David Rian, Justin Brandon Chong
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Patent number: 9130853Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A Foundation Fieldbus linking device may be identified by a gateway device that includes one or more computers. An operational status for the identified linking device may be determined by the gateway device. A virtual address representative of the identified linking device may be determined by the gateway device. A message associated with operation of the identified linking device may be provided by the gateway device to an external system, and the virtual address may be utilized to represent the linking device.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2011Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
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Publication number: 20150143500Abstract: A method of securing an industrial control system includes operating the industrial control system in an open mode, wherein communications between a plurality of devices of the industrial control system are unencrypted when the industrial control system is in the open mode. The method includes exchanging security tokens between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system. The method further includes ceasing operating the industrial control system in the open mode and instead operating the industrial control system in a secure mode, wherein the communications between the plurality of devices of the industrial control system are encrypted using the security tokens when the industrial control system is operating in the secure mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2015Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Patent number: 8994545Abstract: The embodiments described herein include systems and methods for removal of alerts for a device. In one embodiment, an industrial process control system includes a controller a controller coupled to a field device. The industrial process control system further includes an alert server coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to detect, via a first protocol, removal of the field device and to communicate, in a second protocol, the removal of the field device to the alert server.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2011Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: John Michael Karaffa, Johnny Stephen Downor, Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
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Patent number: 8973124Abstract: A system includes an industrial controller having a memory and a processor configured to operate the industrial controller in an open mode, wherein the open mode is configured to enable the industrial controller to receive instructions via unauthenticated network connection or a local connection. The processor of the industrial controller is further configured to operate the industrial controller in a secure mode, wherein the secure mode is configured to enable the industrial controller to receive instructions only via an authenticated network connection.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
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Patent number: 8959362Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to control a process, and store at least one binary file, wherein the at least one binary files is generated from at least one source file, wherein the at least one source file comprises instructions configured to be executed by a processor in the controller. The controller may also be configured to retrieve a whitelist file comprising a first hash key value derived from the at least one binary file, and execute an executable file based on the whitelist file, wherein the executable file comprises the source file.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Justin Brandon Chong, Manas Ranjan Sahoo
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Patent number: 8868732Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating communication with Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A first Foundation Fieldbus linking device associated with a first Ethernet network and a second Foundation Fieldbus linking device associated with a second Ethernet network may be identified by a gateway device that includes one or more computers. At least one virtual address representative of the first linking device and the second linking device may be determined by the gateway device. Communications between the first and second linking devices and an external system may be facilitated by the gateway device, and the at least one virtual address may be utilized to represent the linking devices to the external system.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2011Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
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Patent number: 8769072Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A pair of redundant Foundation Fieldbus linking devices may be identified by a gateway device that includes one or more computers. A single virtual address representative of the pair of redundant linking devices may then be determined by the gateway device, and information associated with operation of at least one of the pair of redundant linking devices may be provided by the gateway device to an external system. During the provision of information to the external system, the virtual address may be utilized to represent the at least one linking device.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2011Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
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Patent number: 8762528Abstract: Systems and methods for write protecting Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A message output by an external system for communication to a Foundation Fieldbus linking device may be received by a gateway device. The linking device may be identified by a virtual address included in the received message. The gateway device may determine whether the message includes a command to write data to the linking device or a Foundation Fieldbus device connected to the linking device. If it is determined that the message does not include a command to write data, then the gateway device may direct communication of the message to the linking device. If, however, it is determined that the message includes a command to write data, the gateway device may generate an exception for preventing the requested write operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
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Patent number: 8745281Abstract: A device includes an interface configured to receive an indication of a second device on a network, and a processor configured to determine if the indication is one of an expected set of indications and generate a permanent node address for assignment to the second device if the indication is one of an expected set of indications. The permanent node address places the second device into an active mode as a permanent node addressed device. The processor is further configured to receive at least one device parameter from the permanent node addressed device, determine if the at least one device parameter matches an expected device parameter for the permanent node addressed device, and generate a second permanent node address for assignment to the device if the at least one device parameter matches the expected device parameter for the permanent node addressed device.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2012Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: John Alexander Petzen, Andre Steven DeMaurice, Dana Robert Kreft, William Kennedy Galt, William Robert Pettigrew
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Patent number: 8713166Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating communication with Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A plurality of Foundation Fieldbus linking devices may be identified by a gateway device that includes one or more computers. A single virtual address representative of the plurality of linking devices may be determined by the gateway device. Communications between the plurality of linking devices and an external system may the be facilitated by the gateway device, and the virtual address may be utilized to represent the plurality of linking devices to the external system.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2011Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
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Patent number: 8707032Abstract: A system includes a controller and a certificate authority. The controller is configured to control a process. The certificate authority (CA) is configured to issue and to revoke certificates, wherein the controller is configured to use the CA to mutually authenticate a user to enter into a secure mode of operation.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Richard Socky, Robert James Boring, Roy Leguire Jackson, Timothy David Rian, William Robert Pettigrew
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Publication number: 20140101439Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for authentication of networked devices in which a server device may authenticate a client device and/or a client device may authenticate a server device. Authentication credentials may be exchanged by the server device and the client device to enable mutual authentication. Upon authentication of the connection between the server device and the client device, authenticated, and potentially encrypted communications, may be exchanged by the server device and the client device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Roy L. Jackson, Timothy David Rian, Justin Brandon Chong
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Patent number: 8631174Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for facilitating communications between an external controller and Fieldbus devices are described. A primary linking device in communication with the controller and one or more Fieldbus devices may be configured to direct the communication of a timing message to the controller and determine whether a response to the timing message has been received from the controller. Based upon the determination, the primary linking device may direct a switching of communications control to a secondary linking device.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Justin Brandon Chong
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Publication number: 20130290729Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to control a process, and store at least one binary file, wherein the at least one binary files is generated from at least one source file, wherein the at least one source file comprises instructions configured to be executed by a processor in the controller. The controller may also be configured to retrieve a whitelist file comprising a first hash key value derived from the at least one binary file, and execute an executable file based on the whitelist file, wherein the executable file comprises the source file.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Justin Brandon Chong, Manas Ranjan Sahoo