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).

  • Patent number: 10419413
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Publication number: 20180302388
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Patent number: 9935933
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Publication number: 20160330187
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Patent number: 9397997
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Patent number: 9172544
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Roy L. Jackson, Timothy David Rian, Justin Brandon Chong
  • Patent number: 9130853
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Publication number: 20150143500
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Patent number: 8994545
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Karaffa, Johnny Stephen Downor, Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8973124
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Brandon Chong, David Richard Socky, Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, William Robert Pettigrew, Robert James Boring
  • Patent number: 8959362
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Justin Brandon Chong, Manas Ranjan Sahoo
  • Patent number: 8868732
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8769072
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8762528
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8745281
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alexander Petzen, Andre Steven DeMaurice, Dana Robert Kreft, William Kennedy Galt, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8713166
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven William Smith, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Patent number: 8707032
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Socky, Robert James Boring, Roy Leguire Jackson, Timothy David Rian, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Publication number: 20140101439
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Roy L. Jackson, Timothy David Rian, Justin Brandon Chong
  • Patent number: 8631174
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Justin Brandon Chong
  • Publication number: 20130290729
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Justin Brandon Chong, Manas Ranjan Sahoo