Thomas F Phillips

US Patent:

6775781, Aug 10, 2004

Filed:

Jul 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/620746

Inventors:

Thomas G. Phillips - Bellevue WA
Paul C. Sutton - Bellevue WA
Gang Wang - Issaquah WA

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 1130

US Classification:

713200, 713201

Abstract:

A computer such as a network appliance executes an administrative security process configured to run under an administrative privilege level. Having an administrative privilege level, the administrative security process can initiate administrative functions in an operating system function library. A user process executing under a non-administrative privilege level can initiate a particular administrative function that the process would not otherwise be able to initiate by requesting that the administrative security process initiate the function. In response to a request to initiate a particular function from a process with a non-administrative privilege level, the administrative security process determines whether the requesting process is authorized to initiate the particular administrative function based on information accessed in a data store. If the requesting process is authorized, the administrative security process initiates the particular administrative function. In this manner, the administrative security process facilitates access to specific administrative functions for a user process having a privilege level that does not permit the user process to access the administrative functions.

US Patent:

6922784, Jul 26, 2005

Filed:

Jun 21, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/872888

Inventors:

Thomas G. Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
Paul C. Sutton - Seattle WA, US
Gang Wang - Issaquah WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04L009/00

US Classification:

713200, 713201

Abstract:

In an implementation of administrative security systems and methods, access to administrative functions is controlled according to access privileges. A security process can be executed with administrative privilege to initiate an administrative function, and a user process can be executed with non-administrative privilege such that access to the administrative function is restricted. The user process can request initiation of the administrative function via the security process with parameters that include an identification of the administrative function and input arguments to the administrative function.

US Patent:

6931522, Aug 16, 2005

Filed:

Nov 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/713108

Inventors:

Kartik N. Raghavan - Seattle WA, US
Ryan W. J. Waite - Seattle WA, US
Thomas G. Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
Paul C. Sutton - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F009/455
G06F015/177

US Classification:

713 2, 714 14, 714 36

Abstract:

A method and system for booting a computer system to a known state at system start-up or in the event of an error or failure while the system is running or operating. The method and system of the invention automatically executes all the necessary procedures to boot the computer system to a known state, without any human intervention. The invention uses information about the state of the computer system during previous boot attempts to determine the logical steps performed to ensure that the system boots to a known state.

US Patent:

7421413, Sep 2, 2008

Filed:

Mar 8, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/074558

Inventors:

Alexander Frank - Bellevue WA, US
Thomas G. Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
George V. Reilly - Seattle WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/00

US Classification:

705418

Abstract:

A pay-per-use or metered-use computer uses a balance manager to monitor usage and update a value balance according to a first usage schedule when the computer is in active use. When the activity level of the computer is reduced below a threshold, the balance manager may update the value balance according to a second usage schedule. Activity level of the computer is determined by monitoring the activity level of a one or more components of the computer including input devices, communication controllers, and the processing unit. Rules can be applied to determine when to switch between usage schedules and if credits to the value balance should be made.

US Patent:

7493487, Feb 17, 2009

Filed:

Oct 15, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/966428

Inventors:

Thomas G Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
Christopher A Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
William J Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Mark A Myers - Fall City WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04L 9/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

713168, 713156, 713159, 713165, 713171, 713172, 713173, 713182, 713190, 713191, 713192, 713193, 713 2, 726 2, 726 3, 726 4, 726 5, 726 7, 726 9, 726 12, 726 19, 726 20, 709212, 709217, 709219, 709229, 380277

Abstract:

The described systems, methods and data structures are directed to a portable computing environment. A communication link is established between a portable device and a host device. The portable device is equipped with a processing unit and is configured to execute a process that is accessible by the host device. The host device includes an application configured to interact with the process on the portable device. The process on the portable device provides data to the application on the host device using the communication link. The application uses the data to provide a computing environment.

US Patent:

7519816, Apr 14, 2009

Filed:

Nov 4, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/982941

Inventors:

Thomas G Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
Christopher A Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
William J Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Mark A Myers - Fall City WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04L 9/00
G06F 11/30

US Classification:

713168, 713156, 713159, 713165, 713171, 713172, 713173, 713175, 713183, 713186, 713190, 713191, 713192, 713193, 713194, 709212, 709217, 709219, 709229, 726 2, 726 3, 726 4, 726 5, 726 7, 726 9, 726 12, 726 19, 726 20, 380277

Abstract:

The described systems, methods and data structures are directed to a portable computing environment. A communication link is established between a portable device and a host device. The portable device is equipped with a processing unit and is configured to execute a process that is accessible by the host device. The host device includes an application configured to interact with the process on the portable device. The process on the portable device provides data to the application on the host device using the communication link. The application uses the data to provide a computing environment.

US Patent:

7539863, May 26, 2009

Filed:

Nov 4, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/983050

Inventors:

Thomas G Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
Christopher A Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
William J Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Mark A Myers - Fall City WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 9/00
G06F 11/30

US Classification:

713168, 713 1, 713 2, 713156, 713159, 713165, 713171, 713172, 713173, 713182, 713183, 713186, 713190, 713191, 713192, 713193, 726 2, 726 3, 726 4, 726 5, 726 7, 726 9, 726 12, 726 19, 726 20, 380277, 709212, 709217, 709219, 709229

Abstract:

The described systems, methods and data structures are directed to a portable computing environment. A communication link is established between a portable device and a host device. The portable device is equipped with a processing unit and is configured to execute a process that is accessible by the host device. The host device includes an application configured to interact with the process on the portable device. The process on the portable device provides data to the application on the host device using the communication link. The application uses the data to provide a computing environment.

US Patent:

7540024, May 26, 2009

Filed:

Nov 3, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/982962

Inventors:

Thomas G Phillips - Bellevue WA, US
Christopher A Schoppa - Redmond WA, US
William J Westerinen - Sammamish WA, US
Mark A Myers - Fall City WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 7/04
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

726 20, 713156, 713159, 713165, 713168, 713171, 713172, 713173, 713175, 713182, 713183, 713186, 713190, 713191, 713192, 713193, 713194, 726 2, 726 3, 726 4, 726 5, 726 7, 726 9, 726 12, 726 19, 380277, 709212, 709217, 709219, 709229

Abstract:

The described systems, methods and data structures are directed to a portable computing environment. A communication link is established between a portable device and a host device. The portable device is equipped with a processing unit and is configured to execute a process that is accessible by the host device. The host device includes an application configured to interact with the process on the portable device. The process on the portable device provides data to the application on the host device using the communication link. The application uses the data to provide a computing environment.