Google Inc.

Gaurav Shah

Yoshimichi Matsuoka

Eric H C Liu

Gilbert Cabillic

Kevin D Brune

Randall Spangler

William Alexander Drewry

Sumit Gwalani

Luigi Semenzato

Ryan Tabone

Jonathan J Huang

Eric HC Liu

Methods and apparatus for verifying a boot process of a computing system are disclosed. An example computer-implemented method includes reading, by a computing system during a boot process, a header section of a read-write portion of firmware of the computing system. The example method further includes generating, using a first cryptographic hash algorithm, a message digest corresponding with the header. The example method also includes decrypting, using a first public-key, an encrypted signature corresponding with the header. The example method still further includes comparing the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding with the header. In the event the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding with the header match, the example method includes continuing the boot process. In the event the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding with the header do not match, the example method includes halting the boot process.

Firmware verified boot

A method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes sequentially buffering each row of pixel data of a first display image in a corresponding pixel row of the LCD panel. The method also includes activating a backlight of the LCD panel after the last row of pixel data of the first display image has been buffered at the last pixel row of the LCD panel but before liquid crystal settling of the last pixel row of the LCD panel has completed. The method also may include initiating sequential buffering of each row of pixel data of a second display image in a corresponding pixel row of the LCD panel prior to the liquid crystal settling of the last pixel row of the LCD panel completing, wherein activating the backlight of the LCD panel comprises activating the backlight while at least one pixel row of the LCD panel buffers a corresponding row of pixel data from the second display image and other pixel rows of the LCD panel buffer corresponding rows of pixel data from the first display image.

Near-eye liquid crystal display with overlapping liquid crystal settling and backlight activation timing scheme

The present disclosure provides modular electronic devices that are capable of managing task performance based on a particular context of computing resources currently available from the ad hoc combination of devices.

Modular electronic devices with contextual task management and performance

Systems and methods of determining network configurations for a modular computing entity are disclosed. For instance, a desired functionality to be implemented by a modular computing entity can be identified. Capacity data associated with one or more candidate network devices that are available to join a network associated with the modular computing entity is received. A network combination to implement the desired functionality can be determined based at least in part on the received capacity data. The network combination can include at least a subset of the candidate network devices.

Determining network configurations for a modular computing entity

The present disclosure provides modular electronic devices that are capable of predicting future availability of module combinations and associated computing resources and/or capable of predicting future tasks. Based on such predictions, the module or modular electronic device can choose to schedule or delay certain tasks, alter resource negotiation behavior/strategy, or select from among various different resource providers. As an example, a modular electronic device of the present disclosure can identify one or more computing tasks to be performed; predict one or more future sets of computing resources that will be respectively available to the modular electronic device at one or more future time periods; and determine a schedule for performance of the one or more computing tasks based at least in part on the prediction of the one or more future sets of computing resources that will be respectively available at the one or more future time periods.

Modular electronic devices with prediction of future tasks and capabilities

Systems and methods are provided for managing task performance for a modular electronic device. In one implementation, a modular electronic device can include one or more electronic modular components. The modular electronic device can identify a computational task associated with the modular electronic device and identify one or more computing devices that are available to perform at least a portion of the computational task. The modular electronic device can obtain one or more sets of data associated with one or more computational resources of the computing devices. The modular electronic device can determine a potential benefit to the modular electronic device associated with the performance of the computational task by the computing devices. The modular electronic device can perform at least a portion of the computational task with the computing devices based, at least in part, on the sets of data associated with the computational resources and the potential benefit.

Task management system for computer networks

Systems and methods of determining tasks to be performed by a modular entity are disclosed. For instance, data associated with one or more tasks performed by one or more first modular entities within one or more modular computing environments can be obtained. Each first modular entity includes at least one modular component. A performance score can be determined for each task performed by each first modular entity. The performance scores can provide a measure of efficiency of a performance of a task by a first modular entity. An entity profile can be determined for each first modular entity based at least in part on the determined performance scores. At least one task to be performed by at least one modular entity can be determined based at least in part on the determined entity profiles for the one or more first modular entities.

Determining tasks to be performed by a modular entity

Task management system for a modular electronic device

To provide a secure installation and execution software environment, locked version numbers are maintained. A locked version number associated with a software program may be stored. When a request is received to update the software program with an update package, a package number of the update package may be compared to the locked version number. The software program may be updated with the update package if the package number is at least as recent as the locked version number, and the updating of the software program with the update package may be restricted if the package number is earlier than the locked version number.

Secure versioning of software packages

A computer-implemented method for verifying a boot process of a computing system includes reading, by the computing system during the boot process, a header section of a read-write portion of firmware of the computing system. The method further includes generating, using a first cryptographic hash algorithm, a message digest corresponding with the header, and decrypting, using a first public-key, an encrypted signature corresponding to the header. The method further includes comparing the message digest corresponding with the header and the decrypted signature corresponding to the header. In the event the message digest corresponding to the header and the decrypted signature corresponding to the header match, the boot process is continued. In the event the message digest corresponding to the header and the decrypted signature corresponding to the header do not match, the boot process is halted.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Gaurav Shah