Mips Technologies, Inc.

Other

Teplin Application Limited Liability Company

Nosadia Pass Nv, Limited Liability Company

Schuman Assets Bros. LLC

Teplin Application Limited

Baglador S.a. LLC

Consentry Networks, Inc.

Stephen Melvin

Mario D Nemirovsky

Enrique Musoll

Nandakumar Sampath

Narendra Sankar

Adolfo M Nemirovsky

Enric Musoll

Jeffery T Huynh

Hector Urdaneta

Aldofo Nemirovsky

A method and apparatus are utilized to conveniently and swiftly render stored information inaccessible. Sensitive information is stored in an encrypted form and by eliminating the key or keys which are needed for decryption, the stored information becomes virtually destroyed. A variety of mechanisms and policies can be used to manage, set and eliminate decryption keys. In some cases decryption keys can be stored in volatile storage elements so that by merely interrupting power to the storage element, the decryption keys are eliminated. In this way, a manually controlled mechanism can be used to allow a user to accomplish a 'self-destruct' of the stored information instantly without the need for the operation of any processor and without the need to change any stored information.

Virtual self-destruction of stored information

A method for expanding input/output in an embedded system is described in which no additional strobes or enable lines are necessary from the host controller. By controlling the transitions of the signal levels in a specific way when controlling two existing data or select lines, an expansion input and/or output device can generate a strobe and/or enable signal internally. This internal strobe and/or enable signal is then used to store output data or enable input data. The host controller typically utilizes software or firmware to control the data transitions, but no additional wires are needed, and no changes are needed to existing peripheral devices. Thus, an existing system can be expanded when there are no additional control lines available and no unused states in existing signals.

Method for input output expansion in an embedded system utilizing controlled transitions of first and second signals

A method and apparatus are utilized to manage keys associated with encrypted stored information. Sensitive information is stored in an encrypted form, and by creating and deleting the keys needed to decrypt information according to a time-based policy, the convenient expiration of stored data can be realized. By periodically erasing old keys and creating new keys, information that has not been written recently becomes virtually deleted. A refresh policy can be utilized to cause information that is read to be re-encrypted using a newer key, thereby extending the time before it will become inaccessible.

Time-based key management for encrypted information

The ability to validate the identity of a specific machine connected to a computerized network is provided. This involves validating MAC addresses, or any other form of digital identification that should be uniquely associated with a computer or user. This take places through the use of an identification registrar and an identification valuator. Such an identification validation system can be used with MAC addresses and can be used in conjunction with a system that records other information necessary to associate activity on a computer network with the validated MAC address. In this way, the specific computer or user associated with network activity can be determined, and it can be guaranteed that the identification has not been tampered with.

Network adapter validation

The ability to identify a specific machine associated with activity taking place on the Internet is provided. This involves recording the association between MAC addresses, which are uniquely associated with endpoints, and local IP addresses, the recording of the association between local IP addresses and port numbers with public IP addresses and port numbers, and the recording of public IP addresses and source port numbers associated with public activity. By recording this information and correlating it, in real-time or in a post-processing step, the specific machine associated with public activity can be determined.

Endpoint activity logging

A method and apparatus are utilized to incrementally encrypt stored information, and can be applied to an existing medium storing unencrypted information. Information can be conditionally encrypted and/or decrypted as necessary and a separate storage area can be used to record whether a given block of information is stored encrypted or unencrypted. An embodiment of the present invention can be used as a retrofit device in a mechanism to encrypt information without causing undue interruption of normal operations. A variety of mechanisms and policies can also be used to manage, set and eliminate encryption keys.

Incremental encryption of stored information

A method and apparatus for remote logging of access to and activity on a computerized network is provided. Logging information is transmitted to a remote log repository and is not maintained by the local log generating machine. After the logging information is stored in the remote repository, the access to the information is controlled by a specific policy that governs the type of information and the time period during which the information is available. No access is provided to information outside the bounds of the access policy. Preferably the remote log repository is outside the jurisdiction of relevant authorities. This allows the access policy between the log generating entity and the log repository to dictate precisely the information that is under the control of the log generating entity. The use of a remote log repository and a specific access policy affords flexibility to the log generating entity in balancing its multiple responsibilities and makes responding to subpoenas cost effective and efficient.

Remote log repository with access policy

Headlamp alignment is detected using a collection of intelligent, independent sensor units, each of which incorporates a vertical array of sensing elements capable of detecting headlamp illumination. The sensor units are networked together and can be coupled to a host controller. The host controller can provide a user interface via a touch screen and a Web server, and can further communicate with a plant network for interfacing with manufacturing databases. The network of sensor units can accommodate four or more sensors, which allows multiple vehicles and multiple headlamp types to be audited without physical movement of the sensor units. The sensor units are low in power consumption and can receive power over the same cable providing network communication. Incorporation of non-volatile memory within the sensor units allows factory data to be recorded within each sensor unit and permits convenient replacement of units in the field.

Headlamp alignment detection using a network of independent sensor units

A system for managing packets incoming to a data router has a local packet memory (LPM) mapped into pre-configured memory units, to store packets for processing, an external packet memory (EPM), a first storage system to store packets in the LPM, and a second storage system to store packets in the EPM. The system is characterized in that the first storage system attempts to store all incoming packets in the LPM, and for those packets that are not compatible with the LPM, relinquishes control to the second system, which stores the LPM-incompatible packets in the EPM.

Method and apparatus for overflowing data packets to a software-controlled memory when they do not fit into a hardware-controlled memory

A logic system in a data packet processor is provided for selecting and releasing one of a plurality of contexts. The selected and released context is dedicated for enabling the processing of interrupt service routines corresponding to interrupts generated in data packet processing and pending for service. The system comprises, a first determination logic for determining control status of all of the contexts, a second determination logic for determining if a context is idle or not, a selection logic for selecting a context and a context release mechanism for releasing the selected context. Determination by the logic system that all contexts are singularly owned by an entity not responsible for packet processing and that at least one of the contexts is idle, triggers immediate selection and release of an idle one of the at least one idle contexts to an entity responsible for packet processing.

Context selection and activation mechanism for activating one of a group of inactive contexts in a processor core for servicing interrupts

A mechanism receives memory reads and writes from a packet processing engine, each memory access having an associated packet identifier or sequence number. The mechanism is placed between a processing engine and a memory system such that write data is buffered and information based upon reads and writes is recorded. Memory read data is returned speculatively since the packet processing engine is processing packets in parallel and not necessarily in sequence. Information is maintained allowing the detection of a speculative read that was incorrect (i.e. a memory conflict). When a memory conflict is detected, a restart signal is generated and the information for the associated packet identifier or sequence number is flushed.

Method and apparatus for hardware enforced virtual sequentiality

In a data-packet processor, a configurable queuing system for packet accounting during processing has a plurality of queues arranged in one or more clusters, an identification mechanism for creating a packet identifier for arriving packets, insertion logic for inserting packet identifiers into queues and for determining into which queue to insert a packet identifier, and selection logic for selecting packet identifiers from queues to initiate processing of identified packets, downloading of completed packets, or for requeuing of the selected packet identifiers.

Queueing system for processors in packet routing operations

Unique identifier validation

A multi-streaming processor has a plurality of streams for streaming one or more instruction threads, a set of functional resources for processing instructions from streams, and a lock mechanism for locking selected memory locations shared by streams of the processor, the hardware-lock mechanism operating to set a lock when an atomic memory sequence is started and to clear a lock when an atomic memory sequence is completed. In preferred embodiments the lock mechanism comprises one or more storage locations associated with each stream of the processor, each storage location enabled to store a memory address a lock bit, and a stall bit. Methods for practicing the invention using the apparatus are also taught.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Stephen Melvin