John A Rector

US Patent:

7756841, Jul 13, 2010

Filed:

Mar 22, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/087222

Inventors:

David B. Probert - Woodinville WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US
Genevieve Fernandes - Redmond WA, US
John Rector - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707690, 707701

Abstract:

A system and method for identity decisions and invalidation. Modified objects (e. g. , files, executables, etc. ) are flagged for reevaluation. Privileges associated with the object are only persisted if the modifications are determined to be authorized (e. g. , updates and patches). In one embodiment, a tagging system registers to be notified of all writes, renames, truncations, moves, deletions, or any other relevant modifications to objects. If the tagging system detects a modification operation targeting the object, it invalidates all identity decisions cached with the object. The next time the object runs, the system does not recognize the object and it is forced to reevaluate its identity. Thus, patching and other write operations are still permitted, but the system detects the changed object and reevaluates the identity.

US Patent:

7770170, Aug 3, 2010

Filed:

Jul 12, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/180338

Inventors:

John Rector - Redmond WA, US
Jonathan D. Morrison - North Bend WA, US
Neill M. Clift - Kirkland WA, US
Arun U. Kishan - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 9/46
G06F 9/45
G06F 13/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

718102, 718104, 70799908, 710200, 717100, 717158, 711145, 711149

Abstract:

A blocking local sense synchronization barrier is provided. The local sense variable is not processor private or global, but truly local to the synchronization barrier function. Safe deletion is provided by making sure the last operation a thread performs on a barrier is a write. Just before returning, threads increment a field that indicates the count of threads that have left the barrier. Blocking is supported such that threads spin for some interval, and when they decide to block, examine and set (if not already set) the indication of whether a thread is blocking that is to be examined by the last thread to arrive at the barrier to determine whether to set an event to release blocking threads.

US Patent:

7865962, Jan 4, 2011

Filed:

Aug 15, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/204978

Inventors:

John Austin Rector - Redmond WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04N 7/16

US Classification:

726 26, 726 18, 726 19, 726 20, 726 21

Abstract:

A multi-level sequence number is associated with a data provider supplying data for an object. The multi-level sequence number includes a portion that is unique to the data provider, and one or more portions that are shared by other data providers for the object. A per-object table is used to cache data supplied by each data provider for the object and the corresponding multi-level sequence number. A global table associates each data provider with the current value of its multi-level sequence number. Whenever data supplied by a data provider changes, the sequence number in the global table is updated. Cached data of the data provider is updated with current data of the data provider only if the cached value of the sequence number is found to be different from the current value of the sequence number.

US Patent:

20050091192, Apr 28, 2005

Filed:

Oct 12, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/963479

Inventors:

David Probert - Woodinville WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US
John Rector - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F007/00

US Classification:

707001000

Abstract:

Tracking creation of one or more files by an application program or operating system. A method of the invention dynamically maintains a list of files or other resources associated with a particular application program or operating system. The method maintains the list by detecting creation of a file, determining an identity for the file, identifying a list associated with the file identity, and adding the file to the list.

US Patent:

20050091214, Apr 28, 2005

Filed:

Sep 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/938094

Inventors:

David Probert - Woodinville WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US
Dragos Sambotin - Issaquah WA, US
Genevieve Fernandes - Bellevue WA, US
John Rector - Redmond WA, US
Edward Praitis - Woodinville WA, US
Valeriy Tsuryk - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Mircrosoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F007/00

US Classification:

707009000

Abstract:

Granting an executable object (e.g., an application program, thread, or process) access to a namespace object (e.g., a named object, resource, file, or folder). A request by the executable object for the namespace object is intercepted and processed to determine whether a local namespace associated with the executable object, user, or session stores a copy of the requested namespace object. If the copy exists in one of the local namespaces, the request is granted and allowed to operate on that local namespace. If the requested namespace object exists only in a global namespace, the namespace object is copied to a local namespace. The request is then granted and allowed to operate on the copy of the namespace object in the local namespace. Protecting the namespace objects stored in the global namespace from modification improves the stability of the application program and operating system.

US Patent:

20050091535, Apr 28, 2005

Filed:

Jun 15, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/868183

Inventors:

Jude Kavalam - Seattle WA, US
Timothy Noonan - Cary WA, US
Valeriy Tsuryk - Sammamish WA, US
Adam Stritzel - Redmond WA, US
David Probert - Woodinville WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US
John Rector - Redmond WA, US
Dragos Sambotin - Issaquah WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

H04L009/00

US Classification:

713201000

Abstract:

Managing the installation, execution, and removal of application programs by an operating system via an application identity associated with each application program. A method of the invention assigns the application identity to each application program and a resource identity to each resource associated with each application program. The method relates the assigned application identity and resource identity to enable manipulation of the application program and its resources.

US Patent:

20050091655, Apr 28, 2005

Filed:

Sep 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/938126

Inventors:

David Probert - Woodinville WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US
John Rector - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F009/46

US Classification:

718100000, 719328000

Abstract:

Maintaining a set of runtime objects. A method of the invention detects creation of a runtime object by an application program or operating system. The method evaluates a predicate for a set associated with the runtime object to determine membership of the runtime object in the set. Further, one or more properties of the set may be applied to the determined runtime object members of the set (e.g., to control access to a resource).

US Patent:

20050091658, Apr 28, 2005

Filed:

Jun 15, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/868182

Inventors:

Jude Kavalam - Seattle WA, US
Timothy Noonan - Cary NC, US
Valeriy Tsuryk - Sammamish WA, US
RoseMarie FitzSimons - Seattle WA, US
Jonathan Lew - Redmond WA, US
Freddie Aaron - Bothell WA, US
Edward Praitis - Woodinville WA, US
David Probert - Woodinville WA, US
Eric Li - Redmond WA, US
John Rector - Redmond WA, US
Dragos Sambotin - Issaquah WA, US
Genevieve Fernandes - Bellevue WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F007/00

US Classification:

718104000, 707001000

Abstract:

Granting an application program access to a resource as a function of a privilege associated with the application program. An embodiment of the invention employs a persistent, individual identity associated with the components of an application program or a group of application programs to allow an operating system to identify and differentiate between different application programs or groups of application programs installed on a computing system. The identity associated with each component of an application program enables the identification and removal or uninstallation of the application program. The identity also enables isolation of resources of the application program and protection of operating system resources.