IGT Assigned Patent

International Game Technology, Reno, NE, has been assigned a patent (8,423,738) developed by Eric Taylor, Carson City, NE, Tina Leary, Reno, NE, and James Stockdale, Clio, CA, for a "serial advanced technology attachment write protection: mass storage data protection device."

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A mass storage device protection system may have a mass storage device, a processor configured to generate at least one serial write command signal to the mass storage device via a serial communication link, and a storage protector configured for communication with the processor and mass storage device, the storage protector configured to do the following: intercept the at least one serial write command signal, and determine whether the at least one serial write command signal comprises an authorized command signal or an unauthorized command signal."

The patent application was filed on Feb. 14, 2012 (13/372,924).