Patents Represented by Attorney Justin M. Dillon
  • Patent number: 7984427
    Abstract: Systems and methods for software automation are provided. Software testcases are distributed across multiple data processing systems (equivalently, “machines” or “hosts”) that may collectively include multiple platforms (equivalently, “operating systems”). A testcase may be executed as one or more processes progressing through a sequence of phases, with execution within a phase being asynchronous among processes. Synchronization of the testcase processes across the data processing systems and platforms may be effected by managing an event; the testcase processes block on the event upon completion of the current testcase phase. A testcase phase execution service on each host handles synchronization events. The definition of the testcase may include metadata that identifies the particular phases in sequence, that is phase names, for the testcase; the phase names identifies the phases to the synchronization process that triggers the synchronization events which initiate each succeeding phase of the testcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey O. Fisher
  • Patent number: 7958145
    Abstract: Provided is a method for creating a unique class of Mbean in which a “parent” Mbean generates and manages multiple “child” Mbeans. When a user requests the functionality of a particular Mbean, a specific type of Mbean, or parent Mbean, is called. The parent Mbean is a factory method that, rather than executing the request, generates a child Mbean to execute the request. The child Mbean is assigned a name that distinguishes the child from other children of the same parent and the process that called the parent is provided with the name. In this manner, the calling process may use the assigned name to access the specific child Mbean for future requests and the child Mbean is employed to store client state information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: James M. McArdle
  • Patent number: 7856663
    Abstract: A method, system, and program for security screening of electronic devices by device identifier are provided. A security scanning system detects an identifier from an electronic device. The identifier may be a radio frequency identifier or other type of identifier which is preferably detectable by the security scanning system regardless of the operating status of the electronic device. The security scanning system queries a database with the identifier for information about the electronic device. Responsive to receiving the information about the electronic device from the central database, at least one real-time scanned characteristic of the electronic device is compared with this information. The information includes characteristics of the components of the electronic device and an x-ray overlay of the electronic device. If the real-time scanned characteristics and the information match, then electronic device is designated as secure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Herman Rodriguez, Newton James Smith, Jr., Clifford Jay Spinac
  • Patent number: 7853929
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a computer-implemented method, system and computer program product monitor the performance of a program component executing in a virtual machine. Breakpoints associated with position indicators within the program component are set. In response to reaching one of the breakpoints, an amount of time consumed between the breakpoint and a previous breakpoint is determined. The amount of time associated with the position indicators is accumulated. The amount of time is associated with a position indicator that is associated with the previous breakpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Fredric Klein
  • Patent number: 7818733
    Abstract: Provided is a method for managing sets of OSGi bundles in a manner that enables a developer to control the order in which bundles are activated, both within and among OSGi start levels. Also provided is a method for eliminating multiple instances of the OSGi class loaders that are typically generated for each bundle. A bundle consolidator tool is provided that combines multiple bundles in a set of bundles into a master bundle that appears to the OSGi framework to be a single bundle. An activator method enables the developer to specify the order in which individual bundles are initiated and terminated. In addition, a single class loader thread is employed to activate the individual bundles. The bundle consolidator tool also analyzes the target bundles for name space collisions and, in the event a collision is detected, the tool is programmed to modify byte codes to eliminate the collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bentley J. Hargrave, James P. Robbins
  • Patent number: 7743282
    Abstract: A diagnostic system in an aspect-oriented data processing environment is provided. The environment comprises a data processing system having an operating system for executing an application, wherein the application comprises an object class. The environment also comprises means for loading the object class at runtime and storage means for storing a diagnostic aspect. An aspect implements concerns (e.g. logging, security) that cross-cut the application. The object class of the application is loaded at runtime and the diagnostic aspect is read from the storage means. The means for loading now combines the object class with the diagnostic aspect, so that for example, diagnostics can be captured and repairs on the application can be carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian Mark Colyer
  • Patent number: 7672264
    Abstract: Provided is a method for maintaining a connection between a mobile device and a server over a wireless network in a manner that conserves the power supply of the mobile device. The claimed subject matter addresses the transmission of regular “keep-alive” packets to refresh a network address translation (NAT) server and the scanning for and connecting to faster, higher priority network connections. A configurable parameter, or power timeout, specifies an idle time. When a period of time equal to the parameter has passed with no traffic between the mobile device and the server, in either direction, periodic roaming scans and keep-alive messages are halted. As soon as traffic is resumed through the tunnel, the mobile device roams to the highest priority connection and roaming scans and keep-alive messages are resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen W. Babin
  • Patent number: 7580760
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method, apparatus and computer program for sampling a data feed of messages at regular time intervals. A current sample point is identified. A time interval is also identified which is defined by the current sample point and at least one of the previous sample point and the subsequent sample point. At least one message is selected to associate with the current sample point. The selection is made from the identified time interval. The selected message(s) is then associated with the current sample point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Allman, John Anthony Davies, Gerald Reilly, Brian John Venn, Andrew Paul Waters, Ewan Victor Withers
  • Patent number: 7574608
    Abstract: A device scanner system at a security checkpoint queries a powered on electronic device for device-reported data via a network connection. The device-reported data includes the operational status of at least one component of the electronic device, a configuration of the electronic device, and a current ownership of the electronic device. Responsive to receiving the device-reported data, the device scanner system retrieves expected data for the electronic device. The device scanner system assigns a security level to the electronic device indicating whether the device-reported data matches the expected data, such that the electronic device is screened based on data reported by the powered on electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Herman Rodriguez, Newton James Smith, Jr., Clifford Jay Spinac
  • Patent number: 7552177
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for sending a user's availability information to an instant messaging (IM) partner. A user predefines areas of the user's display and associates these predefined areas, or “hotspots”, with user defined messages. If the user is not available to immediately respond to an incoming message, the user may move the IM dialog window to a “hotspot” in the display. Depending upon the user-defined message associated with the “hotspot”, the IM application generates an automated response indicating the user's availability to respond to the message, and sends the message to the IM partner. The user also may predefine and associate the user's IM status with a “hotspot”. Moving an IM dialog window into a “hotspot” automatically changes the user's status based on the associated “hotspot”. This change is communicated to only the particular IM dialog window partner while other IM partners are unaffected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bethany Lyn Kessen, Craig M. Lawton, Jonathan Andrew Lewis, Martin Thomas Moore, Jesse B. Overby, III, Christopher Andrew Peters, Lorin Evan Ullmann
  • Patent number: 7418708
    Abstract: Thus the present invention provides a method which enables a JMS implementation to be integrated into an application server based on the JCA Architecture. In this method the JMS Connection is integrated based on one implementation of the JCA which sets transactional context for the JMS Connection to no transaction, and the JMS Session is integrated based on a second implementation of the JCA which sets the security property to no security. In the method the application is unaware that is it dealing with a JCA implementation and not directly with the JMS implementation and the JMS implementation is unaware that it is being called via the JCA and not directly from the application. The method thus provides an architecture for integration of a JMS into an application server which takes advantage of the JCA such as provision of security properties and transactional context to the JMS in a standard way, and JMS connection pooling and sharing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Currie, Vernon M. Green, Doina L. Klinger, Andrew M. Leonard
  • Patent number: 7398426
    Abstract: A diagnostic method in an aspect-oriented data processing environment is provided. The environment comprises a data processing system having an operating system for executing an application, wherein the application comprises an object class. The environment also comprises means for loading the object class at runtime and storage means for storing a diagnostic aspect. An aspect implements concerns (e.g. logging, security) that cross-cut the application. The object class of the application is loaded at runtime and the diagnostic aspect is read from the storage means. The means for loading now combines the object class with the diagnostic aspect, so that for example, diagnostics can be captured and repairs on the application can be carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Adrian Mark Colyer
  • Patent number: 7386892
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for detecting fraudulent passwords so that computer break-in attempts can be distinguished from authorized users incorrectly entering their passwords. An actual password is mapped against a computer keyboard and the resultant data is stored in memory. The profile of an entered password is compared to the stored profile. If the profile of the entered password differs significantly from the stored profile, then the login attempt is flagged as an attempted intrusion. In one embodiment of the current invention, passwords are mapped according to the distance subsequent keystrokes are from each other. Different embodiments may have different mapping schemes. For example, mapping data may correspond to statistical data that corresponds to the likelihood that a particular character is typed by mistake when another character is intended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Gilfix, Foluso Olaiya Okunseinde, Tyron Jerrod Stading
  • Patent number: 7290287
    Abstract: A method, system, and program for security screening of electronic devices by device identifier are provided. A security scanning system detects an identifier from an electronic device. The identifier may be a radio frequency identifier or other type of identifier which is preferably detectable by the security scanning system regardless of the operating status of the electronic device. The security scanning system queries a database with the identifier for information about the electronic device. Responsive to receiving the information about the electronic device from the central database, at least one real-time scanned characteristic of the electronic device is compared with this information. The information includes characteristics of the components of the electronic device and an x-ray overlay of the electronic device. If the real-time scanned characteristics and the information match, then electronic device is designated as secure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Herman Rodriguez, Newton James Smith, Jr., Clifford Jay Spinac
  • Patent number: 6831842
    Abstract: An electronic system fire containment and suppression apparatus that can include but is not limited to at least one PCB-localized fire containment and suppression structure which can include at least one printed circuit board (PCB) guide rail having at least one intumescent-paint-coated aperture. A communication device, such as a network router or switch, wherein the electronic system fire containment and suppression apparatus is deployed. A method of deploying the electronic system fire containment and suppression apparatus in a communication device. A method of manufacturing the electronic system fire containment and suppression apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Felipe D. Mendoza, Michael E. Gomez, Sheldon L. Rohde