Patents Represented by Attorney Kunzler Needham Massey & Thorpe
  • Patent number: 8267701
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for aligning socket housing segments for an area array device. Each socket housing segment includes at least a first surface and a second surface, with the second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of each socket housing segment provides electrical connections for a portion of the area array device. Socket contact pads are disposed on the first surfaces of the plurality of socket housing segments. The socket contact pads correspond to substrate contact pads disposed on a substrate. One or more alignment structures are disposed at a space between the socket housing segments. Each alignment structure is coupled to at least two of the socket housing segments. The one or more alignment structures maintain a predetermined alignment of each socket housing segment so that the socket contact pads align with the substrate contact pads during a surface mount connection process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian S. Beaman, William L. Brodsky, John L. Colbert, Mark K. Hoffmeyer, Yuet-Ying Yu
  • Patent number: 8271951
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for collecting software development feedback. In one embodiment, the method includes collecting a user feedback message associated with a software object. The software object may define a portion of an application user interface. The method may also include categorizing the user feedback message according to a feedback categorization criterion. Additionally, the method may include displaying the user feedback message in a display arranged by a category identified by the categorization criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas S. Brugler, Mark E. Molander, Kerry A. Ortega
  • Patent number: 8271744
    Abstract: A device, method, and system for switching library managers of a data library while maintaining data library storage devices online. A library manager accepts and executes data transaction commands for access to data residing on the storage devices of the data library. A transition manager module receives a directive to transition library management functions from a first library manager to a second library manager. The transition manager module stops the first library manager from accepting new data transaction commands while maintaining the storage devices online. The first library manager may execute previously accepted data transaction commands. The transition manager module suspends the library management functions of the first library manager and activates the library management functions of the second library manager. The storage devices of the data library may complete data transaction commands throughout the library manager transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Arthur Fisher, Anthony Andrew Lambert, Dennis Paul Martinez, Tom Owen Pringle, Timothy Clyde Sample, Christine Lynette Telford
  • Patent number: 8271501
    Abstract: Web search by a search engine among rich media objects, the search engine including a web crawler, where web search includes: maintaining, for each of a plurality of users, a reputation score; counting, by the web crawler for a particular search term, a number of tags associated with one or more rich media objects by one or more of the users, the tags including text describing the rich media objects, the text including the particular search term; calculating, for the particular search term and for each of the one or more rich media objects, in dependence upon the number of tags associated with the rich media objects and the reputation scores of the users that associated the tags with the rich media objects, a search result score; and recording the search result scores of each of the one or more rich media objects in a primary search index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Buccella, Sean L. Dague, Kurt R. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8255394
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for efficient content indexing of streaming XML document content. A forest generator generates an XML pattern forest from a set of structured index path expressions, the XML pattern forest includes trees and twigs generated from structured index path expressions uniquely associated with a namespace indicator for an XML node. The XML node is identified in a stream of at least one XML document. A comparison module compares the XML node to nodes of trees and twigs of the XML pattern forest. A determination module determines a match between the XML node and an index node in one of a tree and a twig of the XML pattern forest. The index node has a path from an ancestor node to the index node that matches the axis steps of at least one of the structured index path expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James P. Branigan, David P. Charboneau, Simon K. Johnston
  • Patent number: 8250335
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method, system, and computer program product for managing the storage of data. Data is selectively compressed based on a pre-defined compression policy and metadata is stored for physical storage blocks. A stored compression policy identifies at least one criterion for compression, and physical blocks of data meeting the compression policy are identified. A physical block is selected as a source block for data compression, and one or more physical locations are selected as target locations. Data is read from the source block, compressed, and written to the target locations. Metadata is updated to indicate a mapping between the target locations and the virtual blocks previously mapped to the source block. Extra storage capacity can be freed up until more physical storage is ordered and installed, while more important data, such as recently or frequently accessed data, is retained in an uncompressed and accessible state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Barry D. Whyte, Geoff Lane, Simon Walsh
  • Patent number: 8250590
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing seamless multiple format metadata abstraction. A metadata application programming interface (API) is provided to abstract metadata from an incoming business object and provide it to an adapter for processing. The metadata API is configured to operate on multiple metadata formats such as SDO and JavaBean such that the adapter receives the metadata from the metadata API in a common format that is compatible with the adapter. In this manner, the multiple metadata formats may be plugably used with the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Madhavi Katari, Travis E. Nelson, Suraksha Vidyarthi
  • Patent number: 8245200
    Abstract: A Method, System and Apparatus for dynamically injecting logging statements into Web 2.0 JavaScript applications includes a single block of JavaScript code configured to execute on a client device by loading a profiler JavaScript code into memory on the client device and registering a target JavaScript object. The profiler JavaScript code is configured to dynamically scan the user-defined JavaScript code and modify the functions to add events to a modified user-defined code which include an identification of when the function was called, when the function was exited and when an exception occurs. The modification module is wrapped into a try/catch block so that exceptions can be handled and posted back to the server or displayed to the user or developer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Baierl, Peter Wansch
  • Patent number: 8245184
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for graphically building business rule conditions. The method of graphically building business rule conditions comprises displaying a menu of function icons for the user, and a menu of business rule attribute icons for the user. The method allows the user to freely drag and drop functions and attributes onto a staging canvas, and relate the functions and attributes to build a graphical depiction of the desired business rule condition. The method generates source code directly from the graphical depiction such that the user does not have to understand the specific syntax and nuances of the development environment or runtime environment for the business rule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yury Kosov, Juliana Hing Tsang
  • Patent number: 8239884
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are provided for isolating a storage application from a network interface driver. The apparatus includes a definition module, an application interface, a translation module, and a data buffer. The definition module defines a set of storage application functions. The translation module translates each storage application function to one or more network interface driver functions. The data buffer transfers data blocks between the storage application and the network interface driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tu-An Cheng, Jialin Ju, John Earle Lindley, William James Scales, Kiron Haltore
  • Patent number: 8239368
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for executing a distributed spatial data query. The present invention allows a client to perform spatial queries against spatial data stored in a various formats in various separate databases. A view of the data is created in the relevant databases, wherein the spatial data is converted to WKB and stored as a BLOB. A federated server contains nicknames for the various database views, and also contains views of the data where the BLOB is converted back to a spatial data type. The federated server presents to clients an application view of the distributed heterogeneous spatial data such that the clients can treat the data as if it were a homogenous data source. Also taught is incorporating distributed non-spatial data into the application view by creating a nickname and a view on top of the nickname which derives spatial information from the non-spatial location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Adler, Fain Butt, Alvin K. Cho, Tian Zhang
  • Patent number: 8232680
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for providing alternating current (“AC”) power redundancy in power supplies. A first input module is configured to receive a first AC power input waveform. A second input module is configured to receive a second AC power input waveform. A first switch and second switch are controlled by a switching logic module to select one of the AC power input waveforms for use by a power supply. If the first AC power input waveform is present, then it is selected for use. If both the first and second AC power input waveforms are present, then the first AC power input waveform is selected for use. If only the second AC power input waveform is present then it is selected for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert DiMarco, Randhir S. Malik
  • Patent number: 8234662
    Abstract: A servlet for enabling communications between a client having an Atom feed reader and an Enterprise Information System (EIS). The servlet enables communications between the client and the EIS by acting as a proxy for an J2CA resource adapter deployed on an application server. The servlet receives HTTP requests from the Atom feed reader and translates those requests into appropriate adapter function calls based on the specified HTTP function and the provided key information. The servlet then invokes the appropriate functions and receives the response from the adapter. If a single object is returned by the adapter, the servlet translates the object into Atom-compliant XML and transmits it to the Atom feed reader as the response. If multiple objects are returned, the servlet generates a list of URLs which uniquely specify and identify each object returned by the adapter and provides this list to the Atom feed reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joel A. Farrell, Travis Nelson, Piotr Przybylski
  • Patent number: 8230356
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method of concurrent window selection are provided. The invention communicates a directive to a plurality of window modules. Each window module may enter a selected state responsive to receiving a selection directive, enter a deselected state responsive to receiving a deselection directive, and maintain an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive. The state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and the state change of each other window module. The invention further communicates a command to each window module in the selected state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Michael DeBellis, William Gabriel Pagan
  • Patent number: 8229910
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for an inline display of related blog postings. The apparatus, system, and method include searching a first blog for material common to the first blog and to a second blog and adding a link to the common material in the second blog. The link includes an interactive indicator in the second blog that displays a posting from the first blog that contains the common material in response to selection of the indicator. The apparatus, system, and method include marking each posting in the first blog that contains the common material and that has been displayed in the second blog as having been read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Lawrence Jania, Darren Mark Shaw
  • Patent number: 8230516
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for network authentication and content distribution. The apparatus includes an authentication module configured to receive redirected network requests over a communications network from a firewall module and configured to present a user license agreement and not require user-identifiable information, and a content distribution module configured to synchronize over the communications network with a client module and transmit content to the client module. The system includes a firewall module connected with a global communications network, a network connected with the firewall module, a computing device configured to couple with the network, and the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Mathew Davison, Christopher Michael Sansone
  • Patent number: 8218265
    Abstract: Various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for reducing stiction in a magnetic tape device. For example, according to one representative embodiment, a magnetic head assembly for reducing stiction includes a magnetic head that is communicable in data exchange communication with tape in contact with the magnetic head. The magnetic head assembly also includes a tape lifter that is movable relative to the magnetic head. More specifically, the tape lifter is movable between a first position away from the tape and a second position in contact with the tape. In the first position, tape is contactable with the magnetic head and in the second position, tape is not contactable with the magnetic head. The magnetic head assembly further includes an actuator made at least partially of a memory shape alloy. The actuator is coupled to the tape lifter and the memory shape alloy is resiliently deformable to move the tape lifter between the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kent P. Bortz, Oscar Pulgarin, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8213134
    Abstract: A positive temperature coefficient device is configured in parallel with a bypass switch and implemented at an input to a switching regulation stage of a switching power supply. A monitoring module determines that a voltage across the regulation switch in the switching power supply is below a predefined threshold voltage for greater than a predefined threshold time period. A control module controls operation of the bypass switch. The control module opens the bypass switch in response to the monitoring module determining that the voltage across the regulation switch is below the predefined threshold voltage for greater than the predefined threshold time period such that substantially all of the current entering the switching regulation stage passes through the PTC device. By causing substantially all of the current to pass through the PTC device, the device will enter a high impedance state thereby preventing smoke and smell from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: C. Charles Dishman, Jen-Ching Lin, Randhir S. Malik
  • Patent number: 8214165
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining power source failure. A sampling module samples an alternating current power waveform as input to a power supply, at a sampling frequency which is a multiple of a predetermined frequency, to obtain a sampled amplitude at a known point within the predetermined period. A comparison module compares the sampled amplitude to a stored threshold amplitude to obtain a comparison result, corresponding to the known point. An accumulation module accumulates most recent comparison results. A warning module asserts an early power off warning signal if a predetermined number of the most recent comparison results each indicate that the sampled amplitude is smaller in absolute value than the stored threshold amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: C. Charles Dishman, Jen-Ching Lin, Randhir S. Malik
  • Patent number: 8214742
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for capturing and enhancing illustrating pane content for use as sequential slides in a presentation includes illustrating a static image on an illustrating pane in a plurality of colors. Each color used to illustrate the static image representing a single element of the static image. The method further includes digitally capturing a single finished image of the illustrated static image and enhancing the background, geometry and colors comprising the finished image. The single finished image is separated into a plurality of single color images with each single color image comprising only a portion of the single finished image comprising that specific color. A ordered presentation is built from the single colored images and the presentation is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Allan K. Pratt