Patents by Inventor Alan Southall

Alan Southall has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7916630
    Abstract: In a system having distributed components arranged in a logical ring structure, each component monitors only their respective neighboring component in the structure and the condition of the neighboring component is determined. If a component determines a condition of its neighboring component that corresponds to a predefinable condition, the component informs the other components of the system of the predefined condition of the neighboring component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Berndt, Thomas Hanna, Thorsten Laux, Steffen Rusitschka, Christian Scheering, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20100303089
    Abstract: A method for operating a dezentralized communication network with network nodes is provided. The method is based on protocols in conventional peer-to-peer networks. The method provides rapid searching of resources whereby each network node manages a table containing information regarding all the other network nodes, such that a network that contains the resource is immediately retrieved among the table entries. Furthermore, the table contains device names of technical components on which the network nodes are mapped, so that a technical component is directly addressed also via its device name without use of the search process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Christoph Gerdes, Claus Kern, Christian Kleegrewe, Sebnem Rusitschka, Alan Southall
  • Patent number: 7840598
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for distribution of resources to network nodes in a decentralized data network. In at least one embodiment of the method keywords, which are allocated to digital resources, are mapped onto digital bit sequences. These bit sequences are modified, with the subsequent bits after a predetermined bit position, preferably being replaced by random bits. A mapping onto bit sequences is then undertaken with these modified bit sequences, with each network node being responsible for a specific range of values of indices. The resource will then be allocated the index which is produced by the mapping. The mapping in this case can be selected so that a wildcard search according to keywords is guaranteed. The outstanding feature of the method is that the resources are distributed evenly in the decentralized network and at the same time a fast wildcard search according to truncated keywords is made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Olpp, Steffen Rusitschka, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20100281165
    Abstract: A method provides for the even load distribution in a peer-to-peer-overlay network having a plurality of peers, each having an associated keyword region. A data resource to be stored, the keyword thereof being within the keyword region of a peer, is only stored with said peer if the number of data resources stored there has not reached a resource threshold limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Christoph Gerdes, Steffen Rusitschka, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20100262869
    Abstract: A method for detecting errors in a networked embedded system having a multiplicity of components. Error and/or diagnostic data which are relevant to a component are stored in a set of further components of the networked embedded system and are determined if necessary (for example if a disturbance, error or failure occurs). This method is used, in particular, to find error and/or diagnostic data relating to a failed component of a networked embedded system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christoph Gerdes, Christian Kleegrewe, Götz Neumann, Sebnem Rusitschka, Alan Southall, Christoph Tscheshner
  • Publication number: 20100023606
    Abstract: A method for providing a service containing facilities in a peer-to-peer network comprising peer devices is provided. The peer devices may be associated with groups, each group being defined by a pre-determined facility. The pre-determined facility may be executed by each peer device associated with a respective group, and a selected peer device of a group executes the respective facility. A sequence of facilities and specifications to be executed is publicized in the peer-to-peer network, on the peer devices executing the respective facility by a peer device requesting the combined service, and the selection of the selected peer devices is carried out according to the publicized sequence and the publicized specifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Christoph Gerdes, Vivian Prinz, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20090028165
    Abstract: A decentralized data network contains a plurality of network nodes. The network nodes are able to direct requests into the data network with the aid of checking values. The network nodes are each assigned one or more table entries in a value table distributed between the network nodes, with each table entry containing a checking value and the data associated with the checking value. Each of the plurality of network nodes are monitored to determine the frequency with which requests for the checking values assigned to a respective network node are directed to the respective network nodes. If it is found that the frequency of the requests for one or more checking values to a respective network node exceeds a predetermined threshold value, at least the table entry or entries for this or these checking values is or are assigned to at least one other network node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Steffen Rusitschka, Alan Southall, Sebnem Oztunali
  • Publication number: 20080320163
    Abstract: A method allows message transmission in a peer-to-peer network using chord topology, in which some of the nodes have access protection which allows reception of messages only from those network addresses to which a message has previously been sent. A network such as this is dependent on each node maintaining a list with further nodes, referred to in general as a finger list. In order to allow communication despite access protection, each node sends a request at fixed time intervals to the nodes in its list, to send it a message. This makes it possible for each node to send messages to the nodes in its list. A search request for a file is passed on via intermediate nodes in the network such that the searching node is provided with access to a destination node which can offer the file, and the access protection of the destination node is cancelled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Sebastian Dippl, Steffen Rusitschka, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20080313317
    Abstract: A method operates a network management system comprising nodes which are used as manager and/or agent nodes. At least one node communicates with at least one other node using a peer-to-peer protocol. A network management system and a node in a management network system are used to carry out said method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2005
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Berger, Steffen Rusitschka, Henning Sanneck, Joachim Sokol, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20080281807
    Abstract: A search engine comprising search indices for entities, wherein a tag reputation of a tag which classifies an entity is updated by said search engine depending on a rating input by said user and depending on a user reputation of said user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Udo BARTLANG, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20080259939
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for distribution of resources to network nodes in a decentralized data network. In at least one embodiment of the method keywords, which are allocated to digital resources, are mapped onto digital bit sequences. These bit sequences are modified, with the subsequent bits after a predetermined bit position, preferably being replaced by random bits. A mapping onto bit sequences is then undertaken with these modified bit sequences, with each network node being responsible for a specific range of values of indices. The resource will then be allocated the index which is produced by the mapping. The mapping in this case can be selected so that a wildcard search according to keywords is guaranteed. The outstanding feature of the method is that the resources are distributed evenly in the decentralized network and at the same time a fast wildcard search according to truncated keywords is made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Dieter Olpp, Steffen Rusitschka, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20080261521
    Abstract: In a system having distributed components arranged in a logical ring structure, each component monitors only their respective neighboring component in the structure and the condition of the neighboring component is determined. If a component determines a condition of its neighboring component that corresponds to a predefinable condition, the component informs the other components of the system of the predefined condition of the neighboring component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Stefan Berndt, Thomas Hanna, Thorsten Laux, Steffen Rusitschka, Christian Scheering, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20070288642
    Abstract: A method initializes and/or updates a data network, particularly a peer-to-peer network, with a number of computers. A computer identity is assigned to each computer and each computer is able to establish a data link to another computer. One or more keywords are stored in each computer that characterize the data stored on the respective computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: Steffen Rusitschka, Alan Southall, Sebnem Oztunali
  • Publication number: 20050018620
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for registering a terminal device (EG1, EG2) on a communications node (KN1, KN2) in a communications network. A plurality of communications nodes (KN1, KN2) are disposed in the communications network, and the terminal device (EG1, EG2) is registered with one of the communications nodes (KN1, KN2). In a first step, the communications nodes (KN1, KN2) and their access parameters are registered in an information memory (DB). The terminal device (EG1, EG2) then accesses the information memory (DB), whereupon the transfer of the access parameters of at least one of the communications nodes (KN1, KN2) to the terminal device (EG1, EG2) takes place. Finally, the terminal device (EG1, EG2) is registered using the obtained access parameters with the one of these communications nodes (KN1, KN2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Stefan Berndt, Thomas Hanna, Thorsten Laux, Steffen Rusitschka, Christian Scheering, Alan Southall
  • Publication number: 20040181606
    Abstract: A method is for controlling an exchange in a data transmission system, in which information demand data from information demanders and information supply data representing information which can be supplied by various information suppliers are compared in order to ascertain corresponding information demand data and information supply data. After a successful preliminary comparison for particular minimum matches, the information demand data in question are first transmitted to a data comparison device associated with the information supplier in question for the purpose of a more detailed comparison with the information represented by the information supply data. Upon receipt of positive comparison result data from the data comparison device, indicating that the information which can be supplied matches the information demand data, the exchange then transmits corresponding search result data to a terminal belonging to the information demander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Jens Astor, Steffen Rusitschka, Markus Schmidt, Horst Schreiner, Alan Southall, Gudrun Zahlmann