Patents by Inventor Henry G. McMillan
Henry G. McMillan 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).
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Patent number: 8400795Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a method for optimizing the power consumption in a redundant power system. A pulse width modulation waveform is generated in each of a first and second power supply to control the power output of each power supply. In response to the system load reaching a power setpoint, the first and second power supplies supply power to the system load in parallel. In response to the system load being below the power setpoint, the pulse width modulation waveform is disabled or blocked in the second power supply, and the system load is powered substantially entirely with the first power supply.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2010Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Edward L. Blackwell, Nickolas J. Gruendler, Henry G. McMillan
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Publication number: 20110205769Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a method for optimizing the power consumption in a redundant power system. A pulse width modulation waveform is generated in each of a first and second power supply to control the power output of each power supply. In response to the system load reaching a power setpoint, the first and second power supplies supply power to the system load in parallel. In response to the system load being below the power setpoint, the pulse width modulation waveform is disabled or blocked in the second power supply, and the system load is powered substantially entirely with the first power supply.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Edward L. Blackwell, Nickolas J. Gruendler, Henry G. McMillan
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Patent number: 8006028Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for enabling memory module slots in a computing system after a repair action, the computing system having a plurality of memory module slots and having at least one memory module installed in one of the memory module slots, that includes: determining, during a boot process for the computing system, whether any of the memory module slots are disabled; and if any of the memory module slots are disabled: retrieving, for each memory module installed in one of the memory module slots, a memory module identifier for that memory module, retrieving, from non-volatile memory of the computing system, previously stored memory module identifiers, determining whether the retrieved memory module identifiers match the previously stored memory module identifiers, and enabling the disabled memory module slots if the retrieved memory module identifiers do not match the previously stored memory module identifiers.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2008Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Tu T. Dang, Robert F. Kantner, Jr., Henry G. McMillan, Carl A. Morrell, Challis L. Purrington, Mark W. Williams
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Patent number: 7992030Abstract: Embodiments of the invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to digital signal transmissions and provide a novel and non-obvious fall time accelerator circuit for use in a USB interface. In one embodiment of the invention, the USB interface can include a USB port driver coupled to a host controller driver over a USB bus. The USB interface also can include a fall time accelerator circuit coupled to the USB bus between the USB port driver and the host controller driver. The fall time accelerator circuit can include a pulse signal generator coupled to an inbound signal path from the USB bus and arranged to generate a tunable pulse upon detecting a falling edge of a digital signal on the inbound signal path. The circuit further can include an active timer additionally coupled to the inbound signal path to hold the tunable pulse for a set period of time.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Henry G. McMillan, Pravin Patel, Challis L. Purrington, Gwendolyn R. Tobin, Christopher C. West, Ivan R. Zapata
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Patent number: 7954007Abstract: The present invention is directed to the detection of faulty CPU heat sink coupling during system power-up. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: monitoring a slope of a CPU temperature rise from initial system power-up; determining if the slope of the CPU temperature rise exceeds an expected value; and in the case that the slope of the CPU temperature rise exceeds the expected value, indicating an existence of a possible fault (PFA) related to a heat sink coupled to the CPU.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2006Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Henry G. McMillan, Christopher C. Moody, Challis L. Purrington, Terry L. Sawyers, Michael L. Scollard, Richard P. Southers, Troy S. Voytko, Christopher C. West, Christopher L. Wood
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Patent number: 7654840Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a memory module connector having a pivotable air baffle that controls airflow at the memory module connector. When the memory module connector is occupied by a memory module, the air baffle may rest on an upper edge of the memory module, substantially parallel to the system board and in general alignment with the airflow. When the memory module has been removed, the air baffle may be pivoted downward toward the connector base and into the airflow, to offset the reduction in airflow impedance caused by the removal of the memory module from the memory module connector.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2009Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ivan R. Zapata, Victor A. Stankevich, Challis L. Purrington, Henry G. McMillan, Brian A. Baker
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Patent number: 7650517Abstract: Power is allocated to blades based on an estimate of the actual power they are expected to use rather than their maximum-power draw-value. To protect against situations where the estimated actual-power draw-value is exceeded, a hardware comparator monitors the blade system load against a predetermined threshold value set by a management module (MM) based on user input. If this threshold value is exceeded, a throttle latch is triggered, based on a signal from a service processor monitoring the blade system load. The output of this latch directly engages throttling. The service processor also monitors the output of the latch and communicates information regarding the throttling to the MM for evaluation.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2005Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: James E. Hughes, Henry G. McMillan, Challis L. Purrington, Michael L. Scollard, Gary R. Shippy, Paul M. Smith, Maya P. Yarbrough
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Publication number: 20090254732Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for enabling memory module slots in a computing system after a repair action, the computing system having a plurality of memory module slots and having at least one memory module installed in one of the memory module slots, that includes: determining, during a boot process for the computing system, whether any of the memory module slots are disabled; and if any of the memory module slots are disabled: retrieving, for each memory module installed in one of the memory module slots, a memory module identifier for that memory module, retrieving, from non-volatile memory of the computing system, previously stored memory module identifiers, determining whether the retrieved memory module identifiers match the previously stored memory module identifiers, and enabling the disabled memory module slots if the retrieved memory module identifiers do not match the previously stored memory module identifiers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2008Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Tu T. Dang, Robert F. Kantner, JR., Henry G. McMillan, Carl A. Morrell, Challis L. Purrington, Mark W. Williams
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Publication number: 20080278207Abstract: Embodiments of the invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to digital signal transmissions and provide a novel and non-obvious fall time accelerator circuit for use in a USB interface. In one embodiment of the invention, the USB interface can include a USB port driver coupled to a host controller driver over a USB bus. The USB interface also can include a fall time accelerator circuit coupled to the USB bus between the USB port driver and the host controller driver. The fall time accelerator circuit can include a pulse signal generator coupled to an inbound signal path from the USB bus and arranged to generate a tunable pulse upon detecting a falling edge of a digital signal on the inbound signal path. The circuit further can include an active timer additionally coupled to the inbound signal path to hold the tunable pulse for a set period of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2007Publication date: November 13, 2008Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Henry G. McMillan, Pravin Patel, Challis L. Purrington, Gwendolyn R. Tobin, Christopher C. West, Ivan R. Zapata
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Publication number: 20080154536Abstract: The present invention is directed to the detection of faulty CPU heat sink coupling during system power-up. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: monitoring a slope of a CPU temperature rise from initial system power-up; determining if the slope of the CPU temperature rise exceeds an expected value; and in the case that the slope of the CPU temperature rise exceeds the expected value, indicating an existence of a possible fault (PFA) related to a heat sink coupled to the CPU.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2006Publication date: June 26, 2008Inventors: Henry G. McMillan, Christopher C. Moody, Challis L. Purrington, Terry L. Sawyers, Michael L. Scollard, Richard P. Southers, Troy S. Voytko, Christopher C. West, Christopher L. Wood