Patents by Inventor Ian R. Finlay

Ian R. Finlay 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).

  • Publication number: 20030097354
    Abstract: An optimized query processing system and method for a database system. The database system includes a table of data and an index correlated to both the query and to the table. The optimized query processing system includes an index accessing module adapted to access the index to determine if the table contains an entry satisfying a query predicate; and a tablescan module for scanning substantially the entire table and retrieving data satisfying the query. A method is also disclosed for generating database diagnostic data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Ian R. Finlay, Calisto P. Zuzarte
  • Publication number: 20030014390
    Abstract: The retrieval of distinct tuples in a relational database management system. In response to a request from a consumer process for distinct tuples in a relational database table matching a defined criteria, a distinct operator component sequentially requests tuples from a source component. The source component access the database table and returns a tuple in the sequence to the distinct operator component. The distinct operator component passes each tuple in the sequence to an auxiliary logger. The auxiliary component receives a tuples from the distinct component and determines if it is distinct from other previously received tuples in the sequence to verify its uniqueness to the distinct operator. Tuples that are verified as unique by the auxiliary logger are returned to the consumer process by the distinct operator upon verification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventors: Ian R. Finlay, Tony Wen Hsun Lai, Daniel C. Zilio, Calisto Paul Zuzarte
  • Publication number: 20010047350
    Abstract: A query processing system having a data manager, and a query manager also includes a buffer. The query manager calls the data manager to access data based on a query. Where there is no predicate check or consumption operation on the record accessed, the data manager will notionally return the record to the query manager. However, the data manager accomplishes the return by writing the relevant portions of the record to a buffer. The data manager maintains stabilization of the page containing the record while the buffer is being written to. The data manager continues to access records on the stabilized page and to write such records to the buffer where appropriate. The query manager retrieves the records from the buffer after the data manager has completed its operation resulting from the query manager call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Ian R. Finlay, Bruce G. Lindsay, Guy M. Lohman, David C. Sharpe, Daniel C. Zilio
  • Patent number: 5349348
    Abstract: Improved apparatus and method for encoding and decoding information is disclosed herein. The invention uses the same marker segment information to engage an encoder or a decoder. The technique eliminates many of the complexities associated with building parameter lists, and generating various types of marker segments in a form compatible with both the decode and encode processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karen L. Anderson, Ian R. Finlay, Joan L. Mitchell, Davey S. Thornton