Patents by Inventor James G. McLean

James G. McLean 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: 20080256370
    Abstract: Receiving, by a blade management module from a client blade, notification of a loss of communications between a remote desktop apparatus and the client blade; responsive to the notification, accepting, by the blade management module from the remote desktop apparatus, an instruction to alter a power setting of the client blade; and; responsive to the instruction, altering, by the blade management module, the power setting of the client blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Keith M. Campbell, Raymond T. Greggs, James G. McLean, Caroline M. Metry, Edward S. Suffern
  • Publication number: 20080235565
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for supporting the use of hypertext links in documents such as word processor documents. A given word processor document is scanned for link representations to sources that are external to the word processor document. These identified link representations are then checked for validity and functionality, and the external sources are also checked for content and accessibility. In order to facilitate checking the content of the external sources, the word processor document is appended to include all or part of the content of each linked external source. The appended information is then used for subsequent content comparisons. Checking of the link representations and external sources is used to produce a current validity status for each link representations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shirley S. Ackerman, Sheila E. Allen, Mike D. Hocker, James G. McLean, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Publication number: 20080140235
    Abstract: The invention is directed to both a method of, and system for, applying equalizations based on autonomous environment sensing. A method in accordance with the present invention includes providing a multimedia repository device, wherein the device further includes a environment detection means; operatively utilizing the multimedia repository device in conjunction with at least one external playback device; and modifying at least one setting of one of the at least one external playback device and the multimedia repository device, based on the detected environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventor: James G. McLean
  • Patent number: 7380713
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a positive evidence-of-use feature for portable storage devices. A system in accordance with an embodiment includes: a movable outer sleeve for surrounding a portion of the portable storage device, wherein the movable outer sleeve is configured for movement in one direction only; and a ratcheting system for retracting and permanently locking the movable outer sleeve into a housing of the portable storage device to expose a contact area of the portable storage device, the ratcheting system limiting the movable outer sleeve to a single retraction into the housing of the portable storage device, such that the ratcheting system is configured to be broken upon any attempt to extend the movable outer sleeve after the movable outer sleeve has been retracted and permanently locked into the housing of the portable storage device. Retraction of the movable outer sleeve provides positive evidence-of-use for the portable storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: James G. McLean
  • Publication number: 20080115067
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling security on a user interface (UI) of a computer system are described. The method and system include allowing a user to mark a UI component as private. The UI component is separately renderable on the UI. The method and system also include displaying the UI component on the UI and rendering a shared workspace such that display of the UI component on the shared workspace is precluded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Inventors: James G. McLean, William G. Pagan
  • Publication number: 20080059626
    Abstract: A computer implemented method and computer program product for providing status information in a central server having a chassis for operating a plurality of blade servers installed therein, includes polling at least one of the central server and installed blades for status information; packaging the status information; transmitting each package of status information to the central server and respective installed blades; reading the packaged status information; and providing a display of the status information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Keith M. Campbell, Raymond T. Greggs, James G. McLean, Caroline M. Metry
  • Patent number: 7334731
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a positive evidence-of-use feature for portable storage devices. A method for providing positive evidence-of-use for a portable storage device, includes: surrounding a portion of the portable storage device with a movable outer sleeve, wherein the movable outer sleeve is configured for movement in one direction only; and retracting and locking the movable outer sleeve into a housing of the portable storage device to expose a contact area of the portable storage device; wherein the retraction of the movable outer sleeve into the housing of the portable storage device provides positive evidence-of-use for the portable storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: James G. McLean
  • Patent number: 7299327
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for identifying unauthorized access to memory locations in a multi-element data storage device. The invention includes a restrictive key that is physically coupled to at least one inaccessible memory element in the data storage device. The key prevents the user from accessing the data in that element. A securing device connects the restrictive key to the data storage device's housing. When the key is altered from its initial position, the securing device is broken. Because the securing device is at least partially located on the outside of the device housing, it is readily visible. Therefore, if the securing device has been broken, the key to which the securing device was coupled was necessarily moved. This provides visual evidence that there has been an attempt to access one or more data memory areas that had been previously been rendered inaccessible by the restrictive key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Assimos, II, James G. McLean
  • Patent number: 7042471
    Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a method, system and program storage device for displaying textual information associated with a defined video object in video data on a video display device, comprising: sampling a video object plane to determine whether the video object is in the video object plane for displaying the video object on the video display device; updating a location of the video object in the video object plane as the video object moves during display of the video data on the video display device; determining whether a pointing device is over the updated location of the video object; and displaying the textual information associated with the video object on the video display device for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Glass, James G. McLean, Daniel J. Winarski, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Publication number: 20040012619
    Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a method, system and program storage device for displaying textual information associated with a defined hot video object in video data on a video display device, comprising: sampling a video object plane to determine whether the hot video object is in the video object plane for displaying the hot video object on the video display device; updating a location of the hot video object in the video object plane as the video object moves during display of the video data on the video display device; determining whether a pointing device is over the updated location of the video object; and displaying the textual information associated with the hot video object on the video display device for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David W. Glass, James G. McLean, Daniel J. Winarski, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Patent number: 5564004
    Abstract: A method and system for facilitating the selection of icons. Those icons which are next likely to be used are selected and automatically moved towards a cursor thereby facilitating selection of the icons. Additionally, those icons likely to be used or other icons selected by a user may track the cursor such that those icons are always close to the cursor and capable of being easily selected. Further, in order to facilitate selection of icons, icons are provided with the capability of announcing themselves when a cursor comes close to the icon. In addition, it is possible to reduce the amount of clutter on a computer display so that icons may be easily selected. In order to clean up a computer display, icons which are least likely to be used are faded, eliminated or shrunk to a smaller size. In another embodiment, icons that are not used very often may disappear into a master icon and further, icons which have a conceptual relationship between them may be linked by a visual graphical representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bertrand M. Grossman, James G. McLean, Clifford A. Pickover, Michael S. Schwartz, Daniel J. Winarski
  • Patent number: 5095302
    Abstract: A cursor control/data input device for a computer display system which utilizes a conventional X-Y mouse provided with a third Z with axis data generating mechanism. The mouse may be used with any non-specific support surface and would have conventional X-Y data generating wheels or a rotating ball with appropriate pick-up elements to generate the X-Y coordinate data. Third, or Z, coordinate data is produced by a third instrumentality in the mouse body, preferably operable by the operator's thumb or index finger. Means comprising a pressure sensitive button mounted on the surface of the mouse, or alternatively means actuated by the insertion of the operator's finger into a hole provided in the mouse's body, generate said Z coordinate data. Movement of the finger in the hole is measurable by any of a number of different instrumentalities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James G. McLean, Clifford A. Pickover, Alvin R. Reed