Patents by Inventor Kent P. Bortz

Kent P. Bortz 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: 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: 7697228
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for interchanging testing. A test module moves a first tape from a tape pool to a first reserved slot of plurality of reserved slots using an accessor. In an embodiment, there is one (1) reserved slot corresponding to each of a plurality of tape drives. Each reserved slot is configured to store one tape for the corresponding tape drive. No other tape drive accesses the stored tape from the reserved slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Angqin Bai, Kent P. Bortz, Shawn O. Brume, Lawrence G. Gonzales
  • Publication number: 20100039731
    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: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Kent P. Bortz, Oscar Pulgarin, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090091853
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for interchanging testing. A test module moves a first tape from a tape pool to a first reserved slot of plurality of reserved slots using an accessor. In an embodiment, there is one (1) reserved slot corresponding to each of a plurality of tape drives. Each reserved slot is configured to store one tape for the corresponding tape drive. No other tape drive accesses the stored tape from the reserved slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Angqin Bai, Kent P. Bortz, Shawn O. Brume, Lawrence G. Gonzales
  • Patent number: 7475164
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for automated device configuration and testing. The present invention teaches receiving and implementing a configuration request form a host, receiving and executing a power cycle request, and receiving and implementing a test request. In certain embodiments, the present invention teaches responding to a target device discovery request, communicating a test execution status, and communication a current operation status request. In certain embodiments, the present invention also teaches accessing configuration data received from the host device or within a local configuration data repository.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Angqin Bai, Kent P. Bortz, Jose Guillermo Miranda Gavillan, Khanh Vi Ngo
  • Publication number: 20040084197
    Abstract: A polyethylene composite is manufactured by passing an inner core of fabric mesh sandwiched between two sheets of polyethylene material through a conventional set of high-pressure rollers at room temperature. The pressure exerted by the rollers on the polyethylene material causes its fluidification, so that each polyethylene layer permeates through the open mesh of the core material, bonds to the other layer and incorporates the core fibers to form a laminate composite. The thickness of the polyethylene sheets in relation to the gap and speed of the rollers has to be judiciously selected so that the pressure applied to the material is sufficient to fluidize the polyethylene at ambient temperature. Because no heat is applied to the system, the laminate composite is rapidly cooled as it passes through the rollers and requires no additional forming or processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Kent P. Bortz