Patents by Inventor Kifumi Numata

Kifumi Numata 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: 7675744
    Abstract: A data storage library includes a drive enclosure bay which can be adapted to work with multiple air-flow configuration requirements. This is accomplished by creating air-flow ports in the top and bottom of the drive enclosure bay, by forming drive tray slots and printed circuit board ports in associated drive trays, by creating frame ports and PCB notches in associated interface cards, and replacing traditional connectors with slimmer but longer connectors that provide additional standoff and improved air-flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujie, Kenji Hidaka, Shah Mohammad Rezaul Islam, Robert A. Kubo, Bret W. Lehman, Robert M. Lindsay, Gregg S. Lucas, Jason A. Matteson, Koji Nakase, Hirokazu Nishimura, Kifumi Numata, Michihiro Okamoto, Tony C. Sass, Kenneth R. Schneebeli, Tohru Sumiyoshi, Yoshihiko Terashita
  • Patent number: 7495906
    Abstract: A disk-drive storage assembly includes an interface card configurable to couple to a plurality of hard-disk drives. The interface card has a plurality of first vent openings to expose a surface area of each of the plurality of hard-disk drives. A drive chassis tray is coupled to the interface card having a plurality of second vent openings. The second vent openings are staggered to shift the exposed surface area of the hard-disk drives. A disk storage device includes a plurality of hard-disk drives. An interface card is coupled to the plurality of hard-disk drives. The interface card has a plurality of first vent openings to expose a surface area of each of the plurality of hard-disk drives. A drive chassis tray is coupled to the interface card having a plurality of second vent openings defined by a plurality of cross bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujie, Kenji Hidaka, Kifumi Numata, Michihiro Okamoto, Kenneth R. Schneebeli
  • Publication number: 20070247805
    Abstract: A disk-drive storage assembly includes an interface card configurable to couple to a plurality of hard-disk drives. The interface card has a plurality of first vent openings to expose a surface area of each of the plurality of hard-disk drives. A drive chassis tray is coupled to the interface card having a plurality of second vent openings. The second vent openings are staggered to shift the exposed surface area of the hard-disk drives. A disk storage device includes a plurality of hard-disk drives. An interface card is coupled to the plurality of hard-disk drives. The interface card has a plurality of first vent openings to expose a surface area of each of the plurality of hard-disk drives. A drive chassis tray is coupled to the interface card having a plurality of second vent openings defined by a plurality of cross bars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujie, Kenji Hidaka, Kifumi Numata, Michihiro Okamoto, Kenneth Schneebeli
  • Publication number: 20070097621
    Abstract: A data storage library includes a drive enclosure bay which can be adapted to work with multiple air-flow configuration requirements. This is accomplished by creating air-flow ports in the top and bottom of the drive enclosure bay, by forming drive tray slots and printed circuit board ports in associated drive trays, by creating frame ports and PCB notches in associated interface cards, and replacing traditional connectors with slimmer but longer connectors that provide additional standoff and improved air-flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fujie, Kenji Hidaka, Shah Islam, Robert Kubo, Bret Lehman, Robert Lindsay, Gregg Lucas, Jason Matteson, Koji Nakase, Hirokazu Nishimura, Kifumi Numata, Michihiro Okamoto, Tony Sass, Kenneth Schneebeli, Tohru Sumiyoshi, Yoshihiko Terashita
  • Patent number: 6931525
    Abstract: A method for switching between boot devices in an information processing unit devoid of a human machine interface for inputting, the steps of short-circuiting an output port and an input port, outputting a verification signal from the output port at the time of powering on or restarting the information processing unit, determining whether or not the verification signal is input to the input port, switching the OS boot source to a second boot device if the verification signal is input to the input port, and switching the OS boot source to a first boot device if the verification signal is not input to the input port, is provided for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kifumi Numata, Kazunobu Umeda, Yohichi Miwa
  • Publication number: 20020120836
    Abstract: A method for switching between boot devices in an information processing unit devoid of a human machine interface for inputting, the steps of short-circuiting an output port and an input port, outputting a verification signal from the output port at the time of powering on or restarting the information processing unit, determining whether or not the verification signal is input to the input port, switching the OS boot source to a second boot device if the verification signal is input to the input port, and switching the OS boot source to a first boot device if the verification signal is not input to the input port, is provided for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kifumi Numata, Kazunobu Umeda, Yohichi Miwa