Patents by Inventor Mark A. Thurber

Mark A. Thurber 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: 20080126648
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method dynamically bind Message Signaled Interrupt (MSI) resources shared by a plurality of clients to an interrupt facility in an MSI-capable computer. In addition, management of such bindings may be implemented using a platform independent interrupt manager capable of managing multiple MSI bindings between MSI resources to an interrupt facility, and interfaced with an underlying hardware platform of a computer through platform-specific encapsulation program code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Sean Thomas Brownlow, James Arthur Lindeman, Gregory Michael Nordstrom, John Ronald Oberly, John Thomas O'Quin, Steven Mark Thurber, Timothy Joseph Torzewski
  • Publication number: 20080005383
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for migrating data from a source physical page to a destination physical page. A migration process is begun to migrate data from the source physical page to the destination physical page which causes a host bridge to enter a first state. The host bridge then suspends processing of direct memory access operations when the host bridge is in the first state. The data is migrated from the source physical page to the destination physical page while the host bridge is in the first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Carl Alfred Bender, Patrick Allen Buckland, Steven Mark Thurber, Adalberto Guillermo Yanes
  • Publication number: 20070297434
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus and mechanism for recovery of an I/O fabric that has become terminally congested or deadlocked due to a failure which causes buffers/queues to fill and thereby causes the root complexes to lose access to their I/O subsystems. Upon detection of a terminally congested or deadlocked transmit queue, access to such queue by other root complexes is suspended while each item in the queue is examined and processed accordingly. Store requests and DMA read reply packets in the queue are discarded, and load requests in the queue are processed by returning a special completion package. Access to the queue by the root complexes is then resumed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Richard Louis Arndt, Thomas Schlipf, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 7266631
    Abstract: Method, apparatus and system for controlling input/output adapter data flow operations in a data processing system that includes at least one of a traffic class mechanism in conjunction with virtual channel resources so as to be able to associate Load/Store and DMA flows to/from an input/output adapter, and a relaxed ordering mechanism for associating a relaxed ordering bit to Load/Store operations to an input/output adapter. Functionality for controlling the input/output adapter data flow is provided in a host bridge that connects the input/output adapter to a system bus of the data processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Louis Arndt, Patrick Allen Buckland, Gregory Michael Nordstrom, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 7139653
    Abstract: A gearshift to transmission controller interface is based on a controller area network and a gearshift interface interposed between the gearshift and associated displays and the network bus. The shift controller can be made universal to all transmission types of automated manual transmissions by incorporation of a library program relating to a transmission type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt A. Ringger, John F. Rotz, Mark A. Thurber
  • Patent number: 7136907
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for dynamically informing an operating system (OS) of a distributed computer system, when a (new) device is added on the network. An OS registers with the subnet administrator (SA) to be notified when a new component is added to the subnet and placed in a partition to which the OS has access. The subnet manager (SM) initializes and configures the new component that is added and, through the partition manager, associates the component to one or more partitions of the subnet. The SA then notifies the OSs with access to the partition(s) to which the component is associated and that have a right to access the new component that the new component is available to the OS. Following, the OS updates a database of available components to include the new component and establishes communication with the new component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Michael Nordstrom, Renato John Recio, Gregory Francis Pfister, Orvalle Theodore Kirby, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 7134052
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method propagate errors detected in an IO fabric element from an IO fabric that is used to couple a plurality of endpoint IO resources to processing elements in a computer. In particular, such errors are propagated to the endpoint IO resources affected by the IO fabric element in connection with recovering from the errors in the IO fabric element. By doing so, a device driver or other program code used to access each affected IO resources may be permitted to asynchronously recover from the propagated error in its associated IO resource, and often without requiring the recovery from the error in the IO fabric element to wait for recovery to be completed for each of the affected IO resources. In addition, an IO fabric may be dynamically configured to support both recoverable and non-recoverable endpoint IO resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Bailey, Trung Ngoc Nguyen, Gregory Michael Nordstrom, Kanisha Patel, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 7113995
    Abstract: A method in a node for managing authorized attempts to access the node. A packet is received from a source, wherein the packet includes a first key. A determination is made as to whether the first key matches a second key for the node. The packet is dropped without a response to the source if the first key does not match the second key. Information from the packet is stored in response to this absence of a match. The information is sent to a selected recipient in response to a selected event, which may be, for example, either immediately or in response to polling to see if the information is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce Leroy Beukema, Danny Marvin Neal, Gregory Francis Pfister, Renato John Recio, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 7103789
    Abstract: A method, system, and product are disclosed for indicating a power status of multiple devices using hierarchically encoded indicators. Multiple nodes are included within a data processing system. Each node includes a different implementation of the devices. Each one of a first level of power indicators are associated with a different one of the nodes. Each one of a second level of power indicators is associated with a different one of the devices. A power status of each node is indicated utilizing one of the first level of power indicators. A power status of each device is indicated utilizing the second level of power indicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George Henry Ahrens, Jr., Steven Mark Thurber, Ronald Stanley Wesely
  • Patent number: 7099955
    Abstract: A method for routing System Area Network (SAN) packets to multiple partitions within a single end node is provided. A range of Local Identification addresses (LIDs) are assigned to a channel adapter port within the SAN. Lower order bits within the LID are then assigned to select the particular partition in the end node. The Local ID Mask Control (LMC) field is used to assign multiple LIDs to a single port, using those low order bits to then route the message to the appropriate partition in the end node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Anthony Gregg, Gregory Francis Pfister, Renato John Recio, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 7076570
    Abstract: A low-level function which enforces logical partitioning establishes a set of virtual indicator lights for certain physical components, the virtual indicator lights being only data in memory, a separate set of virtual indicator lights corresponding to each respective partition. Processes running in a partition can switch and sense the virtual indicator lights corresponding to the partition, but have no direct capability to either switch or to sense the virtual lights of any other partition. The low-level enforcement function alone can switch the state of the physical indicator light, which is generally the logical OR of the virtual indicator lights of the different partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George Henry Ahrens, Curtis Shannon Eide, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Publication number: 20060079372
    Abstract: A steering wheel (20) that has an axis of turning (64) axis for steering a motor vehicle that has an engine, a drivetrain, a transmission that provides different gear ratios for coupling the engine to the drivetrain, and a transmission controller that in an automatic mode automatically shifts the transmission from one gear ratio to another in response to changing vehicle torque requirements and in a manual mode shifts the transmission from one gear ratio to another in response to manual actuation of a shift command device. A module (36) contains both the shift command device (58, 60) and a mode selection device (62) for selecting between the automatic and manual modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Ringger, Matthew Hormann, Mark Thurber, Mary Wesler, John Rotz
  • Patent number: 6990528
    Abstract: A method for associating reliable datagram queue pairs with an underlying end-to-end context of a channel adapter is provided. The method comprises storing a reliable datagram domain (RDD) within the context of a reliable datagram queue pair (RD QP). The same RDD is stored within an end-to-end context (EEC). A partitioning key (P—key) is also stored within the EEC. The RDD cannot be accessed by consumer processes. In the case of incoming messages, the P—keys of the incoming data packet and EEC are compared. If P—keys match, then the RDD's of the RD QP and EEC are compared. If the RDD's match, the packet is processed normally. In the case of outgoing messages, the RDD's of the RD QP and EEC are first compared, and if they match, the P—Key of the EEC is inserted into the transport header of the data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Danny Marvin Neal, Renato John Recio, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Publication number: 20060015235
    Abstract: A gearshift to transmission controller interface is based on a controller area network and a gearshift interface interposed between the gearshift and associated displays and the network bus. The shift controller can be made universal to all transmission types of automated manual transmissions by incorporation of a library program relating to a transmission type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Ringger, John Rotz, Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 6981025
    Abstract: A method in a network computing system for managing a plurality of subnet managers in the network computing system. An identification is received of a set of subnet managers within the plurality of subnet managers. The set of subnet managers is allowed to participate in a master election to select a master subnet manager. Subnet managers other than the set of subnet managers are placed in a dormant state. The master subnet manager is elected from the set of subnet managers through the master election, wherein other subnet managers within the number of subnet managers poll the master subnet manager to allow the other subnet managers to elect a new master subnet manager if the master subnet manager fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Giles Roger Frazier, Danny Marvin Neal, Gregory Francis Pfister, Steven Mark Thurber, Dono Van-Mierop
  • Patent number: 6973510
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for preventing input/output (I/O) adapters used by an operating system (OS) image, in a logically partitioned data processing system, from fetching or corrupting data from a memory location allocated to another OS image within the data processing system is provided. A hypervisor prevents transmission of data between an input/output adapter in one of the logical partitions and memory locations assigned to other logical partitions during a direct memory access (DMA) operation by assigning each of the input/output adapters a range of I/O bus DMA addresses. The I/O adapters (IOAs) are connected to PCI host bridges via terminal bridges. A single terminal bridge may support multiple IOAs, in which case every terminal bridge has a plurality of sets of range registers, each associated with a respective one of the IOAs to which it is connected. An arbiter is provided which selects one of the input/output adapters to use the PCI bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Louis Arndt, Danny Marvin Neal, Steven Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 6941350
    Abstract: A method in a node within network computing system for selecting a master network manager, wherein the first node is associated with a first priority. Requests are sent to the network computing system to discover other nodes within the network computing system. A second priority from the request is identified in response to receiving a response to one of the requests from another node within the network computing system. The first node shifts to a standby mode if it discovers a master subnet manager or the second priority is higher than the first priority. The first node shifts to a master mode if a response containing a priority higher than the first priority is absent in responses received by the first node and the first node has completed checking all other nodes in the network computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Giles Roger Frazier, Gregory Francis Pfister, Steven Mark Thurber, Dono Van-Mierop
  • Publication number: 20050191418
    Abstract: UV molding from elastomeric masters on thin bendable backplanes that allow replication of UV-cured resist patterns with high accuracy is disclosed. This design accommodates large substrate topographies, has improved de-molding properties, and facilitates two-in-one lithography and assembly of the sliders on topographically structured elastomeric sticky pads. The combination of sticky pad assembly and two-in-one lithography allows an all-in-one harmony process based on UV-molding. These features cure prior art technical problems of the harmony process while significantly reducing cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicant: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B. V.
    Inventors: Alexander Bietsch, Michael Chaw, Ashok Lahiri, Ian McFadyen, Bruno Michel, Mark Thurber
  • Publication number: 20050191582
    Abstract: A mechanically releasable slider process utilizes silicone rubber or PDMS to take the function of a planarization material for individual sliders or slider rows. Mechanical debonding takes advantage of the rubber-elastic property of PDMS. A gripper is used in a virtually solvent-free, air bearing patterning UV-molding process and resist-based processes. A PDMS-based fixture is used during both the lapping process and the photo or UV-mold patterning of the ABS surface. This fixture can mechanically hold sliders by large area reversible adhesion while allowing gimbaling, electrical connection, actuation, UV-molding or photolithography, and mechanical release, thus reducing the number of slider manipulations to two.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Alexander Bietsch, Michael Chaw, Ashok Lahiri, Bruno Michel, Mark Thurber
  • Patent number: 6931471
    Abstract: A computer system has physical pages of memory subject to access by input/output (“I/O”) devices, and a certain table with entries associating the physical pages with the I/O devices. Responsive to a request for data be moved from a first physical page to a second physical page, an entry is selected for the first physical page in the table. The selected entry indicates an association of the first physical page and one of the I/O devices. Arbitration is temporarily disabled for the selected I/O device so that I/O operations for the I/O device are temporarily disabled. Once arbitration is disabled for the device the data is moved from the first physical page to a second one of the physical pages and the entry is updated in the table to reflect a new association between the I/O device and the second physical page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Louis Arndt, Luke Matthew Browning, Bruce Mealey, Steven Mark Thurber