Patents by Inventor Nicholas M. Williamson
Nicholas M. Williamson 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).
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Patent number: 9021076Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing inventory data for components of a server system. In one embodiment, a global management controller is provided, that is operatively connected to a plurality of local management controllers. Each local management controller is configured to manage a subset of the components of the server system. Each local management controller is also configured to generate, for each component, a checksum based on vital product data (VPD) of the component. Each local management controller is also configured to compute a composite checksum based on the checksums generated for the components in the subset. The global management controller is configured to maintain a global view of the VPD in the computer system, based on the checksums and/or composite checksums.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2011Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher H. Austen, Thomas M. Brey, William M. Edmonds, Jeffrey M. Franke, Edward J. Klodnicki, James A. O'Connor, Nicholas M. Williamson
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Patent number: 8892714Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing inventory data for components of a server system. In one embodiment, a global management controller is provided, that is operatively connected to a plurality of local management controllers. Each local management controller is configured to manage a subset of the components of the server system. Each local management controller is also configured to generate, for each component, a checksum based on vital product data (VPD) of the component. Each local management controller is also configured to compute a composite checksum based on the checksums generated for the components in the subset. The global management controller is configured to maintain a global view of the VPD in the computer system, based on the checksums and/or composite checksums.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Christopher H. Austen, Thomas M. Brey, William M. Edmonds, Jeffrey M. Franke, Edward J. Klodnicki, James A. O'Connor, Nicholas M. Williamson
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Patent number: 8380903Abstract: Administering the polling of a number of devices for device status including determining whether a task identification for polling the device is in the delayed polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is not in the delayed polling queue, determining whether the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; calculating a new time interval for polling the device in dependence upon a predetermined base period and a random selection of a time offset, wherein the time offset is within a predetermined range; calculating a next polling time for polling the device in dependence upon the current time and the new time interval; inserting the task identification in the delayed polling queue in dependence upon the next polling time.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2012Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nicholas M. Williamson, Yin Jun Xu, Pu Yp Yang
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Publication number: 20130013759Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for managing inventory data for components of a server system. In one embodiment, a global management controller is provided, that is operatively connected to a plurality of local management controllers. Each local management controller is configured to manage a subset of the components of the server system. Each local management controller is also configured to generate, for each component, a checksum based on vital product data (VPD) of the component. Each local management controller is also configured to compute a composite checksum based on the checksums generated for the components in the subset. The global management controller is configured to maintain a global view of the VPD in the computer system, based on the checksums and/or composite checksums.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: CHRISTOPHER H. AUSTEN, THOMAS M. BREY, WILLIAM M. EDMONDS, JEFFREY M. FRANKE, EDWARD J. KLODNICKI, JAMES A. O'CONNOR, NICHOLAS M. WILLIAMSON
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Patent number: 8244943Abstract: Administering the polling of a number of devices for device status including determining whether a task identification for polling the device is in the delayed polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is not in the delayed polling queue, determining whether the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; calculating a new time interval for polling the device in dependence upon a predetermined base period and a random selection of a time offset, wherein the time offset is within a predetermined range; calculating a next polling time for polling the device in dependence upon the current time and the new time interval; inserting the task identification in the delayed polling queue in dependence upon the next polling time.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nicholas M. Williamson, Yin Jun Xu, Pu Yp Yang
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Publication number: 20120198108Abstract: Administering the polling of a number of devices for device status including determining whether a task identification for polling the device is in the delayed polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is not in the delayed polling queue, determining whether the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; calculating a new time interval for polling the device in dependence upon a predetermined base period and a random selection of a time offset, wherein the time offset is within a predetermined range; calculating a next polling time for polling the device in dependence upon the current time and the new time interval; inserting the task identification in the delayed polling queue in dependence upon the next polling time.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2012Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Nicholas M. Williamson, Yin Jun Xu, Pu Yp Yang
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Patent number: 8213297Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for an Internet protocol (IP) address resolution process during an original switch stack fragmentation, by employing a secondary communication link. A method for IP address resolution of a fragmented switch stack over a secondary communication link (e.g., an I2C bus) can include detecting a first switch stack fragment by a first stack master, detecting a second switch stack fragment by a second stack master, disabling all switches of the first switch stack fragment and the second switch stack fragment, connecting the first stack master and the second stack master to a stack management module via a secondary communication link, and electing one stack fragment to use the IP address of the original switch stack based on at least one election criteria.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2007Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Albert D. Bennah, William M. Edmonds, Tushar D. Fadale, Akihiko Kuroda, Bahram S. Sanaei, Nicholas M. Williamson
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Publication number: 20110078352Abstract: Administering the polling of a number of devices for device status including determining whether a task identification for polling the device is in the delayed polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is not in the delayed polling queue, determining whether the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; if the task identification for polling the device is in the immediate polling queue; calculating a new time interval for polling the device in dependence upon a predetermined base period and a random selection of a time offset, wherein the time offset is within a predetermined range; calculating a next polling time for polling the device in dependence upon the current time and the new time interval; inserting the task identification in the delayed polling queue in dependence upon the next polling time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2009Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Nicholas M. Williamson, Yin Jun Xu, Pu Yp Yang
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Patent number: 7796508Abstract: A method for controlling congestion control and avoidance behavior of a plurality of heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network also includes at least one host processor that utilizes at least one congestion control application. The method include providing a plurality of generic application program interfaces (APIs). The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) and the heterogeneous network processors. The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) in the host processor(s) in a network processor independent manner, but manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in a network processor specific manner. Thus, the generic APIs allow the control application(s) to be network processor independent and to manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in the network processor specific manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2008Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Seeta Hariharan, Sridhar Rao, Sreekrishnan Venkateswaran, Nicholas M. Williamson
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Publication number: 20090135715Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for an Internet protocol (IP) address resolution process during an original switch stack fragmentation, by employing a secondary communication link. A method for IP address resolution of a fragmented switch stack over a secondary communication link (e.g., an I2C bus) can include detecting a first switch stack fragment by a first stack master, detecting a second switch stack fragment by a second stack master, disabling all switches of the first switch stack fragment and the second switch stack fragment, connecting the first stack master and the second stack master to a stack management module via a secondary communication link, and electing one stack fragment to use the IP address of the original switch stack based on at least one election criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2007Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Albert D. Bennah, William M. Edmonds, Tushar D. Fadale, Akihiko Kuroda, Bahram S. Sanaei, Nicholas M. Williamson
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Publication number: 20080232257Abstract: A method for controlling congestion control and avoidance behavior of a plurality of heterogeneous network processors in a network is disclosed. The network also includes at least one host processor that utilizes at least one congestion control application. The method include providing a plurality of generic application program interfaces (APIs). The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) and the heterogeneous network processors. The generic APIs communicate with the congestion control application(s) in the host processor(s) in a network processor independent manner, but manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in a network processor specific manner. Thus, the generic APIs allow the control application(s) to be network processor independent and to manage the congestion control and avoidance behavior of the heterogeneous network processors in the network processor specific manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2008Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Seeta HARIHARAN, Sridhar Rao, Sreekrishnan Venkateswaran, Nicholas M. Williamson