Patents by Inventor Randall Lane Grimm

Randall Lane Grimm 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: 8135795
    Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for on-demand access to computerized resources. A resource-time value includes a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component. The resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity. Upon verifying the resource-time value, a quantity of the resource is enabled. The enabled resources may then be placed into service for specified time periods, wherein the quantity of resources placed into service and the time periods are delimited by the usage limit component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Patent number: 7958218
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method for determining unreturned standby resource usage. Unreturned standby resource data is monitored and stored separately from other standby resource data for billing and other accounting purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Patent number: 7720972
    Abstract: An apparatus and program product for transferring entitlement to standby resources between respective computers. Standby resources are made available at a destination computer by rendering unavailable corresponding resources at a source computer. As such, the aggregate number of available standby resources may remain unchanged, but the distribution of the availability may be reapportioned according to operational requirements. Where desired, this transfer of entitlement may be accomplished automatically, dynamically and/or in a secure manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis
  • Patent number: 7627506
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provides the capability of metering temporary capacity on demand in a computer system. A resource-time is specified, such as processor-days. The actual usage of the resource is monitored, and the customer is charged for only the actual usage of the resource. In this manner a customer may purchase a specified resource-time, and is only charged for the time that the resource is actually used. The preferred embodiments extend to metering temporary capacity on demand in a logically partitioned computer system. If a resource is shared, the actual usage of the resource is monitored, and the customer is only billed for actual usage that exceeds a predetermined non-zero threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Patent number: 7574507
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method for determining unreturned standby resource usage. Unreturned standby resource data is monitored and stored separately from other standby resource data for billing and other accounting purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Publication number: 20090043877
    Abstract: An apparatus and program product for transferring entitlement to standby resources between respective computers. Standby resources are made available at a destination computer by rendering unavailable corresponding resources at a source computer. As such, the aggregate number of available standby resources may remain unchanged, but the distribution of the availability may be reapportioned according to operational requirements. Where desired, this transfer of entitlement may be accomplished automatically, dynamically and/or in a secure manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis
  • Publication number: 20080306847
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide the capability of metering temporary capacity on demand in a computer system in a way that allows one resource to benefit from unused billed capacity of a different resource. The actual use of a selected resource is monitored. When the selected resource is actually used, before charging the customer for the resource, a check is made to see if there is unused billed capacity of another resource that may be used by the selected resource. If so, the unused billed capacity of the other resource is “stolen” and used by the selected resource. If there is no unused billed capacity of another resource, a resource-time increment is billed for the use of the selected resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Randall Lane Grimm, Paul Frederick Olsen
  • Patent number: 7454502
    Abstract: A method for transferring entitlement to standby resources between respective computers. Standby resources are made available at a destination computer by rendering unavailable corresponding resources at a source computer. As such, the aggregate number of available standby resources may remain unchanged, but the distribution of the availability may be reapportioned according to operational requirements. Where desired, this transfer of entitlement may be accomplished automatically, dynamically and/or in a secure manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis
  • Publication number: 20080228644
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provides the capability of metering temporary capacity on demand in a computer system. A resource-time is specified, such as processor-days. The actual usage of the resource is monitored, and the customer is charged for only the actual usage of the resource. In this manner a customer may purchase a specified resource-time, and is only charged for the time that the resource is actually used. The preferred embodiments extend to metering temporary capacity on demand in a logically partitioned computer system. If a resource is shared, the actual usage of the resource is monitored, and the customer is only billed for actual usage that exceeds a predetermined non-zero threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Patent number: 7395334
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method for determining unreturned standby resource usage. Unreturned standby resource data is monitored and stored separately from other standby resource data for billing and other accounting purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Publication number: 20040236852
    Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for on-demand access to computerized resources. A resource-time value includes a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component. The resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity. Upon verifying the resource-time value, a quantity of the resource is enabled. The enabled resources may then be placed into service for specified time periods, wherein the quantity of resources placed into service and the time periods are delimited by the usage limit component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Publication number: 20040215774
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method for determining unreturned standby resource usage. Unreturned standby resource data is monitored and stored separately from other standby resource data for billing and other accounting purposes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt
  • Publication number: 20040199473
    Abstract: Method, apparatus and article of manufacture for on-demand access to computerized resources. A resource-time value includes a resource-identifying component and a usage limit component. The resource-identifying component specifies a given type of a resource and the usage limit component defines a maximum allowable usage value of the resource on the basis of time and quantity. Upon verifying the resource-time value, a quantity of the resource is enabled. The enabled resources may then be placed into service for specified time periods, wherein the quantity of resources placed into service and the time periods are delimited by the usage limit component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Birkestrand, Randall Lane Grimm, David Otto Lewis, Terry Lyle Schardt