Patents by Inventor Stephen R. Valley

Stephen R. Valley 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: 7831867
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling tracing functions on a remote device. The system includes means for receiving a diagnostic signal from a host device on the remote device and means for associating the diagnostic signal with a tracing state of the remote device. In addition, the system includes means for performing a tracing function indicated by the diagnostic signal. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for controlling tracing functions on a remote device. The method operates by receiving a diagnostic signal from a host device on the remote device and associating the diagnostic signal with a tracing state of the remote device. Then, the method performs a tracing function indicated by the diagnostic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aleksandra Brand, Daniel P. Glaser, Jeffrey D. Haggar, Hugh E. Hockett, Maurice Isrel, Bruce Ratcliff, Michael W. Stayton, Jerry W. Stevens, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20100185898
    Abstract: The emulation of a data processing I/O protocol employs a process which obviates the need to consider hardware specific functionality for which emulation is not an optimal solution. The particular protocol described in exemplary fashion herein is the OSA protocol as defined by Open System Adapter standards. The use of this emulation is also seen to leave in place all of the software tools otherwise employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ping T. Chan, Paul M. Gioquindo, Ying-Yeung Li, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Stephen R. Valley, Mooheng Zee
  • Patent number: 7729879
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling diagnostic functions on a remote device. The system includes a host, and a network adapter in communication with the host. The system performs a method comprising receiving a diagnostic signal from the host device on the remote device, associating the diagnostic signal with a diagnostic state of the remote device, and performing a diagnostic function indicated by the diagnostic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Haggar, Hugh E. Hockett, Maurice Isrel, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Jerry W. Stevens, Stephen R. Valley, Edward Zebrowski, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100088708
    Abstract: A data connection of a shared resource is placed in isolation mode to remove its ability to communicate with other data connections of the shared resource. This ability to isolate the data connection is dynamic in that it can be turned on/off at any time. This provides increased data security for the entities using the data connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Angelo Macchiano, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Forrest A. Schumacher, Jerry W. Stevens, Richard P. Tarcza, Stephen R. Valley, Frederick C. Wong
  • Patent number: 7646724
    Abstract: A method, system, and program product for a data processing system having multiple hosts which dynamically determines blocking of packets in the data processing system. A connection is established between a host and an adapter for communication with a Local Area Network. A set of parameters is established for blocking packets transmitted from the adapter to the host. The set of parameters is stored in the adapter to be used by that connection. The packets transmitted from the adapter to the host are grouped or blocked in accordance with the set of parameters for that connection. Periodically, the packets being transmitted from the adapter to the host are evaluated for determining changes in the parameters. Changes to the set of parameters are recorded in the adapter for that connection to the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Moore, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Jerry W. Stevens, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20090238197
    Abstract: A method for Ethernet virtualization using assisted frame correction. The method comprises receiving at a host adapter data packets from a network, storing the received data packets in host memory, storing the received data packets in a hardware queue located on the host adapter, setting a status indicator reflecting the status of the data packets based on results of the checking, and sending the status indicator to the host memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Cadigan, JR., Jeffrey M. Turner, Stephen R. Valley
  • Patent number: 7519707
    Abstract: The substantially simultaneous tracing/monitoring of a plurality of sets of events via a single network interface. The plurality of events can be traced and/or monitored for one host or for a plurality of hosts coupled via the same network interface. The sets of events to be traced/monitored for a host are defined by the host and maintained in one or more configuration files. The configuration files may be dynamically updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George B. Markos, Balachandar Rajaraman, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Anthony R. Sager, Arthur J. Stagg, Stephen R. Valley
  • Patent number: 7515589
    Abstract: A network virtualization layer for an information handling system in which a physical machine coupled to a network is divided into a plurality of logical partitions, each of which has a host system residing thereon. In response to receiving a set command from one of the host systems specifying a data link layer (layer 2) address, the virtualization layer associates the data link layer address with the host system and forwards to the host system data packets specifying the data link layer address as a destination address. Unicast packets are forwarded to the single host system specifying the destination address as an individual MAC address, while multicast packets are forwarded to each host system specifying the destination address as a group MAC address. A host system may also specify a virtual LAN (VLAN) ID, which is used to scope the forwarding of packets to host systems sharing that VLAN ID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Utz Bacher, Angelo Macchiano, Dennis R. Musselwhite, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20090063707
    Abstract: Creating a unique identification for each stack in partitions of a host data computer such that a plurality of partitions may share a single adapter card during an Input/Output operation wherein the adapter card is exchanging data between the host and a Local Area Network. The adapter card includes a unique identifier pool for maintaining values of unique identifiers which are available for identifying the stacks. A deleted unique identifier for a stack may be reused by newly created stacks and may be reassigned to a recreated stack, if still available, when the stack had previously been deleted by the operating system, but is then recreated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frances C. Garofalo, Jeffrey D. Haggar, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Stephen R. Valley
  • Patent number: 7478139
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a unique identification for each stack in partitions of a host data computer such that a plurality of partitions may share a single adapter card during an Input/Output operation wherein the adapter card is exchanging data between the host and a Local Area Network. The adapter card includes a unique identifier pool for maintaining values of unique identifiers which are available for identifying the stacks. The method and apparatus also provides that a deleted unique identifier for a stack may be reused by newly created stacks and may be reassigned to a recreated stack, if still available, when the stack had previously been deleted by the operating system, but is then recreated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frances C. Garofalo, Jeffrey D. Haggar, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20080263408
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling tracing functions on a remote device. The system includes means for receiving a diagnostic signal from a host device on the remote device and means for associating the diagnostic signal with a tracing state of the remote device. In addition, the system includes means for performing a tracing function indicated by the diagnostic signal. The present invention can also be viewed as a method for controlling tracing functions on a remote device. The method operates by receiving a diagnostic signal from a host device on the remote device and associating the diagnostic signal with a tracing state of the remote device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aleksandra Brand, Daniel P. Glaser, Jeffrey D. Haggar, Hugh E. Hockett, Maurice Isrel, Bruce Ratcliff, Michael W. Stayton, Jerry W. Stevens, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20080262638
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for controlling diagnostic functions on a remote device. The system includes a host, and a network adapter in communication with the host. The system performs a method comprising receiving a diagnostic signal from the host device on the remote device, associating the diagnostic signal with a diagnostic state of the remote device, and performing a diagnostic function indicated by the diagnostic signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Haggar, Hugh E. Hockett, Maurice Isrel, Bruce Ratcliff, Jerry W. Stevens, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20080250139
    Abstract: The substantially simultaneous tracing/monitoring of a plurality of sets of events via a single network interface. The plurality of events can be traced and/or monitored for one host or for a plurality of hosts coupled via the same network interface. The sets of events to be traced/monitored for a host are defined by the host and maintained in one or more configuration files. The configuration files may be dynamically updated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: George B. Markos, Balachandar Rajaraman, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Anthony R. Sager, Arthur J. Stagg, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20080243467
    Abstract: The emulation of an adapter for I/O to link a host data processing system to a local area network provides advantages of memory to memory transfer which results in higher data transfer rates while at the same time providing a mechanism for working with two data transfer vectors in an overlapping fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ping T. Chan, Paul M. Gioquindo, Gary R. Morrill, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20080243465
    Abstract: An article of manufacture, method and system are provided for facilitating input/output (I/O) processing of at least one guest processing system. The article of manufacture includes at least one computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code logic to facilitate the I/O processing of the at least one guest processing system. The computer-readable program code logic when executing performing the following: emulating on a native system an I/O architecture for the at least one guest processing system, the emulating including: providing multiple device managers for a plurality of I/O devices of the I/O architecture; providing at least one communications adapter process interfacing the multiple device managers to the at least one network driver process; and wherein the multiple device managers translate I/O messages in at least one guest processing system format to messages in native system format for processing by the at least one communications adapter process, thereby facilitating I/O processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Theodore J. Bohizic, Richard T. Brandle, Ping T. Chan, Michael S. Cirulli, Paul M. Gioquindo, Ying-Yeung Li, Stephen R. Valley
  • Patent number: 7409445
    Abstract: The substantially simultaneous tracing/monitoring of a plurality of sets of events via a single network interface. The plurality of events can be traced and/or monitored for one host or for a plurality of hosts coupled via the same network interface. The sets of events to be traced/monitored for a host are defined by the host and maintained in one or more configuration files. The configuration files may be dynamically updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George B. Markos, Balachandar Rajaraman, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Anthony R. Sager, Arthur J. Stagg, Stephen R. Valley
  • Patent number: 6976083
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing direct data processing access in a network computing system environment. The system environment has a main storage which can be connected to one or more application servers and is in processing communication with an interface element. The interface element has at least one adapter and can be connected to one or more application user(s). One or more queues are established in the main storage that can handle data without causing interrupts in the running programs. Incoming data is received using the adapter and as data is received or modified, the status of the network computing system will be updated to reflect the new data or change. Data is then processed in the main storage after interrogating the multiple existing queues in the main storage simultaneously and forwarding them in turn to their appropriate destination or application server after a determination has been made by interrogating these queues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. Baskey, Steven G. Glassen, Eugene P. Hefferon, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Arthur J. Stagg, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20040228280
    Abstract: A method, system, and program product for a data processing system having multiple hosts which dynamically determines blocking of packets in the data processing system. A connection is established between a host and an adapter for communication with a Local Area Network. A set of parameters is established for blocking packets transmitted from the adapter to the host. The set of parameters is stored in the adapter to be used by that connection. The packets transmitted from the adapter to the host are grouped or blocked in accordance with the set of parameters for that connection. Periodically, the packets being transmitted from the adapter to the host are evaluated for determining changes in the parameters. Changes to the set of parameters are recorded in the adapter for that connection to the host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Moore, Bruce H. Ratcliff, Jerry W. Stevens, Stephen R. Valley
  • Publication number: 20040202185
    Abstract: A data processing system which includes a host computer having a memory partitioned into multiple logical partitions, each partition having an operating system for processing data, an adapter. The data processing system further includes multiple virtual local area networks (VLANs) for exchanging data with the partitions of the host computer. An Internet Protocol Assist (IPA) layer in the host computer assigns one or more Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to the partitions, and associates the IP addresses of the partitions with one or more VLANs such that data may be exchanges between an individual partition and one or VLANs in unicast, multicast or broadcast operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce H. Ratcliff, Stephen R. Valley
  • Patent number: 6778540
    Abstract: A facility is provided to allow for dynamic configuration of data routing between TCP/IP stacks of multiple partitions of a multi-partition processing system and a network adapter such as a local area network (LAN) gateway for the multi-partition processing system. The facility includes a command for automatically providing the network adapter with information that a particular partition of the processing system is to function as a router; and using the information at the network adapter to forward data received across the network to the partition when the data is to an unregistered HOME internet protocol (IP) address. The forwarding of data to the router partition occurs without any conventional IP processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce H. Ratcliff, Arthur J. Stagg, Stephen R. Valley