Patents by Inventor STEVEN C. JACOBSON

STEVEN C. JACOBSON 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: 9880607
    Abstract: Optimizing an I2C bus frequency, the bus including signal lines coupling a master and slave nodes, a signal line coupled to a rise time detection circuit monitoring a voltage of the signal line, the voltage alternating between a logic low and logic high, where optimizing the frequency includes: detecting, during a rise in the signal line, a first voltage, the first voltage being greater than the logic low voltage; starting a counter to increment once for each clock period of the circuit; detecting a second voltage on the signal line, the second voltage greater than the first and less than the logic high; stopping the counter; calculating, in dependence upon the clock period and the counter value, a rise time; determining whether the rise time is greater than a maximum threshold; and increasing the I2C bus frequency if the calculated rise time is greater than the maximum threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Decesaris, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Patent number: 9626319
    Abstract: Allocating lanes in a Peripheral Connect Interface Express (‘PCIe’) bus, including: determining, by a lane allocation module, performance capabilities of a device coupled to the PCIe bus; and allocating, by the lane allocation module, a number of lanes in the PCIe bus for use by the device in dependence upon the performance capabilities of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant
  • Patent number: 9454505
    Abstract: Chip select (‘CS’) multiplication in an SPI system that includes an SPI master, a CS multiplier, a plurality of SPI slaves, and a fall time detection circuit, where the SPI master is coupled to the CS multiplier and the fall time detection circuit by a CS signal line, the CS multiplier includes a plurality of CS outputs with each CS output coupled to an SPI slave, and CS multiplication includes: receiving, from the SPI master, the CS signal on the CS signal line; detecting fall time of the CS signal; and, if the fall time of the CS signal is less than a predefined threshold, configuring, by the fall-time detection circuit, the CS multiplier to vary from providing a CS signal on a first CS output to providing a CS signal on a second CS output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Decesaris, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Patent number: 9430007
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for reducing electrical component stress from power cycling is provided. The method may include receiving an indication associated with power cycling an electronic apparatus. The method may also include identifying, based on the received indication, a first one or more groups of electrical components that will not be powered off during the power cycling of the electronic apparatus. The method may further include identifying, based on the received indication, a second one or more groups of electrical components that will be powered off during the power cycling of the electronic apparatus. The method may finally include powering off the second one or more groups of electrical components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant, Brian C. Totten
  • Patent number: 9201088
    Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of fans, wherein each of the fans is configurable to run at a unique fan speed that is different from fan speeds of other fans from the plurality of fans. A plurality of variable-positioned devices, capable of being positioned at various locations within the system, are physically positioned such that airflow from one of the plurality of fans strikes a particular variable-positioned device. A plurality of anemometers, each of which is connected to a particular variable-positioned device, measure airflow across the variable-positioned devices. A system controller, which contains location information that identifies a physical position within the system of each of the plurality of fans, utilizes airflow readings from each of the anemometers to identify a physical location of each of the plurality of variable-positioned devices by matching physical locations of the fans to measured airflow across the variable-positioned devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Milton Cobo, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Publication number: 20150334526
    Abstract: A method includes a wireless mobile communication device discovering a proximate wireless audio device, receiving a device name from the wireless audio device, and providing the device name to a content server. The method further includes the content server analyzing the device name to identify a location or activity, selecting content relevant to the identified location or activity, and providing the selected content to the wireless mobile communication device. Optionally, the location or activity may be a kitchen, garage or other room of a residence or a conference room or break room of a business. The selected content is preferably relevant to the location or activity, such as an advertisement for tools or lawn equipment responsive to the identified location being the garage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant
  • Publication number: 20150324312
    Abstract: A method includes a supervisory controller within a computer identifying a plurality of PCIe devices installed within the computer and identifying one or more configurable link width for each of the identified PCIe devices, wherein each of the identified PCIe devices is determined to be installed in a particular PCIe slot. The method further includes the supervisory controller granting a higher priority to a first one of the PCIe devices than to a second one of the PCIe devices, and the supervisory controller controlling the allocation of a fixed number of serial communication lanes from a processor to the plurality of PCIe devices, wherein the first PCIe device is allocated the maximum configurable link width identified for the first PCIe device and the second PCIe device is allocated a link width less than the maximum configurable link width identified for the second PCIe device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant
  • Publication number: 20150324311
    Abstract: A computer program product includes program instructions executable by a processor, such as a supervisory controller within a computer to perform a method. The method includes identifying PCIe devices installed within the computer and identifying one or more configurable link width for each of the identified PCIe devices, wherein each PCIe device is determined to be installed in a particular PCIe slot. The method further includes granting a higher priority to a first one of the PCIe devices than to a second one of the PCIe devices, and controlling the allocation of a fixed number of serial communication lanes from a processor to the plurality of PCIe devices, wherein the first PCIe device is allocated the maximum configurable link width identified for the first PCIe device and the second PCIe device is allocated a link width less than the maximum configurable link width identified for the second PCIe device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant
  • Publication number: 20150309559
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for reducing electrical component stress from power cycling is provided. The method may include receiving an indication associated with power cycling an electronic apparatus. The method may also include identifying, based on the received indication, a first one or more groups of electrical components that will not be powered off during the power cycling of the electronic apparatus. The method may further include identifying, based on the received indication, a second one or more groups of electrical components that will be powered off during the power cycling of the electronic apparatus. The method may finally include powering off the second one or more groups of electrical components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant, Brian C. Totten
  • Publication number: 20150205754
    Abstract: Chip select (‘CS’) multiplication in an SPI system that includes an SPI master, a CS multiplier, a plurality of SPI slaves, and a fall time detection circuit, where the SPI master is coupled to the CS multiplier and the fall time detection circuit by a CS signal line, the CS multiplier includes a plurality of CS outputs with each CS output coupled to an SPI slave, and CS multiplication includes: receiving, from the SPI master, the CS signal on the CS signal line; detecting fall time of the CS signal; and, if the fall time of the CS signal is less than a predefined threshold, configuring, by the fall-time detection circuit, the CS multiplier to vary from providing a CS signal on a first CS output to providing a CS signal on a second CS output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: MICHAEL DECESARIS, STEVEN C. JACOBSON, LUKE D. REMIS, GREGORY D. SELLMAN
  • Publication number: 20150127963
    Abstract: Optimizing an I2C bus frequency, the bus including signal lines coupling a master and slave nodes, a signal line coupled to a rise time detection circuit monitoring a voltage of the signal line, the voltage alternating between a logic low and logic high, where optimizing the frequency includes: detecting, during a rise in the signal line, a first voltage, the first voltage being greater than the logic low voltage; starting a counter to increment once for each clock period of the circuit; detecting a second voltage on the signal line, the second voltage greater than the first and less than the logic high; stopping the counter; calculating, in dependence upon the clock period and the counter value, a rise time; determining whether the rise time is greater than a maximum threshold; and increasing the I2C bus frequency if the calculated rise time is greater than the maximum threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: MICHAEL DECESARIS, STEVEN C. JACOBSON, LUKE D. REMIS, GREGORY D. SELLMAN
  • Patent number: 9015394
    Abstract: Chip select (‘CS’) multiplication in an SPI system that includes an SPI master, a CS multiplier, a plurality of SPI slaves, and a fall time detection circuit, where the SPI master is coupled to the CS multiplier and the fall time detection circuit by a CS signal line, the CS multiplier includes a plurality of CS outputs with each CS output coupled to an SPI slave, and CS multiplication includes: receiving, from the SPI master, the CS signal on the CS signal line; detecting fall time of the CS signal; and, if the fall time of the CS signal is less than a predefined threshold, configuring, by the fall-time detection circuit, the CS multiplier to vary from providing a CS signal on a first CS output to providing a CS signal on a second CS output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael DeCesaris, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Publication number: 20150058517
    Abstract: Allocating lanes in a Peripheral Connect Interface Express (‘PCIe’) bus, including: determining, by a lane allocation module, performance capabilities of a device coupled to the PCIe bus; and allocating, by the lane allocation module, a number of lanes in the PCIe bus for use by the device in dependence upon the performance capabilities of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: STEVEN C. JACOBSON, LOC X. NGUYEN, LUKE D. REMIS, TIMOTHY R. TENNANT
  • Publication number: 20150053020
    Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of fans, wherein each of the fans is configurable to run at a unique fan speed that is different from fan speeds of other fans from the plurality of fans. A plurality of variable-positioned devices, capable of being positioned at various locations within the system, are physically positioned such that airflow from one of the plurality of fans strikes a particular variable-positioned device. A plurality of anemometers, each of which is connected to a particular variable-positioned device, measure airflow across the variable-positioned devices. A system controller, which contains location information that identifies a physical position within the system of each of the plurality of fans, utilizes airflow readings from each of the anemometers to identify a physical location of each of the plurality of variable-positioned devices by matching physical locations of the fans to measured airflow across the variable-positioned devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORORATION
    Inventors: MILTON COBO, STEVEN C. JACOBSON, LUKE D. REMIS, GREGORY D. SELLMAN
  • Publication number: 20150058515
    Abstract: Allocating lanes in a Peripheral Connect Interface Express (‘PCIe’) bus, including: determining, by a lane allocation module, performance capabilities of a device coupled to the PCIe bus; and allocating, by the lane allocation module, a number of lanes in the PCIe bus for use by the device in dependence upon the performance capabilities of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Jacobson, Loc X. Nguyen, Luke D. Remis, Timothy R. Tennant
  • Patent number: 8959264
    Abstract: A method auto-switches interfaces between a client computer and subsystems in a device under management. A first output bus from a first subsystem is coupled to a client computer via a multiplexer, wherein the first subsystem is a subsystem from multiple system subsystems in the device under management. A hardware subsystem bus monitor monitors all output busses from the multiple system subsystems for a predetermined event on a bus. In response to the predetermined event being detected on a second output bus from a second subsystem in the device under management, the multiplexor decouples the first output bus from the client computer and couples the second output bus to the client computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Decesaris, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Patent number: 8959380
    Abstract: Optimizing an I2C bus frequency, the bus including signal lines coupling a master and slave nodes, a signal line coupled to a rise time detection circuit monitoring a voltage of the signal line, the voltage alternating between a logic low and logic high, where optimizing the frequency includes: detecting, during a rise in the signal line, a first voltage, the first voltage being greater than the logic low voltage; starting a counter to increment once for each clock period of the circuit; detecting a second voltage on the signal line, the second voltage greater than the first and less than the logic high; stopping the counter; calculating, in dependence upon the clock period and the counter value, a rise time; determining whether the rise time is greater than a maximum threshold; and increasing the I2C bus frequency if the calculated rise time is greater than the maximum threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Decesaris, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Patent number: 8954634
    Abstract: Operating a demultiplexer on an I2C bus, the demultiplexer including a set of input signal lines from an I2C master and a plurality of sets of output signal lines, the demultiplexer configured to couple the inputs among the output in dependence upon a demultiplexer select signal line that couples the demultiplexer to a rise time detection circuit, where the rise time detection circuit is also coupled to the input signal lines and the rise time detection circuit: monitors a voltage of at least one of the input signal lines, including: receiving, from the I2C master, a signal on one of the lines; and detecting rise time of the signal; and if the rise time of the signal is less than a predefined threshold, configuring the demultiplexer to vary the coupling of the input signal lines from a first set of outputs to a second set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael DeCesaris, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Patent number: 8902611
    Abstract: A computer processor retention device comprises a load frame, a load plate, and a pair of retractable cover members. The load frame may be secured to a circuit board around a processor mounting site. The load plate is pivotally coupled to the load frame and is pivotable between being open for receiving a processor at the processor mounting site and closed in engagement with a periphery of the received processor. The load plate has a window that is open to the processor mounting site when the load plate is closed. The retractable cover members span the window and are alternately movable along a track toward one another to cover the processor mounting site and away from one another to expose the processor mounting site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy S. Bridges, Steven C. Jacobson, Luke D. Remis, Gregory D. Sellman
  • Publication number: 20140344487
    Abstract: A method auto-switches interfaces between a client computer and subsystems in a device under management. A first output bus from a first subsystem is coupled to a client computer via a multiplexer, wherein the first subsystem is a subsystem from multiple system subsystems in the device under management. A hardware subsystem bus monitor monitors all output busses from the multiple system subsystems for a predetermined event on a bus. In response to the predetermined event being detected on a second output bus from a second subsystem in the device under management, the multiplexor decouples the first output bus from the client computer and couples the second output bus to the client computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: MICHAEL DECESARIS, STEVEN C. JACOBSON, LUKE D. REMIS, GREGORY D. SELLMAN