Patents Represented by Attorney Griffiths & Seaton PLLC
  • Patent number: 7827353
    Abstract: A method for managing a data storage system, consisting of configuring a first cache to retrieve data from and store data at a first range of logical addresses (LAs) in a storage device. A second cache is configured to operate like the first cache. The method further includes configuring one or more third caches to retrieve data from and store data at a second range of LAs in the storage device. The method includes detecting an inability of the second cache to retrieve data from or store data at the first range of LAs. In response to the inability, at least one of the first cache and the one or more third caches are reconfigured to retrieve data from and store at the first range of LAs while continuing to retrieve data from and store at the second range of LAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ofir Zohar, Yaron Revah, Haim Helman, Dror Cohen, Shemer Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7827592
    Abstract: A method for implicit authorization to a computer resource includes defining a behavioral signature including a plurality of defined computer actions known to an authorized user of the computer resource. A first performed computer action of a user is registered. The first performed computer action is compared with a first defined computer action of the plurality of defined computer actions, wherein, if the first performed computer action and the first defined computer action match, an authentication state is changed from a first authentication state to a second authentication state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Fifer, Itzhack Goldberg, Julianne F. Haugh
  • Patent number: 7815108
    Abstract: A transaction product includes an enclosure, an account identifier and an electrical circuit. The enclosure defines an aperture. The account identifier is at least one of connected to or enclosed within the enclosure and links the transaction product to an account or record. The account identifier is machine readable. The electrical circuit includes a flexible circuit member, wherein the flexible circuit member extends through the aperture defined by the enclosure such that a first portion of the flexible circuit member is coupled to an outside surface of the enclosure and a second portion of the flexible circuit member is positioned inside the enclosure. Other cards, products, assemblies and methods of using such cards, products and assemblies are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Schacherer, Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija, Ted C. Halbur
  • Patent number: 7818522
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for performing an incremental resynchronization between two unrelated volumes when a third volume fails. The apparatus, system, and method include initiating registration of changed tracks; keeping track of bytes in flight activities between a local volume and an intermediate volume; recording the changed tracks in bitmaps at the local volume; stopping the recording of the changed tracks; and starting a resynchronization process by sending the changed tracks to a recovery volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Bartfai, Michael E. Factor, Shachar Fienblit, Olympia Gluck, Gail A. Spear
  • Patent number: 7818473
    Abstract: A method of packaging locate record commands for device command word (DCW) processing is provided. A first locate record command is packaged into DCW prefix parameter data. The first locate record command includes first search and first seek arguments, a first intent count argument, a first transfer length factor argument, and a plurality of remaining arguments. A plurality of truncated locate record commands is embedded in the DCW prefix parameter data as concatenations to the first locate record command. Each of the plurality of truncated locate record commands include a unique search argument, intent count argument, and transfer length factor argument. Seek argument parameters for each of the plurality of truncated locate record commands are calculated by taking an offset from the first seek argument and the first search argument, applying the offset to each of the plurality of truncated locate record commands. The plurality of remaining arguments is shared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susan Kay Candelaria, Matthew Joseph Kalos, Beth Ann Peterson
  • Patent number: 7818472
    Abstract: A method of packaging a plurality of repeating commands for device command word (DCW) processing in a computer environment having an I/O link handling complex instruction chains for a processing operation is provided. Locate record information is packaged into DCW prefix parameter data. The locate record information includes an intent count argument. The plurality of repeating commands are embedded as a truncated concatenation to the first locate record information. The plurality of repeating commands are identified by redefining the intent count argument for the plurality of repeating commands as a repeat count argument using a flag argument incorporated into the locate record information. The repeat count argument indicates a number of times for a control unit in the computer environment to execute the plurality of repeating commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Kalos, Beth Ann Peterson
  • Patent number: 7814692
    Abstract: A signage system includes a support, a housing attached to the support, and a first sign. The support includes a substantially horizontal member having a first end and a second end; a bracket for mounting the support to an upright, the bracket being attached to the first end of the substantially horizontal member; and a shell extending from the second end of the substantially horizontal member. The housing is attached within the shell of the support and includes a first ring, a second ring connected to the first ring, a first plate, and a second plate positioned adjacent to the first plate. The first plate and the second plate are positioned between the first ring and the second ring. The first sign is releasably retained between the first ring and the first plate by frictional engagement of edges of the first sign with the first ring and the first plate. The signage system is adapted to be supported by the bracket in a cantilevered configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohland Wiltfang, Erica Martin, Tracy Tonnessen, Mark Waite, Conrad M. Chin, Eric J. Weiss
  • Patent number: 7818505
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a cache management module for managing a cache memory device, comprising a groups management module adapted to define groups of allocation units in accordance with at least an operative criterion and to create a new group of allocation units whenever it is determined that in accordance with at least the operative criterion none of the one or more existing groups is appropriate to include an allocation unit, and a replacement procedure module adapted to manage the cache in terms of groups of allocation units, rather than in terms of discrete allocation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ofir Zohar, Yaron Revah, Haim Helman, Dror Cohen, Shemer Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7810710
    Abstract: A stored-value product includes a toy automobile and a panel. The toy automobile includes a body and wheels rotatably coupled to the body. The panel is coupled to the body and includes an account identifier signifying a financial account or record linked to the stored-value card assembly. Stored-value product assemblies, methods of promoting sales of stored-value products, methods of using a stored-value product and other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Ted C. Halbur, Travis M. Robertson, David B. Smith, Erin M. Borkowski, Primoz Samardzija, Daniel Eke
  • Patent number: 7810736
    Abstract: A transaction product, which is configured to interface with and receive electrical power from an electrical socket, includes a support member, an electrical circuit and an account identifier. The electrical circuit is coupled to the support member and includes an electrical plug and an electrically driven device electrically coupled with the electrical plug. The electrical plug includes at least two blades extending from the support member. The at least two blades are configured to interface with the electrical socket such that electrical power from the electrical socket is transferred to the electrically driven device via the electrical plug. The account identifier links the transaction product to an account or record, wherein the account identifier is machine readable. Other cards, products, assemblies and methods of using such cards, products and assemblies are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Smith, Travis M. Robertson, Ted C. Halbur, Erin M. Borkowski, Adam W. Reynolds, Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija
  • Patent number: 7810711
    Abstract: A financial transaction card assembly comprises a financial transaction card, a package, and at least one article. The financial transaction card includes an account identifier linking the financial transaction card to at least one of a financial account or a financial record. The package is separate from the financial transaction card and defines an internal cavity. The at least one article is enclosed within the internal cavity. The financial transaction card is maintained outside of the internal cavity and is removably coupled to the package. Methods of assembling a financial transaction card assembly, methods of encouraging purchase and facilitating use of a financial transaction card assembly, and other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Ted C. Halbur, Travis M. Robertson, Erin M. Borkowski, Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija
  • Patent number: 7810719
    Abstract: A transaction product includes a housing, an article and an account identifier. The article is selectively maintained within the housing. Following removal of the article from the housing, the article is configured to self-inflate upon activation of the article by a bearer of the transaction product. The account identifier is associated with the housing and links the transaction product to an account or record having a value configured to be used toward one or more of a purchase and a use of goods or services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija
  • Patent number: 7801764
    Abstract: A method of sale including processing a plurality of purchases to be sold to a consumer, identifying a consumer financial account held by a financial institution, receiving authorization from the financial institution to enable payment for the plurality of purchases from the consumer financial account, and providing the consumer with an option to approve the payment from the consumer financial account. The option is provided during processing of the plurality of purchases. Transaction approval systems provide additional advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Ash
  • Patent number: 7793948
    Abstract: A method of assembling shopping carts includes providing a basket defining including rear upright frame members. Each rear upright frame member defines includes a lower connecting portion. The method further includes providing a first base and providing a second base. The first base includes a pair of first base supports each configured to be removably secured to one of the lower connecting portions. The second base includes a pair of second base supports each configured to be removably secured to one of lower connecting portions, and the second base is shaped differently than the first base. The method includes selecting one of the first base and the second base having a desired base size and shape, and removably securing the basket to the selected one of the first base and the second base including coupling each lower connecting portion with one of the first base supports and second base supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Splain, Robert D. Peota, Alexandre Hennen, Allan Cameron, Mark T. Ryan, David L. Pruitt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7797571
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method from mirroring data from a data storage server/system. A mirroring module on a primary mirror server/system may forward one or more data packets received from the data storage server/system to a secondary mirror server/system. The one or more packets maybe received over a synchronous data link and forwarded over an asynchronous data link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ofir Zohar, Haim Helman, Dror Cohen, Shemer Schwartz, Yaron Revah, Efri Zeidner
  • Patent number: D624586
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Ted C. Halbur, Donald C. Clark, Roger Ricketts
  • Patent number: D624768
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy A. Clark, Michael A. Whittier
  • Patent number: D624808
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Jessica Krawczak, Alex Tetiyevsky, Keith C. Cedro
  • Patent number: D624814
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Julie E. Hoppner, Abby L. Meyerson, Ted C. Halbur, Robert W. Ash
  • Patent number: D624962
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Karie Lazarowicz, Tim D. Schumann