Patents Represented by Attorney Griffiths & Seaton PLLC

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  • Synchronization of swappable module in modular system
    Patent number: 8127128
    Abstract: Exemplary methods, systems, and computer program product embodiments for synchronizing a swappable module between modular computer systems are provided. Each of the embodiments has dual controllers and distributed copies of states. Upon an insertion of the swappable module in a storage system, a plurality of storage components are queried, including a partner swappable module, to determine if a quorum of identification information is present. If the quorum is present, at least one of the plurality of storage components having non-matching identification information is overwritten with the identification information of the quorum. If the quorum is not present, a reset to default procedure is performed. The reset to default procedure designates at least as many storage components of the plurality of storage components with the identification information sufficient to constitute the quorum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Basheer N. Bristow, Jason J. Graves, Shah Mohammad Rezaul Islam
  • Display apparatus for securely displaying a product
    Patent number: 8123051
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a display fixture may include an articulable arm assembly that can be adjusted so as to retain items in a vertical orientation. In one implementation, the arm assembly may be mounted to a horizontal cross-member of a retail display fixture and may include two grasping arms that can be slidably adjusted relative to one another so as to contact the edges of a surfboard or wakeboard and securely display the item in an offset orientation such that the item is presented at an angle relative to a normal viewing direction. The arm assembly may include a pivot mechanism that permits the angle to be adjusted, optionally to a number of predetermined angular positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason W. Johnson, Sixto Beltrandy, Joseph R. Guggenberger
  • Stored-value card with audio capabilities
    Patent number: 8118230
    Abstract: A stored-value card includes a housing, an audio circuit storing an audio file, and a speaker coupled to the audio circuit. The housing includes a first panel, a second panel spaced from and positioned opposite the first panel, and a side wall extending between the first panel and the second panel. The side wall extends substantially perpendicular to each of the first panel and the second panel such that an open cavity is formed between the first panel and the second panel. The housing further includes an account identifier signifying a financial account or record linked to the stored-value card. The audio circuit and the speaker are substantially enclosed within the open cavity of the housing. Stored-value card assemblies and methods of using a stored-value card are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands Inc.
    Inventors: Dawn M. Selg, Ted C. Halbur, Dave B. Smith, Timothy P. Clegg
  • Combination flipbook and pull-up focal header
    Patent number: 8118514
    Abstract: A display system includes a binder, a header, a retaining bracket and an extension assembly. The binder includes a plate, a plurality of sheets and an attachment assembly. The plate has a front surface, a rear surface and an edge. The attachment assembly secure the sheets at the front surface of the plate and maintains and displays information. The header includes indicia and is adapted to be positioned in a retracted position where the header is substantially obscured from view by the plate and an extended position where the header extends substantially from the edge of the plate. The retaining bracket is attached to the rear surface of the plate. The extension assembly is adapted to engage the retaining bracket to maintain the header in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Dukes
  • Serviceability level indicator processing for storage alteration
    Patent number: 8122203
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing Serviceability Level Indicator Processing (SLIPs) for storage alterations in a computer system is provided. A plurality of storage release requests is analyzed to identify an address monitored by a storage alteration slip. Upon identification of the address, the storage alteration slip is disabled and an initialization slip is re-enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harold Steven Huber, Miguel Angel Perez, David Charles Reed, Max Douglas Smith
  • Storage and organization system with stackable shells
    Patent number: 8113600
    Abstract: A storage shell includes sidewalls and rails. The sidewalls each extend between two others of the sidewalls to collectively define a chamber therebetween. The sidewalls create a plurality of intersection lines each being defined along a boundary between two of the plurality of sidewalls. The plurality of are rails each coupled to and radially extends away from a different corresponding one of the plurality of intersection lines relative to a center of the storage shell. Each of the plurality of rails is formed with a Y-shaped cross-section. Related storage and organization systems, and methods are also disclosed and provide additional advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Zalewski, Dirk Ahlgrim, Monica Kuznik, Samuel Palmer, Gretchen Wustrack
  • Retailer debit card system
    Patent number: 8117118
    Abstract: Methods for soliciting and enrolling customers for a retailer payment instrument are disclosed. For example, a method is disclosed for enrolling a customer for a retailer debit card which includes receiving enrollment data from the customer, establishing a check writer rating for the customer based on a history of checks associated with the customer and stored by the retailer, adjusting a validation threshold score based on the check writer rating, and denying enrollment of the customer if the validation score is less than the adjusted validation threshold score. Other associated methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Catherine Michelle Sunde, Michele Lynn Gaida, Timothy Michael Bardell, Robert Joseph Meissner, Brent Allan Pier, Brian James Short-Ohana
  • Apparatus for providing error correction capability to longitudinal position data
    Patent number: 8112696
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing error correction capability to longitudinal position data are disclosed. Initially, data are encoded via a set of even LPOS words and a set of odd LPOS words. The encoded data are then decoded by generating a set of syndrome bits for each of the LPOS words. A determination is then made as to whether or not there is an error within one of the LPOS words based on its corresponding syndrome bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Evangelos S. Eleftheriou, Glen A. Jaquette, Paul J. Seger
  • Intelligent rolling upgrade for data storage systems
    Patent number: 8108734
    Abstract: Various method, system, and computer program product embodiments for facilitating upgrades in a computing storage environment are provided. In one such embodiment, one of an available plurality of rolling upgrade policies registering at least one selectable upgrade parameter for an upgrade window is selected. A node down tolerance factor is set for at least one node in the computing storage environment. The node down tolerance factor specifies a percentage of elements of the at least one node taken offline to apply the selected one of the available plurality of rolling upgrade policies during the upgrade window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Andrews, Anthony J. Ciaravella, Joseph W. Dain, Nikhil Khandelwal
  • Transaction product with camera
    Patent number: 8100333
    Abstract: A transaction product includes a digital camera assembly, a housing and an account identifier. The digital camera assembly includes a lens assembly, an image sensor aligned with the lens assembly, and a memory electrically coupled with the image sensor. The digital camera assembly is configured to capture images through the lens assembly using the image sensor and to digitally store the captured images to the memory. The housing substantially encloses the image sensor and the memory. The account identifier links the transaction product to an account or record and is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal such that value can be added to or deducted from the account or record using the account identifier. Other product, cards, assemblies and associated methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam W. Reynolds, Katherine L. Jackman, Jason Schultz, April A. Mueller, Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija
  • Transaction product with hinged puzzle segments
    Patent number: 8096467
    Abstract: A transaction product includes a plurality of puzzle segments, four skin components, and a machine-readable account identifier. The four skin components each couple and form a hinge between at least two of the plurality of puzzle segments such that the transaction product is configured to be successively folded about the plurality of hinges to undergo a closed chain of transformations from an initial configuration to a plurality of intermediate configurations and back to the initial configuration. The four skin components are each positioned on an external surface of the transaction product when the transaction product is in the initial configuration. The machine-readable account identifier is coupled to at least one of the puzzle segments and links the transaction product to an account or record for tracking a value associated with the transaction product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija
  • Extending backup times of uninterruptible power supplies
    Patent number: 8097978
    Abstract: A system for extending backup times using networks of direct current (DC) uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) is provided. A first DC UPS has a first input and a first output. A second DC UPS has a second input coupled to the first output of the first DC UPS, a second output coupled to at least one electrical load, and a third output coupled to the first input of the first DC UPS. Battery current from the first and second DC UPS is shared with the at least one electrical load in the event of a power loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Mark Groff, Trung Le
  • Transaction product with removable cosmetic article
    Patent number: 8091779
    Abstract: A transaction product has an account identifier and includes one or more cosmetic articles. The cosmetic article may be held in place by a tray such that both are readily removable from the housing. The transaction product and its various components, taken together, have a visual appeal accentuated by a sense of depth provided by employing indicia on different visual planes and by using transparent and/or translucent panels. The indicia may be evocative of the nature of cosmetic article, including graphics that depict the color, texture, or other physical properties of the particular cosmetic article enclosed within 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: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian R. Holt, Charlotte Ariss, Daniel A. Weston, Allison G. Bender, Timothy P. Clegg, Primoz Samardzija
  • VSAM smart reorganization
    Patent number: 8095768
    Abstract: Various embodiments for adaptive reorganization of a virtual storage access method (VSAM) data set are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, upon each control interval (CI) split of a plurality of CI splits occurring over a period of time, historical data including a key value for a record causing each CI split is recorded in a data repository. The historical data is analyzed with a predictive algorithm to determine an amount of free space to be allocated to each of a plurality of control intervals generated pursuant to the adaptive reorganization. The predictive algorithm allocates a greater percentage of the free space to a first location of the VVDS having a larger proportion of historically placed key values than a second location of the VVDS having a smaller proportion of the historically placed key values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas L. Lehr, Franklin E. McCune, David C. Reed, Max D. Smith
  • Hanger portion
    Patent number: D652639
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon R. Ferraro, Jake Strassberger, Keith C. Cedro
  • Plant stand
    Patent number: D652651
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine R. Wittenberg, Elizabeth H. Apple
  • Planter
    Patent number: D652661
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Kim Lipfert, Katherine R. Wittenberg, Elizabeth H. Apple
  • Tent
    Patent number: D652886
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Sara Lynne Pedersen, Mari Lynn Anderson, Michael Miller Habig
  • Hanging planter
    Patent number: D653583
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Katherine R. Wittenberg, Kim Lipfert, Elizabeth H. Apple
  • Bin
    Patent number: D655087
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam D. Hoppus, Jeffrey C. Carter