Patents Represented by Attorney Jeffrey T. Holman
  • Patent number: 8352945
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for scan sharing across multiple cores in a business intelligence (BI) query. The method includes receiving a plurality of BI queries, storing a block of data in a first cache, scanning the block of data in the first cache against a first batch of queries on a first processor core, and scanning the block of data against a second batch of queries on a second processor core. The first cache is associated with a first processor core. The block of data includes a subset of data stored in an in-memory database (IMDB). The first batch of queries includes two or more of the BI queries. The second batch of queries includes one or more of the BI queries that are not included in the first batch of queries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J Haas, Lin Qiao, Vijayshankar Raman, Frederick R Reiss
  • Patent number: 8341180
    Abstract: A risk analysis system and method are provided. The system includes an analyzer for analyzing database instances by executing a query on each database instance and selecting a cutoff value. The analyzer also discards the sets of uncertainty data that yield query-result values below the cutoff value and retains the database instances that yield query-result values above the cutoff value as elite sets. The system also includes a cloner to replicate the elite sets, and a sampler to modify the elite sets so that each elite set is mutually statistically independent while still yielding query-result values above the cutoff value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Rice University, University of Florida
    Inventors: Subramanian Arumugam, Peter J. Haas, Ravindranath Chowdary Jampani, Christopher Jermaine, Luis L Perez, Fei Xu
  • Patent number: 8326847
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for executing a query on linked data sources. Embodiments of the invention generate an instance graph expressing relationships between objects in the linked data sources and receive a query including at least first and second search terms. The first search term is then executed on the instance graph and a summary graph is generated using the results of the executing step. A second search term is then executed on the summary graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrey Balmin, Heasoo Hwang, Mir Hamid Pirahesh, Berthold Reinwald
  • Patent number: 8312089
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed to dynamically estimate a response time while composing an email. A recipient module determines a set of email recipients identified by a user. The set of email recipients comprises intended recipients of a new email message from the user. A response time identification module determines a response time trend for each email recipient. Each response time trend has information relating to previous email response times of an email recipient. An estimate module determines an estimated response time for the new email message based on the retrieved response time trends. A display module displays a visual representation of the response time to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat Deluca, Itzhack Goldberg, Ohad Greenshpan, Boaz Mizrachi
  • Patent number: 8312170
    Abstract: The invention provides apparatus and methodology for displaying to a user a web portal for a web application, the web portal displaying a plurality of associated portlets, sharing information with each other, accessible by the user; including: a portal server for operating a web portal to provide access to the web application; a portlet application for operating on the portal server, for managing a collection of associated portlets; the portlet application includes: means to initiate portlets on requests of a user to access the web application; means to manage a portlet application session object for the portlets; and, a portlet application session object data store controlled by the portlet application session object for saving parameters from user requests for associating the portlets with the with the portlet application session object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joanna Ng, Rohit Kapoor, Leho Nigul
  • Patent number: 8306809
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically recognizing a potential recipient of an electronic message. The method includes receiving content input for an electronic communication. The electronic communication includes at least one field of a plurality of fields, including a subject line, a message body, and a recipient address field. The at least one field of the electronic communication is populated with the content input. The method also includes parsing the content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication. The method also includes semantically analyzing the parsed content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication to identify a content qualifier of a recipient rule. The method also includes suggesting a potential recipient of the electronic communication based on the content qualifier of the recipient rule associated with the content input of the at least one of field of the electronic communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mette Hammer, Gary Denner, Patrick O'Sullivan, Liam Harpur, Christopher J. Boilard
  • Patent number: 8301607
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes an information management server with a registration unit that registers a status change condition of a database and a notification action so that they are associated with each other. Also, the information management server includes a communication unit that receives an acquisition request for a status change notification via database connection established with respect to a client and a change detection unit that detects a status change satisfying the condition of the acquisition request and invokes the notification action associated therewith. According to aspect of the invention, a notification unit causes the communication unit to send a notification including a result of the notification action via the database connection as a response to the acquisition request, and returns control of the connection to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Soh Kaijima, Gou Nakashima, Masahiro Okawa
  • Patent number: 8275648
    Abstract: A system and method to manage a survey for a community development asset. The system includes a response repository, a sampler, a respondent profile filter, and an inference generator. The response repository stores a plurality of survey responses from survey respondents about a community development asset. The sampler selects a sample response of the plurality of survey responses. The sample response corresponds to an identified respondent. The respondent profile filter identifies a community with which the identified respondent is associated. The inference generator infers a similar response from the community associated with the identified respondent based on the sample response of the identified respondent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott R. Carrier, Helena S. Chapman, John R. Hind
  • Patent number: 8266503
    Abstract: A controller is used for an electronic memory device which has multi-level cell (MLC) memory elements. Each MLC memory element is capable of storing at least two bits. The controller includes a physical interface to couple the controller to the electronic memory device. The controller also includes a processing unit coupled to the physical interface. The processing unit operates the electronic memory device in a single-level cell (SLC) mode using a restricted number of programming states for a single data bit. The restricted number of programming states includes a first state which is an erase state. The restricted number of programming states also includes a second state, other than the erase state, which is closest to a natural threshold voltage of the MLC memory elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fusion-io
    Inventors: Robert Wood, Jea Woong Hyun
  • Patent number: 8266263
    Abstract: A computer program product and system are disclosed for distributed Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) server booting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David T. Cain, Jeffrey B. Jennings, Jeffrey D. Young
  • Patent number: 8260673
    Abstract: Parties involved in a transaction in an E-marketplace identify characteristics of a transaction that they are willing to accept and/or that they can provide. To do this, an attribute certificate is created for each party that contains the attributes of a buyer, seller, or third-party participant who will be transacting business in the particular E-marketplace. The attributes pertain to specifics of the transaction. The party submitting the attribute also identifies alternative conditions which, if they exist would be acceptable for conducting the transaction. Once these criteria, in the form of the attribute certificates, are received by the E-marketplace, the E-marketplace verifies the attributes. A server in the E-marketplace is configured to determine various combinations of participants that can match the deal criteria. In this manner, the E-marketplace “choreographs” the transaction to meet the needs of all.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gordon K. Arnold, David G. Kuehr-McLaren
  • Patent number: 8261158
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for storing information in a storage device that includes multi-level memory cells. The method involves storing data that is written to the storage device in the LSBs of the multi-level memory cells, and storing audit data in the MSBs of the multi-level memory cells. The audit data can be read separately from the data and used to determine whether or not there has been any unintended drift between states in the multi-level cells. The audit data may be used to correct data when the errors in the data are too numerous to be corrected using error correction code (ECC). The audit data may also be used to monitor the general health of the storage device. The monitoring process may run as a background process on the storage device. The storage device may transition the multi-level memory cells to operate as single-level memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Fusion-io, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Thatcher, David Flynn, Ethan Barnes, John Strasser, Robert Wood, Michael Zappe
  • Patent number: 8244554
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing price information. Embodiments include receiving a mapping of interconnected components, identifying as a first subset components subject to a first fixed price agreement not subject to a second fixed price agreement that overlaps the first fixed price agreement, identifying as a second subset the components subject to the second fixed price agreement not subject to the first fixed price agreement, and identifying as a third subset the components subject to both the first fixed price agreement and the second fixed price agreement. The method also includes receiving a price change for a price associated with a component in one of the subsets of components, and distributing an offset of the price change to components in the other subsets of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jolie I Bailey, Isaac G Councill, Shun Jiang, Kenneth M Johns, Steven Prather, James J Rhodes
  • Patent number: 8245042
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide for shielding a sensitive file on a computer that can connect to a server computer via a network. The computer may determine whether it complies with security compliance requirements sent from another computer or not in response to a read instruction or a write instruction of the sensitive file by application software, and encrypt the sensitive file with an encryption key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Chinen, Shinsuke Noda
  • Patent number: 8234295
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing uncertain data is provided. The method includes specifying data uncertainty using at least one variable generation (VG) function, wherein the VG function generates pseudorandom samples of uncertain data values. A random database based on the VG function is specified. and multiple Monte Carlo instantiations of the random database are generated. Using a Monte Carlo method, a query is repeatedly executed over the multiple Monte Carlo instantiations to output a Monte Carlo method result and associated query-results. The Monte Carlo method result may then be used to estimate statistical properties of a probability distribution of the query-result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Jay Haas, Ravindranath Jampani, Chistopher Matthew Jermaine, Luis Leopoldo Perez, Mingxi Wu, Fei Xu
  • Patent number: 8219624
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for electronic communication initiation contingent on busyness. The method includes receiving a request from a requester to contact a user. The requested contact includes a request to engage in electronic communication. The method also includes determining a busyness of the user. The busyness is determined by accessing a quantity of active contact related tasks for the user. The method also includes comparing the busyness of the user to a condition. The condition is a complex condition having threshold levels for a plurality of contact related tasks. The method also includes contacting the user in response to satisfaction of the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Haynes, Lin Sun
  • Patent number: 8212436
    Abstract: An apparatus for harvesting electrical power from mechanical energy is described. The apparatus includes: a flux path. The flux path includes: a magnetic material having a magnetic property that is a function of stress on the magnetic material; a first magnetically conductive material proximate the magnetic material; a magnet in the flux path, wherein a magnetomotive force of the magnet causes magnetic flux; and a component configured to transfer changes in load caused by an external source to the magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Oscilla Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Balakrishnan Nair, Jesse Alan Nachlas, Andrew Joseph Gill, Zachary Murphree
  • Patent number: 8201095
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing an option to auto-generate a thread on a web forum in response to a change in topic are described. When a post is received on a thread in the web forum, wherein the thread includes one or more thread keywords and wherein each of the one or more thread keywords are associated with a relevancy score, the post is searched for the one or more thread keywords. The relevancy scores of any of the one or more thread keywords located within the post are added together to obtain a post total relevancy score. A query is then provided, to a user, for example, to auto-generate a new thread on the web forum when the post total relevancy score is less than a threshold relevancy score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ami H. Dewar, Robert C. Leah, Nicholas E. Poore
  • Patent number: 8194985
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for product identification using image analysis and user interaction. The method may include comparing a retail product image to a plurality of candidate retail product images. In addition, the method may include generating a candidate product set containing candidate retail product images satisfying image comparison criteria. The method may determine one or more product identity queries configured to solicit additional product identity information from a user. In addition, the product identity queries may eliminate one or more members of the candidate product set. The method may query the user with these inquiries and determine a product match based on the user's response. Therefore a user may obtain information about a product using only a picture and a user's knowledge of the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Travis M. Grigsby, Sunil K. Mishra
  • Patent number: 8181257
    Abstract: An improved solution for allowing role based selective access to a document between a plurality of domains is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for allowing selective access to a document between a plurality of domains includes: obtaining a composed section of the document at a first domain; applying a security policy at the first domain to the composed section of the document; distributing the security policy from the first domain to a second domain, wherein the second domain is different than the first domain; and applying the security policy to the document at the second domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raghuveera N. Chalasani, Yen-Fu Chen, Barry P. Evans, Hari Shankar