Patents Represented by Attorney John E. Hoel
  • Patent number: 5548775
    Abstract: A high speed, serial pattern detector, uses parallel finite state machines to analyze sequential bits in a serial bit stream. Single bit random access memories store the single bit of the next address to be used in detecting the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Paul C. Hershey
  • Patent number: 5544077
    Abstract: The invention is a high availability data processing system. It includes a primary processor at a first node of a communications network with a serial data stream, having failure detection logic therein, for outputting an alarm signal to the network having a characteristic pattern indicating a failure in the primary processor. The invention further includes a first standby processor at a second node of the communications network, having a first event driven interface therein coupled to the network, for detecting the alarm signal. When the characteristic pattern is detected by the event driven interface, switch over logic in the first standby processor, invokes primary status in the first standby processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Paul C. Hershey
  • Patent number: 5542026
    Abstract: A triangular scalable neural array processor unit for use in a neural network has an array of weight registers, multipliers, communicating adder trees, sigmoid generators, and a reverse feedback loop for communicating the output of a sigmoid generator back to input multipliers of selected neurons. The communicating adder trees provide the selectable feedback path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald G. Pechanek, Stamatis Vassiliadis
  • Patent number: 5535322
    Abstract: A Work Flow Manager (WFM), or process manager, is the software to manage and control the flow of work items from one function to the next in a well-defined application process to achieve the complete processing of those work items. Applications of WFMs include the processing of imaged or multimedia documents such as health and other insurance forms, filmless radiology, IRS tax submissions, and FBI fingerprint and voice identification. The invention WFM:a. provides an improved, scalable subsystem and method for work flow management;b. partitions the application (work flow) process into component distributed services, each represented by an OSF Distributed Computer Environment (DCE) service;c. defines the application process with a state transition diagram (STD);d. uses centralized control software with a work-in-process (WIP) manager, a work queue manager, and a WIP submission attributes data base manager;e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew S. Hecht
  • Patent number: 5533069
    Abstract: A carrier sensing circuit coupled to a receiving amplifier, measures the frequency of a phase shift modulated carrier signal by counting a predetermined number of the pulses for a measured interval whose duration is determined by counting a first clock count value. A demodulator coupled to the amplifier, detects when the spacing between the edges of the square wave pulses changes in response to the phase shift modulation. The demodulator measures first intervals between consecutive rising edges of the received signal, by counting clock pulses for a second selected interval whose duration is determined by a second selected count value. The demodulator further measures second intervals between consecutive falling edges of the received signal by counting clock pulses for a third selected interval whose duration is determined by a third selected count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur E. Fleek, William O. Camp, Jr., Gary M. Warchocki, Michael J. Bracco
  • Patent number: 5526488
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for the dynamic switching between a first Event Driven Interface and a second Event Driven Interface based upon inband information contained in the data frames of a data communications network. This enables the selective realtime transfer of routing control based upon diverse communications protocols, for example. A first routing table can be contained in a first Event Driven Interface and a second routing table can be embodied in a second Event Driven Interface, and in this example, by means of the first Event Driven Interface identifying the switchover pattern contained within a switching segment of the data frame, the system can automatically switch over to connect a second Event Driven Interface to the data communications network, containing a second routing table configuration. In this manner, realtime control of routing, for example, can be accomplished with inband information in a data communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul C. Hershey, Raymond F. Daugherty, John G. Waclawsky
  • Patent number: 5526283
    Abstract: A realtime high speed data capture is provided in response to a trigger bit pattern detected in a serial bit stream. An Event Driven Interface is connected to a data communications network to receive a serial bit stream. A capture buffer is connected to the network to store at least a portion of the serial bit stream. The capture buffer is selectively connected to the network by means of a gate. The Event Driven Interface is programmed to recognize a trigger bit pattern in the serial bit stream and to output an enable signal to the gate. In response to this, the capture buffer will store a predetermined portion of the serial bit stream from the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul C. Hershey, John G. Waclawsky
  • Patent number: 5521991
    Abstract: The pixel count value in each cell of an array of cells located on a set master forms. Each completed form is scanned into a data processing system and the scanned image is compressed and buffered. In accordance with the invention, when the compressed, completed form is ready to be analyzed, only its top part needs to be decompressed. A form signature set is prepared for the decompressed part of the completed form in the same manner as the master signature set was prepared. The first N rows of the form need to be decompressed and a form signature set created from a pixel count value on each cell of an array of cells located in the decompressed portion of the completed form. The form signature set is compared to the master signature set to determine the best match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas W. Billings
  • Patent number: 5500855
    Abstract: The realtime event classification technique is described for a data communications network, which enables the categorization of data frames based upon selection significant bit segments in the serial bit stream. A base Event Driven Interface and an extension Event Driven Interface are both coupled to the data communications network, to identify patterns in the serial bit stream. The base Event Driven Interface identifies patterns which correspond to events which are to be counted. The extension Event Driven Interface identifies patterns of bits which are selection significant for the types of categories which are desired to be monitored. A plurality of event vector counters have event inputs coupled to the base Event Driven Interface and have a selection input coupled to the extension Event Driven Interface. A selection signal output from the extension Event Driven Interface enables one of the plurality of the event vector counters to receive the event signals from the base Event Driven Interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul C. Hershey, John G. Waclawsky
  • Patent number: 5495426
    Abstract: A dynamic realtime, inband routing mechanism is disclosed for a data communications network, which provides an Event Driven Interface to perform realtime, inband directed routing for load distribution and load balancing of data frames over one of a plurality of destination paths. The Event Driven Interface is programmed with control vectors to identify load balancing and load distribution bit patterns in the data frames on the data communications network. Enabling signals produced by the Event Driven Interface are applied to the control input of a multiplexer whose data input is connected to the data communications network. The multiplexer will steer the data frames from the data communications network to one of a plurality of output alternative routing paths, in response to the enabling signals it receives from the Event Driven Interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Inventors: John G. Waclawsky, Paul C. Hershey
  • Patent number: 5493689
    Abstract: A system and process are disclosed for configuring an Event Driven Interface and analyzing its output for monitoring and controlling a data communications network. The invention is a combination of a source of control vectors, which sends control vectors to a Programmable Performance Vector Generator which is coupled to a data communications network to be monitored and controlled. The control vectors configure an Event Driven Interface contained in the Programmable Performance Vector Generator, based upon the protocol of the network, performance information required, and the type of analysis and network characteristics required from the system. Event vectors are then output to an expert system which analyzes them and provides monitoring information and control signals to the network. The invention enables real-time load distribution, load balancing, problem determination, routing and customer services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John G. Waclawsky, Paul C. Hershey
  • Patent number: 5475792
    Abstract: A telephony channel simulation process is disclosed for training a speech recognizer to respond to speech obtained from telephone systems. An input speech data set is provided to a speech recognition training processor, whose bandwidth is higher than a telephone bandwidth. The process performs a series of alterations to the input speech data set to obtain a modified speech data set. The modified speech data set enables the speech recognition processor to perform speech recognition on voice signals from a telephone system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vince M. Stanford, Norman F. Brickman
  • Patent number: 5455872
    Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for selecting which one of several character recognition programs should be used to optimize the accuracy in recognizing characters in a field in an image of a document form. Consideration is taken of the character form and field type for particular characters and an optimized selection is performed on a realtime basis among the several candidate character recognition programs which could be applied. The resulting character recognition operation has its accuracy maximized for reading a wide variety of character forms and field types in recognition of preprinted forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Martin P. T. Bradley
  • Patent number: 5448474
    Abstract: A process is described for mechanically analyzing connected Chinese text and isolating the words comprising the text. The process uses a dictionary, straightforward rules dealing with punctuation, a method for identifying all words in a string of Chinese text and resolving overlapping words into a set of adjacent words for the input text through successively stricter filtering mechanisms that eliminate illogical segmentations, and a method for resolving ambiguities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Antonio Zamora
  • Patent number: 5446874
    Abstract: The method enables realtime establishment and maintenance of a standard of operation for a data communications network. The process begins by monitoring the network over some period of time to build benchmark data sets. The benchmark data sets contain a standard of operation for the network, which is historically categorized by either traffic type or activity. This standard of operation is accumulated by the intelligent monitoring facilities. After a period of accumulation, the benchmark is used to determine whether data taken from current monitoring activity indicates normal network behavior. Network monitoring information is analyzed using criteria in modules that have an interface to an expert system. The criteria modules evaluate the current monitored data against the prior benchmark collected data. The criteria module determines if the current network operating characteristics are outside the bounds of normal behavior. If they are, then alerts and logs of information can be sent to the expert system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: John G. Waclawsky, Paul C. Hershey, Raymond F. Daugherty
  • Patent number: 5442376
    Abstract: A method and system to recognize input events from a plurality of input devices. Each input device is coupled to a device driver or similar device specific code and a recognition provider. Upon attachment to the system, the recognition provider registers the known input events which the input device is capable of transmitting at the recognition subsystem. The recognition subsystem sends an identifier back to the recognition provider for each registered input event. When the recognition provider receives one or more input signals from the input device which are recognized as an input event, the provider sends the identifier to the recognition subsystem. The input event is transmitted to a process running on the system which may interpret the input event or request translation by the recognition subsystem. The invention is useful to introduce new input devices to a system without requiring modification of the existing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alan R. Tannenbaum, John M. Zetts
  • Patent number: 5428694
    Abstract: An improved forms recognition method and system are disclosed, that minimizes the time required to perform the forms recognition process, by adaptively changing the processing sequence. In accordance with the invention, when new master forms are defined in the system, a new processing template is also defined. The processing template includes tables and indexes that give the profile of all the master forms that have been defined in the system. The processing template is then referred to at the time of forms recognition processing, to adaptively choose which forms recognition operations to perform, to minimize the time required to finish processing a particular completed form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy S. Betts, Valerie M. Carras
  • Patent number: 5428529
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for managing the display or the printing of a copyright notice or security label for a soft copy document, so as to provide appropriate security for the document as desired by its author. A special copyright notice can be displayed on the first page or predetermined pages of the document as it is displayed on a display screen. If a printer is connected to the system and commanded to print the document, a cover page will be printed which includes the copyright notice, before the rest of the document is printed. If a "Do Not Copy" label is included in the soft copy of the structured document, any printer command, write to disk command, or telecommunication command will be aborted, thereby giving effect to the author's desired restriction not to copy the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas V. Hartrick, Patricia E. Higgins, Nicholas J. Sabia
  • Patent number: 5420974
    Abstract: A multimedia document form system enables the definition, manipulation, storage and editing of a form which contains multimedia objects. Image objects and text objects can be displayed on the form in the conventional manner. Nonvisual presentation objects such as video objects and audio objects are represented by check boxes on the form. If a nonvisual object is to be associated with the form, then a mark is applied to the corresponding check box on the form. When the form is scanned-in in an optical scanner, presence of a mark in the check box prompts the operator to enter the nonvisual object. For example an audio object will be entered in digitized form and stored in association with the form. When the form is then displayed on a visual display device, the corresponding check box is highlighted to indicate to the operator the presence of a nonvisual presentation object which is stored in association with the form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James K. Morris, Robert E. Probst, Robert A. Utley
  • Patent number: 5418718
    Abstract: In a single-byte character set English text mixed with a double-byte character set Japanese text, both an English spelling aid and a Japanese spelling aid can be provided and each respective spelling aid will be invoked depending upon whether the SBCS character set is indicated for English text or the DBCS character set is indicated for Japanese text. Still further, for a text which is mixed national languages of for example, English and German, the linguistic flag field can include additional information identifying the national language for a particular text string. Then if the linguistic flag field indicates that there is a misspelling for German, or a misspelling for English, then the corresponding text string can be highlighted on the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chan S. Lim, Gregg A. Salsi