Patents Represented by Attorney Kunzler Needham Massey & Thorpe
  • Patent number: 8086576
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are disclosed for reorganizing a set of database partitions based on a ranked set of database partitions. The apparatus includes an evaluation module to determine a fragmentation indicator for each database partition within a set of database partitions. A ranking module ranks the set of database partitions according to a rank criteria. The rank criteria includes, at a minimum, the fragmentation indicator. A reorganization module reorganizes a subset of the database partitions in the ranked set of database partitions. The subset is selected, at least in part, by a rank order for the ranked set of database partitions. The subset may be selected such that ranked database partitions satisfying a dynamic reorganization threshold are included in the subset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Maurice Plow, Farrokh E. Pourmirzaie, Tatsuyuki Shiomi
  • Patent number: 8074445
    Abstract: Various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for reducing NOx emissions on an SCR catalyst. For example, according to one representative embodiment, an apparatus for reducing NOx emissions in an engine exhaust includes a NOx reduction target module that is operable to determine a NOx reduction requirement that includes an amount of NOx in the exhaust gas stream to be reduced on a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. The apparatus also includes an ammonia target module that is operable to determine an ammonia addition requirement that includes an amount of ammonia added to the exhaust gas stream to achieve the NOx reduction requirement. The apparatus also includes a reductant target module that has a hydrolysis module and an inverse hydrolysis module. The hydrolysis module is operable to determine a predicted amount of ammonia and isocyanic acid entering the SCR catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdul R. Ofoli, Phanindra Garimella, John N. Chi
  • Patent number: 8074011
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for storage space recovery after reaching a read count limit. A read module reads data in a storage division of solid-state storage. A read counter module then increments a read counter corresponding to the storage division. A read counter limit module determines if the read count exceeds a maximum read threshold, and if so, a storage division selection module selects the corresponding storage division for recovery. A data recovery module reads valid data packets from the selected storage division, stores the valid data packets in another storage division of the solid-state storage, and updates a logical index with a new physical address of the valid data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fusion-IO, Inc.
    Inventors: David Flynn, Bert Lagerstedt, John Strasser, Jonathan Thatcher, John Walker, Michael Zappe, Stephan Uphoff, Joshua Aune, Kevin Vigor
  • Patent number: 8074041
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing storage space allocation. The apparatus includes a recognizing module, a reserving module, and a managing module. The recognizing module recognizes a trigger event at a client of the data storage system. The reserving module reserves logical units of space for data storage. The management module manages the logical units of space at the client. Such an arrangement provides for distributed management of storage space allocation within a storage area network (SAN). Facilitating client management of the logical units of space in this manner may reduce the number of required metadata transactions between the client and a metadata server and may increase performance of the SAN file system. Reducing metadata transactions effectively lowers network overhead, while increasing data throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Keith Clark, Ramakrishna Dwivedula, Roger C. Raphael, Robert Michael Rees
  • Patent number: 8069655
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for delivering a dosant with engine exhaust. The apparatus includes a flow-rate regulator disposed downstream from an engine exhaust manifold that operates to control a fraction of exhaust from the engine exhaust manifold. The apparatus also includes a doser disposed downstream of the flow-rate regulator that provisions a supply of dosant to the path of the controlled fraction of exhaust, which atomizes, vaporizes, disperses, mixes with, and/or delivers the dosant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Carroll, III, Laszlo D. Tikk
  • Patent number: 8065871
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for real-time diagnosis of a NOx-adsorption catalyst (NAC). The method includes verifying that a NAC temperature exceeds a threshold, determining that the NAC is in a steady-state operating condition, and surveying a first oxygen sensor upstream of the NAC and a second oxygen sensor downstream of the NAC. The method further includes calculating a lambda difference between the first and second oxygen sensors, and interpreting a NAC regeneration indicator. The method further includes determining a lean-to-rich transition and a rich-to-lean transition area based on the lambda difference and the regeneration indicator. The method concludes with setting a NAC function indicator according to the lean-to-rich transition area and the rich-to-lean transition area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Cummins IP, Inc
    Inventor: Steven Fraser
  • Patent number: 8066792
    Abstract: According to one representative embodiment, an exhaust aftertreatment component that includes a housing that defines an interior cavity through which exhaust gas is flowable. The housing includes an inner body, an outer body, and a space defined between the inner and outer bodies. The component also includes an insulation pack that is positioned within the space. The insulation pack includes insulation media encapsulated by a flexible fabric. The insulation pack further includes an at least partially rigid member that has a rigidity greater than a rigidity of the insulation media and flexible fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc.
    Inventors: Aashish Wadke, Scott Lubenow, Chris Cremeens, Jason Drost, Daniel W. Woods
  • Patent number: 8061127
    Abstract: Various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing regeneration event characteristics. For example, according to one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling the temperature of the outlet exhaust of an internal combustion engine for a regeneration event on a particulate matter filter includes a regeneration module and a fuel injection strategy module. The regeneration module is configured to determine a desired engine outlet exhaust gas temperature for a regeneration event. The fuel injection strategy module is configured to determine a regeneration fuel injection strategy for achieving the desired engine outlet exhaust gas temperature. The regeneration fuel injection strategy includes a main fuel injection, a first heat post-injection, and a second heat post-injection. In certain implementations, the fuel injection strategy also includes at least one or two non-heat post-injections for achieving a desired particulate filter inlet exhaust gas temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Linsong Guo, Timothy R. Frazier, Morgan Andreae
  • Patent number: 8064165
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of an electronic information storage apparatus and an associated method and system. For example, according to one illustrative embodiment, a disk drive comprises a base and at least one disk that are rotatably attached to the base. The at least one disk can include a burnished and lubricant-free outer surface. The disk drive can also include an actuator coupled to the base. The actuator can comprise a read/write head that is positionable in a reading/writing relationship with the at least one disk to define a lubricant-free space intermediate the read/write head and the outer surface. The disk drive can further include a read/write head loading and unloading ramp that is attached to the base. The ramp can include a ramp surface that is positioned proximate a periphery of the at least one disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherland B.V.
    Inventor: Xing-Cai Guo
  • Patent number: 8062032
    Abstract: Described herein are various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method for maxillo-mandibular fixation. For example, according to one representative embodiment, an apparatus for maxillo-mandibular fixation includes a plurality of connectors, a fixation belt, and a release. The connectors include one or more anchors configured to attach to bone and a fixation belt attachment. The fixation belt includes a plurality of fasteners each fastener attachable to a fixation belt attachment and a flexible mesh disposed between the plurality of fasteners. The release is disposed on the fixation belt and has an engaged position restricting movement between the plurality of fasteners and a disengaged position allowing movement between the plurality of fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Intrinsic Medical, LLC
    Inventors: Scott E. Bulloch, Russell G. Olsen
  • Patent number: 8056000
    Abstract: An apparatus and system are disclosed for receiving a data set from a data-exchange server, generating methods for accessing and performing operations on data in the data set from metadata defining the data set, using the access methods to generate a method for transforming the bidirectional format of the text data between the format of the server and a format defined in the metadata of the data set, and automatically employing the transformation method to transform the bidirectional format of text data in the data set, prior to performing an operation on the data, to the format appropriate to the particular operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Suraksha Vidyarthi, Piotr Przybylski
  • Patent number: 8055891
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for configuring a data storage device. A storage module stores configuration data on a remote storage system that may include operating systems, applications, updates, and an index. A boot module boots a computer system from a program other than the regular boot program to provide access to a network in communication with the remote storage system. A device configuration module autonomically downloads and installs the operating systems, applications, and updates in response to data stored in an index on the remote storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nils Haustein, Craig Anthony Klein, Daniel James Winarski
  • Patent number: 8055835
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for migrating wear spots in solid-state drives. A count module counts lifetime write cycles for logical units of a plurality of solid-state memories. Each logical unit has a logical address. An identification module identifies a wear spot on a first logical unit of a first solid-state memory if a count for the first logical unit exceeds a cycle threshold. A migration module dynamically migrates data of the first logical unit to a second solid-state memory, wherein the data is continuously available at an original logical address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin John Ash, Benjamin Jay Donie, Andreas Bernardus Mattias Koster
  • Patent number: 8055610
    Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus, system, and method for generating a post-order set of members referenced by an MDX query statement invoking a post-order function. The apparatus includes an input module that receives the MDX expression specifying the relevant data set. A pre-order module generates a set of the members in pre-order organization. An initialization module generates an empty post-order set and inserts the first member of the pre-order set into the post-order set. An ancestor module determines whether the next member in the pre-order set has an ancestor in the post-order set and the location of the closest ancestor of the member if it exists. An insertion module then inserts the member immediately before the closest ancestor if the ancestor exists, or puts it in the rightmost position of the post-order set if an ancestor does not exist. An iteration module invokes the ancestor and insertion modules for each member of the pre-order set until the post-order set is filled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: David G. Wilhite
  • Patent number: 8055624
    Abstract: An agent installed on a server reclaims one or more reclaimable off-site copy storage volumes and one or more reclaimable on-site copy storage volumes. To this end, the agent identifies each reclaimable off-site copy storage volume, runs a plurality of threads to collectively copy each data object of the identified reclaimable off-site copy storage volume(s) that is stored within one or more primary storage volumes to one or more one on-site target copy storage volumes, identifies each reclaimable on-site copy storage volume, and runs the plurality of threads to collectively transfer each data object of the identified reclaimable on-site copy storage volume(s) to the on-site copy target copy storage volume(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Cannon, Yu-Mei U. Hsiao, Howard N. Martin
  • Patent number: 8055821
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for converting a synchronous interface into an asynchronous interface. The apparatus includes a receive module, a generate module, and a return module. The receive module receives a request for a transaction from a synchronous requester, the generate module generates a delaying object and a forwarding interface compatible with the requested return type, and the return module returns the delaying object with the forwarding interface to the requester. Additionally, services for implementing such an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed. Implementation of the apparatus, system, and method provide for increased computing performance, reduced application run time, and decreased usage of computing resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Andrew Gimness, Brian Sean McCain, Jason Lee Peipelman
  • Patent number: 8054599
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting a power system component failure. The invention includes detecting an amount of input power provided on a power supply side of a connector, where the connector is configured to connect a switching power supply to a load such that power flows from the switching power supply to the load through the connector; detecting an amount of output power provided on a load side of the connector; determining if the amount of input power detected on the power supply side of the connector is more than a predefined threshold amount greater than the amount of output power detected on the load side of the connector; and shutting down the switching power supply the amount of detected input power is more than the predefined threshold amount greater than the amount of detected output power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cecil C. Dishman, Randhir S. Malik
  • Patent number: 8046323
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for setting a bookmark for a resource accessed by a user, and for using the bookmark. The bookmarking method includes: collecting screen context information for the real text in the current screen of the resource in response to a request to bookmark the current screen of the resource; and storing address information and the screen context information of said resource as a bookmark to be used to return to said specific section of the resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Ma, Bo Min Nie
  • Patent number: 8044816
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for detecting the formation of a short between a magnetoresistive (“MR”) head and a head substrate. The apparatus is presented with a logic unit containing a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of generating a baseline electric potential level between a head substrate and ground, monitoring the level of the electric potential between the head substrate and ground, and detecting the formation of a short circuit between the MR head and the head substrate by detecting a change in the electric potential level monitored by the monitoring module from the baseline level to a predetermined threshold level. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would reduce read errors on the magnetic tape storage system, the time and resources required to recover from such errors, and allow for preventative measures to obviate contamination short related failures of tape drive systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Axtman, Robert Glenn Biskeborn, Stanley W. Czarnecki, Larry LeeRoy Tretter
  • Patent number: 8046677
    Abstract: A system and method of spatial/tabular data presentation. Display data is identified for display. Relations for the display data are identified. The display data is displayed in a data display having a tabular column and a spatial column. Data identifiers are displayed in the tabular column and spatial identifiers connected with spatial connectors according to the relations are displayed in the spatial column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Todd M. Eischeid