Patents Represented by Attorney Patterson and Sheridan, LLP
  • Patent number: 8326865
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture are provided to optimize the time and effort required to locate all data on a given entity that may span multiple data nodes in a distributed environment. For example, embodiments of the invention may be used to locate nodes within the distributed environment that store electronic healthcare records. A poll request from a first node to a second node may include electronic records existence data indicating data nodes known to have, or not have, records related to a given individual. This information is used to minimize the number of nodes that need to be polled to arrive at the complete aggregation of patient records that exist within a given set of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Dettinger, Daniel P. Kolz, Richard J. Stevens
  • Patent number: 8326848
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for injecting parameter conditions to reduce a size of a data set to be processed. A data set may be received to be processed by an analytic routine. The data set may include results from executing a first query. Further, input may be received from a user, the input specifying a parameter specific to the analytic routine to be performed on the data set. At least one condition associated with the specified parameter may be identified. A second query may be generated from the first query and the identified condition. The second query may be executed to generate a reduced data set. The analytic routine may be performed on the reduced data set to generate an output to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Dean Dettinger, Frederick Allyn Kulack, Amanda E. Peters
  • Patent number: 8326788
    Abstract: An entity resolution system and alert analysis system configured to process inbound identity records and to generate alerts based on relevant identities, entities, conditions, activities, or events is disclosed. One process of resolving identity records and detecting relationships between entities may be performed using a pre-determined or configurable entity resolution rules. Further, the entity resolution system may include an alert analysis system configured to allow analysts to review and analyze alerts, entities, and identities, as well as provide comments or assign a disposition to alerts generated by the entity resolution system. Furthermore, the entity resolution system may be configured to handle duplicate alerts, i.e., one or more identical or near-identical alerts generated using the same entities and/or identities as well as assign a relevance score to the particular entities and identities included in the alert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Allen, Barry M. Caceres
  • Patent number: 8326852
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for determining query entities in physical tables for an abstract database. A query entity may be created to store a particular set of data. The query entity may be defined in terms of the structure of the physical database, such as an SQL statement, used to generate the query entity as needed. The fields included in a given query entities may be determined based on the presence (or absence) of values in the columns of a physical database table. In addition, logical fields having access method which map to the fields included in a query entity may be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Dettinger, Frederick A. Kulack
  • Patent number: 8322995
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining pump fillage, using data arrays of pump plunger position with respect to time and/or pump plunger load with respect to time. In this manner, well operators may be able to accurately monitor the pump fillage and control the pump accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Victoria M. Ehimeakhe, Ken George Booth
  • Patent number: 8327014
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for intelligent sharing and tighter integration between a service engine (SE) for network communication and a high-speed forwarding device, such that certain network flows may be offloaded from the SE to benefit from the high-speed forwarding capacity of such a device are provided. To accomplish the integration, an application binary interface (ABI) may be employed as an in-band high-priority communication protocol between the data planes of the SE and the high-speed forwarding device, and an application programming interface (API) may be utilized to leverage the ABI and any in-band or out-of-band channel to allow the master SE to control the high-speed slave device. Such integration techniques are not limited to a few specialized hardware components, but may also be applied to other types of hardware resources, such as flow tables, quality of service (QoS) tables, access control list (ACL) tables for security, forwarding and adjacency tables, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marco Foschiano, Sudheer Babu Chittireddy, Christophe Paggen, Munawar Hossain, Suresh Gurajapu, Vardarajan Venkatesh
  • Patent number: 8323754
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric stack on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a first layer of a dielectric material on a substrate surface, exposing the first layer to a nitridation process, depositing a second layer of the dielectric material on the first layer, exposing the second layer to the nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an anneal process. In another embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a metal oxide layer substantially free of silicon on a substrate surface, exposing the metal oxide layer to a nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an anneal process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Olsen, Pravin K. Narwankar, Shreyas S. Kher, Randhir Thakur, Shankar Muthukrishnan, Philip A. Kraus
  • Patent number: 8327336
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide debugging techniques for multithreaded programs. For example, a debugger may reduce the time required to release inactive threads that hold resources needed by an active thread. For example, if a timer expires before a line of code finishes executing, the debugger assumes that the active thread requires a resource locked by an inactive thread and releases other threads. During subsequent execution of the line of code, the debugger reduces the timer length of the timer. In doing so, inactive threads are released sooner, thereby reducing the wait time a user experiences when debugging lines of code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary L. Bates, John M. Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 8327043
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a table holds buffer transfer information for managing data transfer, specified by each data transfer command, between a transmission FIFO and a buffer or between a reception FIFO and the buffer via a intermediate FIFO. A first sequencer activates buffer transfer for data transfer specified by a data transfer command from the host in units of at least one frame on the basis of corresponding buffer transfer information held in the table. The buffer transfer includes data transfer in sectors between the buffer and the intermediate FIFO. A second sequencer transfers data in frames between the transmission FIFO and the intermediate FIFO or between the reception FIFO and the intermediate FIFO in accordance with the activation of the buffer transfer. A third sequencer transfers data in sectors between the intermediate FIFO and the buffer in accordance with the activation of the buffer transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Noritsugu Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8322963
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an apparatus and method for transferring substrates in a processing system (e.g., a cluster tool) that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, improved device yield performance, a more repeatable wafer processing history (or wafer history), and a reduced footprint when compared to conventional techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Jagan Rangarajan, Michael R. Rice, Penchala N. Kankanala
  • Patent number: 8324095
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a tantalum nitride barrier layer is provided for use in an integrated processing tool. The tantalum nitride is deposited by atomic layer deposition. The tantalum nitride is removed from the bottom of features in dielectric layers to reveal the conductive material under the deposited tantalum nitride. Optionally, a tantalum layer may be deposited by physical vapor deposition after the tantalum nitride deposition. Optionally, the tantalum nitride deposition and the tantalum deposition may occur in the same processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua Chung, Nirmalya Maity, Jick Yu, Roderick Craig Mosely, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 8318512
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides an apparatus and a method for automatically calibrating the placement of fragile substrates into a substrate carrier. Embodiments of the present invention also provide an apparatus and a method for inspecting the fragile substrates prior to processing to prevent damaged substrates from being further processed or broken in subsequent transferring steps. Embodiments of the invention also generally provide an apparatus and a method for determining the alignment and orientation substrates that are to be delivered into or removed from a substrate carrier. Embodiments of the invention further provide an apparatus and method for accurately positioning the substrate carrier for substrate loading. The substrate carriers are generally used to support a batch of substrates that are to be processed in a batch processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinay K. Shah, Suresh Kumaraswami, Damon K. Cox
  • Patent number: 8320831
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a communication module, a connection establishment module, a negotiation module, a service execution module, and an execution control module. The communication module executes close proximity wireless transfer. The connection establishment module establishes a connection between the communication module and an external device which are in a close proximity state. The negotiation module determines a service to be executed between the communication module and the external device through a negotiation process when the connection is established. The service execution module executes the service. The execution control module executes the negotiation process again in response to a user's request or a request from the external device if the connection is kept after the completion of the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ayumi Hashimoto, Hideki Ohkita, Hideyuki Nakagawa, Satoshi Odakura
  • Patent number: 8316943
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a packer and a fracture valve. The packer may include a tubular mandrel having a longitudinal bore with an annular packing element and a first piston disposed around the mandrel, wherein the first piston is operable to set the packing element, and a second piston operable to isolate fluid communication between the first piston and the mandrel bore. The fracture valve may include a tubular mandrel having a longitudinal bore and a port, a piston operable to close fluid communication between the bore and the port, and a latch disposed between the piston and the mandrel operable to resist movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Stone Thomas Fagley, IV, Gary Duron Ingram, Christopher Carter Johnson
  • Patent number: 8320006
    Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for managing digital images to be shared with and/or printed for a user. In one embodiment, the digital images may be received for the user. That a count of the digital images exceeds a threshold count may be determined. The digital images may be transmitted to a location where they may be printed for the user. The user may be notified when the printed images are ready to be picked up by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Robert R. Peterson, Mark W. Talbot
  • Patent number: 8320070
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive includes a parameter management table, a parameter adjustment module and an interpolation module. The parameter management table stores a parameter used to write or read data to or from a disk in the parameter management table in association with each of a plurality of predetermined temperature divisions. The parameter adjustment module adjusts a first parameter stored in the parameter management table in association with a first temperature division to a second parameter adapted for the first temperature division if an ambient temperature detected by a temperature detector corresponds to the first temperature division and if the first parameter is unadjusted. The interpolation module updates an unadjusted third parameter corresponding to a third temperature division between the first temperature division and a second temperature division for which the parameter is adjusted based on a result of the adjustment of the first parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Osamu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8321520
    Abstract: A method and system for sending a message are disclosed. The method involves receiving a message at a mail server and determining that a load of the mail server exceeds a threshold. If it is determined that the load of the mail server exceeds a threshold, then the method involves determining whether the message needs to be sent immediately. If it is determined that the message does not need to be sent immediately, then the method involves delaying sending the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric L. Barsness, Daniel R. Hill, John M. Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 8321470
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for indexing annotations made for a variety of different type (i.e., heterogeneous) data objects are provided. A set of parameters uniquely identifying an annotated data object may be converted to an index comprising a set of index values, each corresponding to a column in a homogeneous index table. In order to accommodate the indexing of heterogeneous data objects, a mapping may be provided for each different type (or classification) of data object that may be annotated, that defines how the identifying parameters of that type will be mapped to the columns of the homogeneous index table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Cragun, Julia E. Rice, Peter M. Schwarz, William C. Swope, Hoa T. Tran
  • Patent number: 8318266
    Abstract: A method for depositing a refractory metal nitride barrier layer having a thickness of about 20 angstroms or less is provided. In one aspect, the refractory metal nitride layer is formed by introducing a pulse of a metal-containing compound followed by a pulse of a nitrogen-containing compound. The refractory metal nitride barrier layer provides adequate barrier properties and allows the grain growth of the first metal layer to continue across the barrier layer into the second metal layer thereby enhancing the electrical performance of the interconnect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Chen, Hua Chung, Barry L. Chin, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 8318589
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a process of depositing a transparent conductive oxide layer over a substrate. The transparent oxide layer is sometimes deposited onto a substrate for later use in a solar cell device. The transparent conductive oxide layer may be deposited by a “cold” sputtering process. In other words, during the sputtering process, a plasma is ignited in the processing chamber which naturally heats the substrate. No additional heat is provided to the substrate during deposition such as from the susceptor. After the transparent conductive oxide layer is deposited, the substrate may be annealed and etched, in either order, to texture the transparent conductive oxide layer. In order to tailor the shape of the texturing, different wet etch chemistries may be utilized. The different etch chemistries may be used to shape the surface of the transparent conductive oxide and the etch rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Valery V. Komin, Hien-Minh Huu Le, David Tanner, James S. Papanu, Philip A. Greene, Suresh M. Shrauti, Roman Gouk, Steven Verhaverbeke