Patents Represented by Attorney Shimokaji & Associates, P.C.
  • Patent number: 7640416
    Abstract: A volume container system automatically relates components of a storage area network in membership association of a volume container. The volume container is an abstract entity that maps a relationship between servers and storage devices. The entity captures network access control between servers and storage subsystems such as, for example, security, access, and zoning. Policies of the volume container guide operations in a volume container. The membership associates access and security within the volume container. The volume container reduces administration required for a storage area network, improves consistency in mapping, security, and zoning, and reduces complexity in consistently replicating a logical group of volumes, making failure recovery easier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Prasenjit Sarkar, Jimmy Paul Strickland, Brent Cameron Beardsley
  • Patent number: 7630497
    Abstract: A hybrid traitor-tracing enabling system comprises an inner code and a multi-level outer code. The inner code comprises encrypted tables comprising codewords for file segment variations. One level of the multi-level outer code comprises assignments of a cluster of sequence keys to manufacturers or models of media players. Another level comprises assignments to the media players of sequence keys within the cluster. The system enables tracing of only a manufacturer or model, or a manufacturer, model, and a media player. When tracing a manufacturer or model, the system enables detection with relatively few recovered files. With additional recovered files, the media player used for piracy can be discovered. Furthermore, the present system enables detection of collusion between manufacturers or models and collusion between individual media players.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Bruce Lotspiech, Hongxia Jin
  • Patent number: 7627815
    Abstract: An editing apparatus for editing objects on a screen includes an object input display section for displaying contents which have been input by a user, as objects on a screen. The apparatus also includes an object extension section for superposing at least one side of a first object on one side or on an extension line of the side of a second object by extending an external form of the first object among the plurality of objects displayed by the object input display section, to a position within a range which does not overlap the second object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kotaro Shima
  • Patent number: 7624427
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for causing an application program containing personal information to operate on an operating system. It is detected whether the application program outputs, transfers or generates data to the outside of a storage region of the application program. A real-time determination is made as to whether or not the data is subject to personal information management. Processing of the application program is continued, interrupted or corrected based the determination. Personal information is detected by scanning contents of the data when the data is subject to personal information management. Detected personal information is displayed to a user. A result of the determination is input according to a level of risk against the data for the user. Contents of the determination result is stored as a history. A risk indicator for the data is computed and displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sanehiro Furuichi, Michiharu Kudo
  • Patent number: 7624380
    Abstract: A method for eliminating ambiguity and incorrectness of the specification determined in a requirement defining phase in developing an information system, and systematically verifying whether an automatically executed test scenario agrees with the original requirements in a functional testing phase, includes extracting an input variable, an output variable, and the respective types of the variables from a specification file in screens; extracting screen-transition information from a composite functional specification containing specifications in screens; and executing the following processes from the top for each screen that appears in screen transition. For the input variable, the apparatus generates a test script indicative of an action (clicking or a character set) corresponding to an object associated with the input variable. For the output variable, the apparatus generates a test script for comparing text information displayed on a screen with an expected value determined from the output variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Okada
  • Patent number: 7620806
    Abstract: Reduces message length of encrypted message to be transmitted selectively to plurality of decrypting devices. An encrypting device includes a generating unit for generating node associating information configured to associate respective terminal nodes in a tree structure with each decrypting device in relation to a group of decrypting devices enabled for decryption, a extracting unit for extracting a decryption enabled node containing decrypting devices in descendant terminal nodes and not containing a decrypting device with decryption disabled in any of the descendant terminal nodes, and a unit for encrypting the message by use of a node encryption key for the decryption enabled node. Decrypting devices include specifying unit for specifying terminal node associated with decrypting device based on node associating information, and a decrypting unit for decrypting encrypted message using a node decryption key for any decryption enabled nodes ranging from terminal node to root node thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Koichi Kamijo
  • Patent number: 7617460
    Abstract: Software optimized to use fewer computer resources provides a more appropriate user interface. The invention provides a display device for displaying a screen specified by an instruction. The display includes a display screen, a display frequency setting and a transitioned destination screen. Display control responds to instructions to set the screen to be displayed. A screen display sequentially displays each of a number of screens in response to a number of instructions. A display frequency for a transition destination screen is set in response to an instruction, and a display control sets a screen that the screen display means displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuko Katoh, Atsushi Nishio, Tetsuo Morimura
  • Patent number: 7617520
    Abstract: A setting apparatus sets any of authorization for and prohibition of access to data with a hierarchical structure. The setting apparatus includes: an object selection unit for selecting at least one object from a plurality of objects constituting the hierarchical structure; a pattern selection unit for selecting at least one pattern from a plurality of patterns, each of which determines a relative position in the hierarchical structure to the object selected by the object selection unit; and an access control policy setting unit for setting any of authorization for and prohibition of access to the object selected by the object selection unit and each of objects at the relative position to the selected object, which relative position is determined by the pattern selected by the pattern selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Qi Naizhen, Kudo Michiharu
  • Patent number: 7613725
    Abstract: Assisting the computer input of date values includes storing a pre-specified reference date in a storage device, storing one or more user-inputted digits in the storage device, complementing the input digit sequence with a digit sequence generated on the basis of the reference date, and displaying the one or more generated candidate dates on the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Kataoka, Kenji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7613799
    Abstract: In order to provide information for making a decision when using composite services, there are provided means for calculating evaluation of combinations of services and means for visualizing the evaluations are provided. For this purpose, a method applied to a system having storage means includes receiving a selection of a plurality of service groups from one user; and computing an evaluation of combinations of services composed by selecting one service from among respective service groups of the plurality of service groups selected, based on evaluation information stored in the storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Higuchi, Kazuo Iwao, Masabumi Koinuma, Sari Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7606795
    Abstract: A correctness verification system receives a query, executes the query using a query logic, and produces a query result. The query result comprises data records that satisfy the query, data verification objects associated with the data records, index segments accessed during the execution of the query, index verification objects associated with the index segments, and the query. The system transfers the query result to a verification system. The verification system verifies correctness of the query result by executing the query using the query logic. The verification system uses the data verification objects to verify integrity of the data objects, uses the index verification objects to verify the integrity of the index segments, and uses the index verification objects and the data verification objects to verify the completeness of the query result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Windsor Wee Sun Hsu, Xiaonan Ma
  • Patent number: 7603630
    Abstract: The invention provides a method, system, and program product for controlling a display on a computer-aided design (CAD) data editing screen, whereby commands more likely to be utilized are preferentially displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Hirasaka
  • Patent number: 7598097
    Abstract: A magnetic data track used in a magnetic shift register memory system may be fabricated by forming a multilayered stack of alternating dielectric and/or silicon layers. A trench is etched in the multi-layer stack structure. A selective etching process is used to corrugate the walls of trench. A seed layer is applied to the walls and bottom of the trench; the seed layer is covered with a magnetic layer. The trench is filled with an insulating material. A patterned layer is applied and portions of insulating material exposed by the pattern are removed, forming holes. Magnetic material and seed layer exposed in holes is selectively removed. The holes are filled with insulating material and connecting leads are attached to data tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tze-chiang Chen, Stuart S. P. Parkin
  • Patent number: 7600254
    Abstract: A setting apparatus sets any of authorization for and prohibition of access to data with a hierarchical structure. The setting apparatus includes: an object selection unit for selecting at least one object from a plurality of objects constituting the hierarchical structure; a pattern selection unit for selecting at least one pattern from a plurality of patterns, each of which determines a relative position in the hierarchical structure to the object selected by the object selection unit; and an access control policy setting unit for setting any of authorization for and prohibition of access to the object selected by the object selection unit and each of objects at the relative position to the selected object, which relative position is determined by the pattern selected by the pattern selection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Naizhen Qi, Michiharu Kudo
  • Patent number: 7600231
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that concurrently executes a plurality of application programs including first and second application programs on an operating system. The information processing apparatus monitors a function call from the first application program to the operating system or a message being sent and received between the first application program and the operating system. Then, based on the monitoring result, the information processing apparatus modifies or inhibits a function call from the second application program to the operating system or a process for sending and receiving a message between the second application program and the operating system. In this way, embodiments of the present invention control operations of the application program without modifying the existing operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sanehiro Furuichi, Masana Murase, Tasuku Otani
  • Patent number: 7590238
    Abstract: To delegate authority for cryptographic communication without increasing the risk of leaking a device key. A system and method including a first communication apparatus and a managing apparatus allowing the first communication apparatus to perform cryptographic communication with an external at least one second communication apparatus. The managing apparatus includes: storing a first device key shared with the second communication apparatus; generating a computation by passing the first device key read from the stored keys to a keyed one-way function, to generate a computed result as a second device key; and outputting the second device key and a key of the one-way function to the first communication apparatus. The first communication apparatus transmits a key of a one-way function to the second communication apparatus causing the second communication apparatus to perform a computation which generates a second device key, and which performs a cryptographic communication with a second communication apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kohichi Kamijoh, Masaharu Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7587570
    Abstract: A storage provisioning system generates a storage management framework comprising a resource model representing a set of storage devices for use by an application. The resource model comprises a set of data containers and at least one volume container such that the resource model provides storage to the application independent of a plurality of interfaces used by the set of storage devices. The volume container is a specialized data container that interfaces directly with the storage devices and represents a bottom of a storage stack comprising at least one data container and at least one volume container. The resource model comprises a rules module for governing the construction of the data containers and the volume container and association between the data containers and the volume container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Prasenjit Sarkar, Gauri Sudhir Shah
  • Patent number: 7587604
    Abstract: An apparatus 10 for generating wartermark signals to be embedded as a digital watermark in real-time contents includes: input means 12 for inputting the real-time contents; an input buffer 14 for storing the real-time contents; generation means for generating wartermark signals corresponding to predicted intensities of the real-time contents from divided real-time contents; and an output buffer 18 for storing the generated wartermark signals to be outputted. The generation means is configured by including prediction means 16 for predicting intensities of the wartermark signals; control means 20 for controlling embedding by use of a message to be embedded as the digital watermark in the divided real-time contents; and means 22 for generating the wartermark signals to be outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuki Tachibana, Ryo Sugihara
  • Patent number: 7584184
    Abstract: A system of the present invention stores: a first index which designates lists of keywords contained in texts from identifications of the respective texts; a second index which designates lists of texts containing keywords from identifications of the respective keywords; and the number of texts containing the respective keywords. Then, upon receiving an input of a text search condition, the system calculates an estimation of search time by the first index and an estimation of search time by the second index, and determines which one of the first and second indexes makes a search faster. Then, by using the index which has been determined to make the search faster, the system searches for keywords which appear in texts satisfying the text search condition with higher frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Takuma, Issei Yoshida, Yuta Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 7584187
    Abstract: Obtaining a closed pattern in a second itemspace which is made by adding a new item to a first itemspace based on a closed pattern obtained for the first itemspace. To provide a system for detecting a closed pattern, which is a maximum set of items, based on history information which records a set of items that is a target of transaction processing for each transaction. The system records at least a first closed pattern obtained for a first itemspace. The system generates an additional pattern by adding an additional item that is not included in the first itemspace and compares a set of transactions including the whole of the additional pattern with a set of transactions including any of the whole of the first recorded closed pattern. The system detects union of the first closed pattern and the additional pattern as a second closed pattern in the second itemspace, on condition that the compared sets are identical with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Issei Yoshida