Patents Represented by Attorney Stephen J. Walder, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6807542
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for managing rights to a service in a data processing system. A request is received from a user for the service. The rights to the service are identified. Content for the service is received. The content is selectively modified based on the rights identified. The content is sent to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Frederick Bantz, Thomas E. Chefalas, Alexei A. Karve, Steven J. Mastrianni
  • Patent number: 6804729
    Abstract: An atomic memory migration apparatus and method are provided. With the apparatus and method, all active DMA mappings to a given physical page of memory are identified and future mappings/unmappings to the physical page are serialized with migrations of current mappings. The identified DMA mappings are then disabled at the bus level and the physical page is migrated to a new memory page. All existing DMA mappings are also migrated to the new page. After migration is completed, the DMA mappings, which have now been migrated to the new page, are reenabled at the bus level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Randal Craig Swanberg
  • Patent number: 6799336
    Abstract: A sink support shell apparatus and method of making a sink support shell are provided. The sink support shell apparatus is a shell shaped to be compatible with the sink that is to be placed in the sink support shell. The sink support shell includes a rim for mounting the shell either above or below the countertop level. The shell further includes an overflow/vent channel and stand-off in the base for attaching the shell to the necessary plumbing fixtures to allow for drainage of the water from the sink. The overflow/vent channel is formed in the material of the shell and allows water to flow down the channel to be drained by the attached plumbing fixtures as well as air to be vented to reduce suction noise. The sink support shell is made of high-impact material, such as a metal or hard plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Inventor: William D. Freeman
  • Patent number: 6798417
    Abstract: A method for rendering graphics on a server. In a preferred embodiment, a server receives a request from a requesting device for graphics. The server determines the fastest available rendering resource and dispatches the request to this fastest available rendering resource. Once the graphics have been rendered, the server sends the graphics to the requesting device for presentation to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Kent Taylor
  • Patent number: 6799299
    Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for converting documents. Source elements and corresponding target elements are identified. An initial target document derived from a source document is presented using the source elements and corresponding target elements. User input is received modifying presentation of the initial target document to form a final target document. Differences between the initial target document and the final target document are identified. A stylesheet is created to convert source documents into target documents using the identified source elements and corresponding target elements and the identified differences between the initial target document and the final target document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yongcheng Li, Yih-Shin Tan, Leonard Douglas Tidwell, II, Ajamu A. Wesley
  • Patent number: 6799316
    Abstract: Initially, a SMI trap detects an application accessing a memory location associated with a physical hardware device. The SMI trap receives the device address for the address bus and compares that address with memory addresses for hardware devices being virtualized by virtual device simulators. If the address matches an available virtual device, the SMI caches the address, hooks and caches the corresponding IO instruction for the memory address and issues a SMI. A SMI handler receives the SMI and determines which virtual device simulator to call. Once activated by the SMI handler, the virtual device simulator interacts with the application and then returns control to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Maximino Aguilar, Sanjay Gupta, Roy Moonseuk Kim, James Michael Stafford
  • Patent number: 6799262
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating instruction groups for explicitly parallel architectures is provided. The apparatus and method gather information about the underlying architecture for use in an instruction group creation phase. The information gathered includes the number of each type of execution unit available and the number of bundles that can be dispatched concurrently by the architecture. The instruction group creation of the present invention includes three phases: a first phase for performing initial grouping, a second phase for hosting instructions from further down in the program instruction order if the instruction is not able to be added during the initial grouping phase, and a third optional phase for counting the number of bundles formed to thereby inform a Just-In-Time compiler of the amount of space need to be allocated in a code buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey Owen Blandy, Andrew Johnson, Danling Shi
  • Patent number: 6792514
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for testing enforcement of logical partitioning in a data processing system are provided. In one embodiment, a call to an interface routine of a logical partitioning enforcement software unit is generated and sent to the logical partitioning enforcement software unit. Generating a call to an interface routine may include, for example, pseudo-randomly selecting one of a valid interface routine and an invalid interface routine and generating a call to the selected interface routine. A reply is received from the logical partitioning enforcement software unit and compared with an anticipated reply. Responsive to a discrepancy between the reply and the anticipated reply, a user is notified of a problem, thus allowing the user to take appropriate actions to correct the problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shakti Kapoor, Jayakumar N. Sankarannair
  • Patent number: 6779017
    Abstract: Load balancing of client transactions, for the duration of a client session, in a Web site is implemented by a cluster of servers. An initial request in each client session is sent to the site load balancer, thus, greatly enhancing the capability of the site to accept new session requests. All subsequent requests from a client are forwarded directly to the server first selected so that the sessions cannot be later broken by the load balancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marc Lamberton, Eric Levy-Abegnoli, Eric Montagnon, Pascal Thubert
  • Patent number: 6779106
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing integer divide operations in an IA64 architecture based data processing system is provided. The apparatus and method insert integer divide checks in place of NOP instructions in the instruction bundles associated with integer divide operations. The checks serve to identify typically encountered integer divide operations. Based on such identifications, the integer divide operation may be short-circuited such that the appropriate result may be returned without having to complete the integer divide operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Owen Blandy
  • Patent number: 6775822
    Abstract: Intermediary frameworks allow software components to agree on sentinel values. When a software component attempts to pass a null value to a software component that does not support null values, an intermediate framework replaces the null value with a corresponding sentinel value. When a software component that is not null-capable attempts to pass a sentinel value to a null-capable software component, the intermediate framework replaces the sentinel with a null value. The sentinel values may be randomly generated or assigned by a user. A sentinel value is a valid data value that is never used during program execution. A user may designate the sentinel values based on the data models of the software components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ajay A. Apte, Christohper Lawrence Brealey
  • Patent number: 6772341
    Abstract: A method and system for processing signed data objects in a data processing system is presented. A signed data object utility allows a user to view and edit the contents of data objects embedded within a signed data object via a graphical user interface. Graphical objects represent the data objects embedded within a signed data object. A user may drag and drop objects onto other objects within the signed data object, and the signed data object utility automatically performs the necessary signing operations. Logical associations between data objects contained within the signed data object are determined, and the logical associations are displayed using visual indicators between graphical objects representing the associated data objects. As data objects are added or deleted, the visual indicators are updated to reflect any updates to the logical associations. The user may direct other operations on the signed data object through the graphical user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Theodore Jack London Shrader, Anthony Joseph Nadalin, Bruce Arland Rich, Julianne Yarsa
  • Patent number: 6766467
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for pausing a send queue while preventing sympathy error from propagating through a SAN fabric system is provided. The method and apparatus place a send work queue in an error state, i.e. pauses the send work queue, when a reliable data error occurs in the send work queue but does not place any other work queues in an error state. In this way, the send queue experiencing the error is not able to send any further messages until error recovery is performed. However, other work queues continue to be able to send and/or receive messages. Once error recovery is performed, the send work queue that was placed in the error state is returned to a working state and is able to continue to send messages. In addition, the send queue that was in the error state will send the messages that it attempted to send at the time of the error. The messages sent will continue from a last known point at which the send work queue was operating properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Danny Marvin Neal, Gregory Michael Nordstrom, Gregory Francis Pfister, Renato John Recio
  • Patent number: 6766511
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cataloging symbolic data for use in performance analysis of computer programs is provided. The apparatus and method stores symbolic data for loaded modules during or shortly after a performance trace and utilizes the stored symbolic data when performing a performance analysis at a later time. A merged symbol file is generated for a computer program, or application, under trace. The merged symbol file contains information useful in performing symbolic resolution of address information in trace files for each instance of a module. During post processing of the trace information generated by a performance trace of a computer program, symbolic information stored in the merged symbol file is compared to the trace information stored in the trace file. The correct symbolic information in the merged symbol file for loaded modules is identified based a number of validating criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Francis Berry, Chester Charles John, Jr., Frank Eliot Levine, Christopher Michael Richardson, Robert J. Urguhart
  • Patent number: 6760359
    Abstract: A laser system comprises a laser diode with an active region and reflectors at both ends. An outcoupling aperture is located between the reflectors to couple light out of the device through the surface. The gain region increases in width as it nears the outcoupling aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Photodigm, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary A. Evans
  • Patent number: 6754890
    Abstract: A method of monitoring execution performance of a program is provided. A process identifier associated with a process within a program is determined, and a trace output file is created for the process such that the file name of the trace output file contains the process identifier. Trace records are generated in response to events within the process. The trace records associated with the process are then written to the trace output file associated with the process. Multiple processes may then be associated with unique trace output files simultaneously. Using this methodology, multiple instances of JVMs may be executing simultaneously, and each JVM may be generating trace records through a profiler. However, the origin of the trace records, as identified by the process identifier, or PID, of the JVM is used to place the trace information into a file that is identified through the use of the same PID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Francis Berry, Ronald O'Neal Edmark, Riaz Y. Hussain, Frank Eliot Levine
  • Patent number: 6754697
    Abstract: A method and system for browsing a distributed database. Storage is allocated in a computer for a file, wherein the file is used for storing references to data in the distributed database for retrieval at a later time. A reference to data in the distributed database is added to the file in response to a user input from a user using the computer to browse the distributed database. The data is retrieved from the distributed database using references to the data stored within the file in response to a selected event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Viktors Berstis
  • Patent number: 6754798
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to dynamically order features and manage features, especially aggregators, during creation of a logical volume is provided. The method and apparatus make use of a partition/aggregate list to identify partitions and/or aggregates that make up a logical volume that is to be created. In addition, the partition/aggregate list identifies features to be applied to the partitions and/or aggregates as well as the order in which these features are to be applied. The order in which these features are to be applied is designated by a current feature indicator (CFI). Based on a current CFI count of an entry in the partition/aggregate list, application of a feature corresponding to the current CFI count is attempted. If successful, the current CFI count is incremented and the process returns to a first entry in the partition/aggregate list. If unsuccessful, the current CFI count is not incremented and the process continues on to the next entry in the partition/aggregate list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Peloquin, Benedict Michael Rafanello, Cuong Huu Tran, Cristi Nesbitt Ullmann
  • Patent number: 6754788
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus, method and computer program product for privatizing operating system data. With the apparatus, method and computer program product of the present invention, a block of memory is allocated and divided into identical, smaller, properly aligned storage areas, each dedicated to a single processor in a multiprocessor system. The storage areas are allocated either initially when the system is initialized or on an as needed basis. Each sub-allocation request is made to use storage at the same location relative to the start of that processor's storage space. Because each processor's storage is isomorphic to all other processors, only one allocation record for all processors is needed, thereby reducing the overhead of the data privatization scheme. By allocating memory in this manner, cache line contention is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Stanley Mathews, Jonathan Allen Wildstrom
  • Patent number: 6754676
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing selective views of on-line surveys are provided. With the apparatus and method, each survey has a survey data structure and a template data structure. In a preferred embodiment, the data structures represent tree structures having nodes, child nodes, links between nodes and child nodes, and the like, for the survey and the template. Changes to the survey are made in the template data structure. The survey data structure and the template data structure are compared to one another, and nodes are either added, subtracted, or modified based on the differences between the survey data structure and the template data structure. In this way, the survey data structure retains the information that is already in present in it, such as the questions and answers previously provided. Thereafter, when the survey is again presented to a user, the user's previous answers to questions still remaining in the survey are displayed but no answers are displayed for newly added questions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Alan Dietz, Lane Thomas Holloway, Nadeem Malik