Patents Represented by Attorney Stephen J. Walder, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8201175
    Abstract: Creating and associating a virtual pseudo tty device with a running process. A pool of virtual pseudo tty devices composed of a number of special character-oriented device files is created and associated with a sub-directory in the device file system. In response to receiving a process id (PID) of a running process, an unassociated virtual pseudo tty device in the pool of virtual pseudo tty devices is assigned to the running process. The association of the running process and the virtual pseudo tty device is accomplished by locating and modifying the running process's controlling tty in the running process's u-block to point to the assigned unassociated virtual pseudo tty device. Following which, the running process id and the associated virtual pseudo tty device are saved in a virtual pseudo tty mapping table thus allowing the running process to be disassociated from a physical console or pseudo tty device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Feiqi Zhu
  • Patent number: 8201177
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for scheduling a workload on a computer. The mechanism receives, in the computer, one or more workload-related variables. The mechanism further receives, in the computer, one or more trigger values for at least one of the one or more workload-related variables. Moreover, the mechanism determines, from the workload-related variables and their triggering values, one or more conditions under which one or more tasks are to be performed on the computer. In addition, the mechanism acquires a status value of at least one of the one or more workload-related variables at regular intervals and performs a task when a status value of a workload-related variable attains the triggering value for the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Domenico Di Giulio
  • Patent number: 8200946
    Abstract: An issue unit for placing a processor into a gradual slow down mode of operation is provided. The gradual slow down mode of operation comprises a plurality of stages of slow down operation of an issue unit in a processor in which the issuance of instructions is slowed in accordance with a staging scheme. The gradual slow down of the processor allows the processor to break out of livelock conditions. Moreover, since the slow down is gradual, the processor may flexibly avoid various degrees of livelock conditions. The mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments impact the overall processor performance based on the severity of the livelock condition by taking a small performance impact on less severe livelock conditions and only increasing the processor performance impact when the livelock condition is more severe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher M. Abernathy, Kurt A. Feiste, Ronald P. Hall, Albert J. Van Norstrand, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8195827
    Abstract: Illustrative embodiments of the invention provide for obtaining information from different devices in a computer network. Data representing the information from each of the different devices is received, the data is in a specific form relating to each of the different devices. The data from each of the different devices is assigned to one or more entities as defined by an information model. The data from each of the different devices is grouped using an adaptation layer before assigning the data from that device to one or more entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: John Strassner
  • Patent number: 8188845
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for controlling an output of a vehicle mounted display based on the current cargo loading of the vehicle so as to change the appearance of the vehicle. The mechanisms may identify at least one identifier of contents of a current cargo loading of the vehicle. The at least one identifier may identify at least one product currently being transported by the vehicle. The mechanisms may further correlate the at least one identifier with display data to be rendered on the vehicle mounted display. The mechanisms may further output the display data to the vehicle mounted display such that the display data is rendered on the vehicle mounted display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael N. Abernethy, Jr., Travis M. Grigsby, Steven M. Miller, Lisa A. Seacat
  • Patent number: 8185527
    Abstract: A personal resources organizer with calendar interface and object detection is provided. The personal resources organizer monitors personal resources for use with a scheduled event by identifying one or more personal resource objects present in a container and retrieving a list of required personal resource objects for an event scheduled in an electronic schedule. The identified one or more personal resource objects are compared with the list of required personal resource objects for the schedule event and a report of a readiness for the scheduled event is generated based on results of the comparison. The report may then be output for use by a user in determining the user's readiness or preparedness for the scheduled event such that the user may make modifications to the personal resource objects in the container and/or the list or required personal resource objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sandro Piccinini, Luigi Pichetti, Marco Secchi
  • Patent number: 8180941
    Abstract: Mechanisms for priority control in resource allocation is provided. With these mechanisms, when a unit makes a request to a token manager, the unit identifies the priority of its request as well as the resource which it desires to access and the unit's resource access group (RAG). This information is used to set a value of a storage device associated with the resource, priority, and RAG identified in the request. When the token manager generates and grants a token to the RAG, the token is in turn granted to a unit within the RAG based on a priority of the pending requests identified in the storage devices associated with the resource and RAG. Priority pointers are utilized to provide a round-robin fairness scheme between high and low priority requests within the RAG for the resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wen-Tzer T. Chen, Charles R. Johns, Ram Raghavan, Andrew H. Wottreng
  • Patent number: 8176026
    Abstract: Mechanisms for performing a backend operation in a file system are provided. A backend operation on a portion of the file system is initiated. At least one indirect transition table data structure is created for performing the backend operation. Metadata corresponding to the portion of the file system is linked to the at least one indirect transition table data structure. The backend operation is performed on data in a sub-portion of the portion of the file system and the at least one indirect transition table data structure is updated with pointers to new locations of the data in the sub-portion as transitions of the data are completed. At least one data access operation is performed to the portion of the file system at substantially a same time as performing the backend operation on the data in the sub-portion of the portion of the file system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi K. Arimilli, Piyush Chaudhary
  • Patent number: 8171448
    Abstract: A design structure for a livelock resolution circuit is provided. When a bus unit detects a timeout condition, or potential timeout condition, the bus unit activates a livelock resolution request signal. A livelock resolution unit receives livelock resolution requests from the bus units and signals an attention to a control processor. The control processor performs actions to attempt to resolve the livelock condition. Once a bus unit that issued a livelock resolution request has managed to successfully issue its command, it deactivates its livelock resolution request. If all livelock resolution request signals are deactivated, then the control processor instructs the bus and all bus units to resume normal activity. On the other hand, if the control processor determines that a predetermined amount of time passes without any progress being made, it determines that a hang condition has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles R. Johns, David J. Krolak, Peichun P. Liu, Alvan W. Ng
  • Patent number: 8171451
    Abstract: A report web service system comprises a web service interface, a report service manager, and a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) generator. The web service interface receives from a Client Application a request for a web service definition for a report as a web service, and transports to the client application the requested web service definition. The report service manager converts definitions of one or more objects in a report definition in a report store that corresponds to the requested report into web service definitions, and generates an object model based on the web service definitions to reflect a structure of the objects of the report. The WSDL generator generates a WSDL definition for the web service based on the object model. When a report as defined in the WSDL definition is rendered, a selector selects relevant objects from a generalized model of the rendered results based on information in the WSDL definition, and a representation formatter formats representation of the relevant objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jim Boland, Wade Williams, Wayne Salter
  • Patent number: 8171116
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for configuring different computers of a network. Each computer plays a specific physic role (defined by an architecture of the network) and/or a specific logic role (defined by the applications running in the network). A reference model and a transition table are associated with each product to be installed in the network; the reference model specifies a target configuration for each role (defined by the components of the product to be installed), while the transition table specifies the actions required to reach each target configuration from each current configuration of the computers. A server identifies the role and the current configuration of each computer; the actions required to enforce the desired target configuration on the computer are then established and executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Luigi Pichetti, Antonio Secomandi, Roberto Ranucci, Claudio Marinelli, Francesco Lupini
  • Patent number: 8145871
    Abstract: Mechanisms for dynamic reallocation of memory to an application, the memory being from a pool of virtual real memory allocated to a virtual client that executes the application, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a virtual client is allocated a pool of virtual real memory. A subset of this pool of virtual real memory is a block of memory allocated for use by an application. The allocation may be stated as a range of allocated memory with an upper and lower limit. The application calls a kernel service when it thinks it needs a new allocation of memory. The new allocation is established by a power hypervisor connected to the virtual client. Memory is exported by way of a Paging Space Partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Pafumi, Veena Patwari, Morgan J. Rosas, Vasu Vallabhaneni
  • Patent number: 8144582
    Abstract: Mechanisms for differentiating traffic types per host system blade in a multi-root PCI Express environment are provided. The mechanisms generate a first mapping data structure that, for each single-root virtual hierarchy in the multi-root data processing system, associates a plurality of traffic classes with a plurality of priority groups and maps each traffic class in the plurality of traffic classes to a corresponding virtual channel in a plurality of virtual channels. Moreover, a second mapping data structure is generated that maps each virtual channel in the plurality of virtual channels to corresponding per host system blade virtual links in a plurality of virtual links of the multi-root data processing system. Traffic of a particular priority group is routed from a single-root virtual hierarchy to a particular virtual link in the plurality of the virtual links based on the first mapping data structure and second mapping data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron C. Brown, Douglas M. Freimuth, Renato J. Recio, Steven M. Thurber
  • Patent number: 8144689
    Abstract: A mechanism for controlling asynchronous clock domains to perform synchronous operations is provided. With the mechanism, when a synchronous operation is to be performed on a chip, the latches of the functional elements of the chip are controlled by a synchronous clock so that the latches are controlled synchronously even across asynchronous boundaries of the chip. The synchronous operation may then be performed and the chip's functional elements returned to being controlled by a local clock in an asynchronous manner after completion of the synchronous operation. This synchronous operation may be, for example, a power on reset (POR) operation, a manufacturing test sequence, debug operation, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan P. Chelstrom, Mack W. Riley
  • Patent number: 8146013
    Abstract: Mechanisms to allow authorized popup windows on a website are provided. With the mechanisms, one or more identifiers of authorized popup window sources are associated with website content. When the website content is downloaded to a client device in response to a request, the one or more identifiers are also provided to the client device. A popup blocker application resident on the client device uses the one or more identifiers to generate a filter list of authorized popup window sources against which the source of popup windows may be compared when the popup window attempts to be loaded into the browser. If the source of the popup window that is attempting to be loaded is not present in the list of authorized sources of popup windows, then the loading and output of the popup window content is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Keys D. Botzum, Kwang S. Kang, Alexandre Polozoff
  • Patent number: 8141092
    Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for an I/O virtualization management partition (IMP) to control the shared functionality of an I/O virtualization (IOV) enabled I/O adapter (IDA) through a physical function (PF) of the IOA while the virtual functions (VFs) are assigned to client partitions for normal I/O operations directly. A hypervisor provides device-independent facilities to the code running in the IMP and client partitions. The IMP may include device specific code without the hypervisor needing to sacrifice its size, robustness, and upgradeability. The hypervisor provides the virtual intermediary functionally for the sharing and control of the IOA's control functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron C. Brown, Douglas M. Freimuth, James A. Pafumi, Renato J. Recio, Steven M. Thurber
  • Patent number: 8141094
    Abstract: Mechanisms to address the situation where an input/output (I/O) fabric is shared by more than one logical partition (LPAR) and where each LPAR can share with the other LPARs an I/O adapter (LOA) are provided. In particular, each LPAR is assigned its own separate address space to access a virtual function (VF) assigned to it such that each LPAR's perception is that it has its own independent IOA. Each VF may be shared across multiple LPARs. Facilities are provided for management of the shared resources of the IOA via a Physical Function (PF) of the IOA by assignment of that PF to an I/O Virtualization Management Partition (IMP). The code running in the IMP acts as a virtual intermediary to the VFs for fully managing the VF error handling, VF reset, and configuration operations. The IMP also acts as an interface to the PF for accessing common VF functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron C. Brown, Douglas M. Freimuth, Renato J. Recio, Steven M. Thurber
  • Patent number: 8140340
    Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for utilizing a voiceprint to authorize a user to perform an operation restricted to authorized users. A voiceprint is stored in an audio attribute file and is associated with a user. Based on a comparison of this voiceprint and an utterance provided by the user, an identification of the user is accomplished. If the utterance matches the voiceprint, the user is permitted to access services or perform operations. The audio attribute file may be transmitted from one virtual environment to another based on the detected movement of the user's avatar between virtual environments. As such, the recipient computing device may use the audio attribute file to identify the user in the new virtual environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kulvir S. Bhogal, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Dimitri Kanevsky, Clifford A. Pickover, Anne R. Sand
  • Patent number: 8141093
    Abstract: Mechanisms that address the situation where an input/output (I/O) fabric is shared by more than one logical partition (LPAR) and where each LPAR can share with the other LPARs an I/O adapter (IOA) are provided. In particular, each LPAR is assigned its own separate address space to access a virtual function (VF) assigned to it such that each LPAR's perception is that it has its own independent IOA. Each VF may be shared across multiple LPARs. Facilities are provided for management of the shared resources of the IOA via a Physical Function (PF) of the IOA by assignment of that PF to an I/O Virtualization Management Partition (IMP). The code running in the IMP acts as a virtual intermediary to the VFs for fully managing the VF error handling, VF reset, and configuration operations. The IMP also acts as an interface to the PF for accessing common VF functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron C. Brown, Douglas M. Freimuth, Renato J. Recio, Steven M. Thurber
  • Patent number: 8135910
    Abstract: A cache, system and method for improving the snoop bandwidth of a cache directory. A cache directory may be sliced into two smaller cache directories each with its own snooping logic. By having two cache directories that can be accessed simultaneously, the bandwidth can be essentially doubled. Furthermore, a “frequency matcher” may shift the cycle speed to a lower speed upon receiving snoop addresses from the interconnect thereby slowing down the rate at which requests are transmitted to the dispatch pipelines. Each dispatch pipeline is coupled to a sliced cache directory and is configured to search the cache directory to determine if data at the received addresses is stored in the cache memory. As a result of slowing down the rate at which requests are transmitted to the dispatch pipelines and accessing the two sliced cache directories simultaneously, the bandwidth or throughput of the cache directory may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Guy L. Guthrie, William J. Starke, Derek E. Williams, Phillip G. Williams