Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm William A. Kinnaman, Jr., Esq.
  • Patent number: 6829693
    Abstract: In a computing system implementing a virtual memory system having real memory storage frames for storing virtual pages of data and an auxiliary storage system comprising auxiliary storage slots for storing copies of corresponding virtual pages provided in real storage frames, a system and method for freeing auxiliary storage slots to enable further copying of pages thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Greg A. Dyck, Harris M. Morgenstern, Danny R. Sutherland, Wendy L. Wang
  • Patent number: 6789101
    Abstract: The present invention controls the automation process in a computer network system. An Abstract Resource Model is introduced in which the model results in the automation being divided into two: an automation execution component and an automation decision-making component. The automation execution component controls how programs or resources are run within a specific environment, and the automation decision making component controls when a program or resource is run on an abstract decision-making level. In the Abstract Resource Model, the operator needs no specific knowledge as to which programs or program components belong to an overall application, or which programs or program components need to be started in which order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Clarke, Juergen Schneider, Walter Schueppen, Alexander Terekhov
  • Patent number: 6760910
    Abstract: A technique is disclosed for managing a workload distributed across multiple data processing systems to enhance shared resource access to meet a common performance standard. The technique includes on at least one system, measuring performance of the work units on the system to create local performance data, and on at least some of the systems sending the local performance data to at least one other system of the multiple data processing systems. The method further includes on at least one of the systems, receiving the performance data from the sending systems to create remote performance data, and adjusting at least one control parameter for accessing shared resources in response to the local and remote performance data to modify the performance of the work units distributed across the data processing systems to achieve the common performance standard. A dynamic resource clustering process is also employed to enhance the shared resource management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine K. Eilert, Peter B. Yocom, Gary M. King, Jeffrey D. Aman
  • Patent number: 6721775
    Abstract: Resource contention monitoring and analysis are provided for a single system or multi-system environment. Resource contention is tracked at a task level when contention occurs by listing each owner of a resource in a blocker list and each waiter for the resource in a waiter list. Each list is ordered oldest to newest so each instance of contention is added to the end of the respective list. The resource request and contention lists are cross-linked to provide easy coordination between the resource queues and the contention lists. Techniques for analyzing contention using the lists, including deadlock analysis, are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott A. Fagen, Jeffrey M. Nick
  • Patent number: 6715144
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for request based installation, customization and activation of software products on a computer system by means of a setup infrastructure (20) for coordinating the process phases. A plurality of exploiter plug-ins (24) are provided, each assigned to a program product already installed in the computer system or a program product to be installed. The exploiter plug-ins are used by the setup infrastructure for indicating a program package description and program product description and for providing customization dialogs and support to instantiate and activate the program to be installed. Bind supporter plug-ins (23) are assigned to selected ones of the program products and used for supporting the binding procedure by providing bind services to the setup infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Daynes, Norbert Lenz, Adrainus Schuur
  • Patent number: 6662209
    Abstract: A high performance client/server editor and method for editing documents with improved performance. A server listening for editing requests from a client to edit a file located with the server spawns a thread for each editing request to handle that particular request. A client receiving input commands from a user for editing requests spawns a thread for each editing request received, enabling more than one editing request to be processed simultaneously. When an edit feature is invoked, the client sends a request to the server to download the file. While the file is downloading from the server to the client location, the client displays the first page of the file to the user to enable the user to start editing the file before the entire file is downloaded. The client handles the user's edit commands for portions of the file downloaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Potts, Jr., Colette A. Manoni
  • Patent number: 6654780
    Abstract: Managing processor resources in a non-dedicated computer system. An amount of a processor resource is allocated to a real-time application of the computer system. The amount does not exceed a limit chosen for a group of real-time applications, wherein the group includes the real-time application being allocated the resource. A selected amount of the processor resource remains available to execute other types of applications and work on the system. During processing of the real-time application, use of the processor resource does not exceed a chosen maximum value, thereby ensuring the processor resource is not monopolized by the real-time application and allowing other types of work to be processed on the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine Krueger Eilert, Peter Bergersen Yocom
  • Patent number: 6647388
    Abstract: It is one object of the present invention to use an access control process to evaluate under a specific condition an access permission request. An access control system 100 comprises a resource document 40 in which a policy description is stored; a policy evaluation module 10 for receiving an external request 110 for accessing the data file, for extracting, from the resource document 40, the policy description that is associated with target data for the access request 110, and for evaluating the policy description to determine whether or not the access request 110 is to be permitted; an enforcement function verification module 20 for, when an existing condition can not be evaluated using only the information included in the policy evaluation module 10, determining whether the condition can be evaluated or can be established; and an enforcement module 30 for evaluating or establishing the condition that, in accordance with the enforcement function verification module 20, can be evaluated or established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Numao, Michiharu Kudoh, Tomio Amano
  • Patent number: 6609214
    Abstract: Storage structures of a shared storage processor of a computing environment are copied. A copy operation for a storage structure of the shared storage processor is initiated. Although the storage structure is owned by an exploiter of the storage structure, at least a portion of the contents of the storage structure is copied via an operating system of the computing environment. The at least a portion of the contents are copied from the storage structure to another storage structure of the computing environment. Both storage structures may be located within the same shared storage processor or within different shared storage processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Dahlen, David A. Elko, Jeffrey M. Nick, David H. Surman, Douglas Westcott, Wendell W. Wilkinson, Ruth A. Allen, Mark A. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6587938
    Abstract: Central processing unit (CPU) resources are managed within a computing environment. When the allocation of CPU resources to a partition of the computing environment is to be adjusted, the allocation is adjusted dynamically. This dynamic adjustment is across at least two partitions of the computing environment. The adjusting includes modifying processor weights associated with the partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine K. Eilert, Jeffrey P. Kubala, Jeffrey M. Nick, Peter B. Yocom
  • Patent number: 6584554
    Abstract: Storage structures are allocated within a shared storage processor of a computing environment. One or more target maximum counts are specified, which are to be used in allocating a storage structure of the shared storage processor. The one or more target maximum counts are then used to allocate the storage structure. The newly allocated structure can have the same characteristics as a previously allocated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Dahlen, David A. Elko, Jeffrey M. Nick, David H. Surman
  • Patent number: 6546466
    Abstract: Cache structures of a shared storage processor of a computing environment are copied. A copy operation for a cache structure of the shared storage processor is initiated. Although the cache structure is owned by an exploiter of the cache structure, one or more objects of the cache structure are copied via an operating system of the computing environment. The one or more objects are copied from the cache structure to another cache structure of the computing environment. Both cache structures may be located within the same shared storage processor or within different shared storage processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Elko, Jeffrey M. Nick, David H. Surman, Wendell W. Wilkinson, Ruth A. Allen, Mark A. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6546414
    Abstract: Lock structures of a shared storage processor of a computing environment are copied. A copy operation for a lock structure of the shared storage processor is initiated. Although the lock structure is owned by an exploiter of the lock structure, one or more objects of the lock structure are copied via an operating system of the computing environment. The one or more objects are copied from the lock structure to another lock structure of the computing environment. Both lock structures may be located within the same shared storage processor or within different shared storage processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Dahlen, David A. Elko, Jeffrey M. Nick, David H. Surman, Douglas Westcott, Ruth A. Allen, Mark A. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6542970
    Abstract: List structures of a shared storage processor of a computing environment are copied. A copy operation for a list structure of the shared storage processor is initiated. Although the list structure is owned by an exploiter of the list structure, one or more objects of the list structure are copied via an operating system of the computing environment. The one or more objects are copied from the list structure to another list structure of the computing environment. Both list structures may be located within the same shared storage processor or within different shared storage processors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis J. Dahlen, David A. Elko, Jeffrey M. Nick, David H. Surman, Douglas Westcott, Ruth A. Allen, Mark A. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6539495
    Abstract: Coupling facility store-in cache structures are duplexed in order to improve data availability. That is, once duplexing is established, selective data is written to both a primary structure instance and a secondary structure instance. Thus, if one of the structure instances fails, then the other structure instance is used in order to prevent data from being lost. Duplexing can be started manually and/or automatically by the operating system. Further, a structure may be removed from duplex mode and enter simplex mode, if duplexing is not desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Arlen Elko, Steven Bruce Jones, Jeffrey W. Josten, Inderpal Singh Narang, Jeffrey M. Nick, Kelly B. Pushong, David Harold Surman, James Zu-Chia Teng
  • Patent number: 6442583
    Abstract: A method for managing a workload distributed across data processing systems in accordance with a common processor consumption standard, including the steps of measuring the processor consumption of the work units to create local processor consumption data; sending the local processor consumption data to at least one other system; receiving processor consumption data from at least one other system to create remote processor consumption data; and adjusting at least one of the system control parameters to modify the remote processor consumption and the local processor consumption of the work units to achieve the common processor consumption standard is provided. Also provided is an apparatus according to the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine Krueger Eilert, Bernard Roy Pierce
  • Patent number: 6438654
    Abstract: Castout processing for duplexed data structures. A selective data item is written from a primary instance of a data structure to at least one storage medium. A determination is made as to whether the selective data item can be deleted from a secondary instance of the data structure. If the selective data item can be deleted, it is deleted from the secondary instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Arlen Elko, Steven Bruce Jones, Jeffrey W. Josten, Inderpal Singh Narang, Jeffrey M. Nick, Kelly B. Pushong, David Harold Surman, James Zu-Chia Teng
  • Patent number: 6411292
    Abstract: A computer display system, method and article of manufacture are presented allowing a user to interactively arrange two-dimensional windows for display in three dimensions on a two-dimensional display screen of the computer system. A window manager associated with the display screen is configured to respond to a user's selection of a frame edge of a window, e.g., using a third mouse button, by rotating the window from a two-dimensional depiction to a three-dimensional depiction. Rotation of the window occurs on an edge frame opposite to the selected edge frame and the rotation angle is related to the magnitude that the user drags the pointing device after selection of one edge frame of the window to be swung. In a similar manner, a pointing indicator is superimposed within the rotated window for tracking within the rotated coordinates of the window in response to user manipulation of an associated pointing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Cook, Michael D. Essenmacher, Clark A. Goodrich
  • Patent number: 6393455
    Abstract: A technique is disclosed for managing a workload distributed across multiple data processing systems to enhance shared resource access to meet a common performance standard. The technique includes on at least one system, measuring performance of the work units on the system to create local performance data, and on at least some of the systems sending the local performance data to at least one other system of the multiple data processing systems. The method further includes on at least one of the systems, receiving the performance data from the sending systems to create remote performance data, and adjusting at least one control parameter for accessing shared resources in response to the local and remote performance data to modify the performance of the work units distributed across the data processing systems to achieve the common performance standard. A dynamic resource clustering process is also employed to enhance the shared resource management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Catherine K. Eilert, Peter B. Yocom, Gary M. King, Jeffrey D. Aman
  • Patent number: 6389482
    Abstract: When applications connect to a data pipe, which is located on the same system as the connecting applications, the data pipe is considered a local pipe. That is, local media is used to pipe the data. If, however, an application on a different system is to access the pipe, the pipe is transitioned from a local pipe to a cross-system pipe, in which an alternative non-local media is used to pipe the data. The application causing the transition and any other applications to subsequently connect to the pipe use the cross-system pipe. Any local applications still allocated to the pipe are transitioned, such that they now access the cross-system pipe, instead of the local pipe. Likewise, when an application disconnects from a cross-system pipe, such that all remaining connections to the pipe are local connections, the pipe is transitioned from a cross-system pipe to a local pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Roman Anthony Bobak, Scott Brady Compton, Jon Kim Johnson, David Lee Meck, William Robert Richardson