Patents Assigned to International Business Machine Corporation
  • Patent number: 8856758
    Abstract: Techniques for automatic license entitlement calculation. A method includes decomposing a license metric definition into metric-generic and metric-specific logic, compiling the metric-specific logic to generate intermediate code, interpreting the metric-generic logic and dynamically loading the intermediate code to execute a license entitlement calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hui Lei, Liangzhao Zeng
  • Patent number: 8856444
    Abstract: Data caching for use in a computer system including a lower cache memory and a higher cache memory. The higher cache memory receives a fetch request. It is then determined by the higher cache memory the state of the entry to be replaced next. If the state of the entry to be replaced next indicates that the entry is exclusively owned or modified, the state of the entry to be replaced next is changed such that a following cache access is processed at a higher speed compared to an access processed if the state would stay unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christian Habermann, Martin Recktenwald, Hans-Werner Tast, Ralf Winkelmann
  • Patent number: 8856787
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements for on-boarding an application to a cloud. An application for hosting in a cloud environment is provided. Metadata related to the application is provided, and metadata related to the cloud is obtained. The application metadata and cloud metadata are compared, and the compatibility of the application with existing offerings of the cloud is ascertained. The application is on-boarded to the cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vikas Agarwal, Michael Edward Alexander, Rema Ananthanarayanan, Sunil Goyal, Sumit Mittal, Sougata Mukherjea
  • Patent number: 8853034
    Abstract: Techniques for increasing conductivity of graphene films by chemical doping are provided. In one aspect, a method for increasing conductivity of a graphene film includes the following steps. The graphene film is formed from one or more graphene sheets. The graphene sheets are exposed to a solution having a one-electron oxidant configured to dope the graphene sheets to increase a conductivity thereof, thereby increasing the overall conductivity of the film. The graphene film can be formed prior to the graphene sheets being exposed to the one-electron oxidant solution. Alternatively, the graphene sheets can be exposed to the one-electron oxidant solution prior to the graphene film being formed. A method of fabricating a transparent electrode on a photovoltaic device from a graphene film is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Afzali-Ardakani, Ageeth Anke Bol, George Stojan Tulevski
  • Patent number: 8853076
    Abstract: Self-aligned contacts in a metal gate structure and methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. The method includes forming a metal gate structure having a sidewall structure. The method further includes recessing the metal gate structure and forming a masking material within the recess. The method further includes forming a borderless contact adjacent to the metal gate structure, overlapping the masking material and the sidewall structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Su Chen Fan, David V. Horak, Shom Ponoth, David L. Rath, Muthumanickam Sankarapandian
  • Patent number: 8856576
    Abstract: A method and system for managing computational workload in a computerized system powered by an energy source. This invention relies first and foremost on adapting computational workload at the computerized system according to a time-varying property of the power supplied by the energy source, such that power generated at the source is optimized. A feedback mechanism is accordingly implemented which changes power available for computation, e.g., to track a more efficient energy generation efficiency point at the source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Phillip Stanley-Marbell
  • Patent number: 8856254
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing a collaborative status message in an instant messaging system. Instant Messaging (“IM”) users that belong to a group are identified. A collaborative status message (e.g., “In Meeting with User 2 and User 3”) is generated that specifies the IM users of the group (e.g., User 2 and User 3) that are participating in an event (e.g., meeting) with an IM user upon the event occurring. The collaborative status message is broadcasted to other IM users. In this manner, more detailed information can be provided to other IM users regarding the status of the IM user in question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Howard R. Davidson, Itzhack Goldberg, Boaz Mizrachi, Timothy P. Winkler
  • Patent number: 8856799
    Abstract: Methods for managing resources for maintenance tasks in computing systems are provided. One system includes a controller and memory coupled to the controller, the memory configured to store a module. The controller, when executing the module, is configured to determine an amount of available resources for use by a plurality of maintenance tasks in a computing system and divide the available resources between the plurality of maintenance tasks based on a need for each maintenance task. One method includes determining, by a central controller, an amount of available resources for use by a plurality of maintenance tasks in a computing system and dividing the available resources between the plurality of maintenance tasks based on a need for each maintenance task. Computer storage mediums including a computer program product method for managing resources for maintenance tasks in computing systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lior Baruch, Roman Govsheev, Ariel J. Ish-Shalom
  • Patent number: 8856183
    Abstract: To provide an information processing apparatus, a database system, an information processing method, and a program which ensure efficient database accesses by partitioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Shinkawa, Issei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8852985
    Abstract: Semiconductor nano pressure sensor devices having graphene membrane suspended over open cavities formed in a semiconductor substrate. A suspended graphene membrane serves as an active electro-mechanical membrane for sensing pressure, which can be made very thin, from about one atomic layer to about 10 atomic layers in thickness, to improve the sensitivity and reliability of a semiconductor pressure sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Cai, Yanqing Wu, Wenjuan Zhu
  • Patent number: 8856320
    Abstract: A computer program product for locating a target computer device in an array includes computer usable program code for designating a first computer device as a first point of an axis of a reference coordinate system and designating a second computer device as a second point of the axis. The product includes computer usable program code for registering the connection of a first cable from a target computer device to the first computer device and detecting the connection of a second cable from the target computer device to the second computer device, computer usable program code for determining the length of each of the first and second cables, and computer usable program code for determining the location of the target computer device within the reference coordinate system according to the length of the first cable, the length of the second cable, and locations of the first and second computer devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Pagan, Devon D. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8856154
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention allow structured data to be transferred between a source application and a service-oriented target application that process data in different formats. The data to be transferred may be divided into different sections, where each section is processed by a respective service of the target application. To transform each section of data into a format compatible with a respective service, the data may have a set of associated rules which transform data based on a set of variables. The source application may provide variable definitions for each of the variables. Each service of the target application may specify values for each of the variables. Once the variables have a specified value, a transformation engine may transform each section of the data and subsequently transfer the transformed sections of the data to respective services of the target application for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Eggebraaten, Jeffrey W. Tenner, Shannon E. Wenzel, Eric W. Will
  • Patent number: 8855900
    Abstract: A system and method for self-optimizing traffic flow using shared vehicle information that utilizes multiple controllers in dynamic communication to optimize the flow of traffic. The system and method utilizes one or more traffic synchronization controllers (TSCs) (receivers) that receive information from one or more vehicle based transmitters called vehicle information agents (VIAs) and/or a network of traffic control devices (TCDs) associated with the traffic synchronization controllers to determine a variety of information related to traffic within a geographic region, including volume, speed, destination, intended route of the vehicle, as well as other vehicle related information, in order to determine the optimal flow of traffic within the region. The system and method then transmits traffic control signals to the various traffic control devices within the region or adjacent regions in order to optimally control the flow of traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David B. Lection, Eric L. Masselle
  • Patent number: 8856280
    Abstract: In a first aspect of the present invention, methods and apparatus implement graphical user interfaces for interactively specifying service level agreements used to regulate delivery of services to, for example, computer systems. An interactive graphical user interface allows a user to see the effects of varying values of service delivery variables on the level of service achievable in a particular service delivery context. In a second aspect, methods and apparatus of the present invention provision resources required for service delivery. In the second aspect, the methods and apparatus of the present invention select a service delivery model dependent on context. The selected service delivery model is used to provision resources that will be required during service delivery. In a third aspect, methods and apparatus of the present invention monitor compliance with a service level agreement during a service delivery event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Bantz, Thomas E. Chefalas, Peter W. Gayek, Walter C. Huber, Srikant Jalan, Patrik Lehrner, Steven J. Mastrianni, Marco Porak
  • Patent number: 8856064
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for information repository workflows to transfer information between a first domain, such as healthcare sites, and a second domain, such as medical research facilities. Large quantities of medical information may be directly transferred to an information repository or indirectly transferred to the repository through the use of pointers. The information is cleansed and normalized prior to storage in a production database within the repository. The cleansing process is conducted while ensuring integrity of the production database is maintained and while continuing to receive additional information transfers. Errors encountered during processing are logged and reported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Devries, Saleem Hussain, Cale T. Rath, Saeid Sakhitab
  • Patent number: 8856076
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for rendering tape file system information. The mechanism obtains a list of one or more files residing on a tape in the tape file system from a file directory. The mechanism obtains location information associated with at least one file of the one or more files. Finally, the mechanism renders a representation of the location information with the at least one file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arnon Amir, Philipp Herget
  • Patent number: 8856085
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for analyzing data within one or more databases, comprising selecting one or more databases for analysis, each database comprising one or more database objects comprising one or more data values, applying a function to each data value in each database object within the one or more databases, where the function produces function values limited to a predetermined range, identifying for analysis the data values producing a certain function value within the predetermined range to form a sampled data set, and analyzing the sampled data set to determine relationships between the database objects within and across the one or more databases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Gorelik
  • Patent number: 8856801
    Abstract: A technique for executing normally interruptible threads of a process in a non-preemptive manner includes in response to a first entry associated with a first message for a first thread reaching a head of a run queue, receiving, by the first thread, a first wake-up signal. In response to receiving the wake-up signal, the first thread waits for a global lock. In response to the first thread receiving the global lock, the first thread retrieves the first message from an associated message queue and processes the retrieved first message. In response to completing the processing of the first message, the first thread transmits a second wake-up signal to a second thread whose associated entry is next in the run queue. Finally, following the transmitting of the second wake-up signal the first thread releases the global lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dayavanti G. Kamath, Nirapada Ghosh, Dar-ren Leu, Nilanjan Mukherjee, Vijoy Pandey
  • Patent number: 8856742
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a first debug agent at a first computer receives a packet. The first debug agent adds a debug command and an identifier of the first debug agent to the packet and sends the packet to a receiving computer. A second debug agent at the receiving computer removes the debug command and the identifier of the first debug agent from the packet and sends the packet to a second program that executes at the receiving computer. The second debug agent further executes the debug command, which causes the second program that executes on the receiving computer to halt execution at a breakpoint or address watch memory location. The second debug agent sends the state of the second program to the first debug agent, which presents, at the first computer, the state and a listing of the second program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Branda, William T. Newport, John J. Stecher, Robert Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 8855128
    Abstract: A network endpoint system and related method and computer program product for use in a network to support enhanced end-to-end QoS in the network. The network endpoint system is adapted to receive network data of varying priority on behalf of a data consumer operating at the application layer of a network protocol stack implemented by the network endpoint system. The network endpoint system includes a network interface controller adapted to receive network frames containing the network data, plural network data handling channels each having an associated priority, and priority processing logic adapted to transfer the network data from the network interface controller to the plural data handling channels on a prioritized basis according to the network data priority. Also disclosed are a network interface controller and a network node to support enhanced end-to-end QoS in a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Vivek Kashyap