Patents Assigned to International Business Machine Corporations
  • Patent number: 9947187
    Abstract: A system, method and program product for delivering haptic notifications to a user. A system is disclosed having: a plurality of wearable devices adapted to be worn on different parts of a user, wherein each wearable device is adapted to output a configurable haptic notification to the user; a host device that coordinates with at least two wearable devices to output a scheme of haptic notifications based on an associated rule in response to a detected event; and a learning system that analyzes feedback from the user to determine an efficacy of the scheme and causes the associated rule to be altered in response to the scheme being deemed ineffective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Sean Brown, Tania Ezra, Stefan Harrer, Christopher J. Pavlovski, Laurence J. Plant
  • Patent number: 9946318
    Abstract: A method for prioritized charging of battery backup units (BBUs) is provided. The method may include identifying critical system racks associated with computing data centers based on characteristics associated with the system racks on the computing data centers. The method may also include identifying critical system enclosures associated with the identified critical system racks based on system architectures associated with the computing data centers. The method may further include prioritizing the identified critical system enclosures based on parameters associated with the identified critical system enclosures. The method may also include identifying and ranking a plurality of critical BBUs associated with the identified and prioritized critical system enclosures based on prioritized charging rules associated with the plurality of critical BBUs. The method may further include charging the identified and ranked plurality of critical BBUs in an order based on the prioritized charging rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ofir Elizov, Mudi M. Fluman, Igor Nabutovsky, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9949074
    Abstract: A computing device and method is usable to determine a cognitive geofence according to a plurality of data points. The computing device may analyze the plurality of data points to determine an emotional state of a user of a user equipment and a cognitive environment in an area proximate to the user of the user equipment. The computing device may determine the cognitive geofence based at least in part on the emotional state of the user of the user equipment and the cognitive environment in the area proximate to the user of the user equipment. After determining the cognitive geofence, the computing device may transmit the determined cognitive geofence to a terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bjorn Austraat, Swaminathan Chandrasekaran
  • Patent number: 9946673
    Abstract: A network interface controller includes a media access controller connected to receive an in-band packet and further connected to receive a sideband packet. The network interface controller includes a host adapter that includes a receive route connected to receive the in-band packet and the sideband packet from the media access controller, and further connected to transmit the in-band packet to a host. The network interface controller includes a sideband port controller comprising a sideband receive buffer. The host adapter further includes a first receive buffer to store the in-band packet and to store the sideband packet. The host adapter further includes an arbiter connected to allow, at a time, the in-band packet to advance from the first receive buffer along the receive route towards the host and further connected to allow, at a different time, the sideband packet to advance to the sideband receive buffer of the sideband port controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Aldebert, Claude Basso, Jean-Luc Frenoy, Fabrice J. Verplanken
  • Patent number: 9948236
    Abstract: A method includes forming a resonator comprising a plurality of switched impedances spatially distributed within the resonator, selecting a resonant frequency for the resonator, and distributing two or more transconductance elements within the resonator based on the selected resonant frequency. Distributing the two or more transconductance elements may include non-uniformly distributing the two or more transconductance elements within the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Ferriss, Daniel J. Friedman, Alexander V. Rylyakov, Bodhisatwa Sadhu, Alberto Valdes Garcia
  • Patent number: 9946494
    Abstract: In an approach for resolving terminated transactions in a transactional memory environment, a processor initiates a hardware transaction in a computing environment, wherein the hardware transaction accesses a memory location, and wherein the hardware transaction includes a transaction begin indicator and a transaction end indicator. A processor detects a conflicting access of the memory location while executing the hardware transaction. A processor aborts the hardware transaction based on the conflicting access of the memory location. Hardware determines that the conflicting access of the memory location is a transient condition. A processor reinitiates the hardware transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Bradbury, Michael Karl Gschwind, Maged M. Michael, Valentina Salapura, Eric M. Schwarz, Chung-Lung K. Shum, Timothy J. Slegel
  • Patent number: 9947581
    Abstract: Low capacitance and high reliability interconnect structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a copper based interconnect structure in an opening of a dielectric material. The method further includes forming a capping layer on the copper based interconnect structure. The method further includes oxidizing the capping layer and any residual material formed on a surface of the dielectric material. The method further includes forming a barrier layer on the capping layer by outdiffusing a material from the copper based interconnect structure to a surface of the capping layer. The method further includes removing the residual material, while the barrier layer on the surface of the capping layer protects the capping layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel C. Edelstein, Son V. Nguyen, Takeshi Nogami, Deepika Priyadarshini, Hosadurga K. Shobha
  • Patent number: 9947570
    Abstract: Various embodiments process semiconductor devices. In one embodiment, a release layer is applied to a handler. The release layer comprises at least one additive that adjusts a frequency of electro-magnetic radiation absorption property of the release layer. The additive comprises, for example, a 355 nm chemical absorber and/or chemical absorber for one of more wavelengths in a range comprising 600 nm to 740 nm. The at least one singulated semiconductor device is bonded to the handler. The at least one singulated semiconductor device is packaged while it is bonded to the handler. The release layer is ablated by irradiating the release layer through the handler with a laser. The at least one singulated semiconductor device is removed from the transparent handler after the release layer has been ablated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Bing Dang, Jeffrey Donald Gelorme, Li-Wen Hung, John U. Knickerbocker, Cornelia Tsang Yang
  • Patent number: 9946797
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for allowing users to organize and selectively publish content of interest, with freedom to rearrange and curate information in a desired presentation format. The content may be generated by the user or other sources, allowing the user to moderate and organize the content that the user aggregates. The content (e.g. social network posts, online news, SMS messages) may be publicly available for other users to contribute with new information, or used as source for their own content of interest; it can also be shared only with select users or communities (registered or not), or be kept private. Publishing channels might comprise, for instance, web portals or public displays. Filters may be applied to automatically select and aggregate content from several sources. Methods are implemented to organize content by creating, discarding, replicating and reformatting information via a display interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Henrique Cardonha, Ricardo Guimarães Herrmann, Mateus Molinaro Motta, Nicole Barbosa Sultanum
  • Patent number: 9948978
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a recording request from a user. The method also includes determining a recording conflict based on the recording request, wherein the recording conflict includes a plurality of programs. The method additionally includes generating a plurality of options that resolve the recording conflict, wherein the plurality of options are based on determining available re-broadcasts of the plurality of programs. The method further includes presenting the plurality of options to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Dana L. Price, Shelbee D. Smith-Eigenbrode
  • Patent number: 9946800
    Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for performing a cognitive operation. An input graph is received having a plurality of first nodes, where subsets of first nodes are coupled to one another via first edges and each first edge has an associated weight. A blinking graph model is generated based on the graph, where blink rates are associated with second edges and are calculated based on weights of corresponding first edges in the input graph. The blink rate specifies a fraction of time a corresponding second edge is determined to be present in the blinking graph model. A relatedness metric is calculated for a target node relative to a node of interest based on the blink rates of the second edges. The relatedness metric indicates a degree of relatedness of the target node to the node of interest. A cognitive operation is then performed based on the relatedness metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Haifeng Qian, Hui Wan
  • Patent number: 9948547
    Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for tracing a route taken by a packet in a Software Defined Network (SDN). Each switch in the SDN is assigned a first color label, from a set of color labels, such that such that adjacent switches have different color labels. Rules are installed in each switch to forward a received data packet to the SDN controller in response to a second color label of the received data packet not matching the first color label assigned to the switch. A second color label, from the set of color labels, is assigned to a trace data packet. A route of the trace data packet is traced through the SDN based on the second color label and application of the one or more rules to the trace data packet at each of the switches in the SDN as the trace data packet is received by each of the switches in the SDN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kanak B. Agarwal
  • Patent number: 9948543
    Abstract: A method (and structure) for improving efficiency in a multiprocessor system including a plurality of processor nodes interconnected in a multidimensional array, each processor node including a processor, an associated memory device, and an associated inter-nodal interface device for exchange of data with other nodes. Each processor can implement a broadcast procedure as an initiator node, using a format that permits inter-nodal interface devices at each node receiving a broadcast instruction packet to process the received broadcast instruction packet without using processing resources of the processor at the receiving node. Each inter-nodal interface device in each node can implement the broadcast procedure without using processing resources of the processor associated with the receiving node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dong Chen, Philip Heidelberger, Sameer Kumar
  • Patent number: 9947755
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming a diffusion barrier in a field effect transistor with a source. A raised source is formed at least partially on the source with the raised source including III-V material. An interfacial layer is formed at least partially on the raised source with the interfacial layer including silicon or germanium. A metal layer is formed at least partially on the interfacial layer with the metal layer including transition metal. The diffusion barrier is formed at least partially on the raised source with the diffusion barrier layer including transition metal from the metal layer bonded to silicon or germanium from the interfacial layer. Similar processing forms a corresponding diffusion barrier on a raised drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin K. Chan, Cheng-Wei Cheng, Jack Oon Chu, Yanning Sun, Jeng-Bang Yau
  • Patent number: 9948698
    Abstract: A method for distributing documentation for an application service includes receiving, at an endpoint configured to provide an application service, a documentation request from a requester, preparing a response that includes documentation corresponding to the application service, and transmitting the response to the requester. The method may also include receiving, at the endpoint, a service request for the application service and responding to the service request. The documentation may conform to a requested format. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott A. Exton, Leo M. M. Farrell, Keiran W. Robinson, Jasmine A. Smith
  • Patent number: 9948403
    Abstract: A method and fiber optic coupling system are provided. The method includes establishing that a physical coupling has occurred between a fiber optic cable and a fiber optic Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP). The fiber optic cable includes a cable magnetic connector. The fiber optic SFP includes a SFP magnetic connector having a plurality of magnetic switches. The fiber optic SFP is operably coupled to a SFP circuit board, an emitter, and a receiver. The method further includes determining that the cable magnetic connector has applied a magnetic field to the plurality of magnetic switches. The method further includes activating the emitter and the receiver, responsive to the magnetic field being applied to the plurality of magnetic switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Edward A. Romero
  • Patent number: 9948634
    Abstract: Within a secure messaging environment, a determination is made that a request to send a message has been generated by a message sender. A message protection policy configured to process the message within the secure messaging environment is identified. The message protection policy specifies that, within the secure messaging environment, a secured digital certificate, other than a digital certificate of the message sender, is configured with an associated private key to digitally sign the message on behalf of the message sender. Based upon the message protection policy, a determination is made to digitally sign the message using the private key of the secured digital certificate. The message is signed on behalf of the message sender using the private key of the secured digital certificate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Bret W. Dixon
  • Patent number: 9947856
    Abstract: A technique relates to a qubit readout system. A cavity-qubit system has a qubit and a readout resonator and outputs a readout signal. A lossless superconducting circulator is configured to receive the microwave readout signal from the cavity-qubit system and transmit the microwave readout signal according to a rotation. A quantum limited directional amplifier amplifies the readout signal. A directional coupler is connected to and biases the amplifier to set a working point. A microwave bandpass filter transmits in a microwave frequency band by passing the readout signal while blocking electromagnetic radiation outside of the microwave frequency band. A low-loss infrared filter has a distributed Bragg reflector integrated into a transmission line. The low-loss filter is configured to block infrared electromagnetic radiation while passing the microwave readout signal. The low-loss infrared filter is connected to the microwave bandpass filter to receive input of the microwave readout signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Baleegh Abdo
  • Patent number: 9947743
    Abstract: Techniques for providing supporting structures for suspended nanosheets/wires in long-channel devices are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a device structure includes: forming a series of alternating active and sacrificial layers as a stack on a substrate; patterning at least one feature through each of the active and sacrificial layers in the stack; filling the feature with a fill material that is resistant to etching performed on the sacrificial layers; and etching the sacrificial layers to selectively remove at least a portion of each of the sacrificial layers from the stack thereby suspending the active layers, wherein following the etching the fill material remains as a structure supporting the suspended active layers. Transistor devices and methods for formation thereof are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce B. Doris, Terence B. Hook
  • Patent number: 9946747
    Abstract: Managing confidence data in a question-answering environment is disclosed. Managing confidence data can include sorting, based on a set of answer categories for a subject matter, a first set of a plurality of answers into a first answer category. The first set can correspond to at least one of a third set of a plurality of confidence scores and the second set can correspond to at least one of a fourth set of the plurality of confidence scores. Managing confidence data can include classifying confidence scores of the third set into one of a plurality of confidence buckets using a first threshold and determining a fifth set of a plurality of thresholds using the plurality of confidence scores. Managing confidence data can include classifying unclassified confidence scores of the third set into one of the plurality of confidence buckets using the fifth set of the plurality of thresholds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin S. Barker, Roberto DeLima, Thomas J. Eggebraaten, Mark G. Megerian, Marie L. Setnes