Patents Assigned to International Business Machines
  • Publication number: 20060163706
    Abstract: A method for connecting a microelectronic device to a wirebond comprises providing a substrate having a microelectronic circuit therein and forming a wiring layer over the substrate. The wiring layer includes a bilayer wiring structure comprising upper and lower electrically conductive layers separated by a protective electrically conductive layer. The lower layer of the bilayer structure is at the level of the wiring layer and the upper layer of the bilayer structure extends above the level of the wiring layer. The bilayer wiring structure is formed by depositing the upper and lower electrically conductive layers separated by a protective electrically conductive layer over the substrate, etching the upper electrically conductive layer and a portion of the protective electrically conductive layer, and thereafter separately etching the lower electrically conductive layer to form the wiring layer over the substrate. The method also includes connecting a wirebond to the upper layer of the bilayer structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen Luce, Thomas McDevitt, Anthony Stamper
  • Publication number: 20060168268
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system of allowing the user-defined code to be written in such a way as to be independent on the underlying transport yet still send and receive information via transport-specific artifacts. As such, a user may not be required to develop unique code for each different transport. A developer may set user-defined transport-agnostic properties and associated values without concerning an underlying transport. A deployer will provide an external mapping of those user-defined transport-agnostic properties to one or more specific transports which are to be supported. The system may allow new or different transports to be supported by the user-defined code without requiring the developer to change the user-defined code. Only the mapping information decoupled from the user-defined properties may need to be changed for different transports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey Barrett, Richard Sitze, Gregory Truty, Ping Wang
  • Publication number: 20060168529
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for the integrated management of in-person and e-meeting attendance. A system for the consolidated management of an attendance list for a hybrid meeting can include a collaborative bridge configured for coupling both to an in-person meeting and an e-meeting, a data store of integrated attendance, and attendance integration logic programmed to manage a consolidated attendance list in the data store for the in-person meeting and the e-meeting by accessing attendance information through the collaborative bridge. Notably, the in-person meeting can include a sensor coupled to the collaborative bridge and configured to detect a presence of tags affixed to participants to the in-person meeting to manage the attendance information for the in-person meeting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vaughn Rokosz, Patrick O'Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20060168568
    Abstract: A method for testing computer programs including defining one or more selected force stop points for a target computer program. For each of the selected force stop points the target computer program is executed in a force stop mode and executed again in a non-force stop mode. Input to execution in the force stop mode includes the selected force stop point. The target program is terminated as a result of execution in the force stop mode when the selected force stop point has been reached. Executing in the force stop mode results in a residual environment. The target computer program is executed in a non-force stop mode in the residual environment. Output from executing in a non-force stop mode includes test result data. For each of the selected force stop points it is determined if the test result data is consistent with expected test results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Donald Ault
  • Publication number: 20060167949
    Abstract: An improved solution for managing a file system that includes an archive is provided. In particular, a request for a file system operation can be received and performed on an object that is stored in an archive. The file system operation can be received from a first computer and performed on the object on a second computer. Further, an archive manager can be included that manages an extensible set of archive handlers. In this case, each archive handler can implement a set of file system operations for archives of a particular archive type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Berger, David McKnight, Kushal Munir
  • Publication number: 20060163636
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a structure is provided in which an array of trench capacitors includes a well contact to a merged buried plate diffusion region. The array, which is disposed in a substrate, includes a contact for receiving a reference potential. Each trench capacitor includes a node dielectric and a node conductor formed within the trench. Buried plate (BP) diffusions extend laterally outward from a lower portion of each trench of the array, the BP diffusions merging to form an at least substantially continuous BP diffusion region across the array. An isolation region extends over a portion of the BP diffusion region. A doped well region is formed within the substrate extending from a major surface of the substrate to a depth below a top level of the substantially continuous BP diffusion region. An electrical interconnection is also provided to the well region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Babar Khan, Carl Radens
  • Publication number: 20060167901
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for managing live collections in a collaborative environment. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a live collection can include a multiplicity of live objects aggregated together from which a live collection status can be obtained by reference to an application of at least one rule to a status for at least one of the aggregated live objects. The live collection can be a live activity having at least one of several live processes and live workflows. The live collection also can be a live group having multiple live names. The live collection yet further can be a live parent having multiple live objects disposed in a parent-child hierarchy. Finally, the live collection can be a live folder having multiple live documents. Notably, the rules can be logic rules, logical quantifiers, organizational quantifiers, relative quantifiers, or procedural indicators, to name a few examples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Muller, Werner Geyer, Daniel Gruen, Andrew Schirmer
  • Publication number: 20060165010
    Abstract: Under the present invention, communication flows between applications in the multi-tiered environment are identified. For each communication flow identified, bandwidth consumption is determined. In general, the bandwidth consumption for a communication flow is determined based on a set of variables that includes one or more of the following: whether the communication flow is persistent, a payload/package size of the communication flow, a quantity of destination computers (endpoints) for the communication flow, a required delivery time for the communication flow, a desired network utilization for the communication flow, and a rate of simultaneous use of applications involved the communication flow. Once determined, the bandwidth consumption for the individual communication flows can be aggregated to determine the total bandwidth consumption across the environment. Using this value, decisions can be made about the best way to deploy or arrange the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Christiance, Gregg Machovec
  • Publication number: 20060168509
    Abstract: A system for automatically completing fields in online forms, such as login forms and new user registration forms, which employs a Master Cookie File (“MCF”) containing sets of records associated with the user, his or her accounts or web sites, and registered values associated with form tags (e.g. username, password, address, email, telephone, etc.). When the user encounters another form, the MCF is automatically searched for matching values and form tags, primarily from the same account or web site, or alternatively from other accounts or sites. A flowing pop-up menu is displayed nearby the form fields from which the user can select values to automatically complete the form. Automatic account information updating, value expiration management, mapping of favorite values, and sharing of values are provided to ease the task of remembering value for entry into electronic form fields.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Boss, Yen-Fu Chen, Rick Hamilton, Timothy Waters
  • Publication number: 20060168048
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for selectively blocking the transmission of an unsolicited instant message. The method of the invention can include receiving an instant message designated an intended recipient; locating the intended recipient in a do not instant message list; and, responsive to the location, blocking the instant message for subsequent transmission to the intended recipient. Notably, the blocking step can include the step of selectively blocking the instant message based upon a specified policy defined for the intended recipient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ruthie Lyle, Michael Muller, Vaughn Rokosz, Andrew Schirmer
  • Publication number: 20060167961
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer instructions for automatically regulating a cache object array based on the amount of available heap. The free space of the heap is determined after each garbage collection cycle and the amount of space allocated for cache object array growth is adjusted accordingly. Additionally, a default allocation of available space to cache object array growth is provided at system startup. Also, monitoring cache object array growth is provided and entries are removed from the cache object array in response to cache object array growth exceeding the allocated percentage of the available space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: James Fox
  • Publication number: 20060168346
    Abstract: An email update system dynamically updates the content of an email when the originator of an email has sent the email, and the originator later determines that the email requires editing. The updating may take place transparent to the recipient and without the introduction of duplicative content into the recipient's email program. The email update system comprises a delta engine program and a delta temporary storage in a sender's computer, a queue manager program and an intermediate email queue in a server computer, and a recipient email retrieval program in a recipient's computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John Dunsmoir, Hari Shankar
  • Publication number: 20060166486
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device. Depositing alternating layers of a first and a second dielectric material, wherein the first and second dielectric materials are selectively etchable at different rates. Forming a first feature within the alternating layers of dielectric material. Selectively etching the alternating layers of dielectric material to remove at least a portion of the first dielectric material in each layer having the first dielectric material and leaving the second dielectric material as essentially unetched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony Stamper
  • Publication number: 20060168073
    Abstract: Described are a system and method for managing online communications by a user who participates in an awareness service system. A first awareness state associated with the user is published to a first participant of the awareness service system, while a second different awareness state associated with the user is published to a second participant of the awareness service system. Each published awareness state is based on a collaborative relationship between the user and the participant to which that awareness state is published.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sandra Kogan, James Galvin, Kevin Solie, Ronald Pontrich, Amy Travis, Duncan Mewherter
  • Publication number: 20060164421
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed in which a management module (MM) designates an idle blade in a client blade farm to be an “administrative blade” that has administrator access to the virtual images of all users. The MM identifies when a particular user image is, or is not, in use and conveys this information to the administrative blade. The administrative blade performs virus scans, backups, defrags, patch installs, software upgrades, and other such maintenance functions on user images when they are inactive, thereby eliminating the performance impact to active users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daryl Cromer, Howard Locker, Randall Springfield, Rod Waltermann
  • Publication number: 20060168548
    Abstract: A method and computer system for rapid and accurate automatic vectoring of a graphical user interface pointer to a selectable item on a display. Based upon pointer movement input from a pointing device (e.g., a mouse, touchpad or specially configured keyboard), a direction of travel vector from an initial anchor position towards a target item is determined. The location of the target item is extrapolated and the pointer is automatically moved to that target item. To ensure that the pointer moves to the intended target item, the location of the target item is extrapolated based upon the direction of travel vector and default and/or user defined parameters. Optional user defined parameters include initial pointer anchor position, vector sensitivity, automatic selection of target item, and user defined pointer limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward Kelley, Franco Motika
  • Publication number: 20060168382
    Abstract: Requests obtained from multiple components of a communications environment are processed, including simultaneous requests that use a shared resource. Conflicts resulting from simultaneous attempts to initiate operations between components of the communications environment are resolved. The conflicts are resolved using a set of rules that do not introduce significant complexity to the resolving or deterministic unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Dugan, Giles Frazier
  • Publication number: 20060163083
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for electro-chemical-mechanical polishing (e-CMP) of silicon chip interconnect materials, such as copper, are provided. The methods include the use of compositions according to the invention in combination with pads having various configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Panayotis Andricacos, Donald Canaperi, Emanuel Cooper, John Cotte, Hariklia Deligianni, Laertis Economikos, Daniel Edelstein, Silvia Franz, Balasubramanian Pranatharthiharan, Mahadevaiyer Krishnan, Andrew Mansson, Erick Walton, Alan West, Caliopi Andricacos
  • Publication number: 20060167836
    Abstract: A method (and structure) of processing, on a computer having a plurality of processors, includes executing a set of tasks that includes a computational bottleneck in a repetitive procedure on a first subset of the plurality of processors. A set of non-bottleneck tasks of the repetitive procedure is executed on a second subset of the plurality of processors. In a steady-state processing of the repetitive procedure, the first subset of processors and the second subset of processors are together processing the repetitive procedure in a manner such that the first subset of processors and the second subset of processors are each operating substantially full-time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Siddhartha Chatterjee, John Gunnels, Fred Gustavson
  • Publication number: 20060168444
    Abstract: The present invention is a generic public key infrastructure (PKI) framework. A generic PKI framework can include a PKI adapter coupled to a plurality of different PKI certificate authorities (CAs). The PKI adapter can include program code enabled to select a particular one of the different PKI CAs based upon provided request criteria. Also, the generic PKI framework can include a PKI connector coupled to the PKI adapter. The PKI connector can include program code enabled to process requests for certification from PKI clients for respective applications by providing request information from the requests to the PKI adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Miller, Andrew Myers, John Richard Wray