Patents Assigned to Microsystems, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7016243
    Abstract: A content addressable memory (CAM) having a main array including a plurality of columns of CAM cells, a spare column of CAM cells selectable to functionally replace a defective column of CAM cells in the main array, and circuitry to shift data corresponding to the defective column and data corresponding to all subsequent columns to corresponding adjacent non-defective columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: NetLogic Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Varadarajan Srinivasan, Bindiganavale S. Nataraj, Sandeep Khanna
  • Patent number: 7016923
    Abstract: A computer system employing a plurality of concurrent threads to perform tasks that dynamically identify further similar tasks employs a double-ended queue (“deque”) to list the dynamically identified tasks. If a thread's deque runs out of tasks while other threads' deques have tasks remaining, the thread whose deque has become empty will remove one or more entries from another thread's deque and perform the tasks thereby identified. When a thread's deque becomes too full, it may allocate space for another deque, transfer entries from its existing deque, place an identifier of the existing deque into the new deque, and adopt the new deque as the one that it uses for storing and retrieving task identifiers. Alternatively, it may transfer some of the existing deque's entries into a newly allocated array and place an identifier of that array into the existing deque. The thread thereby deals with deque overflows without introducing additional synchronization requirements or restricting the deque's range of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander T. Garthwaite, Christine H. Flood, David Dice
  • Patent number: 7017160
    Abstract: The Hat Trick deque requires only a single DCAS for most pushes and pops. The left and right ends do not interfere with each other until there is one or fewer items in the queue, and then a DCAS adjudicates between competing pops. By choosing a granularity greater than a single node, the user can amortize the costs of adding additional storage over multiple push (and pop) operations that employ the added storage. A suitable removal strategy can provide similar amortization advantages. The technique of leaving spare nodes linked in the structure allows an indefinite number of pushes and pops at a given deque end to proceed without the need to invoke memory allocation or reclamation so long as the difference between the number of pushes and the number of pops remains within given bounds. Both garbage collection dependent and explicit reclamation implementations are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Martin, David L. Detlefs, Alexander T. Garthwaite, Guy L. Steele, Jr., Mark S. Moir
  • Patent number: 7016893
    Abstract: Class of Service (CoS) allows a user to share attributes between entries in a way that is transparent to an application. This is achieved by generating the values of the attributes by a CoS logic at the time of or immediately prior to the time the entry is transmitted to an application, rather than storing the values of the attributes with the attribute itself. In alternative embodiments, the attributes may be generated at a time well before the time the entry is transmitted to an application. A CoS includes a CoS Definition entry and a Template entry. These two entries interact to provide attribute values to target entries within their CoS “scope” based on the target entry's DN, presence or absence of the target entry's CoS attribute, the attribute value stored in the target entry's CoS Template, and other factors. The CoS Definition entry, which is stored as an LDAP subentry below the branch at which it is effective, identifies the type of CoS being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Boreham, Peter Rowley
  • Patent number: 7017012
    Abstract: In a computer system, a distributed storage system having a data coherency unit for maintaining data coherency across a number of storage devices sharing such data is described. The data coherency unit includes logic to monitor data transition states in each of the data storage devices to detect when the processing status of data being shared by two or more of the storage devices changes. The data coherency unit advantageously ensures a status change in shared data in one storage device is broadcast to other storage devices having copies of the data without having each storage device independently monitor adjourning storage devices to detect data state changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Clarke, Steve McPolin, Robert Gittins, Anton Rang
  • Patent number: 7017159
    Abstract: Users of small footprint devices such as smart cellular phones, personal data assistants, etc. may create and store bookmarks referencing various types of objects and/or data sources. Each bookmark may comprise a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which may be used to refer to the object/data source. The bookmark system may be open-ended, allowing virtually any type of object or data source to be bookmarked. The bookmarks may later be used by a user or application to reference the respective data source to perform some type of action on the data source, such as displaying or editing it. A lightweight application/service containment framework is described which enables services to run on small footprint devices. A bookmark service may cooperate with an activation framework capable of encapsulating various types of entities. In one embodiment, a bookmark service operates in conjunction together with the JavaBeans™ Activation Framework (JAF) to implement the bookmark functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Baker
  • Patent number: 7017150
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting and isolating software bugs and generating a minimal set of stimuli to reproduce the bugs. The present invention utilizes a recursive algorithm to compare the output of successively smaller software blocks of a program in development to a verified output sample. The smallest software blocks which are found to contain a bug are isolated. For each of these isolated blocks, the smallest input vector is determined such that the application of this vector to the block expresses the bug. The present invention utilizes a separate recursive algorithm to determine these minimal vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: William K. Lam, Victor Chang
  • Patent number: 7016496
    Abstract: A system and method for delivering digital media content to a user over a network is disclosed. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention enables multiple types of electronic devices to access the same digital media content for the same end user through the use of a smart card equipped with a license for the digital media content. Depending on the format of the digital media content, devices such as phones, pagers, internet appliances or PDAs can be used to present the digital media content to a user, as can traditional consumer electronic devices such as DVD players and VCRs. The encrypted content may be freely transferred and stored without copyright concerns since the decryption key is generated by the smart card containing the license.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Koch
  • Patent number: 7016981
    Abstract: A switching apparatus provides an address extension for an environment, such as I2C, that uses devices with a limited address configurability. The switching apparatus provides connection between a main bus and one or more secondary busses to which additional devices are connected. The switching apparatus detects an address on the main bus, and determines whether it is intended for a device on a secondary bus. If so, it connects the main bus to the proper secondary bus where the device in question is located. It then translates the address to an address within the limited configurability of the devices, and places the translated address on the secondary bus where the addressed device is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph J. Ervin
  • Patent number: 7016928
    Abstract: A floating point operand testing circuit includes an analysis circuit and a result generator circuit coupled to the analysis circuit. The analysis circuit determines the status of a floating point operand based upon data within the operand. An operand buffer may supply the operand to the analysis circuit. The result generator circuit is responsive to at least one control signal and asserts a result signal if the floating point analysis circuit matches the floating point status to a predetermined format specified by the control signal. The result signal can condition the outcome of a floating point instruction. The result generator may also respond to multiple control signals asserted when testing a single operand for different formats, such as not-a-number (NaN), infinity, normalized, denormalized, invalid operation, overflow, underflow, division by zero, exact, and inexact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Guy L. Steele, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7016945
    Abstract: A method of entry distribution includes receiving requests by a chaining backend from an original client, forwarding requests from the chaining backend to a one of a plurality of remote servers, and returning results from the one of the plurality of remote servers to the original client. The chaining backend is a type of database plug-in that acts as a multiplexer including a directory information tree that provides the hierarchy of the plurality of remote servers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gilles Bellaton, Sylvain Duloutre, Mark C. Smith
  • Patent number: 7017088
    Abstract: A method of generating a test vector pattern for an array, including determining a failure of a test of the array, defining a type of test vector pattern to generate using a graphical user interface, generating the test vector pattern, and testing the array using the test vector pattern. A test vector pattern generation tool, including an array, a test vector pattern, and a graphical user interface generating the test vector pattern. The array is tested using the custom test vector pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hong S. Kim, Kuan-yu J. Lin
  • Patent number: 7016499
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for securely communicating ephemeral information from a first node to a second node. In a first embodiment, the first node encodes and transmits an ephemeral message encrypted at least in part with an ephemeral key, from the first node to the second node. Only the second node has available to it the information that is needed to achieve decryption by an ephemeral key server of a decryption key that is needed to decrypt certain encrypted payload information contained within the message communicated from the first node to the second node. In a second embodiment the first node transmits to the second node an ephemeral message that is encrypted at least in part with an ephemeral key. The ephemeral message includes enough information to permit the second node to communicate at least a portion of the message to an ephemeral key server and for the ephemeral key server to verify that the second node is an authorized decryption agent for the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Radia J. Perlman
  • Patent number: 7014051
    Abstract: A slide includes a fixed portion comprising a rack-mounting ear capable of being attached to a rack and a first connecting ear and a telescoping portion slidably engaged with the fixed portion and comprising a second connecting ear capable of being joined with the first connecting ear. The telescoping portion is capable of being attached to a component enclosure. A method includes attaching a fixed portion of a slide to a rack, attaching a telescoping portion of the slide to a component enclosure, and slidably engaging the telescoping portion with the fixed portion. The method further includes moving the telescoping portion relative to the fixed portion in a first direction to retract the component enclosure into the rack and joining a connecting ear of the telescoping portion and a connecting ear of the fixed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary Rumney
  • Patent number: 7016946
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster of computers that are geographically distributed. The system operates by detecting a change in membership of the cluster. Upon detecting the change, the system forms a potential new cluster by attempting to communicate with all other computers within the cluster. The system accumulates votes for each computer successfully contacted. The system also attempts to gain control of a quorum server located at a site separate from all computers within the cluster. If successful at gaining control, the system accumulates the quorum server's votes as well. If the total of accumulated votes is a majority of the available votes, the system forms a new cluster from the potential new cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Shirriff
  • Patent number: 7015960
    Abstract: An image sensor that has a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor senses the temperature of a pixel array of the image sensor. The sensed temperature is used to scale a dark frame image generated by the pixel array. The scaled dark frame image is subtracted from a light image frame generated by the pixel array. The scaled dark image frame compensates for temperature variations in the pixel array. The scaled dark image frame may be generated by multiplying the dark frame by a scale factor(s). The scale factor may be computed from an equation or determined from a look-up table. The equation or look-up table may compensate for thermal gradients across the pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Candela Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiok Nam Tay
  • Patent number: 7017074
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, such as a multiprocessor chip for a computer system, includes a total number of on-board components which is greater than the number of that component required by the system. The chip may be provided with multiple I/O controllers, e.g. more than one controller per I/O interface, and the I/O controllers can act as backups to one another, with failover logic controlling the backup process. In addition, the number of processors formed on the chip may be greater than the number required by the system, allowing multiple levels of redundancy and greater successful manufacturing yields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Okin
  • Patent number: 7016976
    Abstract: A method of addressing an entry in a directory server including generating a unique identifier for the entry, creating an encoded address by encoding the unique identifier into a distinguished name, and specifying the entry using the encoded address for a plurality of operations. A method of addressing an entry in a directory server, including generating a unique identifier for the entry, creating an encoded address by encoding the unique identifier into a control, and specifying the entry using the encoded address for a plurality of operations. A unique identifier-based addressing system for a directory server, including a unique identifier generated for an entry and an encoded address created by encoding the unique identifier into a distinguished name. The entry is specified using the encoded address for a plurality of operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Merrells, Olga Natkovich, Gordon Good, Mark C. Smith
  • Patent number: 7016422
    Abstract: A method of transmitting and prioritizing signals is disclosed. Higher priority signals are switched while lower priority signals are delayed until the higher priority signals have completed switching. The method is used in networks where coupling and capacitance effects are possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Harsh D. Sharma, Nayon Tomsio
  • Patent number: 7016913
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, data structures and article of manufacture for implementing an array of persistent elements. A class of the array of persistent elements has a constructor. A call is received from an application executing in a runtime environment to the constructor. The constructor is processed to create an empty array of persistent elements. A persistent element is included into the array of persistent elements within the runtime environment by storing persistent data of the added persistent element in a data record and the address of the data record at a corresponding index record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Terence Leong, Julian S. Taylor