Patents Assigned to Sun Microsystems
  • Determining a center of rotation for a component in a computer system
    Patent number: 7672808
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that determines a center of rotation for a component in a computer system. During operation, the system measures a first acceleration of a first location on the component and a second acceleration of a second location on the component, wherein the first location and the second location are separated by a predetermined distance. Then, the system determines the center of rotation using the first acceleration, the second acceleration, and the predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton A. Bougaev, David K. McElfresh, Kenny C. Gross, Aleksey M. Urmanov
  • System and method for e-mail message action requests
    Patent number: 7673002
    Abstract: A system, method and computer accessible medium for e-mail message action requests is disclosed. E-mail clients and servers may associate action requests with outgoing or incoming e-mail messages. Action requests may inform e-mail recipients that the e-mail message requires a particular action. E-mail clients and servers may maintain and/or display counts of the number e-mail messages associated with various action requests. E-mail clients may also display these counts to the user. E-mail clients and servers may change a requested action after receiving an e-mail message associated with an action request. Additionally, e-mail clients may announce the arrival of e-mail messages with attached requested actions to the user and may provide various user notifications indicating the specific requested action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: S. S. Satyanarayana Damarla
  • Intelligent microchannel cooling
    Patent number: 7672129
    Abstract: A cooling system for a heat producing component includes a base having two or more cells. The cells may include microchannel passages. A pump system may be coupled to the base. The pump system may circulate fluid independently in each of two or more of the cells. The pump system may include an array of two more magnetohydrodynamic pumps. Each magnetohydrodynamic pump may provide fluid to a different cell. A controller may control a flow rate in each one of cell of the cooling system independently one or more of other cells of the cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien Ouyang, Kenneth C. Gross
  • System and method for conducting fast offloading of a connection onto a network interface card
    Patent number: 7672239
    Abstract: Techniques, systems, and apparatus for offloading data connections from a kernel onto an associated TNIC are disclosed. Generally, embodiments of the invention are configured to send message packets of a connection to an endpoint at substantially the same time as an associated offload set-up process is performed. A method provides a data connection enabling data exchange between two TCP endpoints. After a determination is made that the connection is suitable for offloading, the kernel sends connection state information and a request that the connection be offloaded to a TNIC. Prior to completion of offload set up, an initial transmission of connection data is sent to an associated TCP endpoint. These principles can be implemented as software operating on a computer system, as a computer system module, as a computer program product and as a series of related devices and products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sunay Tripathi, Hsiao-Keng J. Chu, Nicolas G. Droux
  • Optimized markup language processing using repeated structures in markup language source
    Patent number: 7673231
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of parsing markup-language source data is described. The markup-language source data comprises a plurality of elements. A first portion of the elements is processed by interoperating with a symbol table to determine unique string objects associated with the elements of the first portion of the elements. A structure is recorded associated with the first portion of the elements collectively, including the determined unique string objects in association with the corresponding elements of the first portion. A second portion of the elements is processed, using the structure determined associated with the first portion of the elements, to determine the unique string objects associated with the elements of the second portion, without interoperating with the symbol table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neeraj Bajaj, K. Venugopal Rao
  • Logging of level-two cache transactions into banks of the level-two cache stores the transactions for diagnostic and debug
    Patent number: 7673103
    Abstract: A plurality of processor cores on a chip is operated in a normal fashion in a debug and diagnostic mode of operation of the processor. A crossbar switch on the chip couples and decouples the plurality of processors to a plurality of banks in a level-two (L2) cache that is also on the chip. As data is passed from each of the processor cores through the crossbar switch to the L2 cache, the data in cached in a first plurality of banks of the L2 cache. The commands associated with the data and information concerning the status of the data in the level-one cache are logged in another plurality of banks of the L2 cache. This logged information can be readout and used in diagnosis and debugging of L1 and L2 cache problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailender Chaudhry, Sudheendra Hangal
  • Dual edge triggered flip flops
    Patent number: 7671653
    Abstract: An implicitly pulsed dual edge triggered pulsed latch. The implicitly pulsed latch includes an overlapping clock generator and a transparency circuit designed to cause a transparent latch circuit to become transparent on each edge of a clock signal. A logic value on the input node of the latch is transferred to the output node of the latch in response to each clock edge transition. An explicitly pulsed dual edge triggered pulsed latch including a pulse generator and a transparent latch circuit. The explicitly pulsed latch includes a symmetrical pulse generator designed to cause the latch circuit to pass a logic value from the input node of the latch to the output node of the latch in response to a pulse on the clock node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Money Harris, Scott M. Fairbanks
  • Method and apparatus for dispatching a remote debugging agent in a distributed computing environment
    Patent number: 7673180
    Abstract: A method for dispatching a remote debugging agent (RDA), involving embedding the RDA in a target program to obtain a remotely debuggable target program, submitting the remotely debuggable target program to a distributed computing environment, wherein the distributed computing environment includes a plurality of nodes, executing the remotely debuggable target program on at least one of the plurality of nodes, establishing a connection between the RDA and a central debugging tool, and debugging the remotely debuggable target program using the central debugging tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang T. Chen, Donald J. Kretsch, Christopher D. Quenelle
  • System and method for compile-time non-concurrency analysis
    Patent number: 7673295
    Abstract: Compile-time non-concurrency analysis of parallel programs improves execution efficiency by detecting possible data race conditions within program barriers. Subroutines are modeled with control flow graphs and region trees having plural nodes related by edges that represent the hierarchical loop structure and construct relationship of statements. Phase partitioning of the control flow graph allows analysis of statement relationships with programming semantics, such as those of the OpenMP language, that define permitted operations and execution orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuan Lin
  • Elastic power for read and write margins
    Patent number: 7672187
    Abstract: An elastic power header device and methods of operation are provided to improve both the read and the write margin of static random access memory (SRAM) cells by increasing read stability, reducing read disturbance and improving the Signal to Noise Margin (SNM) figure of merit. For example, various implementations of an elastic power header device are utilized as programmable resistances to permit the power supply lines to reach a maximum voltage. Allowing the power supply lines to reach the reference voltage allows more flexibility in read margin, write margin and read stability. Furthermore, this additional flexibility can be controlled by means for adjusting a voltage. This adjustment voltage can fine-tune the programmable resistances so that the read margin and the write margin can be more conveniently controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yolin Lih, Ajay Bhatia, Dennis Wendell, Jun Liu, Daniel Fung, Shyam Balasubramanian
  • Multi-protocol iSCSI device discovery for on demand device enumeration
    Patent number: 7673077
    Abstract: A target discovery manager associated with a target discovery layer is interposed between a host initiator and one or more discovery protocols. The target discovery manager maintains a list of target devices found by each of several target discovery protocols. For each discovered target device listed, the associated discovery protocols that discovered the target device are prioritized and coalesced into a single enumerated target device register. The target device register provides the host initiator with a single list of known target devices produced from multiple discovery protocols with the discovery protocols that independently discovered each device prioritized according to various parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sumit Gupta, David C. Weibel
  • Read assist circuit of SRAM with low standby current
    Patent number: 7672182
    Abstract: A SRAM memory with a read assist circuit is presented. The read assist circuit uses bitline voltage level switches, which are connected to a low power supply and a high power supply. The bitline voltage level switches have a write operation state, a read operation state, and a standby operation state. The write operation state selectively provides the high power supply to bitlines in columns selected for a write operation, and provides the low power supply to bitlines in the remaining columns. The read operation state selectively provides the low power supply to bitlines in columns selected for the read operation, and provides the low power supply to bitlines in the other columns. The standby operation state selectively provides the low power supply to bitlines in all columns when not in the read operation state or the write operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Heechoul Park, Wilson Chin, Kuan-Yu James Lin, Sanjaya Dharmasena
  • Network interface card virtualization based on hardware resources and software rings
    Patent number: 7672299
    Abstract: A method for virtualizing a network interface card includes creating a first plurality of virtual NICs, assigning each of a plurality of receive rings on the network interface card (NIC) to one of the first plurality of virtual NICs, and if the number of virtual NICs is greater than the number of receive rings on the NIC, creating a first software ring corresponding to one of the plurality of receive rings on the NIC, creating a first plurality of software receive rings associated with the first software ring, creating a second plurality of virtual NICs, and assigning each of the first plurality of software receive rings to one of the second plurality of virtual NICs, wherein the plurality of receive rings is less than a sum of the first plurality of virtual NICs and the second plurality of virtual NICs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas G. Droux, Sunay Tripathi, Kais Belgaied
  • Method and apparatus for tracking activity of a garbage collector with a plurality of threads that operate concurrently with an application program
    Patent number: 7672983
    Abstract: The time cost of collecting a region in a Garbage-First garbage collector is adjusted to account for concurrent thread activity. The overhead of a concurrent thread is tracked by dividing elapsed time into relatively short time “windows” and monitoring the system during those windows to determine how long that thread is scheduled to run during those windows. Using measurements of this type for each concurrent thread, the percentage of each elapsed time window dedicated to each concurrent thread is determined. Finally, by summing the percentages of elapsed time dedicated to concurrent thread activity, the cost of collecting a region can be increased by adding the overhead attributable to concurrent activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonios Printezis, David L. Detlefs
  • Software hint to specify the preferred branch prediction to use for a branch instruction
    Patent number: 7673122
    Abstract: Software hints embedded in branch instructions direct selection of one of a plurality of branch predictors to use when processing the branch instructions, leading to improved branch prediction (i.e. fewer mis-predictions) over conventional schemes. A software agent assembles branch instructions having associated respective branch predictor control fields compatible with a branch predictor selector and a plurality of branch predictors. Each branch predictor control field is used to perform branch predictor selection, branch predictor control, or both. Branch predictor selection enables selective branch prediction according to an appropriate one of the branch predictors as determined by the software agent by examining context surrounding the branch instruction. Branch predictor control enables control of operation of one or more of the branch predictors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Seungyoon Peter Song, John Gregory Favor, Richard W. Thaik
  • System and method for synchronizing mirrored and striped disk writes
    Patent number: 7673098
    Abstract: A system and method for synchronizing mirrored and striped disk writes. A data storage system may include a client computer system coupled to a first data storage device and a second data storage device and configured to transmit a first data write request. The first storage device may be configured to transmit a sequence number to the client computer system in response to receiving the first data write request. The client computer system may be further configured to transmit a second data write request including the sequence number to the second storage device. The second data storage device may include a counter and is configured to compare a current counter value to the sequence number. If the counter value is equal to the sequence number, the second storage device stores the data bytes corresponding to the second data write request and increments its counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: John H. Howard, David Robinson
  • Dynamic power management for I/O resource pools
    Patent number: 7668175
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing a pool of I/O interfaces associated with one or more I/O devices are disclosed. The I/O bandwidth utilization of the I/O devices is ascertained and compared with an upper threshold and a lower threshold. When the I/O bandwidth utilization is greater than the upper threshold, the resources provided by the pool of I/O interfaces are increased. When the I/O bandwidth utilization is less than the lower threshold, the resources provided by the pool of I/O interfaces are decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrin P. Johnson, Sunay Tripathi, Randall S. Fishel
  • Tool for creating charts
    Patent number: 7667582
    Abstract: Techniques are described for defining, creating, and presenting a chart. When the chart is called, up-to-date information is used to create the chart. This allows the chart to reflect current key performance indicators for a business. A tool can also be provided for creating a chart definition, which is used to instantiate the chart. The tool provides graphical inputs for a user to select the inputs, operations and outputs into the chart. The tool enables users to create the chart definition with little or no programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jerry A. Waldorf
  • Method and apparatus for executing a long transaction
    Patent number: 7669040
    Abstract: A system that executes a long transaction in a system with limited transactional hardware resources. During operation, the system executes the long transaction in a non transactional mode, which does not use transactional hardware resources. The system defers stores generated during the long transaction so that the stores are not committed to the architectural state of a processor until the transaction is successfully completed. If the long transaction successfully completes, the system commits the long transaction, which involves performing multiple hardware transactions to commit the deferred stores to the architectural state of the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: David Dice
  • Method and apparatus for monitoring the health of a computer system
    Patent number: 7668696
    Abstract: A system that monitors the health of a computer system is presented. During operation, the system receives a first-difference function for the variance of a time series for a monitored telemetry variable within the computer system. The system then determines whether the first-difference function indicates that the computer system is at the onset of degradation. If so, the system performs a remedial action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenny C. Gross, David McElfresh, Dan Vacar