IBM Patents

The International Business Machines Corporation provides IT infrastructure and services to enterprise customers.

IBM Patents by Type
  • IBM Patents Granted: IBM patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • IBM Patent Applications: IBM patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Patent number: 9454588
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for implementing custom object-in-memory formats in a data grid network appliance. The techniques include maintaining a record of format definitions on a client device of the data grid and a corresponding record of format definitions on a server device of the data grid. Each format definition may indicate one or more attributes of an object class and data types and byte ranges of the attributes. The client device may serialize one or more objects for storage in the data grid based on respective format definitions associated with the one or more objects and retrieved from the record of format definitions maintained on the client device. Further, the server device may perform one or more data grid operations using format definitions retrieved from the record of format definitions maintained on the server device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jared H. Anderson, Chris D. Johnson, Fred A. Kulack, William T. Newport
  • Patent number: 9456032
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to two general purpose computers connected in a peer-to-peer mode by connecting a cable (or wireless connection) between universal ports (e.g., PCIe ports) on each computer. A timing protocol utility runs on each computer to time schedule operations performed by its respective computer. Because the system clocks on each peer computer operate independently (asynchronously), they may vary somewhat from each other. To support time synchronized peer-to-peer operations, paired clock value (one for each peer computer) are generated continually and independently by each peer system. Each peer system periodically supplies the paired clock values to its associated timing protocol utility, which uses the paired clock values to time synchronize peer-to-peer computer operations. The timing protocol utilities may also exchange the paired clock values with each other for integrity checking and other operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard K. Errickson, Thomas A. Gregg, Kulwant M. Pandey
  • Patent number: 9456035
    Abstract: A method begins by each of a group of write requesting modules of a dispersed storage network (DSN) generating one or more sets of write requests regarding one of a group of portions of related data, sending a group of the one or more sets of write requests to DSN memory, and sending binding information to a binding module. The method continues with the binding module processing remaining phases of the group of the one or more sets of write requests for writing the related data into the DSN memory as a single set of write requests and notifying the write requesting modules of status of the writing the related data into the DSN memory at completion of the processing of the remaining phases such that the related data is made accessible as a single piece of data when the processing of the remaining phases is successful.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Colin Storm, Wesley Leggette, Manish Motwani, Greg Dhuse, Jason K. Resch, Andrew Baptist
  • Patent number: 9454902
    Abstract: A prediction modeling system and computer program product for implementing forecasting models that involve numerous measurement locations, e.g., urban occupancy traffic data. The system a data volatility reduction technique based on computing a congestion threshold for each prediction location, and using that threshold in a filtering scheme. Through the use of calibration, and by obtaining an extremal or other specified solution (e.g., maximization) of empirical volume-occupancy curves as a function of the occupancy level, significant accuracy gains are achieved and at virtually no loss of important information to the end user. The calibration use quantile regression to deal with the asymmetry and scatter of the empirical data. The argmax of each empirical function is used in a unidimensional projection to essentially filter all fully congested occupancy level and treat them as a single state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ioannis Kamarianakis, Laura Wynter
  • Patent number: 9454402
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments display different types of performance-related data on an information display having a range of units for one type of measured data. Aspects of exemplary embodiment include presenting, by at least one software component executed by a processor, a rate of resource consumption in a visual indicator; and using the visual indicator as a pointer on the information display to a current unit of the measured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andrew J. Lavery, James L. Lentz, David B. Salgado
  • Patent number: 9454473
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to granular management of data storage blocks in a data storage system. In one aspect, status values are employed to track “used”, “free”, and “claimed free” storage blocks. A storage block having stored data is identified as used, a storage block available to store data is identified as free, and a storage block having previously stored data removed that has not been reclaimed is identified as claimed free. These values are maintained on a map to track each data block within the data storage system. One or more used blocks are de-allocated, which includes changing the status value of each used block to claimed free Available claimed free data blocks are prioritized for data block allocation over available free data blocks for efficient storage, including enabling efficient reclamation of data blocks and minimizing data movement needed for reclamation-oriented de-fragmentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leo S. Luan, Frank B. Schmuck
  • Patent number: 9455234
    Abstract: A fixture assembly and method of forming a chip assembly is provided. The fixture assembly includes a first plate having an opening sized to accommodate a chip mounted on a laminate. The fixture assembly further includes a second plate mated to the first plate by at least one mechanical fastening mechanism. The fixture assembly further includes a space defined by facing surfaces of the first plate and the second plate and confined by a raised stepped portion of at least one of the first plate and the second plate. The space is coincident with the opening. The space is sized and shaped such that the laminate is confined within the space and directly abuts the stepped portion and the facing surfaces of the first plate and the second plate to be confined in X, Y and Z directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas E. Lombardi, Donald Merte, Gregg B. Monjeau, David L. Questad, Son K. Tran
  • Patent number: 9454484
    Abstract: An integrated circuit system including a first integrated circuit chip including first logic, a second integrated circuit chip, and second logic distributed across the first and second integrated circuit chips. The second logic includes a first unit integrated in the first integrated circuit chip and a second unit integrated in the second integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit system further includes a physical communication link coupling the first unit in the first integrated circuit chip and the second unit in the second integrated circuit chip and a request interface between the first logic and first unit of the second logic. The request interface is implemented in the first integrated circuit such that communication via the request interface between the first logic and the first unit of the second logic has low latency and such that the request interface is decoupled from the physical communication link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bartholomew Blaner, Charles Marino, Michael S. Siegel, William J. Starke, Jeff A. Stuecheli
  • Patent number: 9454458
    Abstract: A plurality of processing elements having stream operators and operating on one or more computer processors receive a stream of tuples. A first stream operator adds a first attribute to a tuple received on a first port of the first stream operator. The first attribute indicates the first port and the first stream operator. A second stream operator adds a second attribute to a tuple received on a first port of the second stream operator. The second attribute indicates the first port of the second stream operator and the second stream operator. It is determined whether a debug tuple has been received by a third stream operator. A debug tuple is a tuple that includes the first and second attributes. An operation, such as halting execution or incrementing a count of debug tuples, is performed when it is determined that a debug tuple has been received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Branson, James E. Carey, Bradford L. Cobb, John M. Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 9453108
    Abstract: Hexahydrotriazine (HT) materials and hemiaminal (HA) materials derived from aromatic, aliphatic, and/or polyether diamines may be used as a platform for creating flame retardant materials. Various flame retardant material precursors may be incorporated into the HA and HT materials. Examples of flame retardant precursors may include organohalogen materials, organophosphorous materials, malamines, and dianiline compounds, among others. The flame retardant materials and precursors may be single molecule species, oligomers, and/or polymers (i.e., polyhexahydrotriazine, PHT, polyhemiaminal, PHA). The flame retardant materials may be made using an aromatic diamine, an aliphatic diamine, a polyether diamine, or a mixture thereof to react with an aldehyde (i.e. formaldehyde or paraformaldehyde). Such flame retardant material precursors will complex with the diamine monomers via a copolymerization reaction to form the flame retardant materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dylan J. Boday, Jeannette M. Garcia, James L. Hedrick, Rudy J. Wojtecki
  • Patent number: 9455881
    Abstract: A distributed computing system provides at least one service, and the service is provided by resources of the distributed computing system. Resources are represented by a topology graph including storage, application and database server nodes joined by edges indicative of relationships between nodes. Predefined parameters are monitored that are indicative of operating characteristics of the distributed computing system when providing the service. Values of the predefined parameters are compared with respective predetermined performance threshold values. The performance threshold values are determined based on a service level agreement (SLA). The SLA includes a service level objective (SLO). The performance threshold values are indicative of the respective operating characteristics prior to an event. Rules are provided for selecting a combination of application, storage and database server nodes to meet the SLO for each parameter of the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andreas Boerner, David Lebutsch, Cataldo Mega, Chun Guang Zeng
  • Patent number: 9453972
    Abstract: A pluggable module is provided and includes a plug receptacle in which a plug is receivable, a housing coupled to the plug receptacle, a heat removal device partially disposable within the housing to assume and be movable between first and second positions and an armature. The armature is interposed between corresponding portions of the housing and the heat removal device and is configured for selective manipulation to thereby move the heat removal device from the second position to the first position. With the plug received in the plug receptacle and the heat removal device in the first position, the heat removal device forms a thermal pathway with the plug by which heat is removed from the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amilcar R. Arvelo, Alan F. Benner, Michael J. Ellsworth, David P. Graybill, Eric J. McKeever
  • Patent number: 9454461
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for identifying program flow in a computer program, executing in a debugger on at least one processor, subsequent to suspending execution of the computer program at a user breakpoint can include suspending execution of the computer program at a first user breakpoint, setting, by the debugger, one or more tracking breakpoints in one or more routines that can continue execution from the first user breakpoint, then resuming execution of the computer program. The method may be continued by suspending execution of the computer program at a second user breakpoint after processing by the at least one processor at least one instruction of the computer program. The method may further include determining whether to provide an indicator to indicate that at least one of the one or more tracking breakpoints was hit during the executing, and providing the indicator in response to determining to provide the indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary L. Bates, Lee N. Helgeson, Justin K. King, Michelle A. Schlicht
  • Patent number: 9454481
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer readable medium to share data on a global basis within a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) computer system are disclosed. The method may include grouping a plurality of processor cores into a plurality of affinity groups. The method may include creating hints about the global data in the plurality of group data structures. Each group data structure may correspond to an affinity group. The method may read a first group data structure by a thread executing on a processor core associated with a first affinity group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stuart Z. Jacobs, David A. Larson
  • Patent number: 9454749
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method, system, and computer program product for generating an encoded visual representation describing a computing node. The method includes identifying one or more first parameters for a first virtual machine hosted by the computing node. The method also includes encoding the one or more first parameters based on a coding reference. The method also includes generating a first dynamically generated encoded visual representation from one or more encoded first parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lin Cai, Bin Cao, James E. Carey, Bradley L. Manning
  • Patent number: 9456045
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to criteria-based data push. An aspect includes receiving, by a criteria request server, a data push request from a user, the data push request specifying criteria for particular data to be pushed and a user device to receive the particular data. Another aspect includes forwarding the data push request to an incoming data monitor. Another aspect includes monitoring, by the incoming data monitor, incoming data received from one or more content providers. Yet another aspect includes, based on detecting the particular data that is specified by the data push request in the incoming data by the incoming data monitor, pushing the particular data to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louie A. Dickens, Mark S. Fleming, Michael T. Gray, George B. Markos
  • Patent number: 9454590
    Abstract: A method, computer program product and computer system to validate a write of a replica record to a replica data store in a transaction processing system, the replica record duplicating a source record in a source data store. The transaction processing system obtains a value associated with a record location of the source record in the source data store. The transaction processing system predicts a value associated with a record location of the replica record in the replica data store and responsive to the obtained value associated with the source record location not corresponding to the predicted value associated with the replica record location, not writing the replica record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ralph A. Rinke, Clark W. Walker, Austin J. Willoughby
  • Patent number: 9456029
    Abstract: A command process load balancing system performs load balancing of received commands among a number of server processes to resolve access contention for virtual software resources. These contentions are resolved through a history recording unit that records a history including contents of a processed command and a response time of a process for the command into a history database. A prediction unit predicts, in a case where a set of commands to be processed is assigned to a server process, whether or not a load that is equal to or higher than a reference value is applied, on the basis of the history recorded in the history database. An assigning unit assigns at least one command included in the set of commands to be processed to a different server process, in accordance with prediction that a load that is equal to or higher than the reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noriaki Takatsu, Atsushi Yokoi
  • Patent number: 9453736
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for transmitting traffic congestion routing data to a community of global positioning system (GPS) devices. Community routing logic of a community routing system (CRS) receives a route request containing the current location and desired destination of a GPS device. The CRS may use the community routing logic to determine a path that the user of the GPS device should travel on to best minimize driving time and traffic conditions for a community of users of the CRS. The CRS considers road capacity, current traffic conditions, and historical traffic data for roads and alternate roads along a preferred route. The CRS also considers routes previously taken by the GPS device. Additionally, the CRS may receive information about routes taken by other GPS devices to further improve future routes of the community of GPS devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Travis M. Grigsby, Frank L. Jania, Lisa Seacat Deluca
  • Patent number: 9454569
    Abstract: A method and system for expanding a template tree. A received search request includes (i) a search query and (ii) path information specifying at least one path of data nodes of the template tree. The template tree is a hierarchically organized data structure of data nodes. Each specified path in the path information includes a sequence of data nodes of the template tree. The data nodes in each sequence in each specified path are traversed. Each traversed data node that does not have a child node in the template tree is expanded to form in the template tree one or more child nodes corresponding to each expanded data node. Any other data node of the template tree is not expanded. Each formed one or more child nodes is instantiated with data values by retrieving the data values, in accordance with the search query, from at least one data source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marcel Kutsch, Knut Stolze, Deborah Yu
  • Patent number: 9455895
    Abstract: Systems and methods to analyze layer-2 data frame switch forwarding are provided. A first switch may be coupled to a second switch. The first switch may maintain state information mirroring the state of the second switch. A sequence number may be appended to a data frame that is received at the first switch. Forwarding compliance of the second switch may be determined by analyzing a runtime attribute of the first switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Christenson, Josep Cors, Ward R. Nelson
  • Patent number: 9454737
    Abstract: A process definition entered into a user interface that is coupled with an instant messaging client application can be identified. The process definition can represent an ad hoc business process. The process definition can utilize entities defined in a contact of the instant messaging (IM) client application. The process definition can execute. Upon reaching a terminating condition defined within the process definition, results of executing the process definition can be presented via the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William B. Nicol, II, Andrew B. Smith
  • Patent number: 9454591
    Abstract: Subsequent to a storage operation performed on the source instance by a source component, a synchronization message is sent to a replicated component for the replicated instance. The synchronization message is stored locally in a persistent storage location associated with the source component along with an indicator representative of a time the storage operation was performed. Pursuant to receipt of the synchronization message by the replicated component, the replicated component is updated to a dirty state to indicate a lack of full synchronization between the source and replicated instances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shay H. Akirav, Evgeny Budilovsky, Elena Drobchenko, Aharon Lazar, Ofer Leneman, Itay Maoz, Gil E. Paz
  • Patent number: 9454459
    Abstract: A method, and associated computer system and computer program product, of detecting source code merge conflicts and compilation errors. Uncommitted changes associated with a source code are received periodically at each time of a sequence of times. A temporary branch corresponding to each uncommitted change associated with the source code is created. The temporary branch corresponding to each uncommitted change is merged to corresponding portions of the source code. It is ascertained that no merge conflict resulted from the merging and in response, a compilation of a merged version of the source code is performed, wherein the merged version of the source code includes the temporary branch corresponding to each uncommitted change. It is determined that no compilation error occurred from the compilation and in response, a version of a product that includes the merged version of the source code is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George T. Bigwood, Jason T. McMann, Michael G. Nikitaides, Kaleb D. Walton
  • Patent number: 9454734
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to wiring components in a component based application and provide a method, system and computer program product for heuristically assembling components in a component based application. In one embodiment, a data processing system configured to assemble component based applications can include a component aggregation application including an application builder configured to assemble components into a component based application. The system further can include a property broker coupled to the component aggregation application and configured to apply a wiring scheme to selected components in a component based application. Finally, a collaborative heuristic integration matching engine (CHIME) can be coupled to the property broker and a data store of behaviorally derived data, the CHIME including program enabled to suggest components for assembly in a component based application based upon behaviorally derived data in the data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael D. Facemire, Eric L. Masselle, Patrick G. McGowan, Shankar Ramaswamy, Amber Roy-Chowdhury, Michael Christian Wanderski
  • Patent number: 9454309
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure can include a method, system, and computer program product for using a secure delete operation within one or more storage devices using a parity-based storage scheme. The method can include receiving the location of an application block that includes one or more data blocks and one or more parity blocks stored within the one or more storage devices using the parity-based storage scheme. The method can also include determining a number of parity blocks to delete, wherein the number of parity blocks to delete is less than the total number of parity blocks. The method can also include performing a secure delete operation on the determined number of parity blocks. The method can also include performing a secure delete operation on the one or more data blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Duane M. Baldwin, John T. Olson, Sandeep R. Patil, Riyazahamad M. Shiraguppi
  • Patent number: 9454884
    Abstract: In an approach to tracking at least one target subject in a camera network, a search is started to find a target subject on a camera within a camera network. Features are extracted from the target subject and search queries are initiated in other nearby cameras within the camera network. Search queries attempt to detect target subjects and present the finds in a ranked order. Application of aggregate searches in multiple cameras and prior search results are used to improve matching results in the camera network; propagate a search of the target subject to discover the full pathway in the camera network; and project future occurrences of the target subject in subsequent cameras in the camera network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao Long Chen, Na Lv, Zhe Yan, Yun Zhai, Zhuo Zhao
  • Patent number: 9455730
    Abstract: A feedback module for preventing voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) runaway in a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit can include a first, a second, and a third input to receive a first output signal from a PLL circuit, a reference signal, and a first control signal. The feedback module may also include a feedback circuit to generate a second control signal, the second control signal being coupled to an input of the PLL circuit, wherein the feedback circuit generates the second control signal by comparing a number of cycles of the first output signal to a first threshold, and a number of cycles of the reference signal to a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Friend, James D. Strom, Alan P. Wagstaff
  • Patent number: 9454490
    Abstract: An instruction is provided to perform invalidation of an instruction specified range of segment table entries or region table entries. The instruction can be implemented by software emulation, hardware, firmware or some combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy J Slegel, Lisa C Heller, Erwin F Pfeffer, Kenneth E Plambeck
  • Patent number: 9454408
    Abstract: Techniques, systems, and articles of manufacture for managing network utility of applications on cloud data centers. A method includes computing a network utility value for each of multiple applications in a data center network, determining a virtual machine placement and an application flow routing within the data center network for each of the multiple applications which have a computed network utility value below a pre-determined network utility threshold, and based on said determining, re-routing one or more of the multiple application flow routings and performing a virtual machine migration of one or more virtual machines associated with at least one of the multiple applications which have a computed network utility value below a pre-determined network utility threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Partha Dutta, Vijay Mann, Mayank Mishra, Akanksha Gupta
  • Patent number: 9456026
    Abstract: A method for file change notifications includes creating, on a first local node, a file change notification message in response to a client creating, deleting, and/or modifying a file system item addressed through a file path. The first local node notifies associated local client processes representing clients connected to the first local node and flagged to receive file change information. The notification message includes information regarding a file change for the file path. The method includes checking a global node for second local nodes flagged to receive file change information for the file path and sending a file change notification message from the first local node to the second local nodes in response to receiving identification of the second local nodes. A second local node notifies associated local client processes representing clients connected to a second local node and flagged to receive file change information for the file path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christian Markus Michael Ambach, Ronnie Leif Sahlberg
  • Patent number: 9456498
    Abstract: Power may be supplied to an electronic module according to various techniques. In one general implementation, for example, a system for supplying power to an electronic module may include a printed circuit board, the electronic module, and a conductive foil. The board may include a number of contact locations on a first side, with at least one of the contact locations electrically coupled to a via to a second side of the board. The electronic module may be electrically coupled to the contact locations on the first side of the board and receive electrical power through the at least one contact location electrically coupled to a via. The foil may be adapted to convey electrical power for the electronic module and electrically coupled on the second side of circuit board to at least the via electrically coupled to a contact location that receives electrical power for the electronic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Christo, Julio A. Maldonado, Roger D. Weekly, Tingdong Zhou
  • Patent number: 9454370
    Abstract: A Conditional Transaction End (CTEND) instruction is provided that allows a program executing in a nonconstrained transactional execution mode to inspect a storage location that is modified by either another central processing unit or the Input/Output subsystem. Based on the inspected data, transactional execution may be ended or aborted, or the decision to end/abort may be delayed, e.g., until a predefined event occurs. For instance, when the instruction executes, the processor is in a nonconstrained transaction execution mode, and the transaction nesting depth is one at the beginning of the instruction, a second operand of the instruction is inspected, and based on the inspected data, transaction execution may be ended or aborted, or the decision to end/abort may be delayed, e.g., until a predefined event occurs, such as the value of the second operand becomes a prespecified value or a time interval is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dan F. Greiner, Christian Jacobi, Marcel Mitran, Donald W. Schmidt, Timothy J. Slegel
  • Patent number: 9455347
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure is disclosed comprising removing mandrel elements, the side walls of which support semiconductor fin structures, which mandrel elements are formed by removing portions of each of a plurality of elongated mandrels outside sacrificial gate structures, wherein the mandrel elements are removed after removing the sacrificial gate structure. Also disclosed is an intermediate semiconductor structure, obtained during some embodiments of the method, comprising a plurality of mandrel elements, a plurality of fin channel structures, source regions and drain regions on opposing sides of the fin channel structures wherein the bottom most surface of the fin channel structures and the source and drain regions are in direct physical contact with a common dielectric layer on a silicon-containing substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Effendi Leobandung
  • Patent number: 9454375
    Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting execution paths of at least one target program of a plurality of programs that are run in parallel are described. In one method, execution flows of programs are generated. In addition, the programs are executed to obtain debug logs from the programs. Further, communication messages transmitted between the execution flows are identified from the debug logs. A deduction that at least one conditional branch was taken in at least one given execution flow of the first execution flows by the target program is made based on the communication messages. Based on the deduction, at least one conditional branch that was not taken is removed from the given execution flow. In addition, modified execution flows that were modified in accordance with the removal are output to indicate predicted execution paths of the target program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Kushida, Takuya Mishina, Hitomi Takahashi, Takaaki Tateishi
  • Patent number: 9454558
    Abstract: A method, a system, and a computer program product for managing a database are disclosed. Managing the database includes managing an index of a table of the database. Managing the index includes determining the table includes a first field having a first input value configured to identify a first dynamic data function utilized to determine a first output value for the first field. In embodiments, managing the index includes determining the first dynamic data function is deterministic, determining the first output value for the first field using the first dynamic data function, and storing the first output value for the first field. In embodiments, managing the index includes determining the first dynamic data function is nondeterministic, determining a first special value to represent the first output value for the first field, and storing the first special value for the first field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rafal P. Konik, Roger A. Mittelstadt, Brian R. Muras, Mark W. Theuer
  • Patent number: 9454061
    Abstract: A technique relates to frequency conversion. A mechanical resonator is configured to oscillate at a mechanical resonance frequency with a displacement in an axis. An optical resonator includes a first mirror opposite a second mirror in which an optical cavity is formed between. The first mirror is fixed to the mechanical resonator such that the first mirror is moved to change an optical length of the optical cavity according to the displacement of the mechanical resonator. Changing the optical length changes an optical resonance frequency of the optical resonator. A microwave resonator is positioned to move according to the displacement of the mechanical resonator such that moving the mechanical resonator changes a Josephson inductance of the microwave resonator, thereby changing a microwave resonance frequency of the microwave resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Baleegh Abdo, Jared B. Hertzberg
  • Patent number: 9456024
    Abstract: A method for sharing a plurality of content in a mobile ad hoc network is provided. The method may include registering the plurality of content for sharing on a first mobile device, whereby the registered plurality of content is associated with a plurality of descriptive keywords. The method may also include responding, by the first mobile device, to a request by a second mobile device for the plurality of content for sharing by the at least one keyword, wherein the responding comprises determining the request for the plurality of content for sharing by at the least one keyword matches at least one keyword within the registered plurality of descriptive keywords.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Graham C. Charters, Bret W. Dixon, Benjamin T. Horwood, Alexander H. Poga, Mark A. Shewell
  • Patent number: 9456010
    Abstract: Integrating digital telephony information with a social platform may include using a processor to create multiple virtual groups for multiple parties connected to a conference telephone call. Clips from the conference telephone call and actions related to the conference telephone call along with bookmarks and timestamps are captured. A social enterprise platform is connected to, and the clips, the actions, the bookmarks and the timestamps are stored within the social enterprise platform. Assigned permissions are synchronized across the social enterprise platform and the telephone conference call for controlling access to the clips and the actions. Multiple media sources are linked together. Context is provided across the linked media sources based on comments, the clips and the actions. The captured clips and the actions obtained from the telephone conference call are integrated with chat history and the linked media sources in the social enterprise platform to accelerate dissemination of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Subil M. Abraham
  • Patent number: 9456527
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating cooling apparatus are provided which facilitate cooling a multi-component assembly, such as a hub module assembly. The cooling apparatus includes a first liquid-cooled heat sink configured to facilitate removal of heat generated by one or more first electronic components of the multi-component assembly, and a second liquid-cooled heat sink configured to facilitate removal of heat generated by one or more second electronic components of the multi-component assembly. The first liquid-cooled heat sink is separably coupled to the multi-component assembly, and the second liquid-cooled heat sink is fixedly secured to the multi-component assembly. Fluid couplers fluidically couple the first and second liquid-cooled heat sinks to facilitate liquid coolant flow through the fixedly-secured, second liquid-cooled heat sink from the separably-coupled, first liquid-cooled heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amilcar R. Arvelo, Levi A. Campbell, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Eric J. McKeever
  • Patent number: 9454323
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for storing small volumes of data within a grid-scale storage system. The method includes creating a container within a storage disk. The method includes distributing data evenly between storage disks. A partition is created within the container. Data is received and stored in the partition, wherein the partition is at least as large as the data. The method may also include setting an offset associated with the partition to allow for partition expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dietmar Dausner, Itzhack Goldberg, Gerhard H. Pieper, Ovadi Somech, Neil Sondhi
  • Patent number: 9454483
    Abstract: A transactional memory system salvages a hardware lock elision (HLE) transaction. A processor of the transactional memory system executes a lock-acquire instruction in an HLE environment and records information about a lock elided to begin HLE transactional execution of a code region. The processor detects a pending point of failure in the code region during the HLE transactional execution. The processor stops HLE transactional execution at the point of failure in the code region. The processor acquires the lock using the information, and based on acquiring the lock, commits the speculative state of the stopped HLE transactional execution. The processor starts non-transactional execution at the point of failure in the code region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harold W. Cain, III, Michael Karl Gschwind, Maged M. Michael, Valentina Salapura, Chung-Lung K. Shum
  • Patent number: 9455899
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to determine paths between a plurality of switches connected together in a system by performing path calculations based on a topology of the system. The logic is also configured to calculate one or more disjoint multi-paths from among the paths, the one or more disjoint multi-paths connecting a source device to a destination device. The source device is connected to a first switch of the plurality of switches, and the destination device is connected to a second switch of the plurality of switches. Moreover, the logic is configured to write the one or more disjoint multi-paths into a forwarding table of at least one device. Other systems and computer program products are presented according to more embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Casimer M. DeCusatis, Keshav G. Kamble, Abhijit P. Kumbhare, Renato J. Recio, Simarbir Singh
  • Patent number: 9456310
    Abstract: As disclosed herein a method, executed by a computer, for detecting charging points for mobile devices includes determining the current location of the mobile device, identifying a charging point proximate to the current location, determining the probable travel time to the identified charging point, and activating a power conservation mode if the probable travel time is greater than the remaining estimated battery life. The current location may be completely stationary or stationary relative to some sort of transportation. The method may determine the likelihood the mobile device will visit a charging point. The method may also identify a location as a potential charging point, and after multiple uses, the location may be confirmed as a charging point. Additionally, the method may remove inactive charging points from a list of charging points. A computer system, and computer program product corresponding to the method are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Boothroyd, Robert L. Kerr, Michael P. Kirwan, Kevin J. Sayer
  • Patent number: 9456036
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method, system, and computer program product for allocating data to storage in a network. A data item accessed by a server in the network is identified. A controller classifies the identified data item based on at least one of: a frequency of access requests for the data item by the server and an access time associated with providing the data item to the server once the server requests the data item. A memory of a switch in the network is selected for storing the data item based on the classification of the data item. The controller causes the data item to be stored in the memory of the switch, from which the data item is accessed by the server upon request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Casimer DeCusatis, Sujatha Kashyap, Rajaram B. Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 9455695
    Abstract: A comparator for an analog-to-digital converter is provided. The comparator includes a differential amplifier unit that receives a sampling signal and provides an output signal, based on a voltage provided by the sampling signal. The differential amplifier unit includes an input stage that receives the sampling signal and integrates a current on the integration nodes based on potentials of the sampling signal. The comparator includes a sense amplifier coupled with the integration nodes that detects a potential difference and amplifies the potential difference to generate the output signal. The comparator includes a charge injection circuit (30) to inject equal charges into the integration nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lukas Kull, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 9454988
    Abstract: A method, and apparatus configured to perform such method, according to various embodiments, includes writing data stored in a buffer onto a recording medium using a write head in a first round of writing. An interval marker is written on the recording medium in the first round of writing when the buffer is empty. Next data is written onto the recording medium after the interval marker in the first round of writing. Data is written in an area of the interval marker in a second round of writing performed subsequent to the first round.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Nohta, Eiji Tosaka
  • Patent number: 9456506
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for packaging a multiple socket, one-hop symmetric multiprocessor topology. The mechanism connects each of a first plurality of processor modules to a first multiple-socket planar via a respective one of a first plurality of land grid array (LGA) connectors. The mechanism connects the first multiple-socket planar to a first side of a redistribution card via a second plurality of LGA connectors. The mechanism connects each of a second plurality of processor modules to a second multiple-socket planar via a respective one of a third plurality of LGA connectors. The mechanism connects the second multiple-socket planar to a second side of the redistribution card via a fourth plurality of LGA connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Colbert, Daniel M. Dreps, Paul M. Harvey, Rohan U. Mandrekar
  • Patent number: 9454662
    Abstract: A method for booting a confidential image on a trusted computer system. A trusted computer system loads an encrypted client image key onto a protected area on the trusted computer system. The trusted computer system loads an encrypted boot image onto a secure logical partition on the trusted computer system. The trusted computer system decrypts the encrypted client image key to obtain a client image key in the protected area. The trusted computer system decrypts, with the client image key, the encrypted boot image to obtain a boot image and a client data key. The trusted computer system starts the boot image, and the boot image mounts the encrypted client data onto the secure logical partition. The client data key is used by the boot image to decrypt data read from the encrypted client data and to encrypt data written to the encrypted client data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Reinhard T. Buendgen, James A. O'Connor, William J. Rooney
  • Patent number: 9454422
    Abstract: Error checking and correcting (ECC) may be performed in an on-chip memory where an error is corrected by a controller and not the on-chip memory. The controller may be flagged to show that an error has occurred and where it has occurred in the memory. The controller may access ECC bits associated with the error and may fix incorrect data. The error checking may be done in parallel with read operations of the memory so as to lower latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul W. Coteus, Hillery C. Hunter, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Warren E. Maule, Vipinchandra Patel