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: 8969195
    Abstract: Processes for improving adhesion of films to semiconductor wafers and a semiconductor structure are provided. By implementing the processes of the invention, it is possible to significantly suppress defect creation, e.g., decrease particle generation, during wafer fabrication processes. More specifically, the processes described significantly reduce flaking of a TaN film from edges or extreme edges (bevel) of the wafer by effectively increasing the adhesion properties of the TaN film on the wafer. The method increasing a mol percent of nitride with respect to a total tantalum plus nitride to 25% or greater during a barrier layer fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Felix P. Anderson, Steven P. Barkyoumb, Edward C. Cooney, III, Thomas L. McDevitt, William J. Murphy, David C. Strippe
  • Patent number: 8972929
    Abstract: A graphical user interface (GUI) environment that can consume generic property descriptions from a third party and generate visual properties to an end user based on a set of interface definitions, wherein said interface definitions include: a property descriptor interface that provides a root interface for a description of any visual property defined by the third party; a property change listener interface that defines a notification listener to listen to specialized property change events; a property interface that defines a visual property having a value that can be set; a property group interface for defining a logical grouping of properties; and a property type interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Hesham Fahmy
  • Patent number: 8971176
    Abstract: A process for an implicit logout of links to a fiber channel over Ethernet switch includes receiving, at a second switch, a first message from a first switch. The first message indicates an implicit link logout event on one of two or more links between the first switch and a node. Also, the process includes transmitting a second message from the second switch. The second message indicates zoning information for all of the two or more links between the first switch and the node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Henry J. May, Christoph Raisch, Louis W. Ricci, Daniel Sentler
  • Patent number: 8968582
    Abstract: A method of forming an electrode is disclosed. A carbon nanotube is deposited on a substrate. A section of the carbon nanotube is removed to form at least one exposed end defining a first gap. A metal is deposited at the at least one exposed end to form the electrode that defines a second gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron D. Franklin, Joshua T. Smith, George S. Tulevski
  • Patent number: 8970599
    Abstract: Data values are exhibited based on sector-ring angles. The data values to be exhibited are first received by a processing device. The sector-ring angles are then determined for the data values to be exhibited. Using the sector-ring angles for the data values to be exhibited, the data values are exhibited in a sector-ring manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bin Hu, Ke Qiang Chen, Guang Yu Liu, Xing Tian
  • Patent number: 8972494
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for scheduling calendaring entries within the context of an instant messaging client. The instant messaging client receives input from a user to schedule an instant messaging chat session with one or more invitees, wherein the one or more invitees are selected from a list of contacts in the instant messaging client. The instant messaging client provides a scheduling interface to the user, wherein the scheduling interface allows the user to define properties for the instant messaging chat session. Responsive to receiving user input defining the instant messaging chat session, an entry is created in the user's calendaring system to form a scheduled instant messaging chat session, wherein the entry is based on the properties defined in the scheduling interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Fu Chen, John Hans Handy-Bosma, Mei Yang Selvage, Keith Raymond Walker
  • Patent number: 8971397
    Abstract: Received data oversampled twice is polyphased by the receiver, feedback is applied using an adaptive algorithm, and the filter coefficients (tap coefficient sequence) of a compensation filter are simultaneously shifted when the data shifts. The sampling frequency and the phase offset can be compensated for on the fly using a filter combining a tapped filter whose initial value is a correlation value obtained from the preamble and header of a received signal, and a wavefront aligner. In this configuration, a resampling filter circuit, an equalization filter circuit and a decimation filter circuit are realized in a single compensation filter circuit, which is much smaller than the prior art circuits in terms of size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunao Katayama, Yasuteru Kohda, Daiju Nakano
  • Patent number: 8972703
    Abstract: A method and processor architecture for achieving a high level of concurrency and latency hiding in an “infinite-thread processor architecture” with a limited number of hardware threads is disclosed. A preferred embodiment defines “fork” and “join” instructions for spawning new context-switched threads. Context switching is used to hide the latency of both memory-access operations (i.e., loads and stores) and arithmetic/logical operations. When an operation executing in a thread incurs a latency having the potential to delay the instruction pipeline, the latency is hidden by performing a context switch to a different thread. When the result of the operation becomes available, a context switch back to that thread is performed to allow the thread to continue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matteo Frigo, Ahmed Gheith, Volker Strumpen
  • Patent number: 8972407
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus determines a weight of each physical feature for hierarchical clustering by acquiring training data of multiple pieces of content in triplets with label information indicating a pair specified by a user as having a highest degree of similarity among three contents of the triplet and executing hierarchical clustering using a feature vector of each piece of content of the training data and the weight of each feature to determine the hierarchical structure of the training data. The information processing apparatus updates the weight of each feature so that the degree of agreement between a pair combined first as being the same clusters among three contents of the triplet in a determined hierarchical structure and a pair indicated by label information corresponding to the triplet increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Nagano, Masafumi Nishimura, Takashima Ryoichi, Ryuki Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8970586
    Abstract: A clairvoyance method for 3D scene is disclosed, including the steps of acquiring parameters associated with a clairvoyance camera and parameters associated with a clairvoyance viewport; determining a 3D scene to be rendered according to the parameters associated with the clairvoyance camera; rendering the determined 3D scene to obtain a 2D image presented in the clairvoyance viewport; and composing the 2D image presented in the clairvoyance viewport and a 2D image presented in a general scene viewport. With the method of the present invention, the covered 3D scene can be made clairvoyant to be viewed in a user-controllable way, and further an object can be selected in the clairvoyant 3D scene for manipulation, without manipulating the covering object. Thus, one or more embodiments of the present invention have advantages of simple and easy operation and high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bao Hua Cao, Qi Cheng Li, Jian Wang, Yi Min Wang, Zi Yu Zhu
  • Patent number: 8972753
    Abstract: A programmable logic circuit assigns a value to an outlet of a power distribution unit (PDU) that comprises a power source at an input of the PDU and at least one light-emitting diode (LED) associated with the outlet. The programmable logic circuit sends the value to a program on a hardware device that comprises one or more power supplies. The programmable logic circuit receives information from the program. Subsequently, an illumination state of the LED is modified based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Hilburn, Jeffrey J. Smith, Marshall S. Stanley, David T. Windell
  • Patent number: 8972338
    Abstract: A log file contains operation records, each operation record is of a certain type, and each operation record is associated with a transaction. A plurality of operation records is read from the log file into a record store. Records of the plurality of operation records of each operation record type are sampled at a predefined sampling rate. Operation records in the plurality of operations records are identified that are associated with completed transactions of which the sampled operation records are associated. The identified operation records are then extracted from the record store into a data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Manoj K. Agarwal, Curt L. Cotner, Amitava Kundu
  • Patent number: 8972999
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a technology for deadlock detection in a program, and more particularly relates to a technology for detecting deadlock in a program through lock graph analysis. The present invention provides a method for detecting deadlock, comprising: obtaining lock information related to locking operation in a program; generating a first lock graph based on the obtained lock information, wherein each node in the first lock graph comprises a set of locks comprising at least one lock and a set of program locations comprising at least one lock location; extracting a strongly connected sub graph in the first lock graph; unfolding the strongly connected sub graph in the first lock graph to generate a second lock graph, wherein each node in the second lock graph comprises a single lock; and extracting a strongly connected sub graph in the second lock graph, the strongly connected sub graph in the second lock graph indicating a deadlock in the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wei Li, Zhi Da Luo, Yao Qi
  • Patent number: 8972917
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method and computer program product for generating a field effect transistor (FET) corner model for a performance target (e.g., delay) that accurately preserves partial correlations among involved statistical model parameters (e.g., channel lengths, threshold voltages, overlap capacitance, etc.) of different types of field effect transistors within an integrated circuit. To accomplish this, an initial simulation run is performed to determine a nominal performance value with all statistical model parameters set at their nominal values. Then, multiple additional simulation runs are performed to determine corner performance values. In each successive additional simulation run, statistical model parameters of the different types of field effect transistors are offset from their nominal model parameters values in correlated ways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ning Lu
  • Patent number: 8972664
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to accessing a cache line on a multi-level cache system having a system memory. Based on a request for exclusive ownership of a specific cache line at the local node, requests are concurrently sent to the system memory and remote nodes of the plurality of nodes for the specific cache line by the local node. The specific cache line is found in a specific remote node. The specific remote node is one of the remote nodes. The specific cache line is removed from the specific remote node for exclusive ownership by another node. Based on the specified node having the specified cache line in ghost state, any subsequent fetch request is initiated for the specific cache line from the specific node encounters the ghost state. When the ghost state is encountered, the subsequent fetch request is directed only to nodes of the plurality of nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy C. Bronson, Garrett M. Drapala, Michael A. Blake, Craig R. Walters, Pak-Kin Mak
  • Patent number: 8972350
    Abstract: Selective tuple versioning is used on a file system providing file system snapshots using selective tuple versioning for maintaining the state of the file system. The selective tuple versioning works by adding a snapshot table to associate with a file system table by storing a timestamp and a snapshot identification (ID) relating to a snapshot created for preserving past nodes in the file system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yariv Bachar, Aviv Kuvent, Asaf Levy
  • Patent number: 8969174
    Abstract: A spalling method is provided that includes depositing a stressor layer on surface of a base substrate, and contacting the stressor layer with a planar transfer. The planar transfer surface is then traversed along a plane that is parallel to and having a vertical offset from the upper surface of the base substrate. The planar transfer surface is traversed in a direction from a first edge of the base substrate to an opposing second edge of the base substrate to cleave the base substrate and transfer a spalled portion of the base substrate to the planar transfer surface. The vertical offset between the plane along which the planar transfer surface is traversed and the upper surface of the base substrate is a fixed distance. The fixed distance of the vertical offset provides a uniform spalling force. A spalling method is also provided that includes a transfer roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Keith E. Fogel, Paul A. Lauro, Xiao H. Liu, Devendra K. Sadana
  • Patent number: 8970011
    Abstract: A structure including a substrate having a backside, a first through silicon via having sides, a bottom surface, and a first height protruding from the backside of the substrate, and a first conductor facing the backside of the substrate and in electrical contact with the first through silicon via. The structure further including a second through silicon via having sides, a bottom surface, and a second height protruding from the backside of the substrate, wherein the second height is less than the first height, and a second conductor facing the backside of the substrate and in electrical contact with the second through silicon via, where a first via liner contacts the sides and the bottom surface of the first through silicon via and contacts the bottom surface but not the sides of the second through silicon via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq, Richard P. Volant
  • Patent number: 8968583
    Abstract: A method for cleaning a dielectric and metal structure within a microelectronic structure uses an oxygen containing plasma treatment, followed by an alcohol treatment, in turn followed by an aqueous organic acid treatment. Another method for cleaning a dielectric and metal structure within a microelectronic structure uses an aqueous surfactant treatment followed by an alcohol treatment and finally followed by an aqueous organic acid treatment. The former method may be used to clean a plasma etch residue from a dual damascene aperture. The second method may be used to clean a chemical mechanical polish planarizing residue from a dual damascene structure. The two methods may be used sequentially, absent any intervening or subsequent sputtering method, to provide a dual damascene structure within a microelectronic structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mary Beth Rothwell, Roy Rongqing Yu
  • Patent number: 8972971
    Abstract: A method and system for image instance mapping is provided. The method includes receiving from change agents on virtual machine instances periodic monitoring data indicating changes for each virtual machine instance. The periodic monitoring data is analyzed and unique updates are applied to the virtual machine instances. High level semantic updates to the virtual machine instances are identified and updates associated with a golden master image are tracked. High level semantic updates to the golden master image are identified and in response, a version tree configured to track drift of each virtual machine instance with respect to golden master image is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Praveen Jayachandran, Ravi Kothari, Akshat Verma
  • Patent number: 8972942
    Abstract: An approach for unit testing an Enterprise JavaBeans® (EJB®) bean is presented. A test case for unit testing the EJB® bean is initiated. An indication of a JUnit or an in-container testing mode is received. The unit testing of the EJB® bean in the indicated mode is initiated by injecting the EJB® bean by an injection functionality included in a test framework if the JUnit testing mode is indicated, or by an EJB® container if the in-container testing mode is indicated. A test object in the injected EJB® bean operates business logic on business data by inserting, updating or deleting business data, or by selecting business data to send to a client, thereby generating a set of resulting business data. An assertion operation on the set of resulting business data against expected data determines whether the test case succeeds or fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geng Xian Gu, Hai Dong Li
  • Patent number: 8972374
    Abstract: A system is provided which solves content acquisition issues by providing an automated method to acquire content in mass and maintain an association between available meta-data and the actual content, e.g., video file. The system includes a first component configured to log network traffic. The system also includes a second component configured to correlate downloaded content of the logged network traffic with an XML stream of URLs and respective content descriptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jesse L. Benson, Stephen E. Jaffe, John R. Smith, Matthew B. Trevathan
  • Patent number: 8969122
    Abstract: Processes for fabricating photovoltaic devices in which the front side contact metal semiconductor alloy metallization patterns have a uniform thickness at edge portions as well as a central portion of each metallization pattern are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kathryn C. Fisher, Qiang Huang, Satyavolu S. Papa Rao, David L. Rath
  • Patent number: 8972497
    Abstract: In one example a method includes: selecting, by a computing device, a message description that indicates a pre-defined operator is associated with a message data field; receiving, by the computing device, information associated with the message data field; responsive to determining that the information indicates the message data field does not include data, determining, by the computing device, whether to include, in a second message that is associated with the message description, a data value for the message data field of the second message based on the pre-defined operator that is associated with the message data field, wherein the data value is stored by the computing device and is associated with the message data field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi Ravisankar, Roy A. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8972647
    Abstract: Provided are techniques for allocating logical memory corresponding to a logical partition in a computing system; generating a S/W PFT data structure corresponding to a first page of the logical memory, wherein the S/W PFT data structure comprises a field indicating that the corresponding first page of logical memory is a klock page; transmitting a request for a page of physical memory and the corresponding S/W PFT data structure to a hypervisor; allocating physical memory corresponding to the request; and, in response to a pageout request, paging out available logical memory corresponding to the logical partition that does not indicate that the corresponding page is a klock page prior to paging out the first page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Keerthi B. Kumar, Shailaja Mallya
  • Patent number: 8973131
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for assigning, by a computing device, a value to a first data-flow of a first summary associated with a control flow graph and assigning the value to a second data-flow of a second summary associated with the control flow graph. The first data-flow with the value is identified to flow into a type of sink. The second data-flow with the value is identified not to flow into the type of sink. The first summary of a behavior of the first data-flow is refined in response to identifying that the first data-flow does flow into the type of sink. Refinement of the second summary of a behavior of the second data-flow is skipped in response to identifying that the second data-flow does not flow into the type of sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Omer Tripp
  • Patent number: 8972473
    Abstract: For efficient computation of results for mathematical functions, a method receives a mathematical function call. The call includes a plurality of arguments for which a range of computable results for the mathematical function of the function call varies with respect to the values for the arguments. The method determines whether executing the mathematical function using the plurality of arguments will produce a result within the range of computable results. The method further aborts the mathematical function call prior to initiating execution of the mathematical function in response to determining that the values for the plurality of arguments produce a result outside the range of computable results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: John Robert Ehrman
  • Patent number: 8972990
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing a seamless transition for resizing virtual machines from a development environment to a production environment. An administrative server receives an instruction from a customer to resize a virtual machine running on a cloud computing node, where the resized virtual machine requires physical resources (e.g., twenty physical processor cores) to be utilized in the production environment. Instead of the administrative server utilizing the same number of physical resources in the development environment that need to be utilized in the production environment, the administrative server utilizes a fewer number of physical resources by also utilizing virtual resources (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rohith K. Ashok, Roy F. Brabson, Hugh E. Hockett, Jose Ortiz
  • Patent number: 8972783
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements for detecting and diagnosing system outages. A system outage is ascertained and aberrant user activities are categorized, as possible contributors to the system outage, based on system impact. User activities and system impact are learned, and user activities and system impact are compared against predetermined rules. A system outage alert is generated, and a user activity responsible for the system outage is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Manish Gupta, Ravi Kothari, Vijay Mann, Anil Kumar Vishnoi
  • Patent number: 8972844
    Abstract: A field attraction module attracts/detracts interaction to/from particular fields of a digital document. The module detects interaction in the digital document corresponding to a plurality of fields of the digital document is detected. The module determines field attraction weights associated with the plurality of fields. The field attraction weights represent a degree to which presentation of the digital document is modified for selectively attracting interaction to at least one of the plurality of fields. The module determines that a first of the plurality of fields is associated with a greatest of the field attraction weights. The module modifies presentation of the digital document to attract interaction to the first field in the digital document in accordance with the greatest of the field attraction weights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew G. Marum, Samuel Padgett, Steven K. Speicher, Michael J. Tabb
  • Patent number: 8973020
    Abstract: Web services are automatically generated from corresponding Web applications under service-oriented architecture. A Web service is generated based on a Web application, comprising: obtaining user input information of the Web application, obtaining call stack information that is generated by the Web application at runtime based on the user input information, performing parameter matching between the user input information and the call stack information, selecting a method from the call stack information as an application programming interface based on a result of the parameter matching and the call stack information, and generating the Web service using the application programming interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yao Qi, Xing Xing Shen, Chuang Tang
  • Patent number: 8972538
    Abstract: An integrated hybrid system is provided. The hybrid system includes compute components of different types and architectures that are integrated and managed by a single point of control to provide federation and the presentation of the compute components as a single logical computing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ingo Adlung, Stefan Amann, Christine Axnix, Friedemann Baitinger, Jeffrey A. Frey, Joseph M. Gdaniec, Carl Mayer, Viktor Mihajlovski, Jerry W. Stevens, Friedrich M. Welter
  • Patent number: 8972946
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to test case maintenance for user interfaces. In one embodiment, user source and test cases are linked for test case maintenance. A link is determined to have been created between a user interface and at least one test script. The test script includes a set of test instructions. The user interface includes a set of user interface elements. Each test instruction is run against the user interface. Mapping information for each test instruction is generated. A change is determined to have occurred in at least one of the user interface and the test script. In response to a change having occurred to the user interface, at least one test instruction affected by the change is identified. In response to a change having occurred to the test script, at least one user interface element affected by the change to the test script is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joel A. Bullard, Arnaldo Carreno-Fuentes, Margaret Cho, Michael G. Collins, Clemens Drews, Jalal U. Mahmud, Mark D. Vickstrom
  • Patent number: 8970041
    Abstract: An assembly can include a microelectronic element such as, for example, a semiconductor element having circuits and semiconductor devices fabricated therein, and a plurality of electrical connectors, e.g., solder balls attached to contacts of the microelectronic element. The connectors can be surrounded by first, inner regions 200 of compressible dielectric material and second, outer regions of dielectric material. In one embodiment, an underfill can contact a face of the microelectronic element between respective connectors or second regions. The second regions can provide restraining force, such that during volume expansion of the connectors, the first regions can compress against the restraining force of the second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mukta G. Farooq, John A. Fitzsimmons
  • Patent number: 8972504
    Abstract: A method of forwarding an instant message to electronic mail can begin with determining availability of an instant messaging client for a recipient. The method can continue with sending the instant message to the instant messaging client for the recipient. The method can include not receiving a reply to the instant message within a pre-defined period of time. The method can further include sending an electronic mail message including the instant message to the recipient upon reaching the pre-defined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Titus Kao, Eric S. Portner, Robert C. Weir
  • Patent number: 8972986
    Abstract: Computing resource allocation for map-reduce job execution comprises determining the volume of input data to the map-phase and the reduce-phase of a map-reduce job prior to execution. Based on said determination, data blocks and virtual machines (VMs) are selectively placed for locality aware map-reduce job execution on a cluster of computing nodes in a network. Selectively placing data blocks and VMs comprises integrally placing the data and the VMs at selected nodes to lower data transfer network hops for a map-phase and a shuffle-phase of the map-reduce job upon execution by the VMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Balaji Palanisamy, Aameek Singh
  • Patent number: 8972987
    Abstract: Software is managed in a virtual desktop environment by discovering virtual appliances contained in the virtual desktop environment, and for each virtual appliance discovering the virtual machines belonging to the virtual appliance. Software is further managed by discovering the standalone virtual machines comprised in the virtual desktop environment, and for each discovered virtual machine, introspecting each virtual machine to detect non-virtual applications and virtualized applications running in the virtual machine. For each detected application, identification is made of the operating system on which the application is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Giuseppe Ciano, Luigi Pichetti
  • Patent number: 8972669
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a volatile memory that is configured to be accessible in an active memory sharing configuration. The apparatus includes a machine-readable encoded with instructions executable by the processor. The instructions including first virtual machine instructions configured to access the volatile memory with a first virtual machine. The instructions including second virtual machine instructions configured to access the volatile memory with a second virtual machine. The instructions including virtual machine monitor instructions configured to page data out from a shared memory to a reserved memory section in the volatile memory responsive to the first virtual machine or the second virtual machine paging the data out from the shared memory or paging the data in to the shared memory. The shared memory is shared across the first virtual machine and the second virtual machine. The volatile memory includes the shared memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vaijayanthimala K. Anand, David Navarro, Bret R. Olszewski, Sergio Reyes
  • Patent number: 8969155
    Abstract: Semiconductor fins having isolation regions of different thicknesses on the same integrated circuit are disclosed. Nitride spacers protect the lower portion of some fins, while other fins do not have spacers on the lower portion. The exposed lower portion of the fins are oxidized to provide isolation regions of different thicknesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Kern Rim
  • Patent number: 8973153
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, a data processing system, and a computer program publish an audio annotation of a media signal. A media player plays a media signal. The media player then records an audio annotation to the media signal. Responsive to recording the audio annotation to the media signal, the media player records an identifier to be associated with the media signal. The audio annotation is then published to a social networking host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Candice B. Gilzean, Gahlya J. Gregory, Fabian F. Morgan, Michael Eric Rhodes
  • Patent number: 8972245
    Abstract: Provided are techniques for text prediction using environment hints. A list of words is received, wherein each word in the list of words has an associated weight. For at least one word in the list of words, an environment weight is obtained from an environment dictionary. The associated weight of the at least one word is updated using the obtained environment weight. The words in the list of words are ordered based on the updated, associated weight of each of the words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zachary H. Jones, Aaron J. Quirk, Lin Sun
  • Patent number: 8969149
    Abstract: A structure is provided that includes at least one multilayered stacked semiconductor material structure located on a semiconductor substrate and at least one sacrificial gate material structure straddles a portion of the at least one multilayered stacked semiconductor structure. The at least one multilayered stacked semiconductor material structure includes alternating layers of sacrificial semiconductor material and semiconductor nanowire template material. End segments of each layer of sacrificial semiconductor material are then removed and filled with a dielectric spacer. Source/drain regions are formed from exposed sidewalls of each layer of semiconductor nanowire template material, and thereafter the at least one sacrificial gate material structure and remaining portions of the sacrificial semiconductor material are removed suspending each semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Effendi Leobandung
  • Patent number: 8972547
    Abstract: A host node connected to a network using an Internet Protocol automatically identifies multiple adapters connected to the same network, preferably by broadcasting a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request for assignment of an IP address on a first adapter, and listening to the request on a second adapter, thereby determining that both adapters are on the same network. The host preferably causes an IP address to be generated for one of the adapters, and automatically configures the adapters to share the IP address thus generated as a virtual IP address, assigning one of the adapters as a primary adapter. Preferably, the host automatically detects deactivation of the primary adapter and switches the virtual address assignment to a different adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: David Alan Christenson
  • Patent number: 8972849
    Abstract: Computer method and apparatus processing batch changes to a plurality of records employs heuristics. The system includes a computer based source of a plurality of records subject to a batch update. Each record in the plurality has respective meta data information. A computer processor projects application of changes forming the batch update in one record of the plurality. The processor applies heuristics including noting metadata information of the one record impacting changes to each record in the plurality. Using the noted metadata information and heuristics, the system further projects application of the batch update changes to remaining records in the plurality. A preview display of the projected results of the batch changes allows the user to commit, modify or revert batch updates per record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew Gordon Marum, Samuel George Padgett, Nirav S. Sheth, Steven Keith Speicher, Michael J. Tabb
  • Patent number: 8972622
    Abstract: A method of processing communications includes: receiving transmission data over a selected time interval for each of a plurality of communication paths between a host processor and a control unit configured to control at least one I/O device; calculating an average round-trip transmission time for each of the communication paths over the time interval; comparing an average round-trip transmission time for a communication path having the highest average round-trip transmission time to a threshold value and to a multiple of an average round-trip transmission time for a communication path having the lowest average round-trip transmission time; and determining, based on comparing the highest round-trip transmission time to the threshold value and to a multiple of the lowest round-trip transmission time, whether the time period indicates a delay in communication between the I/O subsystem and the control unit requiring at least one of a monitoring action and a recovery action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott M. Carlson, Marisa Freidhof, Geoffrey E. Miller, Dale F. Riedy, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Patent number: 8969179
    Abstract: A method of forming nanowire devices. The method includes forming a stressor layer circumferentially surrounding a semiconductor nanowire. The method is performed such that, due to the stressor layer, the nanowire is subjected to at least one of radial and longitudinal strain to enhance carrier mobility in the nanowire. Radial and longitudinal strain components can be used separately or together and can each be made tensile or compressive, allowing formulation of desired strain characteristics for enhanced conductivity in the nanowire of a given device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bernd W Gotsmann, Siegfried F. Karg, Heike E. Riel
  • Patent number: 8972848
    Abstract: Methods, systems and program products for renewing documents relating to an agreement between two entities. Content from an existing document is extracted, the existing document having been created from component documents. A selection of one or more updated component documents is received. An updated document is then generated based on the extracted content from the received document and the received selection of one or more updated component documents, wherein the updated document defines a revised agreement between the two entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Randy E. Oyarzabal, Jeffery A. Turner
  • Patent number: 8972440
    Abstract: A semantic query over a corpus of data is constructed using a graphical user interface to create an aggregation of graphical representations of annotations associated with a plurality of data elements contained within the corpus of data and graphical representations of search terms contained within the plurality of data elements. The aggregation includes at least one annotation and at least one search term. The relative positions of the graphical representations of the annotations and the search terms are manipulated within the aggregation within the graphical user interface to express relationships among the annotations and search terms, yielding a visual spatial representation of the semantic query. The annotations, search terms and expressed relationships define the semantic query that is used to search the corpus of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Branimir Konstantinov Boguraev, Eric William Brown, Youssef Drissi, David Angelo Ferrucci, Paul Turquand Keyser, Anthony Tom Levas, Dafna Sheinwald
  • Patent number: 8972577
    Abstract: A masterless time slot allocation technique that collaboratively synchronizes, at a time slot level, devices communicating in an ad hoc network. Responsive to determining a current time slot allocated to a first device is occurring, the first device transmits a map to the other devices. The map includes an allocation of time slots to the devices, including indicators for whether each time slot is free, busy or overbooked, devices that own the time slots, and how recently information associated with each time slot was updated. After receiving the map, a second device determines a conflict in which the same time slot is allocated to the second device and to another device. The conflict is resolved by allocating another time slot to the second device and the result of resolving the conflict is each slot is allocated to no more than one device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Bauchot, Jean-Yves Clement, Gerard Marmigere, Joaquin Picon
  • Patent number: 8971103
    Abstract: A technique is provided for a thermally assisted magnetoresistive random access memory device. The device has a synthetic antiferromagnetic layer disposed on an antiferromagnetic layer. The synthetic antiferromagnetic layer has a first ferromagnetic storage layer, a non-magnetic coupling layer disposed on the first ferromagnetic storage layer, and a second ferromagnetic storage layer disposed on the non-magnetic coupling layer. A non-magnetic tunnel barrier is disposed on the second ferromagnetic storage layer, and a ferromagnetic sense layer is disposed on the non-magnetic tunnel barrier. A first ferromagnetic critical temperature of the first ferromagnetic storage layer is higher than an antiferromagnetic critical temperature of the antiferromagnetic layer, is higher than a second ferromagnetic critical temperature of the second ferromagnetic storage layer, and is higher than a third ferromagnetic critical temperature of the ferromagnetic sense layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony J. Annunziata, Philip L. Trouilloud, Daniel Worledge