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: 8964390
    Abstract: Cooling apparatuses and methods are provided for facilitating pumped immersion-cooling of electronic components. The cooling apparatus includes a housing forming a compartment about one or more components, a supply manifold, a return manifold, and a coolant loop coupling in fluid communication the supply and return manifolds and the housing. Coolant flowing through the coolant loop flows through the compartment of the housing and at least partially immersion-cools the component(s) by flow boiling. A pump facilitates circulation of coolant within the loop, and a coolant bypass line is coupled between the supply and return manifolds. The return manifold includes a mixed-phase manifold section, and the bypass line provides coolant from the supply manifold directly to the mixed-phase manifold section. Coolant flows from the coolant bypass line into the mixed-phase manifold section in a direction counter to the direction of any coolant vapor flow within that manifold section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Levi A. Campbell, Richard C. Chu, Milnes P. David, Michael J. Ellsworth, Jr., Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Roger R. Schmidt, Robert E. Simons
  • Patent number: 8966115
    Abstract: Provided is techniques for the distribution and control of digital content such that Quality of Experience (QoE) is maintained. Content is protected from when the content is encrypted to when it is used. To ensure the QoE of particular content, a content owner embeds a list of required or preferred components that must be employed to render the content. The content owner's list of required or preferred components specifies specific components “trusted” to correctly process the content. The specified chain of preferred components is compared to possible devices in the system that processes the content. If there are multiple acceptable devices for a specific link, a preference system is employed to determine the device that executed the particular part of the chain. The preference system is based upon a number of factors, such as, but not limited to, performance characteristics, user preferences, expected stability, power requirements and system preferences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Bellwood, Robert B. Chumbley, Jacob D. Eisinger, Travis M. Grigsby, Matthew F. Rutkowski
  • Patent number: 8966482
    Abstract: A virtual machine management method and system is provided. The method includes receiving by a computing system, a list of virtual machines deployed within an enterprise. The computing system determines that a specified time period has elapsed during deployment and a list of resources and transactions associated with the virtual machines is retrieved. The computing system calculates a cost value and service value for deploying the virtual machines and a premium value associated with the services. The computing system determines if the premium value is within a policy for the enterprise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Charles M. Kinard
  • Patent number: 8966148
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes sending a request to one or more distributed fabric protocol (DFP) system members in order to retrieve one or more events from the one or more DFP system members, wherein the one or more events are received as data encapsulated in a packet(s), receiving one or more acknowledgements to the request from the one or more DFP system members at a local network switch of the DFP system master, upon receipt of the at least one packet: decoding the at least one packet to retrieve details of the one or more events using a dedicated processor of the DFP system master, creating and sending a message signaled interrupt (MSI) comprising the details of the one or more events to a local processor of the DFP system master using the dedicated processor, and reading the MSI using the local processor of the DFP system master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander P. Campbell, Keshav G. Kamble, Vijoy A. Pandey
  • Patent number: 8963620
    Abstract: Various embodiments include approaches for controlling a supply voltage or a clock frequency to an integrated circuit (IC). Various additional embodiments include circuitry for controlling a supply voltage or a clock frequency of an IC. In some cases, a method includes: locating a set of temperature sensors on bin locations in an IC; determining temperature bounds of the bin locations in the IC as a function of a determined temperature at the set of temperature sensors; determining timing constraints as a function of supply voltages at the bin locations and the determined temperature at the set of temperature sensors; and determining operational voltage bounds for the IC as a function of the determined temperature at the set of temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeanne P. S. Bickford, Eric A. Foreman, David J. Hathaway, Mark W. Kuemerle, Susan K. Lichtensteiger
  • Patent number: 8965752
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the inventive subject matter are directed to detecting that a text string is subject to an algorithmic function that would modify one of more parts of the text string to be at least one proposed text substring for presentation via a user interface, wherein the at least one proposed text substring is a portion of the text string. Some embodiments are further directed to evaluating the at least one proposed text substring against one or more prohibited text strings prohibited for presentation via the user interface and detecting, in response to the evaluating of the at least one proposed text substring against the one or more prohibited text strings, that the at least one proposed text substring is one of the one or more prohibited text strings. Some embodiments are further directed to modifying the at least one proposed text substring, in response to detecting that the at least one proposed text substring is one of the one or more prohibited text strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Diane C. Chalmers, Nixon Cheaz, Andrew J. Ivory, David M. Stecher
  • Patent number: 8965944
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed for the generation of range-constrained test cases for verification of designs of arithmetic floating point units. Given three ranges of floating point numbers Rx, Ry, Rz, a floating point operation (op), and a rounding-mode (round), three floating point numbers x, y, z are generated such that x?Rx, y?Ry, z?Rz, and z=round ( x op y). Solutions are provided for add and subtract operations. Range constraints are imposed on the input operands and on the result operand of floating point add and subtract instructions to target corner cases when generating test cases for use in verification of floating point hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Abraham Ziv
  • Patent number: 8966458
    Abstract: A virtual machine can be extended to be aware of secondary cores and specific capabilities of the secondary cores. If a unit of platform-independent code (e.g., a function, a method, a package, a library, etc.) is more suitable to be run on a secondary core, the primary core can package the unit of platform-independent code (“code unit”) and associated data according to the ISA of the secondary core. The primary core can then offload the code unit to an interpreter associated with the secondary core to execute the code unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Asai, Andrew B. Cornwall, Rajan Raman, Akira Saitoh, Ravi Shah
  • Patent number: 8966133
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for determining a mapping mode for a DMA data transfer are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request for a DMA data transfer within a computer system. The method may also include determining a mapping mode for the DMA data transfer based on available system profile data in response to receiving the request. The method may also include mapping the memory using the determined mapping mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian W. Hart, Liang Jiang, Anil Kalavakolanu
  • Patent number: 8962412
    Abstract: A structure has at least one field effect transistor having a gate stack disposed between raised source drain structures that are adjacent to the gate stack. The gate stack and raised source drain structures are disposed on a surface of a semiconductor material. The structure further includes a layer of field dielectric overlying the gate stack and raised source drain structures and first contact metal and second contact metal extending through the layer of field dielectric. The first contact metal terminates in a first trench formed through a top surface of a first raised source drain structure, and the second contact metal terminates in a second trench formed through a top surface of a second raised source drain structure. Each trench has silicide formed on sidewalls and a bottom surface of at least a portion of the trench. Methods to fabricate the structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Pranita Kerber, Christian Lavoie
  • Patent number: 8962467
    Abstract: Structure providing more reliable fuse blow location, and method of making the same. A vertical metal fuse blow structure has, prior to fuse blow, an intentionally damaged portion of the fuse conductor. The damaged portion helps the fuse blow in a known location, thereby decreasing the resistance variability in post-blow circuits. At the same time, prior to fuse blow, the fuse structure is able to operate normally. The damaged portion of the fuse conductor is made by forming an opening in a cap layer above a portion of the fuse conductor, and etching the fuse conductor. Preferably, the opening is aligned such that the damaged portion is on the top corner of the fuse conductor. A cavity can be formed in the insulator adjacent to the damaged fuse conductor. The damaged fuse structure having a cavity can be easily incorporated in a process of making integrated circuits having air gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Griselda Bonilla, Kaushik Chanda, Samuel S. Choi, Ronald G. Filippi, Stephan Grunow, Naftali E. Lustig, Andrew H. Simon, Junjing Bao
  • Patent number: 8965895
    Abstract: A subset of (k?1)-dimensional tables are received, wherein k is greater than 1. A set of k-dimensional tables is created by combining each of the (k?1)-dimensional tables with a non-included dimension corresponding to a 1-dimensional table. Significance of interaction and interaction effect size is computed for the created set of k-dimensional tables to determine dimension and measure interactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yea J. Chu, Sier Han, Jing-Yun Shyr, Damir Spisic, Xueying Zhang
  • Patent number: 8966047
    Abstract: Various embodiments manage service labels for association with service specifications in a service-oriented environment. In one embodiment at least one candidate service label is received from a user associated with a service domain of a distributed federated service-oriented environment. The candidate service label includes at least one of a service type and a set of terms characterizing a service. The candidate service label is sent to a community of users associated with one or more service domains in the distributed federated service-oriented environment. One of a vote for accepting the candidate service label and a vote for rejecting the candidate service label is received from each of a plurality of users in the community of users. The candidate service label is stored as an accepted service label in the service domain based on a number of votes for accepting the candidate service label being above a given threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rahul P. Akolkar, Arun Iyengar, Isabelle Rouvellou, Ignacio Silva-Lepe, Revathi Subramanian
  • Patent number: 8966023
    Abstract: An arrangement permitting a user for example in a internet point or using a different profile in the same machine can connect to a web server to download and install local client software such as a java application or a browser plug-in the first time he accesses to this service from that browser in order to customize his environment. Once authenticated, he can choose the personalization to be performed in whatever application installed and eligible to be user customizable. For example he can replicate in the system his browser settings (favorites, cookies, forms etc) or word templates as a clone of environment setting of his personal machine. The customization can depend on pre-defined profiles to allow the user customization of a subset of settings, for example only browser settings. Models of different operating environments are defined and called upon to enable interactions with different client devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alessandro Donatelli, Barbara Febonio, Filomena Ferrara, Mario Loriedo, Tommaso Mazzarotto, Sandro Piccinini
  • Patent number: 8962417
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a p-channel field effect transistor (pFET) device located on a surface of a silicon germanium (SiGe) channel is provided in which the junction profile of the source/drain region is abrupt. The abrupt source/drain junctions for pFET devices are provided by forming an N- or C-doped Si layer directly beneath a SiGe channel layer which is located above a Si substrate. A structure is provided in which the N- or C-doped Si layer (sandwiched between the SiGe channel layer and the Si substrate) has approximately the same diffusion rate for a p-type dopant as the overlying SiGe channel layer. Since the N- or C-doped Si layer and the overlying SiGe channel layer have substantially the same diffusivity for a p-type dopant and because the N- or C-doped Si layer retards diffusion of the p-type dopant into the underlying Si substrate, abrupt source/drain junctions can be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kern Rim, William K. Henson, Yue Liang, Xinlin Wang
  • Patent number: 8964495
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for continued operation of a memory module, including a first and second memory device, when one of memory devices has failed. The method includes receiving a write operation request to write a data word, having first and second sections, by a first memory module. The memory module may have a first memory device and a second memory device, for respectively storing the first and second sections of the data word. A determination if one of the first and second memory devices is inoperable is made. If one of the first and second memory devices is inoperable, a write operation is performed by writing the first and second sections of the data word to the operable one of the first and second memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Timothy J. Dell, Girisankar Paulraj, Saravanan Sethuraman
  • Patent number: 8966636
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for transforming unit tests is described. A unit test associated with one or more software units is identified. A first input parameter of the unit test is identified. A substitute parameter value is determined, wherein the substitute parameter value is associated with a security test for the one or more software units. A value of the first input parameter in the unit test is replaced with the substitute parameter value. The unit test including the substitute parameter value is implemented for the one or more software units. A first security issue associated with the one or more software units is identified, based upon, at least in part, replacing the first input parameter of the unit test with the substitute parameter value and implementing the unit test including the substitute parameter value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Kalman, Ory Segal, Omer Tripp, Omri Weisman
  • Patent number: 8963293
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same. In one embodiment, a method of forming a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer substrate includes: providing a handle substrate; forming a high resistivity material layer over the handle substrate, the high resistivity material layer including one of an amorphous silicon carbide (SiC), a polycrystalline SiC, an amorphous diamond, or a polycrystalline diamond; forming an insulator layer over the high resistivity material layer; and bonding a donor wafer to a top surface of the insulator layer to form the SOI wafer substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alan B. Botula, Mark D. Jaffe, Alvin J. Joseph
  • Patent number: 8965914
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for determining entity relationship information for identity records to add to an entity database. For each selected identity record of a plurality of identity records, an individual query on selected attribute values of the selected identity record is applied against at least one set of entity records to determine a candidate list of the entity records in the at least one set determined to be related to the selected identity record based on the selected attribute values of the selected identity record. Entity relationship information on entity records from the candidate list that are determined to be related to the selected identity record are stored in the entity database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bhavani K. Eshwar, Rajeshwar Kalakuntla, Vaishnavi Nori, Nithinkrishna P. Shenoy
  • Patent number: 8966020
    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: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ingo Adlung, Stefan Amann, Christine Axnix, Friedemann Baitinger, Jeff A. Frey, Joseph M. Gdaniec, Carl Mayer, Viktor Mihajlovski, Jerry W. Stevens, Friedrich M. Welter
  • Patent number: 8966158
    Abstract: A data protection program for protecting data to be processed by an application, and a computer including volatile storage means and nonvolatile storage means performs a volatile file unpack function of writing, to the nonvolatile storage means, data corresponding to a data file to be read or written by the application so that the data is associated with the data file; and a volatile file repackage function of outputting the data file corresponding to the data written to the volatile storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sanehiro Furuichi, Masami Tada
  • Patent number: 8965754
    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: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zachary H. Jones, Aaron J. Quirk, Lin Sun
  • Patent number: 8965928
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for searching based on association of system resources a user was working on with external devices such as user's PDA, mobile phone, or printer and the system's interaction with such external devices. In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided comprising a person using a resource on the computer and, during said using, engaging in another event; sending data to the computer related to said another event; and the computer creating an association between said another event and said resource. This embodiment also comprises sending a request to the computer to identify the resource that was being used by said person at the time of said another event; and the computer, acting in response to said request, using said association to identify said resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Abhijit Anant Telang
  • Patent number: 8959764
    Abstract: A structure and method for manufacturing the same for manufacturing a contact structure for microelectronics manufacturing including the steps of forming first and second metal sheets to form a plurality of outwardly extending bump each defining a cavity. Symmetrically mating the first and second metal sheets in opposing relation to each other to form upper and lower bumps each defining an enclosure therebetween wherein the mated first and second sheets form a contact structure. Coating the contact structure with an insulating material, and fabricating helix shaped contacts from upper and lower bumps. The helix shaped contacts having first and second portions being in mirror image relationship to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth Hougham, Gerard McVicker, Xiaoxiong Gu
  • Patent number: 8960451
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a large server storage frame including a base, a ceiling and supports that are supportive of the ceiling above the base and separable from one another by a variable distance, first and second brackets disposable at variable vertical positions along first and second ones of the supports, respectively, and a turnbuckle assembly including an extendible member and first and second connectors connected to first and second ends of the extendible member, respectively. The first and second connectors are rotatably connectable to the first and second brackets, respectively, and the extendible member is extendible such that the first and second connectors reach the first and second brackets with the first and second brackets respectively disposed at the variable vertical positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert F. Florence, Jr., Steven C. McIntosh, Budy D. Notohardjono
  • Patent number: 8966218
    Abstract: A method for predictively allocating space in a database system includes detecting an access request for a data set, evaluating a growth rate of the data set to determine a predicted increase in size of the data set, and in response dynamically altering an attribute of an allocation for the data set. Attributes altered include the size of volumes and the number of volumes comprising the data set. The method may include setting a flag indicating an instruction to rewrite the data set if the evaluation indicates that rewriting is needed to accommodate the predicted increase in size. The method may include rewriting the data set from a lower address space of a volume to a higher address space of the volume if the size of the data set is equal to or greater than an allocation increment of the upper address space. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David C. Reed, Max D. Smith
  • Patent number: 8963259
    Abstract: Embodiments herein provide approaches for device isolation in a complimentary metal-oxide fin field effect transistor. Specifically, a semiconductor device is formed with a retrograde doped layer over a substrate to minimize a source to drain punch-through leakage. A set of replacement fins is formed over the retrograde doped layer, each of the set of replacement fins comprising a high mobility channel material (e.g., silicon, or silicon-germanium). The retrograde doped layer may be formed using an in situ doping process or a counter dopant retrograde implant. The device may further include a carbon liner positioned between the retrograde doped layer and the set of replacement fins to prevent carrier spill-out to the replacement fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: GlobalFoundries Inc., International Business Machines Corporation, Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Ajey P. Jacob, Murat K. Akarvardar, Steven J. Bentley, Toshiharu Nagumo, Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz
  • Patent number: 8966437
    Abstract: A computer based method, system and apparatus specify graphical concrete syntax in a modeling language. The invention system declaratively describes the graphical concrete syntax of a diagram of a subject model. A mapping engine maps between (i) the graphical concrete syntax and (ii) the abstract syntax and corresponding diagram interchange syntax of the subject model. The declarative descriptions define structure of the graphical concrete syntax rather than a rendering (painting) logic of the graphical concrete syntax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Maged E. Elaasar
  • Patent number: 8966219
    Abstract: In a data processing system capable of concurrently executing multiple hardware threads of execution, an intermediate address translation unit in a processing unit translates an effective address for a memory access into an intermediate address. A cache memory is accessed utilizing the intermediate address. In response to a miss in cache memory, the intermediate address is translated into a real address by a real address translation unit that performs address translation for multiple hardware threads of execution. The system memory is accessed with the real address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Rajamony, William E. Speight, Lixin Zhang
  • Patent number: 8964375
    Abstract: Techniques for cooling in a data center are provided. In one aspect, a computer equipment rack is provided comprising one or more air inlets; one or more exhaust outlets; and one or more of: an air inlet duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the air inlets, the air inlet duct having a lateral dimension that approximates a lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than a length of the computer equipment rack, and an air exhaust duct mounted to the computer equipment rack surrounding at least a portion of the exhaust outlets, the air exhaust duct having a lateral dimension that approximates the lateral dimension of the computer equipment rack and a length that is less than the length of the computer equipment rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alan Claassen, Hendrik F. Hamann, Madhusudan K. Iyengar, James A. Lacey, Yves C. Martin, Roger R. Schmidt, Theodore G. van Kessel
  • Patent number: 8966084
    Abstract: A method for load balancing virtual machines includes accessing current consumption data and historical consumption data for a first virtual machine running on a host hardware platform, wherein the host hardware platform is coupled to a network and accessing specification and utilization information for networked hardware platforms published on the network by each networked hardware platform, wherein the networked hardware platforms each include a hardware platform configured to run virtual machines. The method also includes selecting a target platform from the networked hardware platforms to receive the first virtual machine based on the published specification and utilization information for the networked hardware platforms and consumption data for the first virtual machine, wherein the first virtual machine will operate on the target platform in a condition that is not over-constrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eli M. Dow, Dilma Da Silva
  • Patent number: 8966110
    Abstract: An approximation of the bandwidth of the narrowest link in a network is determined by watching how fast data gets to the other end and then back again. The rate of data transmission is limited according to this approximation. Dynamic capacity of the link, i.e. the amount of data that can be in-flight at the same time, neglecting any buffers, is also tracked. The technique looks at how much data is in-flight and, if there is more data in flight than the dynamic capacity of the network, the data transmission rate is slowed down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Ellen Lippincott, Peter James Lincroft, Dennis Sidney Goodrow
  • Patent number: 8966359
    Abstract: A method of mapping between visual objects and web messages. The method comprises monitoring a plurality of web messages transmitted during at least one of loading and modifying a webpage having a plurality of dynamic visual objects by a browser of a client terminal, providing a dynamic model having a plurality of model elements each indicative of another of the plurality of dynamic visual objects, monitoring changes to the dynamic model to identify a first of the plurality of web messages has an effect on a first of the plurality of dynamic visual objects, and mapping, using a processor, between the first dynamic visual object and the first web message according to a source of the first web message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Gokhman, Boris Rozenberg
  • Patent number: 8966422
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for designing an integrated circuit includes: forming, on a computing device, a description of an initial layout of the integrated circuit, the layout including at least two paths, each of the two paths including an input, an output and an at least one combinational element; identifying critical paths in the initial layout; forming a median line between the input and the output for at least one of the critical paths; and moving a location of a combinational element in the at least one critical path from a first location to a second location to form a revised layout, the first location being further from the median line than the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lakshmi N. Reddy, Sourav Saha
  • Patent number: 8965925
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling access to objects within a file system utilizing data associated with those objects are disclosed. In one embodiment, access controls pertaining to a user may be specified in terms of tags which may be associated with an object, and a user's access to objects may be controlled based upon these tags. These tags may reflect the content of the object, or a grouping, category or another type of classification of the object and may be determined through the processing of the object. In one embodiment, metadata associated with an object may be classified and associated with classification tags associated with those classifications. A user's access to objects may then be specified through a set of classification tags, where the user may access objects associated with those classification tags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Keith Zoellner
  • Patent number: 8964063
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining picture resolution to optimize storage, wherein input is received from a user interface. The input includes a selected picture destination, such as a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a web application, a website, and/or a display. Attributes of the picture destination are determined with a processor, wherein the attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. The processor determines the picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Jensen Boss, Andrew R. Jones, Charles Steven Lingafelt, Kevin C. McConnell, John Elbert Moore, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8965897
    Abstract: A method for improving the usability of product feedback data can begin with the receipt of product feedback search parameters by an intelligent product feedback analytics tool. The product feedback search parameters can represent a product or a group of products. Product feedback search results having a rating value and/or textual feedback content can be obtained for the product feedback search parameters. For each product in the search results, a composite rating value can be synthesized from the rating values contained in the search results. For each product in the search results, the product feedback search results can be analyzed for analytic parameters using natural language processing techniques. An analytic parameter can represent a commonality within a subset of the search results. The product feedback search results, composite rating values, and analytic parameters can be presented within a user interface, providing context for the composite rating value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lee A. Carbonell, Tsz Simon Cheng, Jeffrey L. Edgington, Pandian Mariadoss
  • Patent number: 8965838
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, system and computer program product for managing data in databases generates a control file for a database by utilizing a definition file associated with the database and predefined column definitions, organizes data within a data file in a predefined format, wherein the data is desirable to be loaded in the database, and loads the data from the data file to the database by utilizing the control file and the data file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Coporation
    Inventor: Kartika Garg
  • Patent number: 8966169
    Abstract: A tape recording device, method, and computer program product are provided for performing operations of position movement, reading, and writing on a tape medium, and receiving a series of commands from an upper-layer device. The tape recording device includes a buffer for temporarily storing data related to the reading and an append write, a tape for recording the data stored in the buffer, a reading and writing head for reading data from the tape into the buffer and writing the data onto the tape, control means for reading data from a designated position of the tape and storing the data in the buffer, and for writing the data stored in the buffer onto the tape from a written data end position in response to an append write command, and a non-volatile memory for storing data stored in the buffer in response to an append write command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Shiratori, Kohei Taguchi
  • Patent number: 8962436
    Abstract: A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and method for fabricating such. The transistor includes an emitter region, a collector region, and an intrinsic-base region. The intrinsic-base region is positioned between the emitter region and the collector region. Furthermore, the physical separation between the emitter region and the collector region is less than the sum of a base-emitter space-charge region width and a base-collector space-charge region width at the transistor's standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Cai, Tak H. Ning, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Jeng-Bang Yau
  • Patent number: 8964601
    Abstract: A distributed switching fabric system includes multiple network switches coupled to a cell-based switching fabric by cell-fabric ports. A virtual machine runs on a server connected to a network port of one or more of the network switches that are members of a given switching domain. The virtual machine manages a control plane for the given switching domain. The server receives a protocol control packet from one of the network switches and forwards the received protocol control packet to the virtual machine for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dayavanti Gopal Kamath, Keshav Govind Kamble, Dar-Ren Leu, Vijoy A. Pandey
  • Patent number: 8966420
    Abstract: A method for estimating delay deterioration in an integrated circuit comprising estimating degradation in at least one characteristic of each device defined within the integrated circuit using voltages and logic values monitored during a simulation of the digital circuit. Generating an end-of-life netlist in which the at least one device characteristic of each device has been modified to reflect the estimated degradation or estimating a change in timing delay of each device directly from the estimated degradation of the at least one characteristic of each device. A timing analysis is performed using the estimated change in timing delay of each device to determine circuit path delays. The timing analysis is static or statistical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aditya Bansal, Jae-Joon Kim, Rahul M. Rao
  • Patent number: 8963657
    Abstract: On-chip, high performance, slow-wave coplanar waveguide with through-silicon via structures, method of manufacture and design structures for integrated circuits are provided herein. The method includes forming at least one ground plane layer in a substrate and forming a signal layer in the substrate, in a same plane layer as the at least one ground. The method further includes forming at least one metal filled through-silicon via between the at least one ground plane layer and the signal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Essam Mina, Guoan Wang, Wayne H. Woods, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8964327
    Abstract: A tape drive receives multiple write requests for data pieces and a synchronization request corresponding to the write requests from a device, performs a synchronization process, and returns a completion status of the synchronization request. The tape drive includes a write controller that stores data pieces transferred from the device in the buffer, according to a first write request, receives a first synchronization request and then a subsequent write request for at least one data piece, and returns the completion status when processing for the first synchronization request is completed and the subsequent write request is received with a command queuing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Abe, Katsuhiko Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 8962442
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an electromechanical device includes the following steps. A first and a second back gate are formed over a substrate. An etch stop layer is formed covering the first and second back gates. Electrodes are formed over the first and second back gates, wherein the electrodes include one or more gate, source, and drain electrodes, wherein gaps are present between the source and drain electrodes. One or more Janus components are placed the gaps, each of which includes a first portion having an electrically conductive material and a second portion having an electrically insulating material, and wherein i) the first or second portion of the Janus components placed in a first one of the gaps has a fixed positive surface charge and ii) the first or second portion of the Janus components placed in a second one of the gaps has a fixed negative surface charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Qing Cao, Zhengwen Li, Fei Liu, Zhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 8966652
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a subscription service for documenting, verifying, administering, and auditing use of entitled software products in third-party networked computing environments (e.g., a cloud computing environment). Specifically, aspects of the invention provide an Entitlement Brokering System (EBS) (also referred to as an entitlement broker) that reduces the risk associated with clients improperly running licensed software products on their computing infrastructure, thus increasing the reliability and auditability of the software product's entitlement status and accelerating intake of new or existing clients through automation of the entitlement verification process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gene L. Brown, Brendan F. Coffey, Christopher J. Dawson, Clifford V. Harris
  • Patent number: 8965912
    Abstract: A system for integrating databases comprises a first virtual table, a second virtual table, a common table, a list, a generating section, and a selecting section. The first virtual table corresponds to a first data. The second virtual table corresponds to a second data. The common table is associated with the first and second virtual tables. The list indicates information about associations between the first and second virtual tables and the common table. The generating section generates two or more access plans from a database query on the common table. The two or more access plans involve at least one of the first and second virtual tables in accordance with the list. The selecting section selects one of the two or more access plans generated by the generating section to be used to execute the database query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Fukuda, Ryoji Kurosawa, Masahiro Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 8963228
    Abstract: A structure and method provided for integrating SOI CMOS FETs and NVRAM memory devices. The structure includes a SOI substrate containing a semiconductor substrate, a SOI layer, and a BOX layer formed between the semiconductor substrate and the SOI layer. The SOI substrate includes predefined SOI device and NVRAM device regions. A SOI FET is formed in the SOI device region. The SOI FET includes portions of the BOX layer and SOI layers, an SOI FET gate dielectric layer, and a gate conductor layer. The structure further includes a NVRAM device formed in the NVRAM device region. The NVRAM device includes a tunnel oxide, floating gate, blocking oxide, and control gate layers. The tunnel oxide layer is coplanar with the portion of the BOX layer in the SOI device region. The floating gate layer is coplanar with the portion of the semiconductor layer in the SOI device region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony I. Chou, Arvind Kumar
  • Patent number: 8964753
    Abstract: A network packet includes a packet key that includes one or more source-destination field pairs. Each source-destination field pair that is included in the one or more source-destination field pairs includes a source field and a destination field. For each selected source-destination field pair, included in the one or more source-destination field pairs, a first section and a second section are selected in the packet key. A source field value is extracted from the source field and a destination field value is extracted from the destination field of the selected source-destination field pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Claude Basso, Jean L. Calvignac, Natarajan Vaidhyanathan, Fabrice Verplanken
  • Patent number: 8965181
    Abstract: A method of automatic announcer voice removal from a televised sporting event. A sound processing circuit divides an audio input signal of a televised sporting event into multiple audio segments. The audio input signal includes crowd noise and announcer commentary. If an audio segment does not exceed a pre-defined amplitude threshold, a voice removal utility adds the audio segment to a recent crowd noise library and stores the segment in an output buffer. If the amplitude of a segment exceeds the threshold, the utility adds the segment to a recent announcer voice library. The sound processing circuit generates an attenuated version of the segment and blends the attenuated version with one or more mixed segments from the recent crowd noise library. The voice removal utility stores the attenuated and blended segment in the output buffer and outputs one or more audio segments from the buffer in a chronological order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan J. Harrington