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: 8972941
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an integrated development environment (IDE)-based approach for testing development projects (e.g., comprising one or more intended workloads). In a typical embodiment, a designation of a project (e.g. having a set of workloads) for testing on a network resource group is received via a user interface associated with an IDE. A current server instance in the network resource group having a highest availability for testing the project may then be identified (e.g., based on an analysis of various computing/cost characteristics). The project may then be deployed to the current server instance, and a network address corresponding to the current server instance may be associated with the project in a computer storage device. The project may then be tested by processing the set of intended workloads using the current server instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan G. DeJana, Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Soobaek Jang
  • Patent number: 8972961
    Abstract: A processor instruction scheduler comprising an optimization engine which uses an optimization model for a processor architecture with: means to generate an optimization model for the optimization engine from a design of a processor and data representing optimization goals and constraints and a code stream, wherein the processor has at least two execution pipes and at least two registers, and wherein the design comprises data for processor instruction latency and execution pipes, and wherein the code stream comprises processor instructions with corresponding register selections; and reordering means to generate an optimized code stream from the code stream with the optimal solution provided by the optimization engine for the optimization model by reordering the code stream, such that optimum values for the optimization goals under the given constraints are achieved without affecting the operation results of the code stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Juergen Koehl, Jens Leenstra, Philipp Panitz, Hans Schlenker
  • 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: 8972936
    Abstract: Version labeling of an artifact in a version control system. An embodiment can include accepting at least one change set into a configuration for the artifact. Based on the change set, a new version of the artifact can be selected by the configuration. Via a processor, an identifier can be generated for the newly selected version of the artifact. The identifier can include at least a branch name for a branch in which the newly selected version of the artifact is contained and a sequence number for the newly selected version of the artifact. The newly selected version of the artifact can be labeled with the generated identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey M. Clemm, Koinuma Masabumi
  • 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: 8972957
    Abstract: Thermal-aware source code compilation including: receiving, by a compiler, an identification of a target computing system, the identification of the target computing system specifying temperature sensors that measure temperature of a memory module; compiling the source code into an executable application including inserting in the executable application computer program instructions for thermal-aware execution, the computer program instructions, when executed on the target computing system, carry out the steps of: retrieving temperature measurements of one or more of the target computing system's temperature sensors; determining, in real-time in dependence upon the temperature measurements, whether a memory module is overheated; if a memory module is overheated, entering a thermal-aware execution state including, for each memory allocation in the executable application, allocating memory on a different memory module than the overheated memory module; and upon the temperature sensors indicating the memory modu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cary L. Bates, Nicholas P. Johnson, Justin K. King
  • 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: 8969965
    Abstract: FinFET devices and methods for the fabrication thereof are provided. In one aspect, a method for fabricating a FET device includes the following steps. A wafer is provided having an active layer on an insulator. A plurality of fin hardmasks are patterned on the active layer. A dummy gate is placed over a central portion of the fin hardmasks. One or more doping agents are implanted into source and drain regions of the device. A dielectric filler layer is deposited around the dummy gate. The dummy gate is removed to form a trench in the dielectric filler layer. The fin hardmasks are used to etch a plurality of fins in the active layer within the trench. The doping agents are activated. A replacement gate is formed in the trench, wherein the step of activating the doping agents is performed before the step of forming the replacement gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Josephine B. Chang, Michael A. Guillorn, Wilfried Ernst-August Haensch
  • Patent number: 8969197
    Abstract: A structure with improved electromigration resistance and methods for making the same. A structure having improved electromigration resistance includes a bulk interconnect having a dual layer cap and a dielectric capping layer. The dual layer cap includes a bottom metallic portion and a top metal oxide portion. Preferably the metal oxide portion is MnO or MnSiO and the metallic portion is Mn or CuMn. The structure is created by doping the interconnect with an impurity (Mn in the preferred embodiment), and then creating lattice defects at a top portion of the interconnect. The defects drive increased impurity migration to the top surface of the interconnect. When the dielectric capping layer is formed, a portion reacts with the segregated impurities, thus forming the dual layer cap on the interconnect. Lattice defects at the Cu surface can be created by plasma treatment, ion implantation, a compressive film, or other means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel C. Edelstein, Takeshi Nogami, Christopher Parks, Tsong-Lin Tai
  • Patent number: 8971862
    Abstract: A location based service configured to route local advertising for streamed media and media blocking based on a location of the recipient. The method include detecting a location of a mobile user and routing streaming media of a local affiliate to a mobile device of the mobile user based on the detected location of the mobile user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Dingler, Stephen E. Jaffe, Christopher E. Holladay, Sri Ramanathan, Matthew A. Terry, Matthew B. Trevathan
  • 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: 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: 8972959
    Abstract: A method of converting a program code of a program running in multi-thread to a program code which causes fewer lock collisions. The method includes reading the program code into a memory and searching the program code for a first conditional statement making a branch to a path, which is in a synchronized block and has no side effect on the synchronized block; duplicating the path having no side effect to which the branch is made by the searched first conditional statement into the outside of the synchronized block; and adding a second conditional statement into the program code in response to the duplication, wherein the second conditional statement is a conditional statement making a branch to the duplicated path having no side effect. Also provided is a system and an article of manufacture which causes a computer to carry out the steps of the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuaki Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 8969969
    Abstract: Transistors exhibiting different electrical characteristics such as different switching threshold voltage or different leakage characteristics are formed on the same chip or wafer by selectively removing a film or layer which can serve as an out-diffusion sink for an impurity region such as a halo implant and out-diffusing an impurity such as boron into the out-diffusion sink, leaving the impurity region substantially intact where the out-diffusion sink has been removed. In forming CMOS integrated circuits, such a process allows substantially optimal design for both low-leakage and low threshold transistors and allows a mask and additional associated processes to be eliminated, particularly where a tensile film is employed to increase electron mobility since the tensile film can be removed from selected NMOS transistors concurrently with removal of the tensile film from PMOS transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Victor W. C. Chan, Narasimhulu Kanike, Huiling Shang, Varadarajan Vidya, Jun Yuan, Roger Allen Booth, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8972940
    Abstract: Described are a system and method for identifying variables which impact performance of software under development. Data is collected that is related to performance characteristics of the software under development. Performance change gradients are determined between previous builds of the software under development. A set of performance change factors are generated from the collected data that corresponds to each performance change gradient. Performance characteristic data corresponding to a current build of the software under development are compared to the performance change gradients. At least one fault component from the set of performance change factors that influences performance of the current build is output in response to the comparison between the performance characteristic data corresponding to the current build and the plurality of performance change gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Kannan, Anbazhagan Mani, Rajan Ravindran, Karthik Subbian
  • Patent number: 8972691
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for cross-allocated block repair in a mounted file system. A set of cross-allocated blocks are identified from a plurality of blocks within an inode of the mounted file system, based on a corresponding bit associated with each cross-allocated block in a duplicated block information bitmap being in a first identified state. The set of cross-allocated blocks are repaired using a user-defined repair process. Then one or more of the set of cross-allocated blocks are deallocated based on results of the user-defined repair process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kalyan C. Gunda, Srikanth Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8972403
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to organizing data records in a relational database. An aspect of the invention includes creating index items for a plurality of data records. Each index item includes a counter and the creating results in a plurality of counters. The numerical values of counters in corresponding index items are updated for data records in the plurality of data records that are subjected to random access. The plurality of data records are reorganized based upon the numerical values of the plurality of counters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: You-Chin Fuh, Ke Wei Wei, Xin Ying Yang, Jian Wei Zhang, Jing Zhou, Xiang Zhou
  • Patent number: 8969933
    Abstract: In a replacement gate scheme, a continuous material layer is deposited on a bottom surface and a sidewall surface in a gate cavity. A vertical portion of the continuous material layer is removed to form a gate component of which a vertical portion does not extend to a top of the gate cavity. The gate component can be employed as a gate dielectric or a work function metal portion to form a gate structure that enhances performance of a replacement gate field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhengwen Li, Dechao Guo, Randolph F. Knarr, Chengwen Pei, Gan Wang, Yanfeng Wang, Keith Kwong Hon Wong, Jian Yu, Jun Yuan
  • 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: 8969213
    Abstract: A metal layer is deposited over an underlying material layer. The metal layer includes an elemental metal that can be converted into a dielectric metal-containing compound by plasma oxidation and/or nitridation. A hard mask portion is formed over the metal layer. Plasma oxidation or nitridation is performed to convert physically exposed surfaces of the metal layer into the dielectric metal-containing compound. The sequence of a surface pull back of the hard mask portion, trench etching, another surface pull back, and conversion of top surfaces into the dielectric metal-containing compound are repeated to form a line pattern having a spacing that is not limited by lithographic minimum dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chiahsun Tseng, David V. Horak, Chun-chen Yeh, Yunpeng Yin
  • Patent number: 8971670
    Abstract: A system includes preparing respective proof reading tools for performing carpet proof reading and side-by-side proof reading of text data, recording a log of time to perform proof reading operations by using the first and second proof reading tools. The method further includes estimating, based on times stored in a log, times to perform proof reading of a character using 1) the first proof reading tool followed by using the second proof reading tool, and 2) the second proof reading tool. The method further includes determining for each character value, based on the estimated times, to use the first proof reading tool along with using the second proof reading tool and determining, or to use the second proof reading tool without using the first proof reading tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Itoh, Toshinari Itoki, Takayuki Osogami
  • 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: 8973018
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for relaying events from a storage controller to a host server. Responsive to identifying an event occurring within a storage device, a notification is sent to a device server in the host server with which the event is associated. A server virtual disk is identified using a unique identification of the server virtual disk. Responsive to identifying the server virtual disk, at least one device executing an application on the host server is notified of an impending degradation in a mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Umesh P. Gaikwad, Divyank Shukla
  • Patent number: 8972789
    Abstract: A diagnostic system provides identification of symptoms in a distributed network and an engine for providing recommended rectification of error sources that correspond to the symptoms. The distributed network may be accessed for current statistics. Symptoms may be identified that correspond to the current statistics. A recommended course of action for the distributed network may be provided based on a predetermined list of courses of actions that correspond to rectifying the performance in the error sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Keshav Kamble, Nandakumar Peethambaram, Abhijit Prabhakar Kumbhare, Vijoy A. Pandey
  • Patent number: 8972926
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments herein provide a computer implemented method for verifying code within an integrated development environment. A first data processing system identifies a code dependency within a first artifact located thereon. The code dependency depends on the second artifact located at the separate node of peer-to-peer network. Responsive to identifying the dependency within the first artifact, the first data processing system identifies a second data processing system within a peer-to-peer network that contains the second artifact. The first data processing system requests permission from the second data processing system to access the second artifact. Responsive to receiving permission to access the second artifact, the first data processing system accesses the second artifact on the second data processing system. The first data processing system then verifies a compatibility of the second artifact with the code dependency within the first artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Leho Nigul
  • Patent number: 8972406
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system generating epigenetic cohorts for a specific time period through clustering of epigenetic surprisal data at a specific time comprising. receiving a phenotypic and/or demographic parameter and a cluster characteristics input from a user; searching the epigenetic surprisal data at a specific time for the parameter and storing matches in a repository; generating a cluster comprising a centroid for each parameter by populating the cluster based on the matches of the parameter with the epigenetic surprisal data at a specific time period; determining at least two epigenetic cohorts for a specific time period from the cluster for each parameter and based on the input from the user; and if the cohorts do not match the input of the user, reporting the cohorts determined to the user and returning to the step of receiving a parameter and characteristic input from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert R. Friedlander, James R. Kraemer
  • Patent number: 8973007
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method and technique for adaptive lock list searching of waiting threads includes determining an average service time for a lock associated with a shared computing resource; determining an average search time for selecting a thread to next receive the lock from a plurality of threads waiting for the lock; summing the average service time and the average search time; applying a search factor to the summed average service time and average search time to obtain a target search time for searching the waiting threads for selecting the next thread for obtaining the lock; determining a quantity of waiting threads to consider for next obtaining the lock based on the target search time and the average search time, the quantity being less than a total quantity of waiting threads; and identifying the next thread to obtain the lock from the quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mathew Accapadi, Grover C. Davidson, II, Dirk Michel, Bret R. Olszewski
  • Patent number: 8973134
    Abstract: A computer identifies computer software applications installed on a computer. The computer sends an electronic request to a program on a server computer that extracts information about the computer software applications identified having a vulnerability. The computer receives the information that is extracted. The computer generates an icon decoration for the vulnerability, wherein the icon decoration readily displays the level of risk associated to the vulnerability and information about a security update for the vulnerability. The computer adds the icon decoration onto each icon of the one of the computer software applications identified and each icon of electronic documents associated to the one of the computer software applications identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: James E. Thario
  • Patent number: 8972346
    Abstract: Operating a parallel database server system, where the database server system comprises at least two database servers and one data source. A client identifier is received from a client requesting services from one of said database servers. Information associated with said client is retrieved. The client is allocated to one of said database servers based on the retrieved information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James W Pickel, Wolfgang Reichert, Johannes Schuetzner
  • Patent number: 8971192
    Abstract: Mobile network services are performed in a mobile data network in a way that is transparent to most of the existing equipment in the mobile data network. The mobile data network includes a radio access network and a core network. A first service mechanism in the radio access network breaks out data coming from a basestation, and performs one or more mobile network services at the edge of the mobile data network based on the broken out data. These services may include caching of data, data or video compression techniques, push-based services, charging, application serving, analytics, security, data filtering, and new revenue-producing services, as well as others. This architecture allows performing new mobile network services at the edge of a mobile data network within the infrastructure of an existing mobile data network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce O. Anthony, Jr., Ronald L. Billau, Canio Cillis, Vincenzo V. Di Luoffo, Philip E. Grady, Ravinder K. Sabhikhi, Raj K. Singh, George W. Van Leeuwen
  • Patent number: 8972983
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a shared group of resource and efficient processing of one or more jobs in the share group of resources. Tools are provided in the shared group of resource to assess and organize a topology of the shared resources, including physical and virtual machines, as well as storage devices. The topology is stored in a known location and utilized for efficient assignment of one or more jobs responsive to the hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Min Li, Prasenjit Sarkar, Dinesh K. Subhraveti
  • Patent number: 8972606
    Abstract: A protocol for communicating with the timing facility used in a data processing network to provide synchronization is provided via the execution of a machine instruction that accepts a plurality of commands. The interaction is provided through the use of message request blocks and their associated message response blocks. In this way timing parameters may be determined, modified and communicated. This makes it much easier for multiple servers or nodes in a data processing network to exist as a coordinated timing network and to thus more cooperatively operate on the larger yet identical data files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott M. Carlson, Donald Crabtree, Dennis J. Dahlen, Beth A. Glendening, Michel H. T. Hack, Denise M. Sevigny, Ronald M. Smith, Sr., David E. Whitney
  • Patent number: 8972870
    Abstract: An invention for automatically reducing a load on a server functioning with a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is an alternative representation tool, including a detection component configured to detect a load on a server, and a determination component configured to determine whether the load on the server exceeds a predefined threshold. The alternative representation tool further comprises a rendering component configured to provide an alternative representation of a virtual content renderable in the virtual universe to reduce the load on the server in the case that the load on the server exceeds the predefined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rick A. Hamilton, II, Brian M. O'Connell, Clifford A. Pickover, Keith R. Walker
  • 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: 8972873
    Abstract: Widget creation, editing, augmentation, tracking and deployment is provided. Embodiments may include a Widget Assembly Application (“WAA”). The WAA may employ generalized widget templates selected by a user for customizing or assembling widgets. A generator may render previously assembled widgets when requested. The generator may use a skeleton specific to the target server type and widget, and code supporting the generator and the WAA may employ recursive eye-catcher syntax. Widgets may be deployed from any discovered instance to additional remote widget containers of the same or different type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Kenyon Gerken, III, Jimmy Ming-Der Hsu
  • Patent number: 8972661
    Abstract: The population of data to be inserted into secondary data storage cache is controlled by determining a heat metric of candidate data; adjusting a heat metric threshold; rejecting candidate data provided to the secondary data storage cache whose heat metric is less than the threshold; and admitting candidate data whose heat metric is equal to or greater than the heat metric threshold. The adjustment of the heat metric threshold is determined by comparing a reference metric related to hits of data most recently inserted into the secondary data storage cache, to a reference metric related to hits of data most recently evicted from the secondary data storage cache; if the most recently inserted reference metric is greater than the most recently evicted reference metric, decrementing the threshold; and if the most recently inserted reference metric is less than the most recently evicted reference metric, incrementing the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael T. Benhase, Stephen L. Blinick, Evangelos S. Eleftheriou, Lokesh M. Gupta, Robert Haas, Xiao-Yu Hu, Ioannis Koltsidas, Roman A. Pletka
  • Patent number: 8972447
    Abstract: A system that persistently maintains and exposes one or more previous object hierarchies to which an object belonged across one or more hierarchy destroying operations, such as operations that delete parent objects, add parent objects subsequent to addition of their descendent objects, forward objects to or from the hierarchy, and/or modify hierarchy determining rules. A user interface object allows user access to one or more persistent hierarchies for the corresponding object. A hierarchy list or the like allows a user to select a desired one of the persistent hierarchies. A persistent hierarchy can be accessed in the disclosed system through a display object associated with any object within the hierarchy, including the root, leaves, and any intervening objects. When objects are deleted, “ghost” objects are maintained and displayed to the user in the hierarchical positions of the deleted objects when a persistent hierarchy is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John D. Curtis, Margo L. Ezekiel, Jonathan D. Champlin, Michael R. O'Brien, Thomas M. Bentley
  • Patent number: 8972745
    Abstract: A computer system includes a first storage area accessible by an operating system and a second storage area accessible by authorized functions only. According to some embodiments of the invention at least one protected storage area is implemented into the second storage area, wherein the operating system installs at least one secret key and/or at least one customized processing function into regions of the at least one protected storage area, wherein the operating system transfers data and/or parameters to process into regions of the at least one protected storage area, wherein the operating system selects one of the customized processing functions to execute, wherein the selected customized processing function is executed and accesses storage regions of the at least one protected storage area to process the data and/or parameters, and wherein resulting process data is read from the at least one protected storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Jordan, Angel Nunez Mencias, Joerg Schmidbauer, Klaus Werner
  • Patent number: 8969938
    Abstract: An ETSOI transistor and a capacitor are formed respectively in a transistor and capacitor region thereof by etching through an ETSOI and thin BOX layers in a replacement gate HK/MG flow. The capacitor formation is compatible with an ETSOI replacement gate CMOS flow. A low resistance capacitor electrode makes it possible to obtain a high quality capacitor or varactor. The lack of topography during dummy gate patterning are achieved by lithography in combination of which is accompanied with appropriate etch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangguo Cheng, Bruce B. Doris, Ali Khakifirooz, Ghavam Shahidi
  • Patent number: 8972670
    Abstract: Management of storage used by pageable guests of a computing environment is facilitated. A query instruction is provided that details information regarding the storage location indicated in the query. It specifies whether the storage location, if protected, is protected by host-level protection or guest-level protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark S. Farrell, Lisa Cranton Heller, Damian L. Osisek, Peter K. Szwed
  • Patent number: 8972680
    Abstract: An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented process for managing a staging area creates the staging area for identified candidate cold objects, moves the identified candidate objects into the staging area, tracks application access to memory comprising the staging area and determines whether frequency of use information for a specific object exceeds a predetermined threshold. Responsive to a determination that the frequency of use information for the specific object exceeds a predetermined threshold, move the specific object into a regular area and determine whether a current time exceeds a predetermined threshold. Responsive to a determination that the current time exceeds a predetermined threshold, the computer-implemented process moves remaining objects from the staging area to a cold area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Wiebe Burka, Jeffrey Michael Disher, Elijah El-Haddad, Aleksander Micic, Ryan Andrew Sciampacone
  • Patent number: 8972484
    Abstract: A method of generating analytics to provide an analysis of data from distinct data domains includes collecting sensor data from at least two distinct data domains, deriving parameters from the collected data, wherein at least one of the parameters is a first domain parameter derived from one of the data domains and at least another one of the parameters is a second domain parameter derived from the other data domain, providing a data model that enables a user to specify at least one of the first parameters and at least one of the second domain parameters and generate at least one rule based on the selected parameters, and generating analytics that analyze the collected data against the rules to determinate whether the rules have been satisfied and provide results of the analysis to a user of the analytics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Milind Naphade, Sambit Sahu, Jing Dai
  • 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: 8972334
    Abstract: A method includes monitoring, on a computing device, data events corresponding to manipulation of data by an application. The monitoring is performed by a data library service that is embedded in the application. The method includes, in response to the monitoring indicating first data on the computing device is modified by the application, synchronizing, by the computing device under control at least in part of the data library service, second data stored on one or more storage providers in a network with the first data modified by the application and stored on the computing device. Apparatus and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul C. Castro, Marco Pistoia, John Ponzo
  • 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: 8969931
    Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The device includes: a doped semiconductor having a source region, a drain region, a channel between the source and drain regions, and an extension region between the channel and each of the source and drain regions; a gate formed on the channel; and a screening coating on each of the extension regions. The screening coating includes: (i) an insulating layer that has a dielectric constant that is no greater than about half that of the extension regions and is formed directly on the extension regions, and (ii) a screening layer on the insulating layer, where the screening layer screens the dopant ionization potential in the extension regions to inhibit dopant deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mikael T. Bjoerk, Joachim Knoch, Heike E. Riel, Walter Heinrich Riess, Heinz Schmid
  • Patent number: 8972387
    Abstract: Provided are techniques to search for an entity in an entity resolution system. Search input comprising one or more attribute values of one or more attribute types is received. A resolution search is performed to generate a search result set comprising one or more entities and zero or more generic attribute values for generating additional entities. In response to determining that the resolution search generated at least two generic attribute values, one or more query searches are performed for a unique generic group by generic attribute type to identify the additional entities, wherein the unique generic group comprises a subset of the search input and includes at least two generic attribute types; the identified additional entities are combined with the entities in the search result set; and the search result set is returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas B. Allen, Donald A. Bowsher, Jr., Anthony D. Curcio, Michael H. D'Amico, Brian E. Macy
  • 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: 8972542
    Abstract: Techniques are described for providing a backup DHCP server using a DHCP relay agent. Embodiments retrieve DHCP server configuration information specifying a configuration of one or more DHCP servers. Additionally, embodiments monitor, at a DHCP relay agent, DHCP lease traffic between the one or more DHCP servers and one or more DHCP clients passing through the DHCP relay agent. Upon determining that the one or more DHCP servers have failed, DHCP server services are provided at the DHCP relay agent, based on the received DHCP server configuration information and the monitored DHCP lease traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Christenson, James Venuto