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: 8176126
    Abstract: A system, method and program product for managing e-mails from a source suspected of sending spam. The e-mails are received at a firewall or router en route to a mail server. A determination is made whether a source has sent an e-mail which exhibits characteristics of spam. In response, subsequent e-mails from the source destined for the mail server are rate-limiting at the firewall or router such that the firewall or router limits a rate at which the subsequent e-mails are forwarded from the firewall or router to the mail server. The rate is predetermined and less than a maximum rate at which the firewall or router can physically forward e-mails to the mail server absent the rate limit. A determination is made whether another source has sent another e-mail which exhibits more characteristics of spam than the first said e-mail. In response, subsequent e-mails from this other source are blocked at the firewall or router.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Fred Davis, Kevin David Himberger, Clark Debs Jeffries, Garreth Joseph Jeremiah
  • Patent number: 8175911
    Abstract: A system and method for inferring and visualizing correlations of different business aspects for business transformation are provided. Business models, for instance, that may include business component model, business process model, value drivers and metrics model, application model, organization model, and solutions model are organized into a model topology data schema, and qualitative relationships and quantitative relationships may be configured among the entities or components of the business models. Correlations are inferred and visualized based on those relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rong Zeng Cao, Wei Ding, Shun Jiang, Juhnyoung Lee, Chun Hua Tian
  • Patent number: 8174106
    Abstract: A package design is provided where a chip module is connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) via a land grid array (LGA) on the top surface of the PCB, and where a power supply is connected to the PCB via a second LGA on the bottom surface of the PCB. The stack of the chip module, power supply, and LGA is held in place and compressed with actuation hardware forming an adjustable frame. The package allows field replacibility of either the module, or the PS, and provides the shortest possible wiring distance from the PS to the module leading to higher performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul W. Coteus, Shawn A. Hall, Gareth G. Hougham, Alphonso P. Lanzetta, Rick A. Rand
  • Patent number: 8175756
    Abstract: A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code having programming instructions tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The programming instructions are operable to detect an occurrence of at least one of a geoboundary event, a radio frequency identification (RFID) event; and a local area network (LAN) event. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to adjust one or more power consumption settings of an environment based on the occurrence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Subrahmanyam S. Musti, Sri Ramanathan, Matthew A. Terry, Matthew B. Trevathan
  • Patent number: 8176560
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for evaluating a software system includes defining a rating of the tamper resistance of a software system and breaking down the rating into a plurality of metrics relevant to the tamper resistance of the software system. A score may then be calculated for each metric and the scores may be combined into a composite score for the rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hongxia Jin, Ginger Marie Myles
  • Patent number: 8176462
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus generating test patterns for use in at-speed testing. One embodiment of a method for use by a general purpose computing device that is configured to generate a set of test patterns with which to test an integrated circuit chip includes receiving, by an input device of the general purpose computing device, statistical timing information relating to the integrated circuit chip and a logic circuit of the integrated circuit chip and generating, by a processor of the general purpose computing device, the set of test patterns in accordance with the statistical timing information while simultaneously selecting a set of paths on which to test the set of test patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chandramouli Visweswariah, Jinjun Xiong, Vladimir Zolotov
  • Patent number: 8176540
    Abstract: A security method and system. The method includes retrieving configuration data associated with a non interactive entity (NIE) software application. The configuration data comprises refresh counts, refresh periods, and session IDs. A master refresh period is calculated from the refresh periods. Credentials data associated with a requestor are retrieved. The credentials data are transmitted to a resource server. A session key generated by the resource server is received by the NIE software application. The NIE software application calculates a stale time associated with the session key. The NIE software application generates a first updated refresh count. The NIE software application stores the session key, the first updated refresh count, the first refresh period, and the first specified stale time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Brantley Sheehan
  • Patent number: 8173531
    Abstract: A method of forming threshold voltage controlled semiconductor structures is provided in which a conformal nitride-containing liner is formed on at least exposed sidewalls of a patterned gate dielectric material having a dielectric constant of greater than silicon oxide. The conformal nitride-containing liner is a thin layer that is formed using a low temperature (less than 500° C.) nitridation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sunfei Fang, Brian J. Greene, Effendi Leobandung, Qingqing Liang, Edward P. Maciejewski, Yanfeng Wang
  • Patent number: 8176161
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system for routing computer network traffic include associating, on a routing device, a unique identifier with at least one application server running an application. Network traffic that includes the unique identifier and an intended network address may be received. In response to receiving the network traffic at least one of the application servers associated with the unique identifier may be identified. The network traffic may be forwarded to at least one of the application servers associated with the unique identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Dana LaVoie, Gordon Hegfield, Russell Holden, Chester E. Ryder, III
  • Patent number: 8176279
    Abstract: Management of storage used by pageable guests of a computing environment is facilitated. An enhanced suppression-on-protection facility is provided that enables the determination of which level of protection (host or guest) caused a fault condition, in response to an attempted storage access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark S. Farrell, Charles W. Gainey, Jr., Dan F. Greiner, Lisa Cranton Heller, Damian L. Osisek
  • Patent number: 8176413
    Abstract: A data processing method comprises receiving an electronically parseable document, scanning the document according to at least one predefined rule to determine if the document is suspicious, and, if the document is determined not to be suspicious, parsing the document with a first parser, and, if the document is determined to be suspicious, parsing the document with a second parser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn A. Marcy, Jan Van Lunteren, Marcel Waldvogel
  • Patent number: 8176254
    Abstract: A system and method for specifying an access hint for prefetching limited use data. A processing unit receives a data cache block touch (DCBT) instruction having an access hint indicating to the processing unit that a program executing on the data processing system may soon access a cache block addressed within the DCBT instruction. The access hint is contained in a code point stored in a subfield of the DCBT instruction. In response to detecting that the code point is set to a specific value, the data addressed in the DCBT instruction is prefetched into an entry in the lower level cache. The entry may then be updated as a least recently used entry of a plurality of entries in the lower level cache. In response to a new cache block being fetched to the cache, the prefetched cache block is cast out of the cache.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bradly G. Frey, Guy L. Guthrie, Cathy May, Balaram Sinharoy, Peter K. Szwed
  • Patent number: 8176323
    Abstract: Disclosed is a self-contained hardware-based authentication system that incorporates different authentication protocols for access to soft and/or hard assets with different security levels. The system embodiments include the use of a RFID device that comprises dual RFID tags operating under different frequencies. Specifically, one RFID tag operates on a public frequency and, when activated, transmits an identifier encrypted using a public key. The other RFID tag operates on a private frequency and, when activated, transmits a private key that can be used to decrypt the encrypted identifier. Upon receipt by a processor (e.g., a local processor or security server) of a request for access to a specific asset, a security level for the specific asset is determined. Then, depending upon the particular security level (e.g., low, medium or high) different authentication protocols are instituted using the RFID device. Also disclosed are embodiments of an associated authentication methodology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Theodoros Anemikos, Shawn P. Fetterolf, Adam J. McPadden
  • Patent number: 8174826
    Abstract: A computing system is provided. In the computing system, a plurality of modules physically arranged in a three dimensional hexadron configuration. In the computing system, the at least one module is either a liquid-tight module filled with a non-conductive liquid coolant or a module cooled with a liquid coolant circulating through cold plates mounted on electronic components. In the computing system, the liquid coolant is circulated in a closed loop by at least one pump through a plurality of hoses through at least one of a plurality of heat exchangers. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers is coupled to an exterior portion of the surface of the computing system. In the computing system, the plurality of heat exchangers cool the liquid coolant through finned tubes exposed to the surrounding air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wael R. El-Essawy, Thomas W. Keller, Jr., Jarrod A. Roy, Juan C. Rubio
  • Patent number: 8176166
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to URI management for bookmarks and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for autonomic management of URIs in a URI bookmark list. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for autonomically managing bookmarks in a bookmark list can be provided. The method can include parsing a list of bookmarks to test validity for network addresses within the bookmarks, and, for each of the bookmarks containing an invalid network address, inferring a correct network address. For example, inferring a correct network address can include comparing a chunk of an image of expected content for the bookmark with pre-stored chunks of content and retrieving a network address for a closely matching one of the pre-stored chunks of content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Hind, David P. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8176100
    Abstract: A system of the present invention includes a storage device for distinguishably storing old objects that are objects having existed for not less than a predetermined period since being generated and new objects that are objects having existed for less than the predetermined period since being generated. Then, a new object that has existed for less than the predetermined period since being generated is selected from the storage device, and an old object having the same content as the selected new object is searched for. If such an old object is not found, the selected new object is newly stored as an old object in the storage device. If the old object is found, a reference to the selected new object is integrated with a reference to the found old object. If the old object is stored, the reference to the selected new object is changed to a reference to the stored old object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporaton
    Inventors: Tamiya Onodera, Kiyokuni Kawachiya, Kazunori Ogata
  • Patent number: 8172471
    Abstract: A ribbon cartridge for a printer. The ribbon cartridge including a simple mechanism that prevents an ink ribbon from being twisted or excessively drawn out in mounting thereof. Provided is a ribbon cartridge for printing, which includes: an ink ribbon; a cartridge main body which stores the ink ribbon so as to expose a part of the ink ribbon; a ribbon guide which is engaged with the exposed part of the ink ribbon so as to guide the exposed part; and a guide tape which forms a loop so as to support the ribbon guide while having one end in its longitudinal direction fixed to a first position on the ribbon guide and having the other end fixed to a second position on the ribbon guide and which is disposed so that a surface of the guide tape can face a surface of the exposed part of the ink ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshito Honda
  • Patent number: 8176104
    Abstract: Provided are techniques for space recovery with storage management coupled with a deduplicating storage system. A notification is received that one or more data objects have been logically deleted by deleting metadata about the one or more data objects, wherein the notification provides storage locations within one or more logical storage volumes corresponding to the deleted one or more data objects, wherein each of the one or more data objects are divided into one or more extents. In response to determining that a sparse file represents the one or more logical storage volumes, physical space is deallocated by nulling out space in the sparse file corresponding to each of the one or more extents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Cannon, Mark A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8174989
    Abstract: Arrangements and methods for developing a software toolkit that can be used to design or obtain parameters for a sensor network. High-level guidelines on the basic relations between sensor network parameters like number of sensors, degree of quantization at each sensor, and the distortion requirements, based on a deep analysis on two basic coding possibilities (multiplexed point-to-point, distributed) are contemplated. By evaluating tradeoffs among the various parameters, an optimization framework to obtain the most cost-effective design with required quantization capabilities pertaining to given distortion criterion is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Akshay Kashyap, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Zhen Liu, Honghui Xia
  • Patent number: 8176081
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to deploying XForms in an enterprise environment and provide a method, system and computer program product for forms integration of an external data model not implemented through a DOM accessible API. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for forms integration of an external data model not implemented through a DOM accessible API can include generating a data graph for an external data model for a forms based application and transforming the data graph into a DOM representation of the data graph. Value changes for fields of a form in the forms based application can be applied to nodes of the DOM representation and mutations in the nodes of the DOM representation can be synchronized to corresponding nodes in the data graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael I. Ahern, Derek W. Carr, Carol A. Jones, Ajamu A. Wesley, Cesar A. Wong
  • Patent number: 8173071
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for determining the osmolarity of a fluid. The apparatus includes at least one micro-fluidic circuit and at least one electrical circuit disposed in communication with the at least one micro-fluidic circuit for determining a property of a fluid contained within the at least one micro-fluidic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Govindarajan Natarajan, Emmanuel Delamarche, Eric A Eckberg, James N Humenik, Kathleen A McGroddy-Goetz, Scott Partington, Christopher F Perrera, Marco G Trivella, Timothy M Wiwel
  • Patent number: 8176287
    Abstract: LAN-managed storage volumes are managed by a LAN storage manager installed on a storage management server. In processing a LAN-free storage volume request, the LAN tape manager selects a LAN-managed storage volume responsive to the LAN-free storage volume allocation request wherein the LAN-managed storage volume is initialized as a candidate for a LAN-free storage operation. The LAN-managed storage volume may be initialized by the LAN storage manager as a candidate for a LAN-free storage operation prior to the LAN storage manager receiving the LAN-free storage volume allocation request or in response to the LAN storage manager receiving the LAN-free storage volume allocation request. Additionally, prior to being initialized as a candidate for a LAN-free storage operation, the LAN-managed storage volume may be a pre-existing storage volume or a scratch storage volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Cannon, Colin S. Dawson, Barry Fruchtman, Robert G. Labrie, Carol J. Nylund
  • Patent number: 8176405
    Abstract: A method for validating data in a data storage system comprising associating a first data chunk with first check data and storing the first data chunk and the first check data on a first storage device. Additional associated data chunks of the first data and associated additional check data are stored on at least one of the first storage device or one or more additional storage devices. At least a portion of the first check data and at least a portion of the additional check data are stored to a second storage device, which is distinct from the first storage device and the additional storage devices. I/O access to the second storage device is minimized by retaining at least a portion of the first check data and at least a portion of the additional check data in a readily accessible storage medium, during servicing of a first I/O request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Lee Hafner, Wendy Ann Belluomini, Douglas William Dewey, Brian D. McKean, Donald R. Humlicek, Kevin L. Kidney, Theresa L. Segura
  • Patent number: 8176314
    Abstract: Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, a data processing system, and a computer program product for system startup with applications using configurable options. In one illustrative embodiment, the computer implemented method comprises obtaining a set of application entries and determining whether a set of property entries exist for the set of application entries. Having identified entries of the set of application entries to form a set of identified applications and responsive to determining the set of property entries exist, applying respective entries of the set of property entries to the set of identified applications, and conditionally starting the set of identified applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Edward Bostick, Randolph Michael Forlenza, John Paul Kaemmerer, Raghuraman Kalyanaraman
  • Patent number: 8176489
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for performing a return/rollback process for RCU-protected data structures is provided that includes checking a user-level state of a preempted thread having a RCU read-side critical section, and executing the critical section of the thread after preemption when the user-level state of the thread indicates execution, otherwise returning to a point of preemption, resuming execution of the thread and disabling checking the user-level state when the user-level state of the thread indicates return.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert T. Bauer, Paul E. McKenney, Paul F. Russell
  • Patent number: 8176235
    Abstract: Enhanced write performance for non-volatile memories including a memory system that includes a receiver for receiving a data rate of a data sequence to be written to a non-volatile flash memory device. The memory system also includes a physical page selector for selecting a physical address of an invalid previously written memory page from a group of physical addresses of invalid previously written memory pages located on the non-volatile memory device, and for determining if the number of free bits in the invalid previously written memory page at the selected physical address is greater than or equal to the data rate. The memory system also includes a transmitter for outputting the selected physical address of the invalid previously written memory page, the outputting in response to the physical page selector determining that the number of free bits is greater than or equal to the data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Ashish Jagmohan, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Mayank Sharma
  • Patent number: 8176362
    Abstract: A multiprocessor system comprising a plurality of processors is disclosed. The plurality of processors includes a first processor including first monitor on-chip and a second processor including a including a second monitor on-chip. The first monitor on-chip is configured to measure load on the second processor and the second monitor on-chip is configured to measure load on the first processor. The first monitor on-chip is configured to cause the second monitor on-chip to perform a self-test on the second processor if the load on the second processor is below a second processor load threshold value and the second monitor on-chip is configured to cause the first monitor on-chip to perform a self-test on the first processor if the load on the first processor is below first processor load threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Monty M Denneau, Vikram Iyengar, Phillip J. Nigh
  • Patent number: 8176097
    Abstract: A contextual data server can provide a contextual data response for a contextual data request. A contextual data response can include at least client-requested data for the contextual data request and contextual differences data. The context-enhanced multi-perspective user interface can present the client-requested data received from the contextual data server in at least two related data viewing areas. Synchronization of the client-requested data presented in the at least two related viewing areas can be maintained using a presentation context, which is a part of the context-enhanced multi-perspective user interface that is not visually rendered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Janet S. Andersen, Scott B. Greer
  • Patent number: 8176433
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a computer program window define an area of a computer program window and compute a hash value for the defined area. The computed hash value is stored and the hash value is recomputed for the defined area after a predetermined time period. The recomputed hash value is compared with the stored. If the stored hash value and the recomputed hash value are different, the method and system overwrite the stored hash value with the recomputed hash value, and generate a notification. Recomputing, comparing, overwriting and generating are performed periodically to monitor the changes in the defined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic J. Bauchot, Gerard Marmigere, Joaquin Picon, Xavier Rey-Robert, Vincent Tassy
  • Patent number: 8176133
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for extracting and maintaining in a virtual address book one or more electronic mail addresses from one or more of the various address fields (e.g., “From,” “To,” “Cc,” “Bcc”) of one or more e-mail messages either transmitted from or received at a predetermined network node (e.g., a client or server). Electronic mail addresses stored in the virtual address book may be made available to “auto-complete” capabilities utilized during the addressing of electronic mail messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carl J. Kraenzel, Paul B. Moody, Daniel M. Gruen, Christof Lucking, Jodi L. Coppinger
  • Patent number: 8176280
    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: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark S. Farrell, Lisa Cranton Heller, Damian L. Osisek, Peter K. Szwed
  • Patent number: 8175581
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for the selective notification of incoming electronic messages. In this regard, a selective message notification method can include selectively generating a notification for a received message based upon pre-determined criteria irrespective of how the received message is handled. The pre-determined criteria can include a manually specified criteria, a rules based criteria, or a profile based criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Niklas Heidloff, Oliver Kieselbach, Gregory R. Klouda, Michael R. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 8176180
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product are provided for matching a storage dependent device to a storage subsystem. Storage requirements are identified for a storage dependent device that is coupled to a network. Additionally, a set of storage subsystems that are coupled to the network are identified. A determination is made as to whether at least one storage subsystem in the set of storage subsystems meets the storage requirements of the storage dependent device. An identified storage subsystem is formed by identifying the at least one storage subsystem that meets the storage requirements of the storage dependent device. Responsive to forming the identified storage subsystem, at least one storage subsystem is coupled to the storage dependent device, wherein the storage dependent device utilizes storage capabilities of the identified storage subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhengwen He, Bernhard Julius Klingenberg, David Gregory Van Hise, William Roy Yonker
  • Patent number: 8172474
    Abstract: A writing instrument is releasably attached to a tether. The writing instrument has a hollow body. A locking cap assembly is configured to be coupled to a tether. The locking cap assembly is further configured to detach from the hollow body of the writing instrument when a force is applied to the tether. The locking cap assembly is inserted into an end of the hollow body of the writing instrument. The locking cap assembly comprises a compressive locking cap. The compressive locking cap comprises a compression fastener, a cap, and a nut. The compression fastener and cap have a hole and one end of the tether passes completely through the compressive locking cap through the hole. The nut is coupled to the end of the tether that passed completely through the compressive locking cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wesley Dale Dickover, Dean Frederick Herring, Philip M. Woodward
  • Patent number: 8176272
    Abstract: A backup method that uses snapshot delta views to create backups of a data collection is provided. The method comprises taking a first snapshot of the data collection, in response to determining that a previous snapshot used to create a backup does not exist; creating a backup of the data collection using the first snapshot, in response to determining that the previous snapshot does not exist; recording that the first snapshot was used as a source for the creation of a backup; and taking a second snapshot of the data collection, in response to determining that the previous snapshot that was used as a source for a backup does exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver Augenstein, Toby Lyn Marek, James Patrick Smith, Thomas Prause
  • Patent number: 8176363
    Abstract: A storage unit adapted for use in a processing system includes a controller including at least two compute nodes, each of the compute nodes including a read/write cache and a persistent cache; and machine executable instructions stored within machine readable media, the instructions including instructions for tracking in-flight data in the persistent cache and composing a list of the in-flight data segments after a failure of the controller. A processing system and a method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Aviad Zlotnick
  • Patent number: 8176222
    Abstract: A computer program product, apparatus, and method for handling early termination of an I/O operation at a channel subsystem in an I/O processing system are provided. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes receiving a request to terminate an I/O operation, and transmitting an abort command to a control unit in communication with the channel subsystem in response to receiving the request to terminate the I/O operation. The method also includes transmitting a purge path command to purge a path associated with the I/O operation, where the purge path command includes an error code identifying the request to terminate the I/O operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark P. Bendyk, Scott M. Carlson, Daniel F. Casper, John R. Flanagan, Catherine C. Huang, Matthew J. Kalos, Ughochukwu C. Njoku, Louis W. Ricci, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Patent number: 8176188
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method for determining a cost for using a standby resource that accounts for the cause for the resource=s usage. A standby resource, such as a processor, is activated in response to a resource requirement. The cause of the resource requirement is automatically determined. The result of that automatic determination is used to determine a charge indicator for using the standby resource. For instance, performance code associated with a failure may be associated with a charge indicator. A user may later be billed according to the determined charge indicator, i.e., according to their actual use of the standby resource and/or their usage status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 8175650
    Abstract: A method of providing a telephony service can include creating a database of subscriber identities and subscriber voice prints and telephony services associated with the subscriber identities and receiving a spoken utterance from a subscriber. A subscriber identity can be determined according to voice print identification of the spoken utterance and a telephony service associated with the subscriber can be activated according to the determined subscriber identity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vicki Colson, Brent Davis, Peeyush Jaiswal, Victor S. Moore
  • Patent number: 8175830
    Abstract: A method and system for estimating a magnitude of extremely rare events upon receiving a complete data sample and a specific exceedance probability are described. A distribution is chosen for a complete data sample. An optimal subsample fitted to the distribution is obtained. The optimal subsample is a largest acceptable subsample. A subsample is considered as an acceptable subsample when a goodness-of-fit test on the subsample is satisfactory (i.e., higher than a predetermined threshold). In addition, if a tail measure of an acceptable subsample lies outside a confidence interval of any smaller acceptable subsample, the acceptable subsample is considered as an unacceptable. Based on the optimal subsample and an inputted exceedance probability, a quantile estimate is computed, e.g., by executing an inverse of a cumulative distribution function of generalized Pareto distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan R. Hosking
  • Patent number: 8174990
    Abstract: A method for measuring performance of system. The method includes the steps of retrieving a metric definition from a declarative metrics specification, obtaining a list of computing nodes from a database that are currently assigned to the metric definition, obtaining resource data provided by the computing nodes in the list of computing nodes and determining the metric of system performance based on the metric definition and the resource data. The computing nodes in the list of computing nodes are nodes of a cluster of nodes having a dynamically varying node count.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Asit Dan, Richard P. King, Heiko Ludwig, Andrea Schmidt, Hendrik Wagner
  • Patent number: 8175332
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring wind direction, speed, and turbidity. The visible sky is monitored by a set of cameras for contrails produced by a high-altitude aircraft. In response to identifying a contrail, the contrail is tracked across the field of view of the camera. Contrail data generated when the contrail is identified and during the tracking of the contrail is stored. The contrail data describes characteristics of the contrail including the spread of the contrail and the movement of the contrail across the field of view of the camera. Coordinates of the high-altitude aircraft are determined and compared with the contrail data to identify wind conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan John Harrington
  • Patent number: 8176446
    Abstract: A method of for compensating for variations in structures of an integrated circuit. The method includes (a) selecting a mask design shape and selecting a region of the mask design shape; (b) applying a model-based optical proximity correction to all of the mask design shape; and after (b), (c) applying a rules-based optical proximity correction to the selected region of the mask design shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Santo Credendino, Michael D. Hulvey, Jothimalar Kuppusamy, Robert Kenneth Leidy, Paul William Pastel, Bruce Walter Porth, Anthony K. Stamper
  • Patent number: 8173331
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for sub-pellicle defect reduction on photomasks. One embodiment of a photomask for use in photolithography includes a substrate on which a pattern is formed, the substrate having a frontside and an opposite backside, and a protective coating formed on at least one of the frontside and the backside, the protective coating comprising silicon-based compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jay S. Burnham, Frances A. Houle, Louis M. Kindt
  • Patent number: 8173541
    Abstract: A chip carrier substrate includes a capacitor aperture and a laterally separated via aperture, each located within a substrate. The capacitor aperture is formed with a narrower linewidth and shallower depth than the via aperture incident to a microloading effect within a plasma etch method that is used for simultaneously etching the capacitor aperture and the via aperture within the substrate. Subsequently a capacitor is formed and located within the capacitor aperture and a via is formed and located within the via apertures. Various combinations of a first capacitor plate layer, a capacitor dielectric layer and a second capacitor plate layer may be contiguous with respect to the capacitor aperture and the via aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul S. Andry, Chirag S. Patel
  • Patent number: 8174329
    Abstract: A method and system for modulating logic clock oscillator frequency based on voltage supply. The system comprises a logic unit having a logic operation and a device to produce self-adjusting clocks to match the logic operation. The device is configured to use supply voltage as an independent variable to optimize device parameters for voltage variations. The invention is also directed to a design structure on which a circuit resides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Goodnow, Clarence R. Ogilvie, Christopher B. Reynolds, Sebastian T. Ventrone, Keith R. Williams
  • Patent number: 8175094
    Abstract: A method and a system. A Medium Access Control (MAC) frame includes an embedded Internet Protocol (IP) frame and a MAC address. The IP frame includes content of a second multimedia program and a second multicast address of the second multimedia program, the MAC address having been resolved from the second multicast address. The second multicast address is determined to be linked to a first multicast address of a first multimedia program of a television channel being played at a user host. The IP frame is forwarded from the MAC frame to an IP layer where the second multicast address is ascertained to be a multicast sub group address of the first multimedia program and is replaced in the IP frame with the first multicast address, after which the IP frame is transmitted to the user host to replace or be inserted into the first multimedia program being played.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederic Bauchot, Jean-Claude Dispensa, Gerard Marmigere
  • Patent number: 8176421
    Abstract: It is understood that the terms computer-readable medium or computer useable medium comprise one or more of any type of physical embodiment of the program code. In particular, the computer-readable/useable medium can comprise program code embodied on one or more portable storage articles of manufacture (e.g., a compact disc, a magnetic disk, a tape, etc.), on one or more data storage portions of a computing device, such as the memory 316 and/or the storage system 332 (e.g., a fixed disk, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a cache memory, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Dawson, Carl P. Gusler, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Patent number: 8176470
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product provide an implementation of software. A control flow of a software component is constructed based on a specification model. In various embodiments, the specification model comprises at least one input and at least one requirement referencing the at least one input. At least a partial implementation of the software component is generated based on the control flow and the at least one input and the at least one requirement of the specification model. In some embodiments, the specification model further comprises at least one output, and the at least a partial implementation of the software component is also based on the at least one output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Klumpp, Jacques Joseph Labrie, Mary Ann Roth
  • Patent number: 8176243
    Abstract: A tape recording apparatus is configured for sequentially recording files when receiving a command to write the files from an external host. The tape recording apparatus includes a buffer for temporarily storing the files, a tape on which the files are recorded, a writing device for writing the files stored in the buffer on the tape, and a writing control device for performing control of sequentially writing the files stored in the buffer on the tape one by one. The writing control device memorizes designated delimiter positions when delimiter position designation commands are received from the external host, the delimiter position designation commands designating the delimiter positions of the files to be sequentially written.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Katori, Yuuji Kibuse, Toshiyuki Shiratori