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: 8176301
    Abstract: Millicode store access checking instructions are provided via an operand access control register (OACR) including a test modifier indicator, which is communicatively coupled to an instruction unit subsystem, the instruction unit subsystem for fetching and decoding instructions. The instructions include a millicode instruction with an operand defining an address to check for a store access exception. In addition, an execution unit for executing the millicode instruction performs a method. The method includes receiving the millicode instruction from the instruction unit subsystem, testing for the store access exception at the address as if the test modifier is set absent an update to the OACR, and outputting a result of the testing for the store access exception.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark S. Farrell, Bruce C. Giamei, Chung-Lung Kevin Shum
  • Patent number: 8171630
    Abstract: A method of producing a land grid array (LGA) interposer structure includes mounting at least one interposer on a first surface of an electrically insulating carrier plane. The interposer selectively having a hemi-toroidal, conical, dome-shaped conic section, generally cylindrical or hemi-spherical configuration in transverse cross-section and being constituted of a dielectric elastomeric material. The method includes positioning a plurality of electrically-conductive elements about the surface of the hemi-toroidal interposer that extend radially inwardly and downwardly from an uppermost end thereof. The method further includes mounting said at least one component comprising at least one hemi-toroidal interposer mounted on said opposite side of said carrier plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gareth G. Hougham, Brian S. Beaman, Evan G. Colgan, Paul W. Coteus, Stefano S. Oggioni, Enrique Vargas
  • Patent number: 8173993
    Abstract: A method for forming a nanowire tunnel field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a nanowire suspended by first and second pad regions over a semiconductor substrate, the nanowire including a core portion and a dielectric layer, forming a gate structure around a portion of the dielectric layer, forming a first spacer around portions of the nanowire extending from the gate structure, implanting ions in a first portion of the nanowire, implanting ions in the dielectric layer of a second portion of the nanowire, removing the dielectric layer from the second portion of the nanowire, removing the core portion of the second portion of the exposed nanowire to form a cavity, and epitaxially growing a doped semiconductor material in the cavity from exposed cross sections of the nanowire and the second pad region to connect the exposed cross sections of the nanowire to the second pad region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sarunya Bangsaruntip, Josephine B. Chang, Isaac Lauer, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 8175906
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for automating allocation of resources based on business decisions. An impact of a business decision is quantified in terms of information technology (IT) metrics. The resources that may be needed to address the impact are estimated. The estimated resources are provisioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jayashree Subrahmonia, Rahul Jain, Noshir Cavas Wadia, Peng Ye, Rekha Devi Garapati, Cynthia Ferne Craine
  • Patent number: 8176019
    Abstract: A method and system enable a user to develop domain-specific policy workbench. Domains may include, but are not limited to security, autonomic computing, workload management and systems management. The method and system in one aspect determines syntax of a policy in a selected domain and creates an instance of policy workbench specific to the selected domain. In one aspect, the instance of policy workbench includes at least machine-readable encodings of the selected policy and associated mapping. The instance of policy workbench also includes a compliance auditing tool enabled to check events logged at a target system against the selected policy and associated mapping to determine if one or more policy rules have been complied with. In another aspect, domain-specific policy workbench creation machine is provided that automatically creates an instance of domain-specific policy workbench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carolyn A. Brodie, Clare-Marie Karat, John Karat, Peter K. Malkin
  • Patent number: 8176035
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for detecting monotonicity. A determination is made as to whether a function that is assumed to be monotonic will remain monotonic after performing an operation in response to receiving the operation. The operation is allowed to be performed in response to a determination that the function will remain monotonic after performing the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bishwaranjan Bhattacharjee, Timothy Ray Malkemus
  • Patent number: 8176477
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for optimizing emulation of a suspected malware. The method includes identifying, using an emulation optimizer tool, whether an instruction in a suspected malware being emulated by an emulation engine in a virtual environment signifies a long loop and, if so, generating a first hash for the loop. Further, the method includes ascertaining whether the first hash generated matches any long loop entries in a storage and, if so calculating a second hash for the long loop. Furthermore, the method includes inspecting any long loop entries ascertained to find an entry having a respective second hash matching the second hash calculated. If an entry matching the second hash calculated is found, the method further includes updating one or more states of the emulation engine, such that, execution of the long loop of the suspected malware is skipped, which optimizes emulation of the suspected malware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Ji Yan Wu
  • Patent number: 8175923
    Abstract: A system and method for accelerating customer sales transactions in a retail store. A customer checkout accelerator provides a customer user interface initiate a request for a preapproval amount for a sales transaction before reaching the point of sale for completion of the purchase transaction. A card reader integrated into the customer checkout accelerator reads a customer payment card number when the payment card is swiped through the reader. A customer checkout accelerator server module resident on a store controller server determines a preapproval amount for the sales action and transmits the request to an external card services system for payment approval. The customer checkout accelerator also provides the ability to purchase additional promotional items in the checkout lane with this process integrated into the payment preapproval process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Kenyon Gerken, III, Thomas Joseph Prorock, William S. Werdel
  • Patent number: 8175615
    Abstract: The location of a mobile terminal may be determined in response to signals received from a plurality of RFIDs. Information from a plurality of RFIDs for determining a location of a mobile terminal is received by the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal may maintain an in-range list that comprises all the RFIDs in which the mobile terminal is currently within their coverage range. The location of the mobile terminal is calculated in response to the received information for determining a location by calculating the common coverage area of the RFIDs in the in-range list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Heng Chu, Ling Zhang, Ting Yong Zhu
  • Patent number: 8175853
    Abstract: Systems and methods for combined matrix-vector and matrix-transpose vector multiply for block sparse matrices. Exemplary embodiments include a method of updating a simulation of physical objects in an interactive computer, including generating a set of representations of objects in the interactive computer environment, partitioning the set of representations into a plurality of subsets such that objects in any given set interact only with other objects in that set, generating a vector b describing an expected position of each object at the end of a time interval h, applying a biconjugate gradient algorithm to solve A*?v=b for the vector ?v of position and velocity changes to be applied to each object wherein the q=Ap and qt=AT(pt) calculations are combined so that A only has to be read once, integrating the updated motion vectors to determine a next state of the simulated objects, and converting the simulated objects to a visual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Karen A. Magerlein
  • Patent number: 8176494
    Abstract: A method is presented for processing data in a multithreaded application to alleviate impaired or substandard performance conditions. Work items that are pending processing by the multithreaded application are placed into a data structure. The work items are processed by a plurality of threads within the multithreaded application in accordance with a first algorithm, e.g., first-in first-out (FIFO). A thread within the multithreaded application is configured apart from the plurality of threads such that it processes work items in accordance with a second algorithm that differs from the first algorithm, thereby avoiding the impairing condition. For example, the thread may process a pending work item only if it has a particular characteristic. The thread restricts its own processing of work items by intermittently evaluating workflow conditions for the plurality of threads; if the workflow conditions improve or are unimpaired, then the thread does not process any work items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark J. Cavage, Kristin M. Hazlewood, Richard A. Heller, Gary D. Williams
  • Patent number: 8176105
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for managing computer file storage is presented. In one embodiment the method includes receiving a file for storage. In response to determining that the file exceeds a pre-determined size, the file is stored in a pre-designated folder that is reserved for oversized files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mary P. Kusko, Frank E. Levine, Stella L. Taylor, Anna W. Topol
  • Patent number: 8176187
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program performed at a local node to communicate with a remote node. A first communication protocol is used to communicate with the remote node to establish a connection for a second communication protocol. Data structures are created to enable communication with the remote node to establish the connection with the remote node for the second communication protocol. An extension layer is invoked for the second communication protocol. The data structures are passed to the extension layer to use to communicate with the remote node using the second communication protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: John Lewis Hufferd
  • Patent number: 8176487
    Abstract: A method in a data processing system is provided for processing a service request of a client partition. The method includes: obtaining by a service partition of the data processing system the service request from the client partition, wherein both the client and service partitions execute above a hypervisor of the data processing system; and processing the service request by the service partition utilizing a processor quantum assigned to the client partition and donated by the client partition to the service partition. The client partition controls scheduling of the service partition by queuing the service request at the client partition until the client partition decides to proceed with execution of the service request by the service partition. In one implementation, the service partition is a partition adjunct of the data processing system, which utilizes donated virtual address space of the client partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Armstrong, Orran Y. Krieger, Michal Ostrowski, Randal C. Swanberg
  • Patent number: 8175882
    Abstract: A method for task execution improvement, the method includes: generating a baseline model for executing a task; recording a user executing a task; comparing the baseline model to the user's execution of the task; and providing feedback to the user based on the differences in the user's execution and the baseline model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sara H. Basson, Dimitiri Kanevsky, Edward E. Kelley, Bhuvana Ramabhadran
  • Patent number: 8174074
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, an integrated circuit, and method for fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a gate stack formed on an active region of a silicon-on-insulator substrate. A gate spacer is formed over the gate stack. A source region that includes embedded silicon germanium is formed within the semiconductor layer. A drain region that includes embedded silicon germanium is formed within the semiconductor layer. The source region includes an angled implantation region that extends into the embedded silicon germanium of the source region, and is asymmetric relative to the drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung-Hsun Lin, Isaac Lauer, Jeffrey W. Sleight
  • Patent number: 8176129
    Abstract: A system and method for sending compressed html messages and, more particularly, a system and method for sending compressed html messages over a telephony protocol, the method comprises compressing an html message and sending the compressed html message via a telephony protocol. The compressed html message is sent as an SMS message and the telephony protocol is SS7 protocol, bypassing TCP/IP. The compressed html message can be coded with a return number, forcing a return message to be sent via a text message over SS7 protocol. The system and method includes a computer infrastructure operable to compress an html message and send the compressed html message such as and SMS message via a telephony protocol. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having readable program code embodied in the medium for performing the processes is also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D. Dennard, John R. Dinglef, Christopher E. Holladay, Jessica E. Marceau, Matthew B. Trevathan
  • Patent number: 8176026
    Abstract: Mechanisms for performing a backend operation in a file system are provided. A backend operation on a portion of the file system is initiated. At least one indirect transition table data structure is created for performing the backend operation. Metadata corresponding to the portion of the file system is linked to the at least one indirect transition table data structure. The backend operation is performed on data in a sub-portion of the portion of the file system and the at least one indirect transition table data structure is updated with pointers to new locations of the data in the sub-portion as transitions of the data are completed. At least one data access operation is performed to the portion of the file system at substantially a same time as performing the backend operation on the data in the sub-portion of the portion of the file system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ravi K. Arimilli, Piyush Chaudhary
  • Patent number: 8176412
    Abstract: Techniques for generating one or more formatted documents are provided. The techniques include receiving content from one or more data sources, enabling specification of one or more formatting elements to be used in one or more generated formatted documents, enabling specification of a structure to be used in the one or more generated formatted documents, enabling specification of a style of the one or more formatting elements to be used in the one or more generated formatted documents, and generating one or more formatted documents based on the specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Manisha D. Bhandar, Pietro Mazzoleni, Debdoot Mukherjee, Vinay K. Reddy, Vibha Singhal Sinha
  • Patent number: 8176422
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for aligning document actions specified in a documented procedure with demonstrated user actions. The apparatus includes an alignment device for computing an alignment between the document actions and the demonstrated user actions based on at least one similarity metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bergman, Vittorio Castelli, Eugene Rogan Creswick, Tessa A. Lau, Daniel A. Oblinger
  • Publication number: 20120104498
    Abstract: A method of forming a transistor device includes forming a dummy gate stack structure over an SOI starting substrate, comprising a bulk layer, a global BOX layer over the bulk layer, and an SOI layer over the global BOX layer. Self-aligned trenches are formed completely through portions of the SOI layer and the global BOX layer at source and drain regions. Silicon is epitaxially regrown in the source and drain regions, with a local BOX layer re-established in the epitaxially regrown silicon, adjacent to the global BOX layer. A top surface of the local BOX layer is below a top surface of the global BOX layer. Embedded source and drain stressors are formed in the source and drain regions, adjacent a channel region. Silicide contacts are formed on the source and drain regions. The dummy gate stack structure is removed, and a final gate stack structure is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION, ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amlan Majumdar, Robert J. Miller, Muralidhar Ramachandran
  • Publication number: 20120110475
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for dynamically controlling the process of an electronic meeting that includes at least two sub-meetings. A monitoring module monitors the occurrence of a trigger event for triggering switching between different sub-meetings in the process of the electronic meeting. A control module breaks the connection between the attendees of the current sub-meeting and the meeting resources defined in the main meeting room of the electronic meeting in response to monitoring the occurrence of the trigger event by the monitoring module. The control module determines the next sub-meeting of the electronic meeting and its attendees according to the meeting agenda, that specifies the sequence of the sub-meetings constituting the meeting and at least one attendee of each sub-meeting. The control module establishes a connection between the attendees of the next sub-meeting and the meeting resources defined in the main meeting room of the electronic meeting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Liang Han, Su Ying Rui, Xing Yu, Juan Zhang, Xia Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120105095
    Abstract: A circuit for testing a floating body field-effect transistor (FET), and a related method, are provided. Embodiments of this invention include a circuit including a contacted-body FET structure that can be operated in a floating body mode or a body-contacted mode, and a passgate FET. A body of the contacted-body FET structure is connected to the drain of the passgate FET. Voltage can be applied to the passgate FET to either allow or restrict current flow through the passgate FET, to operate the contacted-body FET structure in body contacted mode or floating body mode. Data can be taken in each mode and compared to extract a floating body voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andres Bryant, Edward J. Nowak, Robert R. Robison
  • Publication number: 20120105144
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for optimizing semiconductor packing in a three-dimensional (3D) very-large-scale integration (VLSI) device. The 3D VLSI device comprises a processor layer coupled, via a first set of coupling devices, to at least one signaling and input/output (I/O) layer. The 3D VLSI device further comprises a power delivery layer coupled, via a second set of coupling devices, to the processor layer. In the 3D VLSI device the power delivery layer is dedicated to only delivering power and does not provide data communication signals to the elements of the three-dimensional VLSI device, and the at least one signaling and input/output (I/O) layer is dedicated to only transmitting the data communication signals to and receiving the data communications signals from the processor layer and does not provide power to the elements of the processor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harry Barowski, Thomas Brunschwiler, Hubert Harrer, Andreas Huber, Bruno Michel, Tim Niggemeier, Stephan Paredes, Jochen Supper
  • Publication number: 20120109842
    Abstract: Traceability for an end product is enabled by a transition event type in an event-driven information traceability software that records unique product code associated with a product in a domain. One or more trigger rules are defined for generating a transition event associated with the product in response to the product crossing the domain into another domain. One or more actions are defined for generating a transition event associated with the product in response to the product crossing the domain into a different domain. The one or more actions include at least determining a new unique product code associated with the product in said another domain and storing the unique product code and the new unique product code in a data structure associated with the transition event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Himanshu V. Bhatt, Rong Zeng Cao, Wei Ding, Shun Jiang, Juhnyoung Lee, Chun Hua Tian, Feng Chun Wang, Hao Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120108050
    Abstract: Embedded DRAM MOSFETs including an array NFET having a gate stack comprising a high-K dielectric layer upon which is deposited a first metal oxide layer (CD1) then a conductive layer (TiN), and then a polysilicon layer (Poly). A logic PFET having substantially the same gate stack as the array NFET, and a logic NFET having a third gate stack comprising the high-K dielectric layer upon which is deposited the conductive layer (TiN) and then the polysilicon layer (Poly), without the first metal oxide layer (CD1) between the high-K dielectric layer and the conductive layer (TiN). The array NFET may therefore have a higher gate stack work function than the logic NFET, but substantially the same gate stack work function as the logic PFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiangdong Chen, Herbert L. Ho, Geng Wang
  • Publication number: 20120110463
    Abstract: A method for application recommendation performed by a computerized application recommendation system includes receiving usage data for applications within a category of applications from a plurality of users, and providing a first user with a recommendation for a first application in the category of applications based, at least in part, on a change in the usage data. A computerized application recommendation system includes a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to receive usage data for applications in a category of applications from a plurality of users, and provide a first user with a recommendation for a first application in the category of applications based, at least in part, on a change in the usage data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sarah Nelson Brolley, Bernadette Alexia Carter, Jessica Whitley Forrester, Kathryn Jane Lemanski
  • Publication number: 20120110523
    Abstract: A method for edge correction in pattern recognition includes generating a pattern recognition output for a pattern recognition process, including receiving, in the processor, a design layout, receiving a sample plan based on the design layout, receiving a first user-generated edge input, generating a pattern recognition recipe output from the design layout, the sample plan and the user-generated edge input, wherein the pattern recognition recipe output is configured to drive the pattern recognition process, generating a measurement model from the pattern recognition process, generating a measurement model pattern recognition output for an measurement model pattern recognition process, including receiving a second user-generated input and generating a measurement model pattern recognition recipe output from the measurement model and the second user-generated edge input, wherein the measurement model pattern recognition recipe output configured to drive the measurement model pattern recognition process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd C. Bailey, Daniel S. Fischer, Dongbing Shao
  • Publication number: 20120110394
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a self-updating node controller (e.g., for an endpoint/node such as a cloud node). In general, the node controller will autonomously and automatically obtain program code (e.g., scripts) from a central repository. Among other things, the program code enables the node controller to: receive a request message from a cloud node queue associated with the endpoint; process a request corresponding to the request message; automatically update the program code as needed (e.g., when requests cannot be processed/fulfilled); place a state message indicating a state of fulfillment of the request in a cloud manager queue associated with a cloud manager from which the request message was received; update an audit database to reflect the state of fulfillment; and/or place a failure message in a triage queue if the request cannot be processed by the node controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shaun T. Murakami, John Reif
  • Publication number: 20120104619
    Abstract: A first low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric material layer is lithographically patterned to form a recessed region having expose substantially vertical sidewalls, which are subsequently damaged to de-carbonize a surface portion at the sidewalls having a sublithographic width. A second low-k dielectric material layer is deposited to fill the recessed region and planarized to exposed top surfaces of the damaged low-k dielectric material portion. The damaged low-k dielectric material portion is removed selective to the first and second low-k dielectric material layers to form a trench with a sublithographic width. A portion of the pattern of the sublithographic-width trench is transferred into a metallic layer and optionally to an underlying dielectric masking material layer to define a trench with a sublithographic width, which can be employed as a template to confine the widths of via holes and line trenches to be subsequently formed in an interconnect-level dielectric material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shom Ponoth, David V. Horak, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Publication number: 20120104475
    Abstract: An improved field effect transistors (FETs) and methods of manufacturing the field effect transistors (FETs) are provided. The method of manufacturing a zero capacitance random access memory cell (ZRAM) includes comprises forming a finFET on a substrate and enhancing a storage capacitance of the finFET. The enhancement can be by either adding a storage capacity to the finFET or altering a portion of the finFET after formation of a fin body of the finFET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent A. Anderson, Edward J. Nowak
  • Publication number: 20120109916
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and a method of managing a snapshot storage pool (SSP) associated with a storage unit of a distributed data storage system. According to some embodiments of the invention, the apparatus may include a logic module and a processor. The logic module may be adapted to provide a threshold corresponding to a ratio between a current amount of storage resources used for storing snapshots in the SSP and a total storage capacity defined for the SSP. The processor may be adapted to trigger an action that may be effective for managing the SSP in response to the amount of storage resources used for storing snapshots in the SSP crossing the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yaron REVAH, Shemer SCHWARTZ, Efri ZEIDNER, Ofir ZOHAR
  • Publication number: 20120106046
    Abstract: A carrier includes main body, a conductive elastic element, and a handle. The main body is adapted to carrying an electronic device and has a cavity. The conductive elastic element is disposed in the cavity. The handle is pivotally coupled to the main body. When the handle locks the main body to be located in a lock position, the handle exerts force on the conductive elastic element such that the conductive elastic element protrudes outside the main body through the cavity. When the handle does not lock the main body and exert force on the conductive elastic element to be located at a release position, the conductive elastic element is located inside the main body where it does not interfere with an outside device. This allows convenient insertion and removal of the carrier relative to a cage. Accordingly, the conductive elastic element is not damaged easily.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chin-Ching Ho, Jim Cc Huang, Edgar Tsai, Morgan Yl Wu
  • Publication number: 20120104470
    Abstract: A disposable dielectric spacer is formed on sidewalls of a disposable material stack. Raised source/drain regions are formed on planar source/drain regions by selective epitaxy. The disposable dielectric spacer is removed to expose portions of a semiconductor layer between the disposable material stack and the source/drain regions including the raised source/drain regions. Dopant ions are implanted to form source/drain extension regions in the exposed portions of the semiconductor layer. A gate-level dielectric layer is deposited and planarized. The disposable material stack is removed and a gate stack including a gate dielectric and a gate electrode fill a cavity formed by removal of the disposable material stack. Optionally, an inner dielectric spacer may be formed on sidewalls of the gate-level dielectric layer within the cavity prior to formation of the gate stack to tailor a gate length of a field effect transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shom Ponoth, David V. Horak, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Publication number: 20120105692
    Abstract: A method of preventing blooming in a pixel array includes affecting an amount of light that impinges on a photoelectric conversion element by adjusting a transmissivity of an electrochromic element based on an output of the photoelectric conversion element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kristin M. ACKERSON, Jeffrey P. GAMBINO, Mark D. JAFFE, Robert K. LEIDY, Richard J. RASSEL, Robert M. RASSEL
  • Publication number: 20120106925
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for automatic static summarization of videos. For example, a method of creating a static summary of a video comprises the following steps. Shots in the video are detected, wherein the detected shots are frames of the video having a correlation. The detected shots are clustered into clusters based on similarity. The clusters of shots are ranked. At least a portion of the shots are selected based on cluster ranking for inclusion in the static summary. The static summary is generated by combining thumbnail images of the selected shots. Prior to the ranking step, the method may further comprise detecting a presence of slides in any of the shots, and the ranking of a given shot is based in part on whether the shot is a slide. By way of example, such static summaries can be shared in emails and in calendar applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmet Emir Dirik, Jennifer Lai, Mercan Topkara
  • Publication number: 20120110554
    Abstract: Debugging of code of a computer program is facilitated by implementing, during a debugging session, a step-type operation by machine instruction stepping through the code, and concurrent therewith, setting up breakpoints to perform the step-type operation. Responsive to the machine instruction stepping reaching a next debuggable line of code prior to completion of setup of breakpoints to perform the step-type operation, the machine instruction stepping is discontinued, and the setting up of breakpoints to perform the step-type operation is discontinued. Alternatively, responsive to completing setup of the breakpoints to perform the step-type operation prior to machine instruction stepping reaching the next debuggable line of code, the machine instruction stepping is discontinued, and the code is executed to perform the step-type operation using the set breakpoints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Cary L. BATES, David L. HERMSMEIER
  • Publication number: 20120110384
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided to automate the mapping so that custom widgets that cause compliance errors in the Web page can be identified automatically. The mechanism dynamically creates and inserts debug directives into the HTML code generated from a custom widget in a Web page so that a compliance error found in the generated code can be traced back to the custom widget that caused the error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Brunet, Michael A. Strack, Allen K. Wilson, Shunguo Yan
  • Publication number: 20120104512
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip including a substrate; a dielectric layer over the substrate; a gate within the dielectric layer, the gate including a sidewall; a contact contacting a portion of the gate and a portion of the sidewall; and a sealed air gap between the sidewall, the dielectric layer and the contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David V. Horak, Elbert E. Huang, Charles W. Koburger, III, Douglas C. La Tulipe, JR., Shom Ponoth
  • Publication number: 20120106558
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for a bridge for implementing a converged network protocol to facilitate communication between different communication protocol networks. A first adaptor implements a first communication protocol and a second adaptor implementing a converged network protocol, wherein the converged network protocol facilitates communication of packets encoded with a second communication protocol with a third communication protocol network. Parameters are configured in a memory for communication between the first adaptor and the second adaptor in the converged network protocol to indicate to the second adaptor that the converged network protocol is supported, wherein the first adaptor does not support the converged network protocol. A packet is received at the first adaptor encoded in the second communication protocol directed to the third communication protocol network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louie A. Dickens, Roger G. Hathorn, Michael E. Starling, Daniel J. Winarski
  • Publication number: 20120110395
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for message composition management for fatigued composers of electronic messages. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for message composition management for fatigued composers of electronic messages includes detecting a request by a message composer to transmit a message to a designated recipient in a messaging client executing in memory of a computer. The method also includes computing a fatigue quotient for the message composer. Finally the method includes diverting the message to a drafts folder instead of transmitting the message if the fatigue quotient exceeds a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rob A. Gearhart, Liam Harpur, Mark Kelly, John Rice
  • Publication number: 20120110168
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for web access analytics. Date related to the users' access to page elements is received. The page elements accessed by the users which are capable of being mapped to a defined webpage focal region are determined. The users' access to the webpage focal region is analyzed based on the determined page elements capable of being mapped to the webpage focal region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chang Huang, Wei Huang, Jia Ye Wang, Wei Yang, Xiang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20120110275
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product provide a shared virtual memory space via a cluster-aware virtual input/output (I/O) server (VIOS). The VIOS receives a paging file request from a first LPAR and thin-provisions a logical unit (LU) within the virtual memory space as a shared paging file of the same storage amount as the minimum required capacity. The VIOS also autonomously maintains a logical redundancy LU (redundant LU) as a real-time copy of the provisioned/allocated LU, where the redundant LU is a dynamic copy of the allocated LU that is autonomously updated responsive to any changes within the allocated LU. Responsive to a second VIOS attempting to read a LU currently utilized by a first VIOS, the read request is autonomously redirected to the logical redundancy LU. The redundant LU can be utilized to facilitate migration of a client LPAR to a different computing electronic complex (CEC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: IBM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Veena Ganti, James A. Pafumi, Jacob Jason Rosales, Morgan Jeffrey Rosas, Vasu Vallabhaneni
  • Publication number: 20120110125
    Abstract: A method of Webpage navigation can include a computer device loading a Webpage having at least a first portion and a second portion, arranging the Webpage in order to present the first portion in the display area of the computer device and to place the second portion out of the display area, and presenting a navigation map corresponding to the Webpage in the display area. In response to a control command input with respect to the navigation map, the Webpage can be arranged in order to present the second portion in the display area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: LI-JU CHEN, JOHN J.Y. HSU, BOR-PING PAN, RICK M.F. WU
  • Publication number: 20120102682
    Abstract: A clip to secure trays in a stack including a platform, rails coupled to the platform to mate with tabs of at least bookending trays in the tray stack when the platform occupies a brake position thereof relative to the stack and an elastic brake element coupled to the platform and configured to be biased against the stack when the platform occupies the brake position to increase a mating friction between the rails and the tabs, the elastic brake element being actuatable against the bias to permit selective movement of the platform to and from the brake position, the selective movement solely actuating the elastic brake element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alain Blais, Julie Croteau, Michel Robert, Christian Bedard
  • Publication number: 20120104513
    Abstract: The gate electrode of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) comprises a source side gate electrode and a drain side gate electrode that abut each other near the middle of the channel. In one embodiment, the source side gate electrode comprises a silicon oxide based gate dielectric and the drain side gate electrode comprises a high-k gate dielectric. The source side gate electrode provides high carrier mobility, while the drain side gate electrode provides good short channel effect and reduced gate leakage. In another embodiment, the source gate electrode and drain gate electrode comprises different high-k gate dielectric stacks and different gate conductor materials, wherein the source side gate electrode has a first work function a quarter band gap away from a band gap edge and the drain side gate electrode has a second work function near the band gap edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Huilong Zhu, Qingqing Liang
  • Publication number: 20120105894
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer usable program product for avoiding redundant printing are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An application executing in a data processing system receives a request to print a document. A determination is made whether a valid shared print of the document is available, the valid shared print being a hard-copy of the document that is currently within a validity period and is available for sharing among multiple entities. The shared valid print is requested from a current owner of the shared valid print. If the request is successful, possession of the shared valid print is changed in a prints repository from the current owner to a new owner and a new printing of the document according to the request to print the document is suspended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Remo Freddi, Antonio Mangiacotti
  • Publication number: 20120106539
    Abstract: A parallel data link includes a redundant line. The redundant line permits one line to be calibrated while the others carry functional data, a switching mechanism enabling each line to be selected in turn for calibration. Control information for controlling the link, which is preferably for coordinating calibration activity, is communicated on the line selected for calibration. Preferably, the link is bi-directional, having a separate redundant line in each direction, enabling a bi-directional handshaking protocol to be used for communicating control information. Preferably, the lines selected for calibration are time-multiplexed to carry calibration patterns and control information at different time intervals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frank D. Ferraiolo, Robert J. Reese, Susan M. Rubow, Michael B. Spear
  • Publication number: 20120110495
    Abstract: Electronic equipment is controlled with a touching-type signal input device. An inputted navigator-calling request is received. A request mode of the inputted navigator-calling request is compared with a predefined request mode. It is determined whether the request mode of the inputted navigator-calling request matches with the predefined request mode. A navigator is displayed in response to determining there is a match. The navigator has a set of tabs distributed on at least part of a closed structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jian Wen Chi, Fang Liang Dong, Chang Huang, Zi Xuan Zhou
  • Publication number: 20120110487
    Abstract: Each of a group of user interface element representations that each represents one node of a captured graphical logic flow is translated, by a computing device, into one of a group of numerical strings that represents the respective node and connections to and from the respective node. The group of numerical strings is sequenced based upon the connections to and from each represented node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shravan K. Kudikala, Amar A. Shah, Swikar K. Sugandhi