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: 7490098
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for receiving a hierarchical data structure, analyzing the hierarchical data structure to determine what actions are needed to correctly process the hierarchical data structure in a data repository, generating a hierarchical command structure comprising a series of repository-specific commands needed to interface with the data repository, and executing the repository-specific commands to process the hierarchical data structure with respect to the data repository. In selected embodiments, the hierarchical command structure is represented as a series of nodes including a parent node and at least one child node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Corville O. Allen, Travis Eli Nelson, Ranjana Kaur Tasser, Suraksha Vidyarthi
  • Patent number: 7490235
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, filter packets received from a network based on rules. The filtering discards a subset of the packets based on the rules and keeps a remaining subset of the packets. The remaining subset is copied to a destination. The rules are created offline in a lower priority process from the filtering and copying by detecting whether symptoms exist in a sample of the remaining subset. In an embodiment, the order that the symptoms are detected is changed based on the frequency of the existence of the symptoms in the sample. In various embodiments, the symptoms may include receiving a threshold number of ping packets within a time period, receiving a threshold number of broadcast packets within a time period, receiving a packet with an invalid source address, receiving a packet with an invalid header flag, and receiving a threshold number of the packets within a time period that contain a sequence flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Foaad Khosmood, Ognjen Petrovic, Jeremy Matthew Savoy, Duncan Allen Woods
  • Patent number: 7489038
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure comprising a substrate including a first layer comprising a first material having a first modulus of elasticity; a first structure comprising a conductor and formed within the substrate, the first structure having an upper surface; and a stress diverting structure proximate the first structure and within the first layer, the stress diverting structure providing a low mechanical stress region at the upper surface of the first structure when a physical load is applied to the first structure, wherein said low mechanical stress region comprises stress values below the stress values in areas not protected by the stress diverting structure. The stress diverting structure comprises a second material having a second modulus of elasticity less than the first modulus of elasticity, the second material selectively formed over the upper surface of the first structure for diverting mechanical stress created by the physical load applied to the first structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Elie Awad, Mariette A. Awad, Kai D. Feng
  • Patent number: 7490077
    Abstract: The present invention provides an extensible dependency management framework and method. Specifically, the present invention provides dependency management handler(s) and dispatcher(s) (e.g., revalidation and/or refactoring). The handlers are created and registered by users of the framework. When a change to a resource is detected, a notification is received by a dispatcher from an external caller. Upon receipt, the dispatcher will query an index to identify dependents, and then call a dependency management handler associated with the changed resource to obtain and implement updates for the dependents. In so doing, a list of the dependents will be provided to the dependency management handler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Mourra, Vladimir Klicnik, Lok Tin Loi, Hiroshi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7488659
    Abstract: A stress-concentrating spacer structure is a stack of an upper gate spacer with a low Young's modulus and a lower gate spacer with a high Young's modulus. The stacked spacer structure surrounds the gate electrode. The stress-concentrating spacer structure may contact an inner gate spacer that contacts the gate electrode or may directly contact the gate electrode. The upper gate spacer deforms substantially more than the lower gate spacer. The stress generated by the stress liner is thus transmitted primarily through the lower gate spacer to the gate electrode and subsequently to the channel of the MOSFET. The efficiency of the transmission of the stress from the stress liner to the channel is thus enhanced compared to conventional MOSFETs structure with a vertically uniform composition within a spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas W. Dyer
  • Patent number: 7489224
    Abstract: Ferrite cores are provided with rounded, convex head ends and complimentary rounded, concave tail ends. The configuration of the head and tail ends permits a reduction in gap width between adjacent cores when they are joined together into a core assembly that suppresses electromagnetic interference emitted from a cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jessica Rose Berens, Don Allan Gilliland, Amanda Elisa Ennis Mikhail
  • Patent number: 7490111
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is described for improving access to mostly read data on network servers. The preferred embodiments more efficiently utilize replicated data servers to minimize server response time for improved performance of data access to network servers by workload managing client requests across the primary server and all replicated servers when it is possible to do so. In preferred embodiments, a load balancer supplies the most current data for mostly read data transactions while maximizing server usage by workload managing client requests across the primary server and all replicated servers. Client requests are managed by a load balancer in the workload manager. Client requests are sent by the load balancer to replicated servers when a routing table (stale data marker list) indicates that the data is in a safe period. Clients are directed exclusively to the primary server only during data update times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jinmei Shen, Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 7490217
    Abstract: Design structures for program directed memory access patterns. A design structure is embodied in a machine readable storage medium used in a design process, the design structure including a computer memory system for storing and retrieving data. The memory system includes a memory, a memory controller and a virtual memory management system. The memory includes a plurality of memory devices organized into one or more physical groups accessible via associated busses for transferring data and control information. The memory controller receives and responds to memory access requests that contain application access information to control access pattern and data organization within the memory. Responding to memory access request includes accessing one or more memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert B. Tremaine
  • Patent number: 7490069
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for verifying an anonymous payment by a defined party in a communication system providing a public key infrastructure. The method comprising the steps of (a) receiving a validation message from a merchant party, the validation message comprising a proof signature produced by a customer party and an encrypted payment message, the proof signature being derived from a customer secret key, a customer certificate, at least one customer attribute, and the encrypted payment message; (b) verifying the validity of the proof signature based on an issuing public key, a verification public key, and the encrypted payment message; (c) decrypting at least part of the encrypted payment message based on a verification secret key corresponding to the verification public key, thereby obtaining a customer information related to the at least one customer attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jan Camenisch
  • Patent number: 7489512
    Abstract: Disclosed are thermally conductive plates. Each plate is configured such that a uniform adhesive-filled gap may be achieved between the plate and a heat generating structure when the plate is bonded to the heat generating structure and subjected to a temperature within a predetermined temperature range that causes the heat generating structure to warp. Additionally, this disclosure presents the associated methods of forming the plates and of bonding the plates to a heat generating structure. In one embodiment the plate is curved and modeled to match the curved surface of a heat generating structure within the predetermined temperature range. In another embodiment the plate is a multi-layer conductive structure that is configured to undergo the same warpage under a thermal load as the heat generating structure. Thus, when the plate is bonded with the heat generating structure it is able to achieve and maintain a uniform adhesive-filled gap at any temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Coffin, Michael A. Gaynes, David L. Questad, Kamal K. Sikka, Hilton T. Toy, Jamil A. Wakil
  • Patent number: 7489698
    Abstract: A communication server has a message transfer unit that transfers messages between users operating under different, potentially non-compatible communication systems. A translator is connected to the message transfer unit. The translator translates messages sent to the message transfer unit into formats compatible with the different communication systems. A registration unit is used to associate communication systems with an incident. Communications between the different communication systems is restricted by incident and by registration. A voice/data mediator is used to conduct communication sessions through the message transfer unit. The communication sessions are conducted by the voice/data mediator between participants that are designated by a user. The participants are selected from users within communication systems that are registered with an incident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kent L. Blossom, Louis C. Foss, Paul E. Leuba, Nuno D. Pereira, Tapas K. Som
  • Patent number: 7490113
    Abstract: A first log reader publishes first messages to a plurality of queues. The first messages comprise changes for transactions extracted from a log by the first log reader. In response to one of the queues becoming unavailable, launching a second log reader to read and extract from the log, and to publish second messages comprising changes for transactions extracted from the log by the second log reader to the unavailable queue as a catch-up queue. In response to the catch-up queue becoming available and the second log reader reaches the end of the log, the publishing of the second messages for the catch-up queue is transferred from the second log reader to the first log reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Serge Bourbonnais, Siquan Li, Bruce Gilbert Lindsay
  • Patent number: 7490141
    Abstract: An Ajax proxy indirection technique enables a local, front-end proxy server to handle Ajax requests from an Ajax client that must be serviced by an external Ajax server in an external domain, instead of a local Ajax back-end server exposing itself to the external domain. The front-end proxy server accepts the Ajax client's request and forwards it to the local Ajax back-end server. The proxy server asks the local AJAX server for the credentials to be used in the “external” AJAX request. The local Ajax back-end server then responds to the proxy server with meta-data for the external domain request that the proxy will make to the external domain. The proxy server uses the credentials of the “external” AJAX request to make the external request to the external Ajax server in the external domain. The proxy server performs any authentication and necessary domain mapping with the external Ajax server before sending a response from the external Ajax server back to the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: IBM Corporation
    Inventors: John Paul Cammarata, Erik John Burckart, Andrew Ivory, Aaron Kyle Shook
  • Patent number: 7489025
    Abstract: A semiconductor package includes an SOI wafer having a first side including an integrated circuit system, and a second side, opposite the first side, forming at least one cavity. At least one chip or component is placed in the cavity. An optical through via is formed through a buried oxide which optically connects the chip(s) to the integrated circuit system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Howard Hao Chen, Louis Lu-Chen Hsu
  • Patent number: 7490246
    Abstract: A method for encryption and decryption of data items is provided by defining a cipher key based on variables in a Chaotic Equation. The method includes selecting a Chaotic Equation from a set of Chaotic Equations, defining starting conditions of the variables of the equation, and applying the equation to each data item. The real and imaginary parts of the result of the iteration of the Chaotic Equation are combined with the data item by an arithmetic operation, for example, an XOR operation. Data items in a continuous stream with a rate dependency can be encrypted and decrypted on an item by item basis. The input or cipher key changes for each byte of the data encryption. Blocks of data can be encrypted using the method with an identifier of the order of the blocks in the data stream. If blocks are received out of sequence, the identifiers can be used to maintain the correct decryption order. The method of encryption and decryption can be used in devices to avoid the need for a session key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Howard S. Lambert
  • Patent number: 7490323
    Abstract: A method (300;600) and system for monitoring distributed applications (for example, running on multiple WAS nodes of a cluster) is proposed. The solution of the invention is based on a self-adaptive resource management infrastructure. Particularly, an authority publishes (306-312) a plurality of rules, each one defining a desired target configuration for a category of subjects. A membership controller on each subject is responsible to assign (315-333) the subject to the respective category; a compliance engine then retrieves and applies (336-351) the rules corresponding to the category of the subject. The resource management infrastructure is used to implement a monitoring on-demand of the distributed application. For this purpose, two rules are defined (603-606) for the WAS nodes having the distributed application in a running condition and in a non-running condition, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore D'Alo, Alex Donatelli, Claudio Marinelli, Gianluca Bernardini, Giulio Santoli
  • Patent number: 7490326
    Abstract: A method for gathering operational metrics can include the step of identifying a host within a grid environment, wherein the host can be a software object. A ghost agent can be associated with the host. The ghost agent can replicate actions of the host. Operational metrics for at least a portion of the replicated actions can be determined. The operational metrics can be recorded. The host can move within the grid environment. The ghost agent can responsively move in accordance with movement of the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas E. Creamer, Bill H. Hilf, Neil A. Katz, Victor S. Moore
  • Patent number: 7490200
    Abstract: A cache memory logically partitions a cache array having a single access/command port into at least two slices, and uses a first cache directory to access the first cache array slice while using a second cache directory to access the second cache array slice, but accesses from the cache directories are managed using a single cache arbiter which controls the single access/command port. In the illustrative embodiment, each cache directory has its own directory arbiter to handle conflicting internal requests, and the directory arbiters communicate with the cache arbiter. An address tag associated with a load request is transmitted from the processor core with a designated bit that associates the address tag with only one of the cache array slices whose corresponding directory determines whether the address tag matches a currently valid cache entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leo James Clark, James Stephen Fields, Jr., Guy Lynn Guthrie, William John Starke
  • Patent number: 7488182
    Abstract: A land grid array (LGA) interposer structure, including an electrically insulating carrier plane, and at least one interposer mounted on a first surface of said carrier plane. The interposer possesses a hemi-toroidal configuration in transverse cross-section and is constituted of a dielectric elastomeric material. A plurality of electrically-conductive elements are arranged about the surface of the at least one hemi-toroidal interposer and extend radically inwardly and downwardly from an uppermost end thereof into electrical contact with at least one component located on an opposite side of the electrically insulating carrier plane. Provided is also a method of producing the land grid array interposer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    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: 7489582
    Abstract: A method for reducing leakage current in a memory array comprising: coupling a first distributed header device to the memory array, the first distributed header device is configured for limiting leakage current through the memory array; and coupling a header driver operatively to the first distributed header device for enabling tri-state operation of the first distributed header device, wherein tri-state operation includes sleep mode, wake mode, and retention mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Barth, Jr., Harold Pilo, Vinod Ramadurai
  • Patent number: 7490281
    Abstract: A segmented algorithmic pattern generator engine producing a test signal pattern made of vectors divided into fully definable segments. The engine allows defining processing controls to allow offsets of individual vectors relative to one another and defining additional pattern control formats. Also provided are reducing the pattern format depths in defining counter dimensions within each segment. Single vectors or vector group sequences may be defined at any point as well. The system allows the user control of the pattern generator to compensate for tool and/or device under test latency timing issues. Inputs may be combined and processed into one contiguous pattern of vectors which are definable by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Amy J. Gottsche, Philip Theodoseau
  • Patent number: 7489572
    Abstract: A method implements effective testing of a sense amplifier for an eFuse without having to program or blow the eFuse. After initial processing of the sense amplifier, testing determines whether the sense amplifier can generate a valid “0” and “1” before programming the eFuse. A first precharge device and a second precharge device that normally respectively precharge a true sense node and a complement sense node to a high voltage are driven separately. For testing, one of the precharge devices is conditionally held off to insure the sense amplifier results in a “0” and “1”. This allows the testing of the sense amplifier devices as well as down stream connected devices. Once testing is complete, both precharge devices are controlled in tandem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Gus Aipperspach, David Howard Allen, Louis Bernard Bushard, Phil Christopher Felice Paone, Gregory John Uhlmann
  • Patent number: 7488630
    Abstract: A method which is intended to facilitate and/or simplify the process of fabricating interlayer vias by selective modification of the FEOL film stack on a transfer wafer is provided. Specifically, the present invention provides a method in which two dimensional devices are prepared for subsequent integration in a third dimension at the transition between normal FEOL processes by using an existing interlayer contact mask to define regions in which layers of undesirable dielectrics and metal are selectively removed and refilled with a middle-of-the-line (MOL) compatible dielectric film. As presented, the inventive method is compatible with standard FEOL/MOL integration schemes, and it guarantees a homogeneous dielectric film stack specifically in areas where interlayer contacts are to be formed, thus allowing the option of a straightforward integration path, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Frank, Douglas C. La Tulipe, Jr., Leathen Shi, Steven E. Steen, Anna W. Topol
  • Patent number: 7489475
    Abstract: A tape drive, including: a housing including a single character display that displays a single character at a time; and an activator configured such that, when the single character display displays a single character representative of a status of the tape drive, activation of the activator causes the tape drive to further represent the status represented by the single character as information including a plurality of words detailing the status, the information provided by repeatedly spelling out a message, including the plurality of words describing the status of the tape drive, one letter at a time on the single character display, and an audible message provider that provides an audible message, including the plurality of words describing the status of the tape drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allen K. Bates, Daniel J. Winarski, Nhan X. Bui, Octaviano G. Gomez
  • Patent number: 7487913
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for tracking time sensitive items in a container. A barcode scanned item is placed into a container. The system stores the time of the scan and links the item identification number scanned to the inventory control system. As the time since the item was scanned increases, the system determines whether the item has exceeded a time-based alert threshold. Responsive to exceeding the time-based alert threshold, personnel are alerted to the abandoned container. The system provides data to the personnel to aid in dispositioning the item following abandonment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roger Lee Adema, Robert S. Hoblit
  • Patent number: 7488771
    Abstract: A stable viscosity coating composition, a method of forming the stable viscosity coating composition and a method for using the stable viscosity coating composition in a micro-molding imprint lithographic process, such as Step and Flash Imprint Lithography is disclosed. The stable viscosity coating composition may include at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and a stabilizer, wherein the stabilizer may be 9-anthracenemethanol, a substituted 9-anthracenemethanol, phenothiazine, or a substituted phenothiazine. The coating composition may include a radiation sensitive photoacid generator (PAG). The method of forming the coating composition comprises combining at least one vinyl ether having at least one vinyl ether group (—OCR?CR2), and at least one stabilizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frances Anne Houle, Hiroshi Ito
  • Patent number: 7489823
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for decoding compressed data. Compressed data is received and decoded. An error is detected while decoding a first location in the compressed data. A reentry data set is accessed having a pointer to a second location in the compressed data following the first location and decoding information that enables decoding to start from the second location. The second location in the compressed data is accessed and the decoding information in the accessed reentry data set is used to continue decoding the compressed data from the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joan LaVerne Mitchell, Nenad Rijavec
  • Publication number: 20090037742
    Abstract: A biometric sensor device, a portable electronic device including an actuatable biometric input device, and method of biometric authentication that includes an input device that generates a signal or completes a circuit when actuated, and a biometric reader that reads a biometric of a user when the user actuates the input device to generate the signal or complete the circuit. An authentication section authenticates the biometric read on the biometric reader to generate one of a data access allowance function based on authentication of the biometric input to the actuatable biometric input device and a data access prevention function based on non-authentication of the biometric input to the actuatable biometric input device. The data access allowance function permits data to be accessed at the data access interface, and the data access prevention function prevents reading and/or access to data anywhere on the data storage and access device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: CHANDRASEKHAR NARAYANASWAMI
  • Publication number: 20090036717
    Abstract: The invention provides alkene fluoroalkanol and fluorinated polyol precursors to fluoroalkanol-substituted ?,?-unsaturated esters. The fluoroalkanol-substituted ?,?-unsaturated esters are olefins that can be readily polymerized to provide fluoroalkanol-substituted polymers useful in lithographic photoresist compositions. Also provided are methods for synthesizing the alkene fluoroalkanol and fluorinated polyol precursors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Breyta, Richard Anthony DiPietro, Daniel Joseph Dawson
  • Publication number: 20090037820
    Abstract: Differential dynamic content delivery with a presenter alterable session copy of a user profile. Typical embodiments include providing a session document for a presentation, wherein the session document includes a session grammar and a session structured document; providing a session copy of a user profile including a user classification; receiving, from a presenter, a user classification instruction to change a user classification in the session copy of a user profile; changing the user classification in the session copy of a user profile in dependence upon the presenter's instruction; selecting from the session structured document a classified structural element in dependence upon a user classification in the session copy of a user profile of a user in the presentation; and presenting the selected structural element to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Kress Bodin, Michael John Burkhart, Daniel G. Eisenhauer, Daniel Mark Schumacher, Thomas J. Watson
  • Publication number: 20090037874
    Abstract: A computer method and apparatus defining Business Classes for modeling business activities comprising the steps of representing business activities as the interaction between one or more Business Classes, and entering into a computer and storing in an electronic format the Business Classes and the relationships existing between the Business Classes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arun K. Gupta, Rajiv K. Uppal, Devang I. Parikh
  • Publication number: 20090037897
    Abstract: A method of distributing and executing upgrade/installation instructions as data objects. These instructions can then be completed automatically requesting user interaction only when required. This method would allow someone with little knowledge of the application and/or internal implementation of said application to perform an upgrade to the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Samuel Daniel Dull, III, James E. Favre, Shawn Michael Hanson
  • Publication number: 20090036205
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for improving accuracy and experience of a game. Hot zone areas are determined using game rules. “Hot zone areas” are areas on the playing field where a call may be made based on the rules of the game. Signals are sent from a computer system to appropriate sensors to activate connected light-emitting fibers that are blended with grass on the playing field to indicate when a player and/or game object enters or exits a hot zone area. The light-emitting fibers are activated in such a manner as to display an image (e.g., footprint) indicating the entrance/exiting of a player and/or game object in/from a hot zone area (e.g., out of bounds line) thereby ensuring the game is fair and accurate and enhancing the experience of the game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Anne Seacat, Travis M. Grigsby, Steven Michael Miller
  • Publication number: 20090037708
    Abstract: A system for predicting multiple targets for a single branch includes: a branch target buffer that includes a previous next address for an instruction and that receives an indirect instruction address to provide a first branch target prediction; a first branch table for capturing local past target information of an indirect branch in an encoded form; a second branch table which is a correlation table for storing potential branch targets based on a local branch history and which provides a second branch target prediction when the first branch target prediction is not successful; an exclusion predictor for inhibiting updates of inefficient entries; and a multiplexer to select the predicted target as output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Il Park, Mauricio J. Serrano, Jong-Deok Choi
  • Publication number: 20090034785
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for facilitating the playing of a watermarked video having the “birthday problem”. Consumers send the problem disc to an authorization center where the disc is analyzed to determine if it is a legitimate disc. The authorization center generates a digital certificate uniquely associated with the disc and with the video and embeds the digital certificate into the disc. The digital certificate will cause a video player to play the video without checking for the watermark.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas A. Bellwood, James M. Gasiewski, Donald E. Leake, Jr., Jeffrey B. Lotspiech
  • Publication number: 20090037173
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a payment card that uses speaker identification and verification (SIV) speech processing techniques for activation purposes. For example, the invention can initially identify a payment card in a deactivated state, which is an internal state of the payment card. Speech input can then be received. Speech characteristics of the speech input can be determined and compared against a voice print of an authorized card user. The payment card can be selectively activated based on comparison results. That is, when the voice print and the speech characteristics match, the payment card can be activated. Otherwise, the card will remain deactivated. An activated payment card is one that has undergone an internal state change from the deactivated state. For example, when activated a credit card number can appear in a display and a magnetic strip can contain payment information, neither of which are present in the deactivated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: JOSEPH A. HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20090037537
    Abstract: Tracking history of e-mail messages. A tracking request can be sent at any time, and need not be specified prior to or during the sending of the e-mail message. In one embodiment, tracking is requested by resending an earlier-sent message to the recipient, and associated with this resent message is a tracking request X-header. A recipient of the tracking request X-header responds by returning a reply X-header in a reply message along with tracking information pertaining to the original e-mail message. One alternative embodiment embeds an e-mail object in an e-mail message to request the tracking instead of using a request X-header, and similarly, uses an e-mail object to provide the reply instead of using a reply X-header. Users may be allowed to specify whether their e-mail client will respond to tracking requests and/or may be allowed to specify criteria for automating this decision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean Callanan, Al Chakra, Sonya Purcell, Hugh P. Smyth
  • Publication number: 20090033398
    Abstract: A wiring structure for clock signals has two or more parallel clock signal wires disposed in adjacent power wire bays that span the distance between the sinks to which the clock signal wires are to be coupled. The parallel clock signal wires are shorted one to another by stubs placed at locations in order to time the clock wiring structure. The delay tuning of the structure is obtained by the discrete movement of wiring stubs between the wiring bays of the pre-defined power grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rick L. Dennis, Charlie C. Hwang, Jose L. Neves
  • Publication number: 20090037358
    Abstract: An autonomous classification device which enables the creation of autonomous classifiers that are easy to deploy, adapt and optimize in the environment in which they are used. The classifier is autonomous in that it can perform three functions that define autonomic systems: automatically configure itself in an environment, optimize its performance using the environment and mechanisms for performance, and continually adapting to improve performance and heal itself in a changing environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Milind R. Naphade, John R. Smith
  • Publication number: 20090037532
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative messaging and provide a method, system and computer program product for responsiveness ranking for message recipients in a collaborative computing environment. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for responsiveness ranking of message recipients in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include computing a message response time for a particular message, a particular message recipient and a particular message type. The method further can include combining the computed message response time for the particular message, the particular message recipient and the particular message type with previously computed message response times for previously received messages for the particular message recipient and the particular message type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Miguel A. Estrada
  • Publication number: 20090037544
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for managing additional functions in an instant messaging system, a method for providing an additional function to an instant messaging system, an instant messaging system and IM client therein employing the methods. The instant messaging system enables a plurality of users to instantly message with each other through a network. The method for managing additional functions comprises: at a client of the instant messaging system, invoking a program for one of the additional functions in a session by way of interaction with a contact, wherein the additional function is recorded in local contact list of the client as the contact. The present invention enables a user to add a UI component corresponding to a needed additional function in the dialog of current chatting session only when necessary, thus reducing the complexity of the main UI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lei Wang, Ying Xu
  • Publication number: 20090035954
    Abstract: In general, the present invention provides an interconnect structure and method for forming the same. This present invention discloses an interconnect structure includes a Cu seeding layer embedded between a diffusion barrier layer and a grain growth promotion layer. Specifically, under the present invention, a diffusion barrier layer is formed on a patterned inter-level dielectric layer. A (Cu) seeding layer is then formed on the diffusion barrier layer, and a grain growth promotion layer is formed on the seeding layer. Once the grain growth promotion layer is formed, post-processing steps (e.g., electroplating and chemical-mechanical polishing) are performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Chao Yang, Daniel C. Edelstein
  • Publication number: 20090037664
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamically selecting the data fetch path for improving the performance of the system improves data access latency by dynamically adjusting data fetch paths based on application data fetch characteristics. The application data fetch characteristics are determined through the use of a hit/miss tracker. It reduces data access latency for applications that have a low data reuse rate (streaming audio, video, multimedia, games, etc.) which will improve overall application performance. It is dynamic in a sense that at any point in time when the cache hit rate becomes reasonable (defined parameter), the normal cache lookup operations will resume. The system utilizes a hit/miss tracker which tracks the hits/misses against a cache and, if the miss rate surpasses a prespecified rate or matches an application profile, the hit/miss tracker causes the cache to be bypassed and the data is pulled from main memory or another cache thereby improving overall application performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marcus L. Kornegay, Ngan N. Pham
  • Publication number: 20090037807
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to extensible markup language (XML) data processing and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for inter-device transfer of parsed XML documents. In one embodiment of the invention, a markup serialization method can be provided. The method can include receiving a request in a second computing process for offloaded parsing of markup from an application in a first computing process, retrieving markup from the application, parsing the markup in the second computing process to produce a serialized data object for the markup, placing the serialized data object into shared memory for the application, and returning a reference to the serialized data to the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eugene Kuznetsov, Alexandre Polozoff, Richard E. Salz, Robert Woolf
  • Publication number: 20090037450
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product to transfer data between two application data structures by copying a data gather scatter program (DGSP) from an exporting process address space where a first data structure is located, to a location in shared memory visible to an importing process address space; assembling a parameter set identifying the data structure; starting a data gather scatter-redistribution machine (DGS-RM) in an importing process space where a second application data structure is located; passing the first parameter set, the DGSP copy, and a second parameter set identifying a second application data structure and a second DGSP to the DGS-RM; and creating master and worker stack machines. The master stack machine identifies a contiguous chunk of the first data structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: BIN JIA, RICHARD R. TREUMANN
  • Publication number: 20090035897
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of integrated semiconductor devices such that different types of devices are formed upon a specific crystallographic orientation of a hybrid substrate. In accordance with the present invention, junction capacitance of one of the devices is improved in the present invention by forming the source/drain diffusion regions of the device in an epitiaxial semiconductor material such that they are situated on a buried insulating layer that extends partially underneath the body of the second semiconductor device. The second semiconductor device, together with the first semiconductor device, is both located atop the buried insulating layer. Unlike the first semiconductor device in which the body thereof is floating, the second semiconductor device is not floating. Rather, it is in contact with an underlying first semiconducting layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min Yang
  • Publication number: 20090034396
    Abstract: A method to store information in a holographic data storage medium, wherein the method supplies a holographic data storage medium comprising an encoded focusing hologram and one or more encoded data holograms. The method disposes the holographic data storage medium in a holographic data storage system, and disposes a rotatable imaging lens at an (i)th orientation. The method illuminates the encoded focusing hologram to generate an (i)th reconstructed focusing image, projects that (i)th reconstructed focusing image through the rotatable imaging lens, and onto at optical detector array. The method then calculates an (i)th measured focusing metric, and determines if the (i)th measured focusing metric is greater than or equal to the threshold focusing metric. If the (i)th measured focusing metric is greater than or equal to the threshold focusing metric, then the method decodes the one or more encoded data holograms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: ALLEN KEITH BATES, DANIEL JAMES WINARSKI
  • Publication number: 20090037867
    Abstract: A method of designing and forming a mask used for projecting an image of an integrated circuit design. After providing a mask element corresponding to a portion of a design of an integrated circuit layout, the method includes correcting the mask element using OPC techniques, and fracturing the OPC-corrected mask element into a plurality of polygonal segments. The method then includes identifying along an edge of the mask element a polygon edge having a thickness less than that which can be normally reproduced by a mask writer, and modifying configuration of the identified mask element segment to add or subtract length to an end of the polygon to create a corrected mask element having increased resolution by the mask writer. The method then includes using an electron beam or other mask writer to form a mask having the mask element with modified configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gregory J. Dick
  • Publication number: 20090037878
    Abstract: Method, system and computer program product are provided to increase the efficiency of the development of Java Enterprise Edition (J2EE) applications. A project may be divided into modules which may be developed by independent teams. The files within each module are classified as independent of resources in other modules or dependent. Independent files may be packaged into a single, integrated web application archive (WAR) file without further processing. Corresponding dependent files are compared and any conflicts are resolved. The resulting files may then be packaged into the WAR file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David N. Brauneis, Christopher C. Mitchell, Brent H. Daniel, Richard A. Backhouse
  • Publication number: 20090034553
    Abstract: Provided are a system and article of manufacture 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: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Lewis Hufferd