Patents Examined by Henry W.H. Tsai
  • Patent number: 7613857
    Abstract: A memory device is provided comprising a built-in memory array, a first connector configured to connect to a removable memory device comprising a lower-endurance memory array than the built-in memory array, a second connector configured to connect to a host device, and circuitry operative to control read/write operations to the built-in memory array. In another embodiment, a memory device is provided comprising circuitry operative to determine if a removable memory device connected to a first connector of the memory device comprises a memory controller. In yet another embodiment, a memory device is provided comprising a built-in memory array, a connector configured to connect to a removable memory device comprising a memory array without a memory controller, and circuitry operative to control read/write operations to the built-in memory array and the removable memory device's memory array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: SanDisk Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin P. Kealy, Maria A. Sabatini
  • Patent number: 7613848
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method, upstream processing node, and computer readable medium for dynamically stabilizing a stream processing system. The method includes receiving at least one computing resource allocation target. The method further includes determining that an input data flow rate of at least one upstream processing element varies. The computing resource is dynamically allocated to the upstream processing element in response to the input rate of the upstream processing element varying. Data flow is dynamically controlled between the upstream processing element and at least one downstream processing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa D. Amini, Anshul Sehgal, Jeremy I. Silber, Olivier Verscheure
  • Patent number: 7610409
    Abstract: A Universal Serial Bus data transport method and its device is disclosed. Data transport is performed through a high-speed transport technique based on a Universal Serial Bus, which consists of Universal Serial Bus protocol for communication between the device and the host, and SCSI protocol for interaction between the device and the upper driver layer. A data transport device using the Universal Serial Bus thus uses the embedded driver inside the operating system, which may be self-loaded/self-initialized, and have high data transport speed, and convenient to use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Feitian Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Huang, Zhou Lu, Fan Chen
  • Patent number: 7610416
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the rise and fall times of USB signals for USB devices and peripherals are provided. The rise and fall times of USB peripherals can be controlled, or changed, in order to match the electrical characteristics of the USB peripheral to a USB host. By sweeping through a range of rise and fall times, and testing the reliability of USB output, optimal rise and fall times for the characteristics of a USB peripheral can quickly be determined. In one embodiment, the controllability of the rise and fall times is provided in firmware that changes at least one characteristic of the USB peripheral that affects the amount of current flowing during USB signaling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Richard S. Lum, Wei Guo
  • Patent number: 7610413
    Abstract: Method for managing a queue in host memory for use with a peripheral device. Roughly described, the host makes a determination of the availability of space in the queue for writing new entries, in dependence upon historical knowledge of the number of queue entries that the host has authorized the device to write, and the number of entries that the host has consumed. In dependence on that determination, the host authorizes the device to write a limited number of new entries into the queue. The device writes entries into the queue dependence upon the number authorized. The host maintains a read pointer into the queue but does not need to maintain a write pointer, and the peripheral device maintains a write pointer into the queue but does not need to maintain a read pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Solarflare Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Pope, David Riddoch, Ching Yu, Derek Roberts
  • Patent number: 7610411
    Abstract: There is provided a mediation section (34) for switching between an active status in which data transmitted to a specific address is registered and processed and a non-active status other than the active status. When the mediation section (34) judges that unprocessed data stored in a data storage section (31) cannot be processed in a predetermined time, the mediation section (34) instructs one or more other MFPs to change into the active status and causes the MFP including the mediation section (34) to change into the non-active status, so as to cause a data processing section (32) to process the unprocessed data. As a result, it is possible to perform mediation concerning a job (data) without using a server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Umekage, Suehiro Ueda, Hiroshi Takatani
  • Patent number: 7606950
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating between graphical programs executing on respective devices, e.g., a programmable hardware element and a controller. The system includes a first node representing a direct memory access structure, e.g., a first in, first out data structure (DMA FIFO), and a second node providing a controller interface to the DMA FIFO. A first portion of the DMA FIFO is implemented on the programmable hardware element, and a second portion of the DMA FIFO is implemented in memory of the controller. The first and second nodes are operable to be included respectively in first and second graphical programs, where the first graphical program, including the first node, is deployable to the programmable hardware element, where the second graphical program, including the second node, is deployable to the controller, and where the first and second graphical programs communicate via the DMA FIFO in cooperatively performing a specified task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: John R. Breyer
  • Patent number: 7606948
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and a method for generating warranty and pricing information for one or more data storage apparatuses. In one embodiment, a system for processing status parameters of one or more data storage apparatuses comprises at least one host system configured to retrieve one or more status parameters of one or more data storage apparatus; a vendor system; and a network coupled with the at least one host system and the vendor system. The at least one host system is configured to send the one or more status parameters via the network to the vendor system. The vendor system is configured to use the one or more status parameters to generate any one or more of warranty information, pricing information, and design improvement information for the data storage apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jorge Campello, Bruce A. Wilson, Richard New
  • Patent number: 7606953
    Abstract: A computing device receives source content and output characteristics associated with a target output device. The computing device formats the source content into multiple versions of context-aware content corresponding to specific output characteristics of the target output device. The computing device stores the multiple versions of the context-aware content in corresponding output characteristic content containers. The content containers are filtered such that only the versions of the context-aware content that correspond to the output capabilities of the target output device are made accessible to the user. The user is presented with a single namespace that is associated with the context-aware versions of the content. When the namespace is selected, the appropriate version of the context-aware content is executed based on the output characteristics of the target output device such that an optimal user experience is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus A. Ash, Udiyan I. Padmanabhan
  • Patent number: 7603486
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence and the type of network devices connected to a management device via transmission lines. The apparatus may include a pull-up resistor, a pull-down resistor, a filter, and a presence detector, the resistors superimposing a DC or low-frequency voltage on the transmission line. The impact, if any, of the DC voltage one communications equipment and circuitry can be reduced by a coupling that isolates the DC voltage. Similarly, the filter prevents transmitted data signals from interfering with the DC voltage level. The method and apparatus function regardless of whether the network device is functional or powered on, and different values of pull-up or pull-down resistors can be used to indicate the type of device that terminates the transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: 3Com Corporation
    Inventors: Linh My Le, Dwight D. Dipert, Ellen Oschmann
  • Patent number: 7603507
    Abstract: The present invention uses memory resources effectively and connects each storage device by a plurality of paths in a switchable manner, thus improving reliability and ease of use, by virtualizing external memory resources as internal memory resources. External storage 2 is connected to the main storage 1, and the actual volume 2A is mapped onto the virtual volume 1A. A plurality of paths is connected between the storage 1 and 2. When a failure occurs in a path in use (S3), the path having the next highest priority is selected (S4), and processing is continued using this path (S5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Yagi, Dai Taninaka, Takao Mashima
  • Patent number: 7603484
    Abstract: A user-mode device driver architecture is provided by the subject invention. The architecture includes a reflector, a driver manager and a host process which hosts and isolates one or more user-mode device driver(s). The user-mode device driver runs in the user-mode (UM) environment and has access to various UM services. The reflector resides in “kernel memory” (e.g., memory/resource(s) available to operating system) while the driver manager, host process and user mode device driver(s) are located in user space (e.g., memory/resource(s) available to user application(s)). The reflector provides a secure, stable communication path for application(s), the host process and/or user-mode device driver(s) to communicate with the operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chung Lang Dai, Mukund Sankaranarayan, Stuart R. Patrick
  • Patent number: 7603490
    Abstract: A direct memory access (DMA) device includes a barrier and interrupt mechanism that allows interrupt and mailbox operations to occur in such a way that ensures correct operation, but still allows for high performance out-of-order data moves to occur whenever possible. Certain descriptors are defined to be “barrier descriptors.” When the DMA device encounters a barrier descriptor, it ensures that all of the previous descriptors complete before the barrier descriptor completes. The DMA device further ensures that any interrupt generated by a barrier descriptor will not assert until the data move associated with the barrier descriptor completes. The DMA controller only permits interrupts to be generated by barrier descriptors. The barrier descriptor concept also allows software to embed mailbox completion messages into the scatter/gather linked list of descriptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Giora Biran, Luis E. De la Torre, Bernard C. Drerup, Jyoti Gupta, Richard Nicholas
  • Patent number: 7603496
    Abstract: A buffer is disclosed for storing data being transferred using a plurality of control channels, a data item of said data being transferred between a data source and a data destination using one of said plurality of control channels, said buffer comprising: a data input port operable to receive said data being transferred using said plurality of control channels; a data output port operable to output data to be transferred using said plurality of control channels; and a data store operable to store data received from said data input port prior to it being output by said data output port, said data store comprising a plurality of storage locations each operable to store a data item, said storage locations being arranged in groups, a storage location being allocated to a group in dependence on the control channel that a data item that it stores is received from, such that each group comprises storage locations storing data items received from a same one of said plurality of control channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Edwin Wrigley, David John Gwilt
  • Patent number: 7603492
    Abstract: A streaming data interface device (700) of a streaming processing system (200) is automatically generated by selecting a set of circuit parameters (610) consistent with a set of circuit constraints and generating (612, 614) a representation of a candidate memory interface device based upon a set of stream descriptors. The candidate streaming data interface device is evaluated (616) with respect to one or more quality metrics and the representation of the candidate streaming processor circuit is output (622) if the candidate memory interface device satisfies a set of processing system constraints and is better in at least one of the one or more quality metrics than other candidate memory interface devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Sek M. Chai, Nikos Bellas, Malcolm R. Dwyer, Erica M. Lau, Zhiyuan Li, Daniel A. Linzmeier
  • Patent number: 7603485
    Abstract: Provided is a storage subsystem capable of improving the data processing speed by balancing the load on processors and controllers. This storage subsystem includes a controller for controlling the input and output of data to and from a storage apparatus that provides to a host computer a plurality of logical units to become a storage extent for the host computer to read and write data, processes a command issued by the host computer, and has a storage resource in relation to the logical unit. The controller has a local memory for storing the command, and a processor configured from a plurality of cores for controlling the input and output of data to and from the logical unit to be subject to the input and output of the data based on the command. The local memory stores association information representing the correspondence between the plurality of logical units and the plurality of cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kousuke Komikado, Koji Iwamitsu, Tetsuya Shirogane, Atsushi Ishikawa, Takahide Okuno, Mitsuhide Sato, Toshiaki Minami, Hiroaki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 7600062
    Abstract: A method for micro-code execution for an electronic device is disclosed. The method includes: providing the electronic device with a micro-code partitioned into a main core and at least a function code, the micro-code being stored in a first storage module of the electronic device; and when the electronic device is powered on, loading the main core from the first storage module into a second storage module of the electronic device, and switching between the second storage module for executing the main core and the first storage module for executing the function code to control operation of the electronic device. The function code is executed when called by execution of the main core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Ching-Hua Su, Hsin-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 7600060
    Abstract: A memory system includes a host and an electronic circuit card that can be inserted into the host and electrically connected to the host. If the electronic circuit card is inserted into the host, the host transfers transmission speed information to the electronic circuit card. If transmission speed information received from the host specifies a transmission speed that is identical to a transmission speed of the electronic circuit card, the electronic circuit card transfers a response signal to the host. The host generates a command signal for initializing the electronic circuit card after setting a transmission speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeong-Hyon Yoon
  • Patent number: 7600059
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment provides for a device driver embodied in a computer readable medium. The device driver includes instructions operative to cause a programmable processor to receive a command and perform a determination as to whether the command is a drive command or a media changer command. The command is then conditionally modified, based on the determination and the command is forwarded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventors: Jim Wong, Osama Aweida, Don Matthews
  • Patent number: 7600052
    Abstract: This invention allows an application to set/modify an extension function without opening the user interface of a device driver in an environment in which the function extension of the device driver is implemented in a plugin form. To cause the application to execute printing processing using a printer driver as one of the device drivers and a function extension module having a parameter which cannot be set by the printer driver, the application reserves a memory area having a capacity including a parameter managed by the printer driver and a parameter managed by the function extension module. The application transfers at least the position of the memory area, an identifier for specifying a parameter, and the setting value of the parameter to the printer driver or function extension module to set the setting value in the parameter specified by the identifier of the memory area. The printer driver and function extension module perform printing processing using the parameter of the memory area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisashi Kato