Patents Examined by Shew-Fen Lin
  • Patent number: 7890482
    Abstract: A system for controlling concurrency of access to data in a database system is provided. The system includes receiving a lock request for access to data in the database system, in which the lock request is a request for a page lock or a row lock for a corresponding row or page in the database system containing the data. The method further includes identifying a partition in the database system that contains the row or the page in the database system containing the data; associating the lock request with a partition lock on the partition that contains the row or the page in the database system containing the data; and accessing the data using the partition lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karelle L. Cornwell, Tanya Couch, Robert W. Lyle, James Z. Teng, Julie A. Watts
  • Patent number: 7873605
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for selective removal of user data changes is provided. In one embodiment, the methodology is implemented by a logical recovery mechanism. Upon receiving a request to selectively remove user data changes stored in a database, the mechanism creates an empty set of transactions to be populated for selective removal, identifies one or more transactions and places them in the causal set of transactions. The mechanism further identifies other transactions that logically depend on any transaction already in the causal set of transactions. Finally, either while the causal set of transactions is being identified or after the identification is completed, the mechanism also determines user data changes made by the causal set of transactions. One or more compensating transactions may be generated by the logical recovery mechanism, which when executed, reverse the user data changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Manosiz Bhattacharyya, Bipul Sinha, Amit Ganesh
  • Patent number: 7873613
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing storage control in a network of storage controllers is disclosed. The apparatus includes an owner storage controller; an I/O performing component, an ownership assignment component, a lock manager and a messaging component. The ownership assignment component assigns ownership of metadata for data to an owner storage controller. The lock manager controls the locking of metadata during I/O. The messaging component passes messages among storage controllers to request metadata state, to grant locks, to request release of locks, and to signal lock release. The I/O is performed on data whose metadata is owned by an owner storage controller, subject to compliance with metadata lock protocols controlled by the owner storage controller, and any copy of the data held from time to time is maintained in a coherency relation with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Francisco Fuente, William James Scales
  • Patent number: 7873662
    Abstract: In order to have operations of a central system executed by a satellite system, a linking structure is located between the central system and the satellite system. The linking structure includes: a communications link between the central system and satellite system; a control card, in the central system, that places said operations in one or more data blocks; and a coupler, in the satellite system, that sends through the link to the control card at least one read command to which the control card responds by sending said data block or blocks through the link to the coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Bull, S.A.
    Inventors: Denis Pinson, Patrick Sala, Jean-Paul Pigache
  • Patent number: 7873663
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus operate to convert a markup language representation such as XML to a data structure format such as a tree containing representations of constructs in the markup language representation. The operations receive a markup language representation containing encoded items representative of markup language constructs and identifying a sequence of encoded items within the intermediate representation that represents a respective markup language construct. In response, the system establishes, within a buffer of nodes, a new node for the sequence of encoded items that represents a respective markup language construct and creates, from the buffer of nodes, a linked data structure that represents relationships between the markup language constructs represented within the markup language representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Willis, Heather D. Achilles, Patrick R. McManus, Nicholas D. Matsakis
  • Patent number: 7873646
    Abstract: An embodiment relates to a novel apparatus and method for changing modes of notification in an electronic device. An electronic device includes a calendar application and a variety of other applications such as the message reader application or the daily alarm application. The device is configured to use the calendar application to track whether and how the user is notified of the receipt of an electronic. In one embodiment, the user specifically associates a profile behavior to the calendar entry when the calendar entry is first created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: David Yach, David Castell, Neil Adams, Michael K. Brown, Ian Patterson
  • Patent number: 7865486
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing storage control in a network of storage controllers is disclosed. The apparatus includes an owner storage controller; an I/O performing component, an ownership assignment component, a lock manager and a messaging component. The ownership assignment component assigns ownership of metadata for data to an owner storage controller. The lock manager controls the locking of metadata during I/O. The messaging component passes messages among storage controllers to request metadata state, to grant locks, to request release of locks, and to signal lock release. The I/O is performed on data whose metadata is owned by an owner storage controller, subject to compliance with metadata lock protocols controlled by the owner storage controller, and any copy of the data held from time to time is maintained in a coherency relation with the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Francisco Fuente, William James Scales
  • Patent number: 7849112
    Abstract: To avoid the need for storing a tree quota identifier attribute for every file in a quota tree, a tree quota identifier is included in the file handle returned by the file server to a client in response to a directory lookup request. The file server discovers that the file is in a quota tree when searching along a path specified by the file pathname and finding a directory having a tree quota identifier. The file server responds to a client request for changing the storage resources used by the file by inspecting the file handle and upon finding the tree quota identifier in the file handle, using the tree quota identifier to index a tree quota database to find usage and limits for the tree quota. The file server checks the limits against any increase in the storage resources for the file, and updates the usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Virendra M Mane, Jiannan Zheng
  • Patent number: 7840535
    Abstract: An approach to validating replicated data allows use of a validation procedure that may modify the data replica. The approach features suspension of updating of the data replica for data replication and enabling restoration of the data replica to a state prior to any modification of the data as a result of the validation procedure. After validation, the data replica is restored before resuming updating for data replication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Computer Associates Think, Inc.
    Inventors: Dima Barboi, Leonid Shtilman
  • Patent number: 7822775
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for storage and retrieval of complex data. An example method may store a first data item in a first data table included in a database. An aggregated data object may be generated based on preprocessing the first data table based on satisfying a predefined retrieval query. The aggregated data object may be stored based on a preprocessed format in a cluster table included in the database. The first data table may be updated, and the aggregated data object may be updated in the cluster table based on the update of the first data table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Matthias Langer
  • Patent number: 7814126
    Abstract: Task sequences are used to manage devices. According to one aspect, a user-defined or user-selected task sequence is received. The task sequence is converted into an ordered series of steps, and the series of steps are performed, in accordance with their order, in managing a device over a network. In certain implementations, the ordered series of steps are steps for automatically deploying an operating system on the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Munisamy Prabu, Michael J. Gallop, Raymond D. Pedrizetti, Curt A. Steeb, Zeyong Xu, Paul C. Sutton, Martin L. Holladay
  • Patent number: 7809749
    Abstract: A system and article of manufacture providing a high performance access control list. The preferred embodiments operate in a computer network having a plurality of users of the network and comprising a database management system and a content management system controlling access to a plurality of entities shareable by the users of the network, the content management system using an access control list table having group privilege rules and user privilege rules for controlling access to the entities. A high performance ACL system and article of manufacture is provided, the system and article including a run-time compiled ACL table, wherein the compiled ACL table provides resolved privilege rules for each of the users at run-time, and using the compiled ACL table, the content management system accesses user-selected ones of the entities based on the resolved privilege rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mang-Rong Ho, Tawei Hu
  • Patent number: 7801905
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to data acquisition, analysis, and management system for professionals and organizations of all sizes across many different industries. Specifically, the present invention provides systems and methods for tracking, billing, logging, reporting, archiving, searching, and mining on- and off-line user interactions. Not only does the present invention provide methods that simplify business and/or academic research activities, but provides an easy way to build and manage a scalable and secure e-library system. The present invention includes a unique log, report, search, and annotation engines, plus personalization and customization features. Sophisticated data acquisition, analysis, and management modules are hidden behind a simple toolbar embedded in the Network browser on a client computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Inventors: Prabhdeep Singh, George Eagan, Vivek Srivastav, Charles Joseph Zapiec
  • Patent number: 7801904
    Abstract: A system and method for providing geographic data to end users' computing platforms. A server maintains downloadable geographic data that are organized into pre-computed parcels that correspond to pre-determined sub-areas into which the entire geographic region serviced by the server is divided. The server responds to requests from the end users' computing platforms for navigation services and data by sending selected pre-computed parcels of geographic data to the end users' computing platforms. The end users' computing platforms store the pre-computed parcels received from the server in a cache memory. The end users' computing platforms use the data in the pre-computed parcels to provide navigation-related features locally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Navteq North America, LLC
    Inventors: Senthil Natesan, Aaron Crane, Philip Robare
  • Patent number: 7792851
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for defining queries in terms of data objects. A simplified query syntax is introduced for querying across a set of data objects which does not require the duplication of data object shape information. A data object is first defined by providing a name for the data object. Attribute and relationship information is added to the data object, wherein the information defines the shape of the data object. When a query is created, it is defined in terms of data objects. The query is processed, wherein processing the query includes extracting the shape of the data objects using the attribute information in the query. The query is expanded by adding additional syntax to the query based on relationship information defined for the data objects and then executed in its expanded form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Christopher Berg, Narinder Makin, Lawrence Scott Rich, Ritchard Leonard Schacher
  • Patent number: 7774354
    Abstract: Method and system for providing results for task list queries to Workflow Management Systems (WfMSs) and Human Task Management Systems (HTMSs). In one aspect, a method for providing the result of a task list query to a human task database includes caching data from the database in a plurality of materialized views. A new request for a list of tasks from the database is received, and a new query is created when the new request applies to the data in a particular materialized view. When the particular materialized view includes data that requires updating from more recent data in the database, the materialized view is so updated. The new query is executed against the data in the materialized view instead of executing the new query against the data in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jonas Grundler, Frank Neumann, Gerhard Pfau
  • Patent number: 7765243
    Abstract: A method of managing local and remote data storage including displaying to a user, as a single logical volume, file names referencing both local data files and remote data files. The user individually selects file names and assigns a location attribute to the file names: residing only on the remote data storage, residing only the local data storage; residing on both the local data storage and the remote data storage. The location attribute of residing only on the remote data storage causes the local data file to be erased. The location attribute of residing only on the local data storage causes the remote data file to be erased. The location attribute, of residing on both the local data storage and the remote data storage, causes the files to be synchronized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Sandisk IL Ltd.
    Inventor: Noam Kedem
  • Patent number: 7739243
    Abstract: A system and associated method for dynamically configuring a multiplatform computing environment are disclosed. At least one service may form a workflow to be executed as an ordered group. A database contains configuration data, workflow control data, and workflow status data. A service configuration utility provides user interface to dynamically receive configuration data, to update the database, and to display contents of the database. A workflow entry process creates a workflow. A service monitor controls runtime behaviors of the system according to contents of the database. A service listener routes a workflow to associated services according to the configuration data in the database. A service executes a desired function, and then reports a result to the system monitor. The system monitor updates contents of the database to reflect the reported result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew Lee Erickson, John Peter Merges, III, Dale William Petersilka, Julie Marie Smith
  • Patent number: 7734643
    Abstract: A method for distributively storing a data object on a data storage system includes determining a layout map ID and associating the layout map ID with the data object. The layout map ID is used in determining a layout map, and the layout map is used in determining a layout given a current configuration of the data storage system. The data object is fragmented into data fragments and parity fragments, and the data fragments and parity fragments are distributively stored on data storage system in accordance with the layout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Richard Waterhouse, Sherif M. Botros, Olaf Manczak, Patrick Gates, Jeremy Werner, Sacha Arnoud
  • Patent number: 7725457
    Abstract: A method of modifying a Structured Query Language (SQL) statement in order to reduce the number of joins executed by a database is disclosed. The method includes presenting the SQL statement to the database and identifying joins in the SQL statement for removal in accordance with one or more predetermined criteria. For each identified join, the SQL statement may be modified so as to remove the identified join and to change references to a first instance of a table which is referred to by the identified join to a second instance of the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Evans, Paolo Fragapane, Stephen Cave, Andrew Osborn