Patents Examined by Sue Lao
  • Generating XML pages from project data from an automation component and storing them in a run-time system
    Patent number: 7234145
    Abstract: The access to control data in a run-time system is configured more flexibly where the project data from a control program and the current values from a machine to be controlled are stored in the run-time system in the XML or HTML format. The data can be made available independent of location and for standard browsers via a web server integrated into the run-time system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Wagner
  • System and method employing script-based device drivers
    Patent number: 7117503
    Abstract: A computer system and method uses script-based device drivers for operating hardware devices. The script-based driver architecture comprises a scripting driver, a script engine, and a driver script for a given hardware device, such as a scanner. The driver script is generally a text file containing a sequence of programming instructions defining the operational behavior of the hardware device. The scripting driver exports a set of objects whose functions can be called by the driver script to communicate with and control the device. When a request to operate the hardware device is received by the scripting driver, the script engine interprets the programming instructions in the driver script corresponding to the request and invokes the functions of the scripting driver objects called by the programming instructions to carry out the requested device operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Franc J. Camara, Vladimir Sadovsky, Lyman Cooper Partin, Byron Changuion
  • System and method employing script-based device drivers
    Patent number: 7100170
    Abstract: A computer system and method uses script-based device drivers for operating hardware devices. The script-based driver architecture comprises a scripting driver, a script engine, and a driver script for a given hardware device, such as a scanner. The driver script is generally a text file containing a sequence of programming instructions defining the operational behavior of the hardware device. The scripting driver exports a set of objects whose functions can be called by the driver script to communicate with and control the device. When a request to operate the hardware device is received by the scripting driver, the script engine interprets the programming instructions in the driver script corresponding to the request and invokes the functions of the scripting driver objects called by the programming instructions to carry out the requested device operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Franc J. Camara, Vladimir Sadovsky, Lyman Cooper Partin, Byron Changuion
  • Stream class driver for computer operating system
    Patent number: 7093266
    Abstract: A stream class driver for use in a computer operating system functions together with a minidriver. The minidriver is associated with a particular design for an adapter, which is a hardware device that generates or receives streaming data. The stream class driver deals with common operating system tasks such as direct memory access, scatter/gather memory use and Plug n Play. The stream class driver is independent of the hardware design and can therefore function with any type of streaming device or external buses such as USB or IEEE 1394. the minidriver functionality is limited to only those functions required by the unique aspects of the hardware and for the minimum requirements of operation, thereby minimizing the complexity and burden of designing minidrivers for hardware devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Parry
  • Mechanism and apparatus for URI-addressable repositories of service advertisements and other content in a distributed computing environment
    Patent number: 7080078
    Abstract: A system and method for interaction and access to shared content among clients and services in a distributed computing environment. A client may access a space service. The space service may store one or more XML service advertisements and/or other XML content in a space, and each of the service advertisements may include information which is usable to access and execute a corresponding service. The space service may include an XML schema which specifies one or more messages usable to invoke functions of the space service. For example, the schema may specify methods for reading advertisements from the space and publishing advertisements in the space. In accessing the space service, the client may send information such as an XML message (as specified in the schema) to the space service at an Internet address. In accessing the space service, the client may search the one or more service advertisements stored in the space. The client may select one of the service advertisements from the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory L. Slaughter, Thomas E. Saulpaugh, Bernard A. Traversat, Michael J. Duigou
  • Serializing event handling in a threaded system with no wait states
    Patent number: 7065765
    Abstract: Event handling in multinode data processing networks, in which data structures are shared between nodes and are subject to concurrent requests for access, is facilitated through the use of a separate small data structure (bit array or linked list) which permits an event handler to hand off the task of accessing the data structure to an event handler which is already accessing data from the same data structure. This eliminates the need for locking arrangements and/or the use of special coordinating event handlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William S. Cadden, Patricia E. Heywood
  • Integrated computer testing and task management systems
    Patent number: 7039912
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for constructing integrated computer testing and task management applications provide a computer user access to multiple testing and task management tools, all through a single, uniform interface. According to exemplary embodiments, an integrated testing application controls known test tools through a well defined communications interface, either locally on a single machine or in a distributed fashion across multiple networked machines. Advantageously, such an integrated testing application provides a scalable, tool independent testing framework and thereby enables an organization to readily create sophisticated testing solutions using a heterogeneous mix of available testing and task management tools. Using the methods and apparatus of the invention, organizations can combine, schedule, regress, and report tests and other tasks with a degree of flexibility not previously possible using conventional techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred A. Moulden, Jr., Raymond Horgan, Erik P. Seilnacht
  • Application program interface for network software platform
    Patent number: 7017162
    Abstract: An application program interface (API) provides a set of functions, including a set of base classes and types that are used in substantially all applications accessing the API, for application developers who build Web applications on Microsoft Corporation's .NET™ platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Adam W. Smith, Anthony J. Moore, Brian A. LaMacchia, Anders Hejlsberg, Brian M. Grunkemeyer, Caleb L. Doise, Christopher W. Brumme, Christopher L. Anderson, Corina E. Feuerstein, Craig T. Sinclair, Daniel Takacs, David S. Ebbo, David O. Driver, David S. Mortenson, Erik B. Christensen, Erik B. Olson, Fabio A. Yeon, Gopala Krishna R. Kakivaya, Gregory D. Fee, Hany E. Ramadan, Henry L. Sanders, Jayanth V. Rajan, Jeffrey M. Cooperstein, Jonathan C. Hawkins, James H. Hogg, Joe D. Long, John I. McConnell, Jesus Ruiz-Scougall, James S. Miller, Julie D. Bennett, Krzysztof J. Cwalina, Lance E. Olson, Loren M. Kohnfelder, Michael M. Magruder, Manish S. Prabhu, Radu Rares Palanca, Raja Krishnaswamy, Shawn P. Burke, Sean E. Trowbridge, Seth M. Demsey, Shajan Dasan, Stefan H. Pharies, Suzanne M. Cook, Tarun Anand, Travis J. Muhlestein, Yann E. Christensen, Yung-shin Lin, Ramasamy Krishnaswamy, Joseph Roxe, Alan Boshier, David Bau
  • Smart bookmarks for small footprint device applications
    Patent number: 7017159
    Abstract: Users of small footprint devices such as smart cellular phones, personal data assistants, etc. may create and store bookmarks referencing various types of objects and/or data sources. Each bookmark may comprise a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which may be used to refer to the object/data source. The bookmark system may be open-ended, allowing virtually any type of object or data source to be bookmarked. The bookmarks may later be used by a user or application to reference the respective data source to perform some type of action on the data source, such as displaying or editing it. A lightweight application/service containment framework is described which enables services to run on small footprint devices. A bookmark service may cooperate with an activation framework capable of encapsulating various types of entities. In one embodiment, a bookmark service operates in conjunction together with the JavaBeans™ Activation Framework (JAF) to implement the bookmark functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Baker
  • System and method for effecting inside plant load balancing in a telecommunications system
    Patent number: 7016484
    Abstract: The present invention utilizes a software application running on a digital computer (20) to enable a load balancing technician to assign customers services by assigning a specific port on a specific card in a telecommunications switch (10) to a service, while at the same time ensuring that load balancing criteria are met. The software performs a method in which a list is compiled of switches, cards and ports available for providing a service, and a port for providing a desired service is selected (steps S1–S9) based on loading factors, weighting factors for which can be set by the load balancing technician.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar, Ravi Guduru
  • Application program interface for network software platform
    Patent number: 7013469
    Abstract: An application program interface (API) provides a set of functions, including a set of base classes and types that are used in substantially all applications accessing the API, for application developers who build Web applications on Microsoft Corporation's .NET™ platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Adam W. Smith, Anthony J. Moore, Brian A. LaMacchia, Anders Hejlsberg, Brian M. Grunkemeyer, Caleb L. Doise, Christopher W. Brumme, Christopher L. Anderson, Corina E. Feuerstein, Craig T. Sinclair, Daniel Takacs, David S. Ebbo, David O. Driver, David S. Mortenson, Erik B. Christensen, Erik B. Olson, Fabio A. Yeon, Gopala Krishna R. Kakivaya, Gregory D. Fee, Hany E. Ramadan, Henry L. Sanders, Jayanth V. Rajan, Jeffrey M. Cooperstein, Jonathan C. Hawkins, James H. Hogg, Joe D. Long, John I. McConnell, Jesus Ruiz-Scougall, James S. Miller, Julie D. Bennett, Krzysztof J. Cwalina, Lance E. Olson, Loren M. Kohnfelder, Michael M. Magruder, Manish S. Prabhu, Radu Rares Palanca, Raja Krishnaswamy, Shawn P. Burke, Sean E. Trowbridge, Seth M. Demsey, Shajan Dasan, Stefan H. Pharies, Suzanne M. Cook, Tarun Anand, Travis J. Muhlestein, Yann E. Christensen, Yung-shin Lin, Ramasamy Krishnaswamy, Joseph Roxe, Alan Boshier, David Bau
  • System and method for managing computer system resources using command control vectors
    Patent number: 7013467
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for processing multiple tasks using a single copy of a data object employs command control vectors (CCVs) for representing tasks. A CCV includes pointers to method objects that store instructions for processing tasks and pointers to data objects that store temporary data generated by execution of the method objects. A command response manager manages a queue of CCVs. A separate CCV is generated for each session thread. Multiple CCVs can point to the same method object so that only a single copy of a method object needs to be provided. In one embodiment, CCVs are used in a telecommunication network emulator, where each CCV points to a command response table method object that includes a variety of responses for a variety of inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation
    Inventors: John V. McLain, Jr., Damon Curnell
  • Process for sending a notification in a data processing network with distributed applications
    Patent number: 7010795
    Abstract: In a data processing network with distributed applications a notification is sent from a sender to a receiver via a notification service with which the receiver is registered in order to receive notifications satisfying a predetermined test criterion. The predetermined test criterion includes comparison of at least two values concerning the sender object. Applications include telecommunication networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Alban Couturier, Michel Ruffin, Marcel Van Der Meulen
  • Method for implementing multiple type hierarchies
    Patent number: 7010791
    Abstract: A system and method of unifying data structures is described. Equivalent data structures are combined so that multiple programming languages can recognize the data structure. One embodiment includes a data structure. The data structure includes a pointer to a vtable. The vtable includes at least one pointer. The pointer points to one or more classes and at least one of the classes includes a unified type hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Michal J. Cierniak
  • Heuristic for generating opposite information for inclusion in focus events
    Patent number: 7007281
    Abstract: A method for generating information for inclusion in focus events includes maintaining a list of components requesting focus in a selected application, determining whether a target of a first focus event matches a component at a head of the list, and if the target of the first focus event matches the component at the head of the list, marking the component at the head of the list for inclusion in an opposite field of a second focus event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hania Gajewska, David P. Mendenhall
  • Priority resource allocation in programming environments
    Patent number: 7007277
    Abstract: An extension to a programming language provides for the fair allocation of resources in the programming language environment. A resource pool data object stores available resource objects. A resource queue stores users waiting for resource object allocation. A method releases resources by placing the resources in the resource pool and by notifying users that a resource object has been released. An acquire resource method provides for users to be placed on the resource queue when there are no available resource objects. The acquire resource method waits on the availability of the resource object until the user comes to the head of the resource queue and a resource object is available, following which the resource object is returned to the user. Alternatively, a time out condition is reached once a predefined wait limit is met. The synchronization between methods and users waiting on resources is provided by the acquisition and release of a common lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dean Hildebrand, Michael G. Polan
  • Method and an apparatus to extend the logic volume manager model to allow device management plug-ins
    Patent number: 7003780
    Abstract: Logical disks are provided, which are created by device managers. The logical volume manager is modified to use only logical disks. The device managers may be plug-in modules. This allows new device managers to be added to the logical volume manager at any time without changing the code in the logical volume manager. Anything that can be made to appear as a logical disk through the use of a device manager plug-in may then be used with the logical volume manager. A device manager for network attached storage may be written allowing network attached storage devices to be treated as local disk drives by the logical volume manager, thereby allowing all of the capabilities of the logical volume manager to be used with the network attached storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Peloquin, Benedict Michael Rafanello, Cuong Huu Tran
  • Method of detaching and re-attaching components of a computing process
    Patent number: 7003770
    Abstract: A method removes a part of a computing process comprising items of data, program code and executing states. The process splits into a first process and a second sub-process. The second sub-process includes a portion of the program code and/or a portion of the execution state of the computing process not required by the first process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Kent Ridge Digital Labs
    Inventors: Hwee Hwa Pang, Teow Hin Ngair
  • System and method for software component plug-in framework
    Patent number: 6996832
    Abstract: The invention provides a software component plugin framework. The system described supports dynamic loading, instantiation, and unloading of interface implementations (plugin modules), together with encapsulation of these interface implementations. The many benefits provided by the invention include software reuse, interoperability and fast product development cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: BEA Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mesut Gunduc, Juan Andrade, Jeff Michaud, Paul Patrick
  • Method and system for allowing a PERL application to communicate with a distributed object via CORBA
    Patent number: 6996831
    Abstract: A method and system for allowing a PERL application to communicate with distributed objects. One embodiment comprises a method in which first an adapter program receives a request from a PERL application. The PERL request specifies a distributed object with which the PERL application desires to communicate. The adapter program translates the request from the PERL application. For example, the adapter program translates PERL data structures into a format which is compliant with a communication program. Then, the adapter program calls the communication program to access the distributed object via Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). After the adapter program receives a response from the communication program, the adapter translates the response to a form suitable for the PERL application. For example, the adapter program may need to translate a data structure into a PERL compliant form. Then, the adapter program passes the response to the PERL application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Zoller, Samir Mehta