Patents Examined by William A. Cuchlinski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6952736
    Abstract: An object-based locking mechanism is disclosed in which the requesting and granting of access to data is decoupled by the use of methods to regulate the data access. In one embodiment, a client object calls a request lock method of a server object when it desires access to data regulated by the server object. When the server object decides to grant access, it calls a lock granted method of the client object. Within the scope of the lock granted method, the client object has access to the data; when the client object returns the lock granted method, access is released. An object queue to manage data access with respect to a number of client objects for a server object is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin M. Westbrook
  • Patent number: 6952729
    Abstract: A hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network management system and method for managing an HFC network having network elements operable for communicating telephony, data, and video signals with customer-premises equipment (CPE) of a subscriber. The HFC network management system includes an HFC network manager for monitoring status and configuration of the network elements and the CPE and for controlling configuration of the network elements and the CPE. A database is operable for storing data indicative of the configuration of the network elements and the CPE and the assigned capacity of the network elements. An online provisioning application link (OPAL) is operable for provisioning network elements with CPE based on the assigned capacity of the network elements to enable communication of telephony, data, and video signals between the HFC network and the CPE. A fault manager is operable for generating displays of the status and configuration of the network elements and the CPE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventors: Harvey R. Bialk, Jyoti A. Kulkarni, Paul E. Schauer
  • Patent number: 6947182
    Abstract: This invention relates to management of facsimile information in a network system to which a document distribution server, a client terminal, and a facsimile apparatus are connected. When operated, this facsimile apparatus transmits information concerning the operation to the server. When an image is transmitted as a result of operation, information concerning the result of this transmission is also transmitted to the server. The server stores in a database the received information pertaining to the operation of the facsimile apparatus, the transmitted image, and the received information pertaining to the transmission result. Whether these pieces of information are to be transmitted to the server is set for each client. Each client can acquire operation log information of the facsimile apparatus by looking up the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takekazu Kumagai
  • Patent number: 6948001
    Abstract: An independent storage node is disclosed that includes a processor and transport hardware in communication with the processor that is capable of communicating data via a transport connection. Executing on the processor is modular storage software that comprises a plurality of software modules and a module interface. The module interface allows dynamic binding of the software modules and is capable of executing on a plurality of processor types by using particular software modules related to a specific processor type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Radiant Data Corporation
    Inventor: Mark W. Bradley
  • Patent number: 6944668
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system operable to identify and access information about a user (109) of a distributed communication system. The system comprises at least one service device (108), and at least one access device (105a) operable to provide access to said distributed communication system. The system also comprises at least one control means (101; 103) connected to said at least one access device (105a) and to said at least one service device (108), a to said at least one access device (105a) connected identification device (113) operable to identify an address of a specific user (109). The system also comprises at least one storage device (102; 104) connected to said at least one control means (101; 103), and a to said at least one control means (101; 103) connected cache means (111) operable to store mappings of said addresses and identifications for said users (109).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Targian AB
    Inventors: Thomas Broquist, Lars Eriksson
  • Patent number: 6941379
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for improving the performance, reliability, and recoverability of a computer running a multi-threaded server application. The described techniques enable synchronization requirements to be minimized. A policy is enforced which limits the number of worker threads currently assigned to processing connections to a particular host. Thus if a host fails, some number of worker threads continue to actively service connections to other hosts. The policy may use static or dynamic limits. A single limit may pertain to all hosts, or host-specific limits may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew D. Dingsor, Craig A. Lanzen, Harley A. Stenzel
  • Patent number: 6941362
    Abstract: A method of determining the root cause of an event in a computer network having a distributed network management architecture including detecting an event at at least one device component (DC) in the network, for each source DC at which an event is detected, finding a data path within the network from the source DC's underlying network element to that of its acquaintance DC where present, identifying as the root cause any of the source DC and the subject DCs in the data path that have detected an event and either do not have an acquaintance or do not have a valid operational state with respect to its acquaintance whereas all other DCs along the data path at lower network layers than the source or subject DC have valid operational states with respect to their acquaintances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Sheer Networks Inc.
    Inventors: Sharon Barkai, Ariel Noy, Yoel Shkolnisky
  • Patent number: 6941215
    Abstract: In a method and a device for triggering a request for taking control (RTC), a driver of a vehicle having adaptive cruise control is signaled that the adaptive cruise control system may not be capable of controlling a driving situation, and that the driver may have to intervene, the signaling of the driver being generated in accordance with at least two vehicle variables, whereby the probability of a false alarm by the system is reduced, and the triggering of the RTC is adapted to the instantaneous vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Hellmann, Hermann Winner, Albrecht Irion
  • Patent number: 6941375
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for defining a search space of a community in which a client may search for resources. A client providing a resource registers the resource with a core. The core then lists the resource with an advertising service, which serves multiple cores. A client searching for a resource can search in the client's core and within the advertising service serving the clients core. In addition, a client searching for resources can define a community of advertising services remote to the client's core, then designate the community when sending an attribute-based search for computer resources to the client's core. In some embodiments, once a community is defined, a client can subscribe to an events within the community by searching for an event distributor within the community. The client is then notified of events occurring within the community that match the client's event subscription.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kannan Govindarajan, Sekhar R. Sarukkai, Shamik Sharma, Shankar Umamaheshwaran
  • Patent number: 6938083
    Abstract: Many document files in different formats can be downloaded from websites which can be selected for their specific content using search items as a Verity Search Engine and Web Server. After downloading into a user-workstation, a topic search would not be ordinarily feasible to search files of different formats. The present system and method enables topic searching by converting the different file formats into a common format such as PDF which then can easily be topic-searched by a browser such as an Adobe Acrobat program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventor: Tommy Kay Teague
  • Patent number: 6934763
    Abstract: A relay system, comprises interface units for accessing networks, a domain definition module, an connection definition module, a routing module, an address translation module for translating, when forwarding a communication data from one domain to another domain, a source address belonging to the source domain contained in the packet into a proxy host address belonging to the routing destination domain, and an address reverse translation module for translating, when receiving a communication data which has the proxy host address in destination address field, the destination address belonging to the source domain contained in the packet into the address belonging to the routing destination, and a control unit for controlling a connectability for routing between the two or more domains in accordance with definitions of the connection definition module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Kubota, Naoki Oguchi, Tetsumei Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 6934603
    Abstract: The advantage of flexible multi-axis robot systems and robot cell-unit systems being further extended by providing electric and electronic E-POOL networks, consisting of multiblock individual computer units, central computers, board computers, satellite units, antenna units, open and contact protected under floor and upper floor current and communication supply lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Uwe Kochanneck
  • Patent number: 6934750
    Abstract: The present invention permits users to obtain detailed information concerning those portions of web contents in which they are most interested and provides an information extraction system. In an embodiment, the information extraction system comprises a server and a client, connected via a communication network, wherein the server provides a data file for a client to browse; and wherein the client includes a browser for displaying the contents of the data file that is received from the server via the communication network, an operation event detection analyzer for detecting a predetermined specific operation based on a user's operation when the user reads the contents of the data file displayed by the browser, and a text extractor for extracting information that is displayed at a location whereat the specific operation that is detected by the operation event analyzer is performed on a display screen of the browser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Hijikata, Yoshinori Aoki, Amane Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6934629
    Abstract: A three dimensional structure is precisely positioned at a desired location. A viral model of the structure of interest is created and stored in a computer memory. Some time later, remote sensors are placed in selected positions on the structure of interest. The sensors are configured so as to provide real time location, attitude and orientation information regarding the structure and may consist of GPS remote units, tilt meters, gyro compasses, and pressure sensor. The position of each the remote sensors on the actual structure is also recorded in the computer memory so that the virtual model accurately reflects the configuration of the structure. As the structure is being positioned, the real-time location, attitude and orientation information produced by the remote sensors is monitored at a base station and used to update the virtual model. In this way, the virtual model accurately reflects the current location, attitude and orientation of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Ltd.
    Inventors: Gary Sedman Chisholm, Michael Hansby, Brent O'Meagher, Alan Monnox
  • Patent number: 6928480
    Abstract: A networking device and method for providing a predictable membership scheme for policy-based virtual local area networks (VLANs). In the event that identical behavior toward incoming expected and unexpected untagged frames is desired, a first membership scheme imposes a first set of rules while a second membership scheme, having a second set of rules, is used if expected and unexpected untagged frames are treated differently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Manjiri S. Gadagkar, Swati Dhuleshia, Luc Pariseau
  • Patent number: 6925483
    Abstract: A system enables a consumer to generate a filtering program based on criteria set forth by a system operator during run time. During system operation, the operator selects appropriate filtering criteria from a display screen associated with a respective consumer. Each consumer implements filtering criteria in a filtering program that is registered with a distributor. The filtering program may include simple true or false tests, or more complex tests. The distributor compiles each filtering program during registration and thereafter dynamically loads the compiled program before executing filtering queries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick Eldin Niemi
  • Patent number: 6925489
    Abstract: Identification information is extracted from a current broadcast of a piece or music or other type of information of interest to a user, and stored in a memory or other storage device, in response to a user command. The identification information includes sufficient information to identify at least one deliverable information item associated with the current broadcast, e.g., a CD or MP3 file which contains the particular piece of music. When the user later has access to a wired or wireless network connection, the extracted identification information is delivered over a network connection to a server which processes the delivered information to identify the deliverable information item associated with the broadcast. The user can then purchase the deliverable information item by appropriate interaction with the server. The extracted identification information may be stored in a removable memory device associated with a receiver which receives the broadcast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Steven DeArmond Curtin
  • Patent number: 6922718
    Abstract: A multi-point video conferencing system and method for managing display of images of multiple participating locations and bandwidth allocated for a multi-point video conference. The multi-point video conferencing system detects an audio signal associated with an image not currently displayed to each participating location in the multi-point video conference. When the number of active display windows is less than the maximum number of active display windows, a first active display window is activated and the image displayed in the first active display window. When the number of the active display windows is not less than the maximum number, a second active display window of the active display windows is inactivated, a third active display window is activated, and the image is displayed in the third active display window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventor: Luke L. Chang
  • Patent number: 6922727
    Abstract: A method and system for managing the transfer of data in parallel through multiple sockets. The present invention facilitates the use of multiple sockets and avoid monopolization of a socket by releasing the socket as soon as data from a client request has been sent to a server application. The present invention also includes a novel socket assignment technique that assigns only available sockets. This novel socket assignment technique avoids bottlenecking and delays due to socket contention and increases efficiency. The socket assignment technique of the present invention can assign sockets using a round robin technique, which assigns a server application to a first available socket, a random technique, which assigns a server application randomly to an available socket, or a user-defined technique, which assigns a thread to an available socket as determined by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Dwip N. Banerjee
  • Patent number: 6920390
    Abstract: A Surface Movement Area/Runway Traffic and Surface Area Flow Tool with Runway Incursion Protection System reduces runway incursions due to lost or disoriented aircraft, navigation in low visibility conditions, unfamiliarity with local procedures and airport layouts, and truncated or misunderstood clearances or other frequency congestion related communication and workload problems. SMART Board surface displays are used to provide route guidance instructions to aircraft at ramp and taxiway intersections, confirm to for pilots that their aircraft is at the correct location and is in the assigned queue and sequence before entering active runways, visual confirmation of runway clearances to aircraft and vehicles at all runway entrances, and lessening frequency congestion on Ground and Local communications channels. The system includes an Electronic Flight Data System to generate messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Technology Planning Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Mallet, Robert Calzetta