Patents by Inventor Aaron E. Merkin

Aaron E. Merkin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8347378
    Abstract: An improved solution for authenticating a user seeking to manage a computer system is provided according to aspects of the invention. A user seeking to perform out-of-band management of the computer system can provide a set of credentials to a service processor, which in turn provides them to the computer system for authentication. Additionally, a user seeking to perform in-band management of the computer system can provide a set of credentials to a management agent executing on the computer system for authentication. In either case, the computer system can authenticate the set of credentials, e.g., using an operating system interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, Mark A. Rinaldi
  • Patent number: 8032776
    Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the hardware resources on a blade server, and thereby limiting the power consumption of the blade server is disclosed. The enforceable hardware resources that are controlled include the base frequency of the central processing unit (CPU) as well as power to individual banks of physical memory, for example dual-inline memory modules (DIMMs). The hardware resources are tuned in dependence on actual server utilization such that applications running on the blade only have the allocated hardware resources available to them. Deactivated hardware resources are powered off and are so ‘hidden’ from the operating system when they are not required. In this manner, power consumption in the entire chassis can be managed such that all server blades can be powered on and operate at higher steady-state utilization. The utilization of the powered on resources in a blade center is also improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron E. Merkin
  • Patent number: 7886027
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements for activating Internet Protocol (IP) configurations are discussed. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic for activating in an end node an IP configuration suitable for IP communications between the end node and another end node upon the detection of a direct IP connection of the end node to another end node. In some embodiments, the other end node may have a direct IP connect only to the end node. In some embodiments, the suitable IP configuration may involve a static IP address which has been published. In some embodiments, detecting a direct IP connection with another node may be accomplished by detecting a crossed-over Ethernet connection. In some embodiments, an operating system device driver may activate the suitable IP configuration. In other embodiments, an embedded system may activate the suitable IP configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph E. Bolan, Thomas M. Brey, Brandon J. Ellison, Aaron E. Merkin
  • Patent number: 7710718
    Abstract: A mechanism for changing ownership over the physical power to a blade server in a blade center chassis that prevents a malfunctioning blade from jeopardizing other components in the chassis. When the management module is not present, control over power to the blade is switched to a service processor on the blade. This arbitration of control over power to a blade is accomplished by implementing a watchdog timer mechanism. The management module is responsible for tickling the watchdog timer when the present in the chassis and operating normally. This mechanism provides the management module with control over power. If the management module malfunctions or is removed, control over power is switched to the local service processor on the blade server as soon as the watchdog timer is not tickled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, Thomas M. Brey, Joseph E. Bolan
  • Publication number: 20100063885
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for advertisement complexity scaling via traffic analysis. A motion module receives movement information from one or more sensors. The movement information comprises information relating to a speed of one or more people relative to an advertisement display device. A complexity module maintains an advertisement complexity rating for each of a plurality of advertisements. The advertisement complexity rating is based on an estimated viewing time of each advertisement. An advertisement selection module selects an advertisement from the plurality of advertisements based on the movement information and the advertisement complexity rating of the advertisement. The advertisement selection module correlates the speed of the one or more people relative to the advertisement display device with the advertisement complexity rating such that a higher speed correlates to a lower advertisement complexity rating. A display module displays the advertisement on a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, William G. Pagan
  • Patent number: 7552320
    Abstract: An arrangement which eliminates the need to remove a computer system from its packaging in order to initiate a re-imaging process. Particularly, there is broadly contemplated herein the use of a position-sensitive switching arrangement, such as a mercury switch, that is configured to power selected control circuitry in a computer so as to receive additional information or data as needed to update imaging or other aspects of a computer's operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, Brandon J. Ellison, David B. Rhoades
  • Publication number: 20090099910
    Abstract: A system and method for counting vehicle traffic, for providing electronic advertising, for providing a billing system, and for providing an auction system having the following features: enabling the owner of an electronic advertising display device to charge advertisers per number of vehicles which pass the advertisement; enabling advertisers to bid to have their respective advertisement shown for a particular congestion level and dynamically changing the advertisement shown; cycling through a series of advertisements and based on calculated average vehicle speed; determining how many of the advertisements were likely viewed by the occupants of a vehicle; and calculating the average number of viewers of the advertisements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, William G. Pagan
  • Publication number: 20090044036
    Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the hardware resources on a blade server, and thereby limiting the power consumption of the blade server is disclosed. The enforceable hardware resources that are controlled include the base frequency of the central processing unit (CPU) as well as power to individual banks of physical memory, for example dual-inline memory modules (DIMMs). The hardware resources are tuned in dependence on actual server utilization such that applications running on the blade only have the allocated hardware resources available to them. Deactivated hardware resources are powered off and are so ‘hidden’ from the operating system when they are not required. In this manner, power consumption in the entire chassis can be managed such that all server blades can be powered on and operate at higher steady-state utilization. The utilization of the powered on resources in a blade center is also improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron E. Merkin
  • Patent number: 7469138
    Abstract: A method and system for providing location information for a mobile Internet calling device are described. The method and system include receiving client information from the mobile Internet calling device coupled with a network at a location and providing the mobile Internet calling device with the location information corresponding to the location. The method and system further include providing the location information to a calling service provider in response to an emergency call made by the mobile Internet calling device when coupled with the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zeynep Dayar, Aaron E. Merkin, David B. Rhoades
  • Patent number: 7461274
    Abstract: A mechanism for controlling the hardware resources on a blade server, and thereby limiting the power consumption of the blade server is disclosed. The enforceable hardware resources that are controlled include the base frequency of the central processing unit (CPU) as well as power to individual banks of physical memory, for example dual-inline memory modules (DIMMs). The hardware resources are tuned in dependence on actual server utilization such that applications running on the blade only have the allocated hardware resources available to them. Deactivated hardware resources are powered off and are so ‘hidden’ from the operating system when they are not required. In this manner, power consumption in the entire chassis can be managed such that all server blades can be powered on and operate at higher steady-state utilization. The utilization of the powered on resources in a blade center is also improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron E. Merkin
  • Publication number: 20080141350
    Abstract: An improved solution for authenticating a user seeking to manage a computer system is provided according to aspects of the invention. A user seeking to perform out-of-band management of the computer system can provide a set of credentials to a service processor, which in turn provides them to the computer system for authentication. Additionally, a user seeking to perform in-band management of the computer system can provide a set of credentials to a management agent executing on the computer system for authentication. In either case, the computer system can authenticate the set of credentials, e.g., using an operating system interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, Mark A. Rinaldi
  • Publication number: 20080132198
    Abstract: A method and system for providing location information for a mobile Internet calling device are described. The method and system include receiving client information from the mobile Internet calling device coupled with a network at a location and providing the mobile Internet calling device with the location information corresponding to the location. The method and system further including providing the location information to a calling service provider in response to an emergency call made by the mobile Internet calling device when coupled with the network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Zeynep Dayar, Aaron E. Merkin, David B. Rhoades
  • Patent number: 7307837
    Abstract: A mechanism for changing ownership over the physical power to a blade server in a blade center chassis that prevents a malfunctioning blade from jeopardizing other components in the chassis. When the management module is not present, control over power to the blade is switched to a service processor on the blade. This arbitration of control over power to a blade is accomplished by implementing a watchdog timer mechanism. The management module is responsible for tickling the watchdog timer when the present in the chassis and operating normally. This mechanism provides the management module with control over power. If the management module malfunctions or is removed, control over power is switched to the local service processor on the blade server as soon as the watchdog timer is not tickled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron E. Merkin, Thomas M. Brey, Joseph E. Bolan