Patents by Inventor Alan Burton

Alan Burton 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: 7266821
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing jobs on an enterprise-wide computer system. The computer system uses a portal architecture to allow a user to view a wide variety of content retrieved from a variety of different computer systems. The computer system is configured such that a plurality of users can access the system at the same time through a computer network such as the Internet. Users may access the computer system by using a standardized browser program, thus simplifying the user interface. The computer system may also be connected to one or more back-end databases that correspond to the different computer systems within the enterprise. The computer system is configured to run predefined jobs to process data. These jobs can perform a variety of tasks such as retrieving data from a back-end database, preparing a report based upon retrieved data, processing data already resident within the portal system, or notifying a user when a particular condition occurs within the portal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hyperion Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Kathleen Riddell Polizzi, Gail Helen Godbeer, Gadi Yedwab, Anthony John Murphy, Robert Mark Bick, Jeffrey Alan Ewry, William Hippenmeyer, Peter Alan Burton, Jack Norris
  • Patent number: 7260739
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for allowing continuous availability of data during volume set failures in a mirrored environment. Continuous servicing of input/output request for a volume set having failed on a primary array using either portions of the failed volume set or a mirrored volume set is provided. A determination is made whether the failed volume set can service the input/output request and continuous data availability is provided by using the failed volume set to process the input/output request when the failed volume set can service the input/output request, else using a remote mirrored volume set to process the input/output request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
  • Patent number: 7254683
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for speculative data mirroring include a rollback log that receives write data corresponding to a write operation that is directed to a storage region within a source volume. Also included is a storage control module that initiates a lock operation on a corresponding storage region within a target volume and a mirror control module configured to send the data corresponding to the write operation to the target volume without waiting for feedback regarding the lock operation. In one embodiment, initiating a lock operation may include sending a lock command to the target volume. Alternatively, the data corresponding to the write operation may initiate the lock operation. In addition, the mirror control module may initiate retransmission of the data in response to subsequent execution of the lock operation. Due to the unique configuration of the present invention, the present invention reduces latencies arising from synchronous mirroring operations, such as lock operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness, Alan Lee Stewart
  • Publication number: 20070134378
    Abstract: A bag for holding a food item within a cooking appliance is formed with a mounting opening. The bag is mounted to a cooking appliance, such as an indoor grill, by placing the mounting openings over a mounting fixture provided on the appliance. Alternatively, the bag may be mounted to the kitchen appliance with a spring-biased clasp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Alan Burton, John Harrington, Gregg Greulich, Karen Korponai, Augusto Picozza
  • Patent number: 7228538
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, program, and data structure for updating code in a first and second controllers. The first and second controllers are capable of accessing storage regions in a storage device. The first controller receives a code update and signals the second controller. Access to the first controller is disabled and the code update is applied to the first controller. In response to the signaling, the second controller receives commands directed to all of the storage regions during the code update to the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Robert Louis Morton
  • Patent number: 7222223
    Abstract: The invention relates to management of I/O in data storage systems. In an embodiment, the invention provides a data storage subsystem processing I/O requests each having a priority, comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, a disk array, an array controller coupled to the processor and the disk array, a network interface, coupled to the processor, to receive an I/O request with a priority, and a program in the memory for managing the I/O request based on the priority, a clip level of the priority, the total workload in the data storage subsystem, and processing I/O requests based on priority, workload clip levels, and fairness levels. The invention also contemplates the use of static and dynamic adjusted clip levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Eugene Miller, Yuri Vladimirovich Bagashev, David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness, Paul Michael Remley
  • Patent number: 7185222
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and process are disclosed for maintaining data in an electronic storage array during multiple, concurrent drive failures. A first drive failure is recognized and the storage system controller subsequently enters a first operating mode. The storage system controller then recognizes a second drive failure and enters a second operating mode, which is different from the first operating mode, in response to the second drive failure. The second operating mode allows the storage system controller and a recovery module to access the data of the second failed drive in a controlled manner in order to attempt to recover the data on the first failed drive. Also, a pinned data module may allow write data to be written to a pinned data drive, instead of a failed drive, while the storage system controller is operating in the second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Joseph Paul Hughes, Noel Simen Otterness, Bruce A. Woller
  • Patent number: 7177868
    Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and program implemented by a server for controlling and providing access to a file to at least one remote computer over a network. The server maintains metadata about files. The files are maintained at remote storage locations. The server receives a request from the remote computer for a filename of a requested file over the network. The server determines from the metadata one remote storage location address associated with the filename where the requested file is located. The server then updates the metadata for the requested file and sends the storage location address to the remote computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Douglas Alan Williams
  • Publication number: 20060266223
    Abstract: A beverage maker includes a base; a stand extending upwardly from the base; a brew head supported on the stand; and a manually actuated gear drive operably associated with the brew head and the stand for vertically adjusting the height of the brew head above the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Jamal Hammad, Kenneth Parker, Alan Burton
  • Patent number: 7143122
    Abstract: The present invention relates to system and method of asynchronous data replication. In an embodiment, the system includes a primary host that asynchronously transmits write and sync commands where each write and sync command includes a data set ID and a sequence number. A secondary host coupled to the primary host receives the write and sync commands out of order, tracks receipt of write and sync commands, and after receipt of the write and sync commands of the data set writes blocks associated with the write commands to data storage coupled to the secondary host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness, Kurt Alan Shoens
  • Patent number: 7136974
    Abstract: The invention relates to snapshots of a data storage system including a host that communicates with a cache memory, source storage, target storage, and metadata, including a source storage for active data, a target storage to store migrated snapshot data, first metadata (e.g., bitmaps and log files with pointers) to indicate when and where the first snapshot data is in target storage, and second metadata (e.g., bitmaps and log files pointers) to indicate when and where the second snapshot data is in target storage where the first and second metadata locate the same snapshot data in the target storage. The invention maintains data consistency when reading metadata for snapshots into host memory, searching the metadata to identify snapshots that require original data to be destaged, destaging the original data to target storage, and updating the metadata to locate the original data and indicate completion of the target destage operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
  • Patent number: 7124243
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cache memory management system suitable for use with snapshot applications. The system includes a cache directory including a hash table, hash table elements, cache line descriptors, and cache line functional pointers, and a cache manager running a hashing function that converts a request for data from an application to an index to a first hash table pointer in the hash table. The first hash table pointer in turn points to a first hash table element in a linked list of hash table elements where one of the hash table elements of the linked list of hash table elements points to a first cache line descriptor in the cache directory and a cache memory including a plurality of cache lines, wherein the first cache line descriptor has a one-to-one association with a first cache line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
  • Patent number: 7120824
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program storage device for maintaining data consistency and cache coherency during communications failures between nodes in a remote mirror pair. A link between a mirror pair of storage systems is monitored. During a link failure between a first storage system and a second storage systems, reads and writes on the first and second storage systems are independently performed and write data and associated timestamps are maintained for the write data for each write in a queue on the first and second storage system. After link reestablishment, volume sets on the first and second storage systems are resynchronized using write data and associated timestamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness, Alan Lee Stewart
  • Patent number: 7107411
    Abstract: A fault tolerant synchronized virtual memory manager for use in a load sharing environment manages memory allocation, memory mapping, and memory sharing in a first processor, while maintaining synchronization of the memory space of the first processor with the memory space of at least one partner processor. In one embodiment, synchronization is maintained via paging synchronization messages such as a space request message, an allocate memory message, a release memory message, a lock request message, a read header message, a write page message, a sense request message, an allocate read message, an allocate write message, and/or a release pointer message. Paging synchronization facilitates recovery operations without the cost and overhead of prior art fault tolerant systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Noel Simen Otterness
  • Patent number: 7062644
    Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and program for initializing a storage device comprising multiple storage units through a storage controller. A request is received to initialize a storage space that spans the storage units. A determination is made of a layout of sets of sequential data blocks of the storage space on the storage units, wherein sets of sequential data blocks are written across the storage units. For each set of sequential data blocks, a determination is made of a block address in each storage unit where a first data block in the set of sequential data blocks will be written. A write command is generated for each of the storage units, wherein each write command indicates the determined block address for the storage unit and a block number. The write command is transmitted with one block of initialization data to the storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Edward Bish, David Alan Burton
  • Patent number: 7051341
    Abstract: Provided is a computer implemented method, system, and program for implementing for implementing a remote method call. Remote objects and at least one proxy object are generated, where each proxy object corresponds to one remote object. Data from the remote object is included into the proxy object. A call to a method on one proxy object is processed and the method is executed. The method is one of a plurality of methods, wherein at least one of the plurality of methods comprises a local method including code to perform method operations on the proxy object without going to the remote object and at least one other of the plurality of methods comprises a remote method including code to perform method operations on the remote object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Robert Louis Morton, Gary William Steffens
  • Patent number: 7038914
    Abstract: A computer assembly is disclosed. The computer assembly comprises a chassis and a mounting module rigidly coupled to the chassis. The mounting module is for cooling the computer assembly when in operation. The computer assembly includes at least one circuit board suspended from the module. The at least one circuit board has a known orientation relative to the module and the at least one circuit board has a variable orientation relative to the chassis. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides a stable mounting for the cooling system that includes a large heat sink. The method and system in accordance with the present invention prevents the disturbance of the critical alignment of the printed circuit board with the heatsink from shock and vibration loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas L. Heirich, Steven T. Holmes, James Guy Smeenge, Jason Alan Burton
  • Patent number: 6965979
    Abstract: The invention relates to host caching in data storage systems. In an embodiment, the invention provides a first host and a second host, each having memory. The host memory includes nonvolatile and volatile portions available for cache. Each host logically owns its volatile memory and the other host's nonvolatile memory. By assigning ownership in this way data can be transmitted between the hosts with little communication overhead. In addition, if the first host fails between write acknowledgment and destaging the write data, the write data is safely stored in the second nonvolatile memory of the second host. Thus, the second host can destage the data from the second nonvolatile memory. In addition, the host cache writes and reads the data rapidly by its nature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Pillar Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David Alan Burton
  • Patent number: 6954824
    Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and program for determining a configuration of a logical array including a plurality of storage devices. A selection of a number of storage devices is received to include in the logical array. A determination is made of a number of groups in which to include the selected number of storage devices, wherein each group includes at least one storage device maintaining user data and parity data for the user data in the group. Determining an assignment of the selected number of storage devices to the determined number of groups and allocating the storage devices to the determined number of groups according to the determined assignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Robert Louis Morton, Gary William Steffens, Bryan John Wright
  • Patent number: D509986
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric O'Neill, Augusto Picozza, Alan Burton, Patricia Bassett