Patents by Inventor Alan Ray

Alan Ray 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: 7418450
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for analyzing computer events recorded in a plurality of computer datasets. The method includes a read module configured to access chronicle records in two datasets, an extraction module configured to extract a timestamp from each chronicle record, a generation module configured to generate a chronicle time indicator for each chronicle record based on the extracted timestamp, and a placement module configured to place the generated chronicle time indicator into the associated chronicle record. Typically, chronicle records in a first chronicle record have records with desired timestamp characteristics while chronicle records in a second dataset have chronicle records with incompatible timestamp characteristics. The method generates the chronicle time indicator to be compatible with desired timestamp characteristics of the first dataset and place the generated chronicle time indicator in each incompatible chronicle record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Ray Smith
  • Publication number: 20080109599
    Abstract: The present invention increases the efficiency of dynamically, reusable computer environments by first retrieving data set information from a volume table of contents (VTOC) to ensure its consistency with the catalog. After obtaining the necessary information about the data sets, control statements are generated and appropriate programs invoked to perform the desired maintenance operations. Reinitializing and reconfiguring the reusable computer environment by starting with the VTOC prevents post-maintenance issues such as a data set with an entry in an integrated catalog facility (ICF) catalog while the data set no longer exists on a volume, a cataloged virtual storage access method (VSAM) cluster with disassociated DATA or INDEX data sets, and a data set catalog entry that has been scratched while the data set still exists on a volume. The present invention saves time and money by preventing such problems up-front instead of correcting them after-the-fact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Alan Ray Smith
  • Publication number: 20080071736
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for criteria-based grouping and searching of database management system log records. The method performs criteria-based grouping and searching of database management system log records by: interpreting a search criteria; interpreting a log record data description; extracting a plurality of log records from a set of database management system log records according to the search criteria and the log record data description; generating intermediate information configured to allow a sort utility to sort the extracted log records; sorting the extracted log records according to the search criteria; and presenting the sorted extracted log records to a user. The method allows users to quickly sort and review log files according to desired criteria at review time, rather than the sorting criteria used to store the log files at the time of creation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Alan Ray Smith
  • Publication number: 20080022271
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for modular distribution and maintenance of non-“object code only” (OCO) dynamic components. OCO components comprise compiled executable modules. Non-OCO components comprise user readable and/or editable components. The modular distribution of non-OCO components comprises updating a skeleton data set comprising text and component fields such that user customizations and developer customizations are preserved. The modular distribution further allows for the generation of an output data in response to a reportable operational event, wherein the output data set is based on the skeleton data set and user customizations and developer customizations stored in customization data sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dario D'Angelo, Kin Lau, Alan Ray Smith
  • Patent number: 7290181
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for context-sensitive error event notification. The apparatus and method include a monitor to detect an error event within a computer application, an analysis module to determine characteristics of the error event, an assembler to compose a context-sensitive message comprising a context-sensitive resource relating to the event characteristics, and a transmission module to transmit the message to a set of addressees. The context-sensitive message may include error characteristics, error-specific information from reference materials, error-specific links to related information repositories, and an error-associated search. The context-sensitive message is automatically transmitted to a set of addressees that are associated with the error event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dario D'Angelo, Alan Ray Smith, Kevin Richard Stewart, Thomas Richard Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7289991
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for sorting character representations of data under the present invention, a character-encoded sort data value is identified in a data line of a data set. The sort data value is a character encoding of a predefined numbering system such as hexadecimal or binary encoding. The sort data value is then converted to a predefined encoding scheme and the data set is sorted based on the converted sort data value. A cycle number may be appended to the sort data value to maintain the order of the sort data values when the sort data values wrap. One embodiment identifies and removes delimiters such as titles from the data set and are inserted into the sorted data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Ray Smith
  • Publication number: 20070146722
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring displacement includes a light beam directed to an interferometer core that splits the light beam into first and second component beams. The first component beam is directed to a diffraction grating at approximately a Littrow angle. A diffraction is received by the interferometer core and is combined with the second component beam. The combination of the first and second component beams is measured to determine displacement of the diffraction grating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: William Trutna, Geraint Owen, Alan Ray, James Prince, Eric Johnstone, Miao Zhu, Leonard Cutler
  • Publication number: 20070115478
    Abstract: An interferometer and corresponding system are provided having several aspects. In a first aspect, there is provided an interferometer adapted to receive separate first and second beams f1 and f2 therein, the interferometer comprising substantially equivalent and separate first and second optical pathways for the first and second beams f1 and f2. In a second aspect, there is provided an interferometer adapted to receive as separate inputs therein first and second beams f1 and f2, where such beams are not mixed or combined until just prior to being output by the interferometer. In a third aspect, an interferometer is provided having one or more beam blockers for intercepting extraneous or undesired light, and keeping such light from contaminating or interfering with separate beams f1 and f2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventor: Alan Ray
  • Patent number: 7010052
    Abstract: A method of building systematically a multi-dimensional (n, D, L) circular trellis coded modulation (CTCM) encoder with properties of optimal energy efficiency, strong tail biting and maximum minimum distance (dmin) of trellis paths is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: The Ohio University
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Dill, Sergio R. Lopez-Permouth, Alan Ray Lindsey, Yung-Cheng Lo, Frank A. Alder, Xiangyu Song
  • Publication number: 20050185193
    Abstract: A system and method for acquiring position information of a movable apparatus relevant to a specific axis is disclosed. In one embodiment, an interferometer generates first and second beams and various beam-steering members are located to define beam path segments for the two beams, but no beam path segment varies in length in unity with displacements of the movable apparatus along the specific axis. In another or the same embodiment, each beam path segment in which the first beam either impinges or has been reflected from the movable apparatus is symmetrical to a corresponding beam path segment of the second beam. The movable apparatus may be a wafer stage in which the “specific axis” is the exposure axis of a projection lens, but with all optical members which cooperate with the stage being located beyond the ranges of the wafer stage in directions perpendicular to the lithographic exposure axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: William Schluchter, Louis Mueller, Douglas Woolverton, Jeffrey Young, Alan Ray, David Chu
  • Publication number: 20050175217
    Abstract: The position of a stage is determined. Images of a plurality of targets located on the stage are captured. The captured images of the plurality of targets are compared with stored images to determine displacement coordinates for each target. The displacement coordinates for the targets are translated into position coordinates for the stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Louis Mueller, David Chu, Michael Brosnan, William Schluchter, Jeffrey Young, Alan Ray, Douglas Woolverton
  • Patent number: 6925525
    Abstract: The present invention provides a virtual automated cartridge system (ACS) and data storage device management method which incorporates a temporary data buffer arrangement between multiple user systems and conventional physical data storage devices. The temporary data buffer arrangement emulates a compatible physical data storage device when accessed by each of the user systems, but allows simultaneous allocation of different users to access to read and write data to the temporary data buffer. A control processor automatically transfers data stored in the temporary data buffer arrangement to one of the physical data storage devices when allocation to a user has ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen H. Blendermann, Alan Ray Sutton, Robert Raicer, L. Michael Anderson, Clayton E. Ruff, William G. Kefauver
  • Patent number: 6907457
    Abstract: An intermediate system, such as a switch or storage domain manager, in a storage area network includes a plurality of clients, a file server which manages access to storage according to a file system architecture using file system parameters, and one or more storage systems. Processing resources are included in the intermediate system, which manage communication according to a storage area network protocol, such as SCSI and variations like FCP, which identifies units of storage according to storage area network parameters. The processing resources farther include logic to identify a particular message received from one of the plurality of clients under the storage area network protocol as a message relating to the file system architecture, to parse the particular message for file system parameters of an access according to the file system architecture, and to translate the file system parameters to an access using storage area network parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Dell Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Ray Merrell, Stephen Gouze Luning
  • Patent number: 6789161
    Abstract: A method for selectively controlling reutilization of data space in a virtual tape system is provided which allows a user to designate whether data from a scratched virtual volume can be automatically deleted without any further action on the part of the user. This allows a user to selectively choose to create a safety net by which expired data could still be retrieved if so desired, while also minimizing the impact of such a safety net feature on the overall efficiency in space management otherwise provided by the virtual tape system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen H. Blendermann, Alan Ray Sutton
  • Publication number: 20040078542
    Abstract: An electronic storage expansion technique comprising a set of methods, systems and computer program products or processes that enable information appliances to transparently increase native storage capacities and share storage elements, and data, with other information appliances. The resulting environment is referred to as a Home Shared Object Architecture (HSOA). Information appliances are supplied with set a Storage Abstraction Layer (SAL) processes that enable the transparent attachment and utilization of additional Storage elements. Addition of these storage elements is utilized to transparently expand the capacity of the native drive elements. Added storage elements may be attached through the use of a home network; an external storage interface; or internal cables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: William Tracy Fuller, Alan Ray Nitteberg, Claudio Randal Serafini
  • Publication number: 20030028718
    Abstract: The present invention provides a virtual automated cartridge system (ACS) and data storage device management method which incorporates a temporary data buffer arrangement between multiple user systems and conventional physical data storage devices. The temporary data buffer arrangement emulates a compatible physical data storage device when accessed by each of the user systems, but allows simultaneous allocation of different users to access to read and write data to the temporary data buffer. A control processor automatically transfers data stored in the temporary data buffer arrangement to one of the physical data storage devices when allocation to a user has ended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen H. Blendermann, Alan Ray Sutton, Robert Raicer, L. Michael Anderson, Clayton E. Ruff, William G. Kefauver
  • Patent number: 6467385
    Abstract: One side of an access panel is trimmed while an opposite side of the panel is secured in an opening between skin sheets on the underside of an aircraft wing. The trimming apparatus includes a frame secured to one of the skin sheets with a rail extending along an edge of the opening and a trim saw assembly slideable along the rail. The frame can be secured in position by several vacuum cups, and can include index flanges engageable against an edge of the opening for precise positioning of the rail and the trim saw assembly carried thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James N. Buttrick, Alan Ray Merkley, Philip Marten Wright
  • Publication number: 20020099797
    Abstract: An intermediate system, such as a switch or storage domain manager, in a storage area network includes a plurality of clients, a file server which manages access to storage according to a file system architecture using file system parameters, and one or more storage systems. Processing resources are included in the intermediate system, which manage communication according to a storage area network protocol, such as SCSI and variations like FCP, which identifies units of storage according to storage area network parameters. The processing resources farther include logic to identify a particular message received from one of the plurality of clients under the storage area network protocol as a message relating to the file system architecture, to parse the particular message for file system parameters of an access according to the file system architecture, and to translate the file system parameters to an access using storage area network parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Alan Ray Merrell, Stephen Gouze Luning
  • Patent number: 6352423
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for underfilling a gap between a multi-sided semiconductor device and a substrate with viscous underfill material. The viscous underfill material is moved into the gap to encapsulate a plurality of electrical interconnections formed between the semiconductor device and the substrate. A seal is provided between the semiconductor device and the substrate to seal the gap along multiple sides of the device, while the gap is left unsealed along at least one side of the device to permit fluid communication with the gap. The viscous underfill material is dispensed adjacent the at least one side of the device along which the gap is unsealed, and a pressure differential is created across the underfill material to draw the underfill material into the gap and thereby encapsulate the electrical interconnections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Alec J. Babiarz, Carlos Edward Bouras, Drusilla Bertone Cursi, Alan Ray Lewis, Jason Thomas Vint
  • Patent number: 6317814
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for selectively storing duplicate copies of a virtual data volume file onto more than one multiple volume cartridge (MVC) based upon a copy indicator provided with a data volume file at the meta data file level. If access is subsequently lost to the main MVC as a result of hardware or tape failure, any copied data stored thereon is automatically recovered by accessing an MVC holding a copy of the data volume file. Thus, the amount of data which could be possibly lost is minimized without otherwise compromising the efficiency and flexibility provided by a multiple virtual volume data storage arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen H. Blendermann, Alan Ray Sutton