Patents by Inventor Alex Butler
Alex Butler 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).
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Publication number: 20180081379Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Shobana M. BALAKRISHNAN, David T. HARPER, Stephen HEIL, Eric C. PETERSON, Adam B. GLASS, David Alex BUTLER, Austin Nicholas DONNELLY, Antony Ian Taylor ROWSTRON, Sergey LEGTCHENKO
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Patent number: 9841774Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Shobana M. Balakrishnan, David T. Harper, Stephen Heil, Eric C. Peterson, Adam B. Glass, David Alex Butler, Austin Nicholas Donnelly, Antony Ian Taylor Rowstron, Sergey Legtchenko
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Publication number: 20170031372Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Shobana M. Balakrishnan, David T. Harper, Stephen Heil, Eric C. Peterson, Adam B. Glass, David Alex Butler, Austin Nicholas Donnelly, Antony Ian Taylor Rowstron, Sergey Legtchenko
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Patent number: 9471068Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Shobana M. Balakrishnan, David T. Harper, Stephen Heil, Eric C. Peterson, Adam B. Glass, David Alex Butler, Austin Nicholas Donnelly, Antony Ian Taylor Rowstron, Sergey Legtchenko
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Patent number: 9303806Abstract: A closure assembly for terminating an end of a pipe (4) has an end-cap (4) holding and having fluid-tight connection to a mutually coaxial cylindrical plug (2) and circular collar (3). The plug (2) and the collar (3) are configurable between respective engaged and disengaged configurations and mutually spaced to provide an annular space therebetween when the plug (2) and collar (3) are in their disengaged configurations. The annular space is arranged to receive an end of a pipe (1) arranged coaxially with the plug (2) and collar (3), the plug (2) and collar (3) being respectively slidable into and over the end of the pipe (1). The plug (2), when in its engaged configuration, grips the inner face of said pipe (41) and to provide a fluid tight seal and the collar (3), when in its engaged configuration, grips the outer face of the pipe (1) and to provide a fluid tight seal.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2011Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Furmanite Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Mark Burton, Adam Thistlethwaite, Craig Todd, Alex Butler
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Patent number: 9063577Abstract: A device is described which enables users to interact with software running on the device through gestures made in an area adjacent to the device. In an embodiment, a portable computing device has proximity sensors arranged on an area of its surface which is not a display, such as on the sides of the device. These proximity sensors define an area of interaction adjacent to the device. User gestures in this area of interaction are detected by creating sensing images from data received from each of the sensors and then analyzing sequences of these images to detect gestures. The detected gestures may be mapped to particular inputs to a software program running on the device and therefore a user can control the operation of the program through gestures.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Stephen E. Hodges, Alex Butler, Shahram Izadi, Malcolm Hall
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Publication number: 20150032286Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2014Publication date: January 29, 2015Inventors: Shobana M. Balakrishnan, David T. Harper, Stephen Heil, Eric C. Peterson, Adam B. Glass, David Alex Butler, Austin Nicholas Donnelly, Antony Ian Taylor Rowstron, Sergey Legtchenko
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Patent number: 8868954Abstract: Low cost storage for write once read rarely data is described. In an embodiment a storage device comprises a plurality of hard disk drives connected to a server via an interconnect fabric. The storage device comprises a cooling system which is only capable of cooling a first subset of the hard disk drives and a power supply system which is only capable of powering a second subset of the hard disk drives and in some examples, the interconnect fabric may be only capable of providing full bandwidth for a third subset of the hard disk drives. Each subset may comprise only a small fraction of hard disk drives. A control mechanism, which may be implemented in software, is provided which controls which hard disk drives are active at any time in order that the constraints set by the cooling and power supply systems and interconnect fabric are not violated.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2013Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Shobana M. Balakrsihnan, David T. Harper, III, Stephen Heil, Eric C. Peterson, Adam B. Glass, David Alex Butler, Austin Nicholas Donnelly, Antony Ian Taylor Rowstron, Sergey Legtchenko
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Publication number: 20130248037Abstract: A closure assembly for terminating an end of a pipe (4) has an end-cap (4) holding and having fluid-tight connection to a mutually coaxial cylindrical plug (2) and circular collar (3). The plug (2) and the collar (3) are configurable between respective engaged and disengaged configurations and mutually spaced to provide an annular space therebetween when the plug (2) and collar (3) are in their disengaged configurations. The annular space is arranged to receive an end of a pipe (1) arranged coaxially with the plug (2) and collar (3), the plug (2) and collar (3) being respectively slidable into and over the end of the pipe (1). The plug (2), when in its engaged configuration, grips the inner face of said pipe (41) and to provide a fluid tight seal and the collar (3), when in its engaged configuration, grips the outer face of the pipe (1) and to provide a fluid tight seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2011Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: FURMANITE INTERNATIONAL LIMITEDInventors: Mark Burton, Adam Thistlethwaite, Craig Todd, Alex Butler
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Publication number: 20130234970Abstract: A device is described which enables users to interact with software running on the device through gestures made in an area adjacent to the device. In an embodiment, a portable computing device has proximity sensors arranged on an area of its surface which is not a display, such as on the sides of the device. These proximity sensors define an area of interaction adjacent to the device. User gestures in this area of interaction are detected by creating sensing images from data received from each of the sensors and then analyzing sequences of these images to detect gestures. The detected gestures may be mapped to particular inputs to a software program running on the device and therefore a user can control the operation of the program through gestures.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2013Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Stephen E. Hodges, Alex Butler, Shahram Izadi, Malcolm Hall
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Publication number: 20120242609Abstract: Existing tools for organizing family memories offer few possibilities for easily integrating both physical and digital materials in order to produce a single archive for a family (or other group of users). This also applies to archiving of physical objects and digital media in general (even for applications outside the field of family use). An archiving system is described which incorporates at least one image capture device, a display, a sensing apparatus arranged to detect user input associated with the display, a processor and memory, and a receptacle for holding digital media storage devices such as mobile telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants and the like. The image capture device is operable to capture digital images of physical objects for archiving. The receptacle comprises a data transmission apparatus for automatically transferring data with the digital media storage devices and optionally also a power charging apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2012Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Shahram Izadi, Abigail J. Sellen, Richard M. Banks, Stuart Taylor, Stephen E. Hodges, Alex Butler
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Patent number: 8199117Abstract: Existing tools for organizing family memories offer few possibilities for easily integrating both physical and digital materials in order to produce a single archive for a family (or other group of users). This also applies to archiving of physical objects and digital media in general (even for applications outside the field of family use). An archiving system is described which incorporates at least one image capture device, a display, a sensing apparatus arranged to detect user input associated with the display, a processor and memory, and a receptacle for holding digital media storage devices such as mobile telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants and the like. The image capture device is operable to capture digital images of physical objects for archiving. The receptacle comprises a data transmission apparatus for automatically transferring data with the digital media storage devices and optionally also a power charging apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2007Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Shahram Izadi, Abigail J Sellen, Richard M Banks, Stuart Taylor, Stephen E Hodges, Alex Butler