Patents by Inventor ANDREW C.M. HICKS
ANDREW C.M. HICKS 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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Patent number: 11341278Abstract: A system is provided and includes a securable resource, a locking element configured to assume a locked condition in which the securable resource is locked and an unlocked condition in which the securable resource is unlocked, a controller and a physical authentication interface. The controller is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the securable resource and configured to perform operating system (OS) level authentication of the users and OS level control of the locking element in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and the OS level authentication. The physical authentication interface is configured to enable or disable a capability of the controller to perform the OS level authentication.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2019Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
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Patent number: 11340897Abstract: Techniques for subject matter expert identification for computer software are described herein. An aspect includes receiving a search string. Another aspect includes searching a plurality of library usage data files to determine a selected library corresponding to the search string. Another aspect includes determining a location of a library call corresponding to the selected library in source code. Another aspect includes determining a computer programmer associated with the determined location based on version control metadata corresponding to the source code. Another aspect includes identifying the determined computer programmer as a subject matter expert for the selected library.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Robert Peter Catalano, Tyler Vezio Rimaldi, Michael E. Gildein
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Patent number: 11336679Abstract: A method includes receiving test objective data indicates an objective to be achieved during a cybersecurity test of a target system. An attack tree is generated by processing the test objective data into attack tree data including a plurality of data parameter sets and links between data parameter sets. Complexity of the attack tree is analyzed based on the test objective data using a combinatorics model. The attack tree is reduced to achieve the objective of the cybersecurity test based on the analyzed complexity of the attack tree.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Thomas William Conti, Bryan Childs, Michael Page Kasper
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Patent number: 11321644Abstract: Techniques for an expertise score vector for software component management are described herein. An aspect includes determining a size and an amount of time corresponding to committed code contributed by a first developer to a first software component. Another aspect includes determining a time per unit of contribution based on the size and amount of time. Another aspect includes updating component mastery metrics corresponding to the first software component in an expertise score vector corresponding to the first developer based on the time per unit of contribution. Another aspect includes assigning the first developer to a developer tier based on the component mastery metrics. Another aspect includes assigning a work item corresponding to the first software component to the first developer based on the developer tier.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Michael Terrence Cohoon, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Michael E. Gildein
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Patent number: 11307975Abstract: According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for machine code analysis includes executing a set of test cases associated with a software product. The method further includes determining a failing test case, from the set of test cases. The method further includes identifying a portion of a machine code of the software product, the portion of the machine code corresponding to the failing test case. The method further includes analyzing the portion of the machine code to identify a pattern of machine code causing the failing test case to fail. The method further includes searching the machine code of the software product to find the identified pattern of machine code.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Brian Mo, Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue
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Publication number: 20220114106Abstract: Aspects of the invention include receiving, at an operating system executing on a processor, a write request from a program to write data to a memory. The write request includes a virtual memory address and the data. It is determined that the virtual memory address is not assigned to a physical memory address. Based on the determining, the unassigned virtual memory address is assigned to a physical memory address in an overflow memory. The data is written to the physical memory address in the overflow memory and an indication that the write data was successfully written is returned to the program. Future requests by the program to access the virtual memory address are directed to the physical memory address in the overflow memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2020Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Michael Peter Lyons, Andrew C. M. Hicks, Tynan J. Garrett, Miles C. Pedrone
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Patent number: 11301358Abstract: Aspects of the invention include receiving a notification that a first logical grouping of code segments of a software application is being changed. Comparing the first logical grouping to a second logical grouping of code segments from a change history of the software application, where the first logical grouping and the second logical grouping both relate to resolving a common software application issue, and where the first logical grouping and the second logical grouping include at least one common code segment. Identifying a first code segment of the first logical grouping that is different from a second code segment of the second logical grouping. Determining that given the at least one code segment is changed a probability that the second code segment has been changed is greater than an threshold value. Sending a notification based on the difference in the probabilities being greater than a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Michael E Gildein, Michael Terrence Cohoon
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Patent number: 11294804Abstract: Aspects of the invention include executing a first test case on a system, capturing a first state of the system during execution of the first test case, determining a first result of the first test case, performing a second execution of the first test case on the system in response to the first result of the first test case being an unexpected result, capturing a second state of the system during the second execution of the first test case, determining a second result of the first test case, analyzing the first state and the second state to determine a state similarity score, and categorizing the first result as a false positive based at least in part on the state similarity score being above a first threshold and a determination that the second result is a different result than the first result.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Diane Marie Stamboni, Joshua David Steen, Gregg Arquero, Thomas William Conti, Michael Page Kasper
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Patent number: 11289852Abstract: A cable assembly is provided. The cable assembly includes a cable element, a plug element to which a terminal end of the cable element is connected and which is configured to be plugged into a plug receptor, a sensor and an analysis engine. The sensor is disposed along the cable element or in the plug element and is configured to sense a manipulation of at least one of the cable element and the plug element relative to the plug receptor and to issue signals indicative of sensing results. The analysis engine is receptive of the signals and is configured to analyze the signals to determine a type of the manipulation and to determine whether to take an action responsive to the manipulation.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
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Publication number: 20220075619Abstract: A method of analyzing code is provided. The method includes generating an abstract representation of the code, identifying conditional statements in the abstract representation, populating a truth table for each conditional statement that has been identified with all possible outcomes of the conditional statement and assessing the truth table for each conditional statement to identify issues.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Michael E. Gildein, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
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Publication number: 20220018824Abstract: Techniques for predictive water condition monitoring are described herein. An aspect includes a method that includes monitoring, by one or more processors, at least one water sensor to establish a baseline of a water condition model and monitoring one or more water conditions. A predicted water condition is determined based on the water condition model and the one or more water conditions. An alert is transmitted to one or more devices based on determining that the predicted water condition indicates a predicted contaminant level above a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2020Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Thomas William Conti, Diane Marie Stamboni, Christine D. Mikijanic, Christopher G. Brooker, Andrew Evans
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Patent number: 11226815Abstract: A method of analyzing code is provided. The method includes generating an abstract representation of the code, identifying conditional statements in the abstract representation, populating a truth table for each conditional statement that has been identified with all possible outcomes of the conditional statement and assessing the truth table for each conditional statement to identify issues.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Michael E. Gildein, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
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Publication number: 20220012335Abstract: Aspects of the invention include receiving, by a processor, source code for a software program written in a first programming language. The received source code is converted into abstracted source code that is in a generic format that is different than a format of the first programming language. The abstracted source code is compared to known source code patterns. Based on determining that at least a subset of the abstracted source code matches a pattern in the known source code patterns, sending an alert to the user indicating that the received source code matches the pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2020Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Diane Marie Stamboni, Thomas William Conti, Gregg Arquero, Joshua David Steen, Michael Page Kasper
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Patent number: 11210427Abstract: A system is provided and includes a resource, locking elements and a controller. The resource includes multiple independently securable resources. The locking elements are respectively configured to assume a locked condition in which corresponding ones of the multiple independently securable resources are locked and an unlocked condition in which the corresponding ones of the multiple securable resources are unlocked. The controller is receptive of an instruction to authorize users to unlock the one or more of the multiple independently securable resources and is configured to perform operating system (OS) level authentication of the users and OS level control of the locking elements in accordance with the instruction to authorize users and the OS level authentication.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Christopher V. DeRobertis, Khaalid Persaud Juggan McMillan
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Patent number: 11204848Abstract: Inputs to a system under test (SUT) are modeled as a collection of attribute-value pairs. A set of testcases is executed using an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the attribute-value pairs. For each execution of the testcases, for each attribute-value pair, a non-binary success rate (SAV) is computed based on the binary execution results. in response to a success rate of an attribute-value pair being below a predetermined threshold, a subset of testcases that use the attribute-value pair is identified. Further, sets of code paths for the subset of testcases are identified, each set of code path respectively corresponding to a testcase from the subset of testcases. Further, an intersection of the sets of code paths is determined. Code paths of the SUT that are in the intersection, are highlighted to represent a soft failure with the SUT.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Kevin Minerley, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
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Patent number: 11194703Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment includes generating, by a testing system, a set of tests for testing the SUT, the tests generated based on a coverage model of the SUT, wherein the coverage model uses several attributes. The method further includes creating, by the testing system, a minimal set of tests from the generated tests by selecting tests for a disjoint set of attributes from the several attributes of the coverage model. The method further includes executing, by the testing system, the minimal set of tests on the SUT for analyzing a soft failure of the SUT in the active environment, wherein the soft failure occurs in the active environment during execution of the SUT based at least in part on a parameter of the active environment.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue
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Patent number: 11194704Abstract: A method for testing a system under test (SUT) in an active environment includes generating, by a testing system, several tests for testing the SUT. The tests are generated based on a coverage model of the SUT, which includes multiple attributes. The method further includes creating, by the testing system, a minimal set of tests from the tests by selecting tests that do not exceed a predetermined performance threshold. The method further includes executing, by the testing system, the minimal set of tests on the SUT for analyzing a soft failure of the SUT in the active environment. The soft failure occurs in the active environment during execution of the SUT based at least in part on a performance parameter of the active environment.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Dale E. Blue, Jacob Thomas Snyder
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Patent number: 11188453Abstract: A system and related method comprise using a processor for executing a plurality of tests associated with a covering array of a test framework of the software test system on a first version of a system under test (SUT). For each of the plurality of tests, on a current test, the method comprises determining a current success rate value (SRV) for the current test that represents a success rate of the current test for the first version of the SUT. The method further comprises combining the current SRV of the first version of the SUT and current SRVs of the current test for prior versions of the SUT into a current test eigenvector associated with the current test. The method further comprises converting the current test eigenvector into a first eigenvalue that represents a health, accuracy, and quality of the first version of the SUT.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Kevin Minerley, Dale E. Blue, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Daniel Nicolas Gisolfi
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Patent number: 11182282Abstract: A method for detecting and localizing a fault in a system under test (SUT) includes generating an initial set of test vectors that provides complete n-wise coverage of the reduced test space. The method further includes generating and executing an initial set of test cases to obtain a first set of execution results. The method further includes determining, based at least in part on the first set of execution results, that one or more test cases failed execution. The method further includes generating a set of new test cases from a selected failing test case. The method further includes executing the set of new test cases to obtain a second set of execution results. The method further includes detecting and localizing the fault based at least in part on the second set of execution results.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Deborah A. Furman, Michael E. Gildein
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Patent number: 11182279Abstract: Aspects of the invention include determining a functional coverage model for a system under test (SUT), the functional coverage model comprising a plurality of attributes, wherein each attribute includes a set of values, determining a set of test cases having n-wise test coverage for the SUT, executing one or more test cases to determine an execution bottleneck value in a first set of values for a first attribute, analyzing the set of test cases to determine a first test case having the execution bottleneck value for the first attribute, the execution bottleneck value having a larger execution metric than a second value, determining that the first set of values for the first attribute in the first test case is moot for the n-wise test coverage for the SUT, and replacing the execution bottleneck value for the first attribute in the first test case with the second value.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Andrew C. M. Hicks, Ryan Thomas Rawlins, Deborah A. Furman