Patents by Inventor Andrew G. Tonkin
Andrew G. Tonkin 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: 9721240Abstract: Techniques for implementing software licensing in a massive parallel processing environment on the basis of the actual use of licensed software instances are disclosed. In one embodiment, rather than using a license server or a node-locked license strategy, each use of a licensed software instance is monitored and correlated with a token. A store of tokens is maintained within the licensing system and a token is consumed after each instance successfully executes. Further, a disclosed embodiment also allows jobs that execute multiple software instances to complete execution, even if an adequate number of tokens does not exist for each remaining software instance. Once the license tokens are repurchased and replenished, any overage consumed from previous job executions may be reconciled. In this way, token-based licensing can be adapted to large scale computing environments that execute jobs of large and unpredictable sizes, while the cancellation of executing jobs may be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2010Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Michael L. Nelson, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Patent number: 9639832Abstract: Techniques for implementing software licensing in a massive parallel processing environment on the basis of the actual use of licensed software instances are disclosed. In one embodiment, rather than using a license server or a node-locked license strategy, each use of a licensed software instance is monitored and correlated with a token. A store of tokens is maintained within the licensing system and a token is consumed after each instance successfully executes. Further, a disclosed embodiment also allows jobs that execute multiple software instances to complete execution, even if an adequate number of tokens does not exist for each remaining software instance. Once the license tokens are repurchased and replenished, any overage consumed from previous job executions may be reconciled. In this way, token-based licensing can be adapted to large scale computing environments that execute jobs of large and unpredictable sizes, while the cancellation of executing jobs may be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2012Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Michael L. Nelson, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Patent number: 9213952Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a message based scheduling tool employed to function with an electronic calendar. As messages are transmitting between clients, a tool is employed to parse the messages to search for one or more string(s) of characters characteristic of a meeting. Based upon these characteristics and the parsing, the electronic calendars are searched to find an available time slot on both calendars in which a meeting can take place, and, if an available time is found, the meeting is scheduled and the clients are sent notification of the scheduling.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2012Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Kenton R. Milligan, Michael L. Nelson, Antonio Pirraglia, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20140195374Abstract: A method for managing inventory includes detecting a shopping list on a communication device, transmitting the detected list to a server associated with the shopping store, transmitting images to the server, checking whether at least one item of the shopping list is present in an aisle based on a location of a consumer, scanning the images to identify images including the at least one item, and dynamically sorting the items in the shopping list based on the checking performed. The method also includes displaying the sorted list along with image links on the communication device, where at least one item in the sorted list is highlighted or placed on top based on the check performed, and where each of the image links includes an image with at least one augmented item. The method further includes determining items that need to be restocked in the shopping store.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard T. Bassemir, Eric Forestier, Alfredo V. Mendoza, Didier Petitprez, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20140195373Abstract: A system includes a first device for allowing a consumer to input a shopping list, and multiple second devices associated with a plurality of aisles in a shopping store. Each second device is configured to detect the shopping list on the first device when the consumer is within a predefined range of distance from the second device, and to transmit the detected list. The system also includes one or more image-capturing device for transmitting captured images; and a server configured to do the following: (i) receive the list from the second device, (ii) receive the images from the image-capturing device, (iii) check whether an item on the list is present in an aisle based upon an identified location of the consumer, (iv) scan the images to identify one or more images including the at least one item, (v) dynamically sort the list, (vi) display the sorted list and links on the first device, and (vi) determine whether one or more items must be restocked on shelves.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard T. Bassemir, Eric Forestier, Alfredo V. Mendoza, Didier Petitprez, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20140195372Abstract: A system for intelligently locating one or more items in a shopping store with multiple items arranged in multiple aisles includes a first communication device having a shopping assistance application configured to allow a shopper to input a shopping list comprising one or more items. Also included are multiple second communication devices located in and associated with the plurality of aisles, with each second device being configured to detect the shopping list on the first device when the shopper is within a range of distance of the second device and transmit the detected list. The system may also include a backend server configured to receive detected list and sort the detected list dynamically based on an identified at least one item and the shopper. The backend server can also display the sorted list on the first device. The at least one item may be highlighted in the sorted list.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2013Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Richard T. Bassemir, Eric Forestier, Alfredo V. Mendoza, Didier Petitprez, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Patent number: 8776058Abstract: Responsive to a request to invoke a given virtual machine (VM) instance, a base VM instance corresponding to a number of VM instances, including the given VM instance, is retrieved. A VM change file particular to just the given VM instance is also retrieved. The VM change file indicates how the given VM instance varies from the base VM instance. The VM change file is applied to the base VM instance to dynamically generate the given VM instance, and the given VM instance is then invoked. Responsive to a request to subsequently shutdown the given VM instance, the VM change file is updated to reflect how the given VM instance varies from the base VM instance. The given VM instance is then shutdown and deleted.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2011Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Michael L. Nelson, Andrew G. Tonkin, Kent R. Milligan, Antonio N. Pirraglia
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Publication number: 20130152079Abstract: Responsive to a request to invoke a given virtual machine (VM) instance, a base VM instance corresponding to a number of VM instances, including the given VM instance, is retrieved. A VM change file particular to just the given VM instance is also retrieved. The VM change file indicates how the given VM instance varies from the base VM instance. The VM change file is applied to the base VM instance to dynamically generate the given VM instance, and the given VM instance is then invoked. Responsive to a request to subsequently shutdown the given VM instance, the VM change file is updated to reflect how the given VM instance varies from the base VM instance. The given VM instance is then shutdown and deleted.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2011Publication date: June 13, 2013Inventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Michael L. Nelson, Andrew G. Tonkin, Kent R. Milligan, Antonio N. Pirraglia
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Publication number: 20120296982Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a message based scheduling tool employed to function with an electronic calendar. As messages are transmitting between clients, a tool is employed to parse the messages to search for one or more string(s) of characters characteristic of a meeting. Based upon these characteristics and the parsing, the electronic calendars are searched to find an available time slot on both calendars in which a meeting can take place, and, if an available time is found, the meeting is scheduled and the clients are sent notification of the scheduling.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2011Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Kenton R. Milligan, Michael L. Nelson, Antonio Pirraglia, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20120296993Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a message based scheduling tool employed to function with an electronic calendar. As messages are transmitting between clients, a tool is employed to parse the messages to search for one or more string(s) of characters characteristic of a meeting. Based upon these characteristics and the parsing, the electronic calendars are searched to find an available time slot on both calendars in which a meeting can take place, and, if an available time is found, the meeting is scheduled and the clients are sent notification of the scheduling.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Kenton R. Milligan, Michael L. Nelson, Antonio Pirraglia, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20120192285Abstract: Techniques for implementing software licensing in a massive parallel processing environment on the basis of the actual use of licensed software instances are disclosed. In one embodiment, rather than using a license server or a node-locked license strategy, each use of a licensed software instance is monitored and correlated with a token. A store of tokens is maintained within the licensing system and a token is consumed after each instance successfully executes. Further, a disclosed embodiment also allows jobs that execute multiple software instances to complete execution, even if an adequate number of tokens does not exist for each remaining software instance. Once the license tokens are repurchased and replenished, any overage consumed from previous job executions may be reconciled. In this way, token-based licensing can be adapted to large scale computing environments that execute jobs of large and unpredictable sizes, while the cancellation of executing jobs may be avoided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Michael L. Nelson, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20110296402Abstract: Techniques for implementing software licensing in a massive parallel processing environment on the basis of the actual use of licensed software instances are disclosed. In one embodiment, rather than using a license server or a node-locked license strategy, each use of a licensed software instance is monitored and correlated with a token. A store of tokens is maintained within the licensing system and a token is consumed after each instance successfully executes. Further, a disclosed embodiment also allows jobs that execute multiple software instances to complete execution, even if an adequate number of tokens does not exist for each remaining software instance. Once the license tokens are repurchased and replenished, any overage consumed from previous job executions may be reconciled. In this way, token-based licensing can be adapted to large scale computing environments that execute jobs of large and unpredictable sizes, while the cancellation of executing jobs may be avoided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Michael L. Nelson, Andrew G. Tonkin
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Publication number: 20110263276Abstract: A method and system for restricting operation of at least one function of a communication device based upon the physical location of the device. Global position coordinates are leveraged to ascertain the location of the device and to restrict functionality of the device. One or more alternative solutions are presented as a substitute for the restricted functionality.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2010Publication date: October 27, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Jerrold M. Heyman, Kenton R. Milligan, Michael L. Nelson, Antonio N. Pirraglia, Andrew G. Tonkin