Patents by Inventor Benjamin J. Fletcher

Benjamin J. Fletcher 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: 10725751
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or computer program product generates a predictive data structure for an application when operating offline in a network connected data processing system, the application comprising source code having an execution path. The method comprises: determining an exit point within the source code of the application; determining, from the exit point, an execution path comprising at least one conditional statement; identifying one or more branches of the at least one identified conditional statement and for each identified branch determining an expected response; for each determined expected response, generating a data structure from the response; continuing along the execution path of the source code from the exit point and replacing each request for a resource in the source code with a pointer to the generated data structure; and executing the source code with the pointer to the generated data structure from the determined exit point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 10666531
    Abstract: A publish/subscribe interface is used to enable a non-publish/subscribe first system (such as an IP network device) to obtain status information about a publish/subscribe device that cannot be pinged by the first system. The first system sends a status request to a domain name server. The status request includes a domain name for the publish/subscribe device. Topic space maintained by a message broker in the publish/subscribe system includes status topics associated with publish/subscribe devices. The status topics contents reflect the current availability of the associated publish/subscribe device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Andrew J. Stanford-Clark
  • Patent number: 10235143
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or computer program product generates a predictive data structure for an application when operating offline in a network connected data processing system, the application comprising source code having an execution path. The method comprises: determining an exit point within the source code of the application; determining, from the exit point, an execution path comprising at least one conditional statement; identifying one or more branches of the at least one identified conditional statement and for each identified branch determining an expected response; for each determined expected response, generating a data structure from the response; continuing along the execution path of the source code from the exit point and replacing each request for a resource in the source code with a pointer to the generated data structure; and executing the source code with the pointer to the generated data structure from the determined exit point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Publication number: 20190073199
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or computer program product generates a predictive data structure for an application when operating offline in a network connected data processing system, the application comprising source code having an execution path. The method comprises: determining an exit point within the source code of the application; determining, from the exit point, an execution path comprising at least one conditional statement; identifying one or more branches of the at least one identified conditional statement and for each identified branch determining an expected response; for each determined expected response, generating a data structure from the response; continuing along the execution path of the source code from the exit point and replacing each request for a resource in the source code with a pointer to the generated data structure; and executing the source code with the pointer to the generated data structure from the determined exit point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 9838855
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer product for avoiding redundant data transmissions during communication via multimedia mobile phones. In operation, a sending party inquires whether intended for transmission data already resides in a mobile phone of a receiving party Depending on a content of the response from the receiving party, the sending party transmits the data or a request for displaying the already available data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Matthew N. Sunley
  • Publication number: 20170085453
    Abstract: A publish/subscribe interface is used to enable a non-publish/subscribe first system (such as an IP network device) to obtain status information about a publish/subscribe device that cannot be pinged by the first system. The first system sends a status request to a domain name server associated with a system known to include the publish/subscribe device. The status request includes a domain name for the publish/subscribe device. Topic space maintained by a message broker in the publish/subscribe system includes status topics associated with publish/subscribe devices. The status topics contents reflect the current availability of the associated publish/subscribe device. The domain name is mapped to a status topic associated to the publish/subscribe device identified in the status request and the contents of that status topic are retrieved. If the contents have a first value, a “good” IP address is returned to the first system. If the contents have the second value, a “bad” IP address is returned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Andrew J. Stanford-Clark
  • Publication number: 20170060549
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or computer program product generates a predictive data structure for an application when operating offline in a network connected data processing system, the application comprising source code having an execution path. The method comprises: determining an exit point within the source code of the application; determining, from the exit point, an execution path comprising at least one conditional statement; identifying one or more branches of the at least one identified conditional statement and for each identified branch determining an expected response; for each determined expected response, generating a data structure from the response; continuing along the execution path of the source code from the exit point and replacing each request for a resource in the source code with a pointer to the generated data structure; and executing the source code with the pointer to the generated data structure from the determined exit point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 9584449
    Abstract: A device for enabling a first computer network device to determine whether a second computer network device has an online status or an offline status includes a memory device with instructions for execution by a processor to: receive a request from the first computer network device for the status of the second computer network device; determine whether the second computer network device is online or offline; in response to a determination that the second computer network device is online, return a first network address to the first computer network device; and in response to a determination that the second computer network device is offline, return a second network address to the first computer network device, wherein the second network address is a known bad address that will not provide a response to the first computer network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Andrew J. Stanford-Clark
  • Patent number: 9557966
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or computer program product generates a predictive data structure for an application when operating offline in a network connected data processing system, the application comprising source code having an execution path. The method comprises: determining an exit point within the source code of the application; determining, from the exit point, an execution path comprising at least one conditional statement; identifying one or more branches of the at least one identified conditional statement and for each identified branch determining an expected response; for each determined expected response, generating a data structure from the response; continuing along the execution path of the source code from the exit point and replacing each request for a resource in the source code with a pointer to the generated data structure; and executing the source code with the pointer to the generated data structure from the determined exit point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Publication number: 20160156573
    Abstract: A publish/subscribe interface is used to enable a non-publish/subscribe first system (such as an IP network device) to obtain status information about a publish/subscribe device that cannot be pinged by the first system. The first system sends a status request to a domain name server associated with a system known to include the publish/subscribe device. The status request includes a domain name for the publish/subscribe device. Topic space maintained by a message broker in the publish/subscribe system includes status topics associated with publish/subscribe devices. The status topics contents reflect the current availability of the associated publish/subscribe device. The domain name is mapped to a status topic associated to the publish/subscribe device identified in the status request and the contents of that status topic are retrieved. If the contents have a first value, a “good” IP address is returned to the first system. If the contents have the second value, a “bad” IP address is returned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Andrew J. Stanford-Clark
  • Publication number: 20160100297
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer product for avoiding redundant data transmissions during communication via multimedia mobile phones. In operation, a sending party inquires whether intended for transmission data already resides in a mobile phone of a receiving party Depending on a content of the response from the receiving party, the sending party transmits the data or a request for displaying the already available data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Matthew N. Sunley
  • Patent number: 9253684
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer product for avoiding redundant data transmissions during communication via multimedia mobile phones. In operation, a sending party inquires whether intended for transmission data already resides in a mobile phone of a receiving party Depending on a content of the response from the receiving party, the sending party transmits the data or a request for displaying the already available data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Matthew N. Sunley
  • Patent number: 8990736
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for fast mouse pointer location. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for fast mouse pointer location includes determining a contemporaneous location of a mouse pointer in a GUI of a host computer, dimensioning in memory of the host computer different shapes and arranging the shapes to proximately meet at a point of intersection, overlaying the shapes in the GUI at a position proximate to the contemporaneous location of the mouse pointer, displaying the shapes in the GUI for a brief period of time before hiding the shapes from view in the GUI and repeating the determining, dimensioning, overlaying and displaying for different movements of the mouse pointer in the GUI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8972901
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for fast mouse pointer location. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for fast mouse pointer location includes determining a contemporaneous location of a mouse pointer in a GUI of a host computer, dimensioning in memory of the host computer different shapes and arranging the shapes to proximately meet at a point of intersection, overlaying the shapes in the GUI at a position proximate to the contemporaneous location of the mouse pointer, displaying the shapes in the GUI for a brief period of time before hiding the shapes from view in the GUI and repeating the determining, dimensioning, overlaying and displaying for different movements of the mouse pointer in the GUI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Publication number: 20140282374
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or computer program product generates a predictive data structure for an application when operating offline in a network connected data processing system, the application comprising source code having an execution path. The method comprises: determining an exit point within the source code of the application; determining, from the exit point, an execution path comprising at least one conditional statement; identifying one or more branches of the at least one identified conditional statement and for each identified branch determining an expected response; for each determined expected response, generating a data structure from the response; continuing along the execution path of the source code from the exit point and replacing each request for a resource in the source code with a pointer to the generated data structure; and executing the source code with the pointer to the generated data structure from the determined exit point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8706478
    Abstract: A natural language request for modifying a set of subscriptions for one or more topics in a publish/subscribe topic hierarchy is received at a processing device. The natural language request includes a predetermined natural language element. The natural language request is transformed into a publish/subscribe topic string and the predetermined natural language element is transformed into a publish/subscribe symbol. The symbol represents one or more topics in the topic hierarchy. One or more subscriptions to one or more topics is modified based on the transformed topic string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Gareth E. Jones
  • Publication number: 20140036782
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer product for avoiding redundant data transmissions during communication via multimedia mobile phones. In operation, a sending party inquires whether intended for transmission data already resides in a mobile phone of a receiving party Depending on a content of the response from the receiving party, the sending party transmits the data or a request for displaying the already available data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Matthew N. Sunley
  • Patent number: 8548436
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer product for avoiding redundant data transmissions during communication via multimedia mobile phones. In operation, a sending party inquires whether intended for transmission data already resides in a mobile phone of a receiving party Depending on a content of the response from the receiving party, the sending party transmits the data or a request for displaying the already available data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Matthew N. Sunley
  • Publication number: 20130239067
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for fast mouse pointer location. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for fast mouse pointer location includes determining a contemporaneous location of a mouse pointer in a GUI of a host computer, dimensioning in memory of the host computer different shapes and arranging the shapes to proximately meet at a point of intersection, overlaying the shapes in the GUI at a position proximate to the contemporaneous location of the mouse pointer, displaying the shapes in the GUI for a brief period of time before hiding the shapes from view in the GUI and repeating the determining, dimensioning, overlaying and displaying for different movements of the mouse pointer in the GUI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin J. Fletcher
  • Patent number: 8495160
    Abstract: Subscribers connected to a publish/subscribe message broker receive messages on topic names to which they have subscribed. The subscribers receive any number of messages on each topic to which they have subscribed. When the broker receives a message on a second, pre-specified, topic, associated with a first topic, the broker removes any existing retained message related to the first topic. Thus any subsequent subscribers to the first topic do not receive the retained message when they subscribe, and thus do not receive out-of-date information. If, at a later date, a new message is published on the first topic subscribers will receive the new message if they are still subscribed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin J. Fletcher, Gareth E. Jones, Matthew R. Whitehead