Patents by Inventor Bret W Holley

Bret W Holley 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: 10764199
    Abstract: A first device determines whether an indicator is configured to allow use of an increased value for an information unit pacing credit that is greater than a default value for the information unit pacing credit, where the information unit pacing credit indicates a number of information units that a second device is allowed to send to the first device without waiting for any additional response from the first device. In response to determining that the indicator is configured to allow use of the increased value for the information unit pacing credit that is greater than the default value for the information unit pacing credit, the first device adjusts the information unit pacing credit via a response sent from the first device to the second device, to the increased value that is greater than the default value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Patent number: 10623341
    Abstract: A plurality of queues including a target input queue is configured for multi-protocol operation in a driver. The target input queue is configured to receive all incoming new input/output (I/O) initiation messages, regardless of protocol, wherein messages on the target input queue include messages for first burst data that follows a command to preserve order in processing of messages, in response to allocation of identical exchange identifiers to reused messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Steven E. Klein
  • Patent number: 10289591
    Abstract: A control unit provides a number of buffer credits, to one or more channels, in response to an initiation of a startup phase of communication between the one or more channels and the control unit, where the provided number of buffer credits when used for transferring data causes transfer ready operations but no retry operations. The control unit iteratively increases the number of buffer credits by an amount that is high enough to eliminate any transfer ready operations or cause retry operations to occur within a predetermined amount of time from the initiation of the startup phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Publication number: 20190140968
    Abstract: A first device determines whether an indicator is configured to allow use of an increased value for an information unit pacing credit that is greater than a default value for the information unit pacing credit, where the information unit pacing credit indicates a number of information units that a second device is allowed to send to the first device without waiting for any additional response from the first device. In response to determining that the indicator is configured to allow use of the increased value for the information unit pacing credit that is greater than the default value for the information unit pacing credit, the first device adjusts the information unit pacing credit via a response sent from the first device to the second device, to the increased value that is greater than the default value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Patent number: 10250516
    Abstract: A first device determines whether an indicator is configured to allow use of an increased value for an information unit pacing credit that is greater than a default value for the information unit pacing credit, where the information unit pacing credit indicates a number of information units that a second device is allowed to send to the first device without waiting for any additional response from the first device. In response to determining that the indicator is configured to allow use of the increased value for the information unit pacing credit that is greater than the default value for the information unit pacing credit, the first device adjusts the information unit pacing credit via a response sent from the first device to the second device, to the increased value that is greater than the default value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Patent number: 10157150
    Abstract: A control unit monitors a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period during communication with a plurality of channels. Based, on the monitoring, a number of buffer credits for communication with the plurality of channels is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Patent number: 10140236
    Abstract: A channel of a host computational device sends a command to transfer data to a control unit included in a storage controller. The channel of the host computational device receives a number of buffer credits from the control unit for communication with the control unit, where the number of buffer credits that is received is based on the control unit monitoring a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period while communicating with a plurality of channels that includes the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Patent number: 10061734
    Abstract: A control unit provides a number of buffer credits, to one or more channels, in response to an initiation of a startup phase of communication between the one or more channels and the control unit, where the provided number of buffer credits when used for transferring data causes transfer ready operations but no retry operations. The control unit iteratively increases the number of buffer credits by an amount that is high enough to eliminate any transfer ready operations or cause retry operations to occur within a predetermined amount of time from the initiation of the startup phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Publication number: 20180181523
    Abstract: A control unit provides a number of buffer credits, to one or more channels, in response to an initiation of a startup phase of communication between the one or more channels and the control unit, where the provided number of buffer credits when used for transferring data causes transfer ready operations but no retry operations. The control unit iteratively increases the number of buffer credits by an amount that is high enough to eliminate any transfer ready operations or cause retry operations to occur within a predetermined amount of time from the initiation of the startup phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Patent number: 9983813
    Abstract: A primary storage controller receives a write command from a host, wherein Fiber Channel frames corresponding to the write command have a priority indicated by the host. The primary storage controller performs a synchronous copy operation to copy data written by the write command from the primary storage controller to a secondary storage controller, wherein Fiber Channel frames corresponding to the synchronous copy operations have an identical priority to the priority indicated by the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Publication number: 20180145918
    Abstract: A first device determines whether an indicator is configured to allow use of an increased value for an information unit pacing credit that is greater than a default value for the information unit pacing credit, where the information unit pacing credit indicates a number of information units that a second device is allowed to send to the first device without waiting for any additional response from the first device. In response to determining that the indicator is configured to allow use of the increased value for the information unit pacing credit that is greater than the default value for the information unit pacing credit, the first device adjusts the information unit pacing credit via a response sent from the first device to the second device, to the increased value that is greater than the default value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Publication number: 20180107611
    Abstract: A control unit monitors a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period during communication with a plurality of channels. Based, on the monitoring, a number of buffer credits for communication with the plurality of channels is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Publication number: 20180081848
    Abstract: A channel of a host computational device sends a command to transfer data to a control unit included in a storage controller. The channel of the host computational device receives a number of buffer credits from the control unit for communication with the control unit, where the number of buffer credits that is received is based on the control unit monitoring a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period while communicating with a plurality of channels that includes the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Patent number: 9892065
    Abstract: A control unit monitors a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period during communication with a plurality of channels. Based, on the monitoring, a number of buffer credits for communication with the plurality of channels is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Patent number: 9864716
    Abstract: A channel of a host computational device sends a command to transfer data to a control unit included in a storage controller. The channel of the host computational device receives a number of buffer credits from the control unit for communication with the control unit, where the number of buffer credits that is received is based on the control unit monitoring a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period while communicating with a plurality of channels that includes the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos
  • Patent number: 9736241
    Abstract: A first device that is coupled to a second device receives a first Fiber Channel frame, wherein the first Fiber Channel frame has a priority indicated by the second device. The first device responds to the second device with a second Fiber Channel frame that has an identical priority to the priority indicated by the second device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Patent number: 9614910
    Abstract: Provided are a method, a system, and a computer program that use a Fibre Connection (FICON) protocol, in which a first device that is coupled to a second device receives an outbound exchange from the second device, wherein one or more Fibre Channel frames of the outbound exchange have a priority indicated by the second device. The first device responds to the second device with an inbound exchange, wherein one or more Fibre Channel frames of the inbound exchange have an identical priority to the priority indicated by the second device in the outbound exchange. In additional embodiments, priority is maintained across related exchange pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Publication number: 20170093760
    Abstract: A plurality of queues including a target input queue is configured for multi-protocol operation in a driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Steven E. Klein
  • Publication number: 20160357468
    Abstract: A primary storage controller receives a write command from a host, wherein Fibre Channel frames corresponding to the write command have a priority indicated by the host. The primary storage controller performs a synchronous copy operation to copy data written by the write command from the primary storage controller to a secondary storage controller, wherein Fibre Channel frames corresponding to the synchronous copy operations have an identical priority to the priority indicated by the host.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Harry M. Yudenfriend
  • Publication number: 20160342549
    Abstract: A channel of a host computational device sends a command to transfer data to a control unit included in a storage controller. The channel of the host computational device receives a number of buffer credits from the control unit for communication with the control unit, where the number of buffer credits that is received is based on the control unit monitoring a number of transfer ready operations and a number of retry operations during a monitoring period while communicating with a plurality of channels that includes the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Roger G. Hathorn, Bret W. Holley, Matthew J. Kalos