Patents by Inventor Bruce A. Woller

Bruce A. Woller 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).

  • Apparatus, system, and method for maintaining data in a storage array
    Patent number: 7185222
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and process are disclosed for maintaining data in an electronic storage array during multiple, concurrent drive failures. A first drive failure is recognized and the storage system controller subsequently enters a first operating mode. The storage system controller then recognizes a second drive failure and enters a second operating mode, which is different from the first operating mode, in response to the second drive failure. The second operating mode allows the storage system controller and a recovery module to access the data of the second failed drive in a controlled manner in order to attempt to recover the data on the first failed drive. Also, a pinned data module may allow write data to be written to a pinned data drive, instead of a failed drive, while the storage system controller is operating in the second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Alan Burton, Joseph Paul Hughes, Noel Simen Otterness, Bruce A. Woller
  • Apparatus, system, and method for maintaining data in a storage array
    Publication number: 20050120267
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and process are disclosed for maintaining data in an electronic storage array during multiple, concurrent drive failures. A first drive failure is recognized and the storage system controller subsequently enters a first operating mode. The storage system controller then recognizes a second drive failure and enters a second operating mode, which is different from the first operating mode, in response to the second drive failure. The second operating mode allows the storage system controller and a recovery module to access the data of the second failed drive in a controlled manner in order to attempt to recover the data on the first failed drive. Also, a pinned data module may allow write data to be written to a pinned data drive, instead of a failed drive, while the storage system controller is operating in the second operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventors: David Burton, Joseph Hughes, Noel Otterness, Bruce Woller