Patents by Inventor Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward 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: 8914789
    Abstract: Data characterizing a source computing environment having at least one hardware resource and at least one workload is obtained, as is a specification of a target computing environment to which the at least one workload is to be migrated in a migration. Based on the data characterizing the source computing environment and the specification of the target computing environment, the migration is categorized into one of a plurality of categories; and the migration is specified in accordance with a migration technique selected based on the categorizing step. Techniques to identify suitable migration candidates are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Barros, Kamal Bhattacharya, Brian L. Peterson, Birgit Pfitzmann, John Rofrano, Kunwadee Sripanidkulchai, Christopher Ward
  • Publication number: 20140316789
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for cross-fading (or other multiple clip processing) of information streams on a user or client device, such as a telephone, tablet, computer or MP3 player, or any consumer device with audio playback. Multiple clip processing can be accomplished at a client end according to directions sent from a service provider that specify a combination of (i) the clips involved; (ii) the device on which the cross-fade or other processing is to occur and its parameters; and (iii) the service provider system. For example, a consumer device with only one decoder, can utilize that decoder (typically hardware) to decompress one or more elements that are involved in a cross-fade at faster than real time, thus pre-fetching the next element(s) to be played in the cross-fade at the end of the currently being played element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Raymond Lowe, Christopher Ward, Charles W. Christine
  • Patent number: 8799436
    Abstract: A method for auditing and verifying configuration items (CIs) in an information technology (IT) configuration management database (CMDB) includes identifying which configuration item (CI) types should be part of an audit, defining link rules to link an authorized CI type stored in a CMDB to an actual CI type that is part of an IT infrastructure, retrieving all authorized CI instances of the identified CI types from the CMDB, retrieving all actual CI instances of the identified CI types from a discovery upload of a current IT environment, comparing the actual CI instances to the authorized CI instances, and taking remedial action when variances are discovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Naga A. Ayachitula, Melissa J. Buco, Bradford Austin Fisher, David Loewenstern, Larisa Schwartz, Christopher Ward
  • Patent number: 8777552
    Abstract: A method of forming layered stacks of bundles includes providing a gripping appliance comprising a first gripping assembly and a second gripping assembly. The first gripping assembly is configured for grasping one or more first bundles and the second gripping assembly is configured for grasping one or more second bundles. The first and second gripping assemblies are configured such that first and second bundles grasped thereby may be reoriented relative to one another. The method further includes retrieving from a first location one or more first bundles with the first gripping assembly and one or more second bundles with the second gripping assembly and transporting the first and second bundles to a second location, During transport of the first and second bundles, the bundles are reoriented relative to one another. The bundles are deposited at a selected position in the second location to form at least a partial layer of a layered stack of bundles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: J&L Group International, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Ward, Craig Gendreau
  • Patent number: 8757211
    Abstract: A flow control valve, particularly an electromagnetic proportional directional flow control valve (1), has a valve housing (2), in which a control piston (3) is guided to be displaced axially. The control piston (3) actuates at least one fluid-conducting connection (4) between a fluid inlet (5) and an outflow opening (6). An actuator part, in particular an armature (8), can be actuated by an actuator, particularly a proportional magnet, and acts on the control piston (3). A pressure detecting piston (9) serves for the action of the actuator part on the control piston (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Hydac Fluidtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Ward, Peter Malone
  • Publication number: 20140165274
    Abstract: Inner toilet shield devices are disclosed which facilitate hygienic usage of toilets are disclosed. In an aspect, an inner toilet shield device comprises a shield portion and an adhesive strip. The adhesive strip is attached to a first side of the shield portion and is configured to attach the inner toilet shield device to a toilet. The shield portion may be constructed of glossy, sterile paper and is configured to attach, via the adhesive strip, to a top front portion of a toilet and form a barrier between the inner surface of a toilet bowl and a user of the toilet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventor: Christopher Ward
  • Publication number: 20140167989
    Abstract: A multi-lane analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is disclosed that is capable of compensating for one or more of its impairments such that its digital output accurately represents its analog input. The multi-lane ADC can compensate for unwanted phase offsets between multiple phases of a sampling clock used by the multi-lane ADC, unwanted bandwidth mismatches between lanes in the multi-lane ADC, and/or unwanted gain mismatches between the lanes in the multi-lane ADC to provide some examples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Frank van der GOES, Christopher Ward, Klaas Bult
  • Publication number: 20140165036
    Abstract: A method comprises retrieving a change history for each of one or more configuration items for a specified time period, retrieving requests for change identifiers utilized for each of the configuration items in the specified time period, generating an audit report for the configuration items in accordance with the retrieved change history and the retrieve request for change identifiers, determining if each attribute value change in the change history of each of the configuration items is authorized, and recording a marker in the change history through which a given configuration item has authorized changes. Determining if each value change is authorized comprises comparing changes in the retrieved change history to the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the configuration items to distinguish value changes that occurred without a request for change from value changes that occurred with a request for change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn C. Aikens, Melissa Jane Buco, Maheswaran Surendra, Christopher Ward, Steve Weinberger, Sam Shixiong Yang
  • Patent number: 8749410
    Abstract: A multi-lane analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is disclosed that is capable of compensating for one or more of its impairments such that its digital output accurately represents its analog input. The multi-lane ADC can compensate for unwanted phase offsets between multiple phases of a sampling clock used by the multi-lane ADC, unwanted bandwidth mismatches between lanes in the multi-lane ADC, and/or unwanted gain mismatches between the lanes in the multi-lane ADC to provide some examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Van Der Goes, Christopher Ward, Klaas Bult
  • Patent number: 8745628
    Abstract: Techniques are presented for managing execution of processes on a data processing system The data processing system comprises process instances that are each an execution of a corresponding process. Each process instance comprises activity instances. Business impacts are determined for the process instances, the activity instances, or both. Order of execution of the activity instances is managed by allocating resources to activity instances in order to achieve an objective defined in terms of the business impacts. In another embodiment, requests are received for the execution of the processes. For a given request, one or more of the operations of assigning, updating, aggregating, and weighting of first business impacts associated with the given request are performed to create second business impacts associated with the given request. Additionally, requests can be modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Melissa Jane Buco, Jarir Kamel Chaar, Rong Nickle Chang, Guerney Douglass Holloway Hunt, Laura Zaihua Luan, Christopher Ward
  • Publication number: 20140095295
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved approach to implement and handle promotion optimization by an enterprise software application. Promotion optimization functionality is provided to permit customer controlled rules to be processed for the promotions. The promotion optimization functionality in some embodiments include adding exclusions sets, improving the buy-down calculation, increased flexibility when entering event costs, better support for different causal types, and/or new parameters that provide greater flexibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Bart FELDMAN, Nadav ZIVELIN, Christopher Ward DAHLBERG, Brian Hayden HARGRAVES, Sofia MARIAMOVA
  • Patent number: 8674866
    Abstract: In one method embodiment, receiving a data signal; and converting the data signal to an analog signal over plural clock cycles, the converting comprising: during a first clock cycle of the plural clock cycles, switching on one or more first current cells of a first bank while simultaneously a second bank comprising second current cells is switched off or almost off; and during a second clock cycle of the plural clock cycles, the second clock cycle immediately subsequent to the first clock cycle, switching on one or more of the second current cells of the second bank while simultaneously the first bank is switched off or almost off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Ward, Frank Van der Goes
  • Patent number: 8649296
    Abstract: A method to organize nodes into an overlay network and to disseminate multicast messages within this overlay both through an efficient tree embedded in the overlay and through gossips exchanged between overlay neighbors. Regardless of the size of the system, this invention incurs a constant low overhead on each node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chunqiang Tang, Rong Nickle Chang, Christopher Ward
  • Patent number: 8631389
    Abstract: Techniques for authenticating one or more configuration items in an information repository are provided comprising the step of running an audit on the one or more configuration items in accordance with a change history of each of the one or more configuration items and one or more request for change identifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn C. Aikens, Melissa Jane Buco, Maheswaran Surendra, Christopher Ward, Steve Weinberger, Sam Shixiong Yang
  • Publication number: 20130262317
    Abstract: A method for generating and provisioning payment credentials to a mobile device lacking a secure element includes: generating a card profile associated with a payment account, wherein the card profile includes at least payment credentials corresponding to the associated payment account and a profile identifier; provisioning, to a mobile device lacking a secure element, the generated card profile; receiving, from the mobile device, a key request, wherein the key request includes at least a mobile identification number (PIN) and the profile identifier; using the mobile PIN; generating a single use key, wherein the single use key includes at least the profile identifier, an application transaction counter, and a generating key for use in generating a payment cryptogram valid for a single financial transaction; and transmitting the generated single use key to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: MasterCard International Incorporated
    Inventors: Mehdi COLLINGE, Susan Thompson, Patrik Smets, David Anthony Roberts, Michael Christopher Ward
  • Patent number: 8527811
    Abstract: A method for problem determination and resolution in an information technology (IT) system includes receiving a problem ticket, searching a database for a plurality of problem features based on data included in the problem ticket, extracting the plurality of problem features from the database, and generating a problem signature corresponding to the problem ticket, wherein the problem signature comprises at least one non-textual feature extracted from the plurality of problem features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Allen M. Gilbert, Laura Z. Luan, Daniela Rosu, Christopher Ward
  • Patent number: 8489547
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for performing information transformations on an information stream composed of configuration items (CIs) for improving data quality and extending the capabilities of a configuration management database (CMDB). In one embodiment the data transformations ensure that a CMDB can be used to manage environments that use Network Address Translation by the modification of the signatures of analyzed CIs so that the resulting set of CIs is unique. The modification is applied to augment the signature with a domain specific prefix so that, when loaded into the enterprise wide CMDB, a CI is uniquely identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Naga A. Ayachitula, Melissa J. Buco, Krishna S. Garimella, Lalitha P. Kamesam, David Loewenstern, Larisa Shwartz, Maheswaran Surenda, Christopher Ward
  • Patent number: 8484251
    Abstract: A computer readable storage medium for performing a transform of a multidimensional matrix in a distributed memory network by: storing a multidimensional matrix of side N in a distributed memory network with a plurality of nodes and distributing work associated with a calculation of a transform of the matrix among N2 of the plurality of nodes. The medium further receives results of the calculation of the transform of the matrix by the nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Maria Eleftheriou, Blake G. Fitch, Robert S. Germain, Aleksandr Rayshubskiy, Thomas James Christopher Ward
  • Patent number: 8446184
    Abstract: An output stage comprising a current mode line driver, a voltage mode line driver, and a center-tapped transformer for coupling data provided by the line drivers to a transmission line is provided herein. The output stage is configured to operate in a backwards compatible Ethernet communication device. For example, the Ethernet communication device is configured to support 10G Ethernet and legacy Ethernet modes of 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T, and 1000BASE-T. The current mode line driver can be utilized while operating in the 10G Ethernet mode to provide high linearity. The voltage mode line driver can be utilized while operating in legacy mode to conserve power. In order to accommodate the use of two different line drivers, a switch and/or a voltage regulator is used to couple/decouple a dc voltage to a center-tap of the transformer based on which of the two different line drivers is currently active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Van Der Goes, Christopher Ward, Ovidiu Bajdechi, Erol Arslan
  • Patent number: 8438117
    Abstract: A method and system for managing a service level of a service provided by a service provider to a customer under a service level agreement. The actual measurement data is adjudicated to correct the measurement data in accordance with at least one adjudication element that provides information relating to how to correct the measurement data. The adjudicated measurement data is transformed into operational data by being reorganized into one or more groups of data. The operational data is evaluated by applying a formula to the operational data, resulting in the operational data being configured for being subsequently qualified. The operational data is qualified by comparing the evaluated operational data with specified service level targets for at least one service level period and identifying operational data points meeting and/or not meeting the specified service level targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Berthaud, Melissa Buco, Rong N. Chang, Joel D. Dalsky, Shih-Chung Fang, Laura Zaihua Luan, Lee Tsiao, Christopher Ward