Patents by Inventor Colin L. Bird

Colin L. Bird 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: 10031749
    Abstract: Methods of generating a help files are presented including: accessing a user model, where the user model defines a number of objects and a number of relationships between the number of objects; selecting an object of the user model; receiving a text file corresponding with the object; creating a component of the help file from the text file; selecting an additional object of the user model, the additional object having a relationship with the object, the relationship corresponding with the number of relationships; and creating an additional component of the help file corresponding with the additional object. In some embodiments, methods further include: detecting a change to the user model; and regenerating the help file to incorporate the change. In some embodiments, methods are presented where the additional component includes: a link to the additional object, and a link to a respective text file of the additional object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin L. Bird, Amanda E. Chessell, Fazleabbas Kanji, Kate Shepherd, Simen Svennebye, William Thompson, Kamorudeen L. Yusuf
  • Patent number: 8230393
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a method, system and computer program product for automatically capturing metadata using a template model. The template model is assembled for automatically capturing metadata during one or more stages of the life cycle of an application. Included in the template model are a description and a source of the metadata during a particular stage of the application lifecycle. The template model further includes multiple fields for dynamically capturing metadata. The template model fields may include: a stage field, an item field, a type field, specific source field, indicative field, a source list field, an analyzer reference field, default value field, and default reason field. A unique label associated with the stage field, of the template model, is read to identify the current stage of the lifecycle. The metadata associated with the current stage is automatically captured, then communicated to the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin L. Bird, Kamorudeen Larry Yusuf
  • Publication number: 20100042978
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments provide a method, system and computer program product for automatically capturing metadata using a template model. The template model is assembled for automatically capturing metadata during one or more stages of the life cycle of an application. Included in the template model are a description and a source of the metadata during a particular stage of the application lifecycle. The template model further includes multiple fields for dynamically capturing metadata. The template model fields may include: a stage field, an item field, a type field, specific source field, indicative field, a source list field, an analyzer reference field, default value field, and default reason field. A unique label associated with the stage field, of the template model, is read to identify the current stage of the lifecycle. The metadata associated with the current stage is automatically captured, then communicated to the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: COLIN L. BIRD, Kamorudeen Larry Yusuf
  • Publication number: 20090077502
    Abstract: Methods of generating a help files are presented including: accessing a user model, where the user model defines a number of objects and a number of relationships between the number of objects; selecting an object of the user model; receiving a text file corresponding with the object; creating a component of the help file from the text file; selecting an additional object of the user model, the additional object having a relationship with the object, the relationship corresponding with the number of relationships; and creating an additional component of the help file corresponding with the additional object. In some embodiments, methods further include: detecting a change to the user model; and regenerating the help file to incorporate the change. In some embodiments, methods are presented where the additional component includes: a link to the additional object, and a link to a respective text file of the additional object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin L. Bird, Amanda E. Chessell, Fazleabbas Kanji, Kate Shepherd, Simen Svennebye, William Thompson, Kamorudeen L. Yusuf
  • Publication number: 20030236856
    Abstract: In a system having a plurality of sources of information (102, 103, 104, 105), each source (102, 103, 104, 105) registers as being capable of providing information in respect of at least one specific class of request. When a request for information (120) is received, it is distributed to one or more sources that are registered for that class of request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin L. Bird, Andrew J. Stanford-Clark
  • Patent number: 5535286
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting errors in frames of seismic data that can be presented as images, such images being expected to exhibit an inherent symmetry about an axis, the apparatus comprising: a storage device for storing a frame of seismic data which can be presented as an image; a selection device for selecting an axis within the image as the axis of symmetry; a divider for dividing the data about the axis of symmetry to create first and second sets of data; and a comparison means for comparing the sets of data according to preselected matching criteria to determine, based on the degree of matching, whether the extent of mismatch in the frame of data is within a predetermined tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Ibbotson, John M. Knapman, Colin L. Bird, Sydney G. Chapman, Ian Henderson
  • Patent number: 4488782
    Abstract: An electrolytic display device, specifically an electrochromic display based on viologen, employs metal ions in solution to catalyse the reduction of display material at the display electrodes. The metal ions are deposited faster than the display material and subsequently chemically reduce this material. Thallium (I) as the metal catalyst in combination with an oxy-anion of phosphorus accelerates the display reaction without causing undesired precipitation from the solution. Cadmium (II) in combination with sulphate anions is also an effective catalyst. Either a greater amount of display material may be deposited than without the catalyst or the same amount deposited in a shorter time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Barclay, Colin L. Bird
  • Patent number: 4376569
    Abstract: An electrolyte for an electrochromic display of the kind in which a persistent colored species of an electrochromic substance in solution is deposited onto a display electrode upon the passage of current therethrough is disclosed. The electrolyte comprises an aqueous solution of a di-alkyl bipyridinium salt and a non-polymeric aliphatic alcohol in which either: (a) both alkyl groups of the bipyridinium salt have an odd number of carbon atoms and the alcohol has an even number of carbon atoms; or (b) both alkyl groups of the bipyridinium salt have an even number of carbon atoms and the alcohol has an odd number of carbon atoms. The presence of an alcohol in the electrolyte inhibits recrystallization (spotting) and non-erasure of the display electrodes. A particularly effective alcohol for 1,1' di-heptyl 4,4' bipyridinium dibromide, which has a severe lifetime problem, is n-hexanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1983
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Barltrop, Colin L. Bird, Gilbert C. S. Collins
  • Patent number: 4252418
    Abstract: An electrochromic display device, preferably employing an organic electrochromic material such as heptyl viologen, has display electrodes with a rough surface in contact with the electrochromic material. The device is operated at a sufficiently high current density so that the diffusion depth of the material conforms to the contours of the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Barclay, Colin L. Bird, David H. Martin, William M. Morgan
  • Patent number: 4228431
    Abstract: According to the disclosure, electrochromic display apparatus is provided, comprising, an electrolyte containing an electrochromic material, a plurality of display electrodes in the electrolyte, the display electrodes being connected in at least one group to enable selection of display electrodes, means for selecting at least some display electrodes, means to effect deposition of a visible coating of colored species derived from the electrochromic material onto the selected display electrodes, and means to effect deposition of an invisible coating of the colored species onto all unselected display electrodes, whereby the potentials of selected and unselected display electrodes are equalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Barclay, Colin L. Bird, Michael H. Hallett, David H. Martin
  • Patent number: 4167309
    Abstract: An electrochromic display device adapted to be accurately erased has an opaque counter electrode in the shape of a pattern of lines, preferably reticulate, on the underside of the face of the display device through which the display is viewed. The counter electrode is brought to a predetermined potential either by trapping a suitable material capable of a reversible redox reaction at the counter electrode or by initially charging the counter electrode with heptyl vilogen cation radical. This enables voltage erase to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1979
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Barclay, Colin L. Bird, Anthony C. Lowe, David H. Martin
  • Patent number: 4167308
    Abstract: An electrochromic display device has an improved counter electrode arrangement. The device has a plurality of display elctrodes and a counter electrode in contact with a first electrolyte of a primary redox system. The counter electrode is charged to a predetermined potential. A secondary redox system is associated with the primary redox system. A secondary electrode in the secondary redox system is electrically connected to the counter electrode to maintain the charge on the counter electrode at a predetermined potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1979
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Barclay, Colin L. Bird, Anthony C. Lowe