Patents by Inventor Donald Kent McAlister

Donald Kent McAlister 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: 9817882
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a storage storing instructions causing the processor to receive representation metadata indicating features of representation data to be generated from a plurality of representation portions, receive a command to generate at least one row of the representation data, determine a subset of data blocks of a data blob required to generate the at least one row, and a subset of node devices that store the subset of data blocks, for each node device of the subset of node devices, derive a node block map identifying at least one data item of a data block for generating a representation portion, transmit the node block maps to the subset of node devices; and transmit a command to the subset of node devices to each generate at least one row of one of the plurality of representation portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey Michelle Christian, Michael Stephen Whitcher, Donald Kent McAlister, Phillip Elliot Hanna
  • Patent number: 9811575
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and storage storing instructions causing the processor to store, at a node device of a grid of node devices, a data block of a data blob, receive data blob metadata indicative of an organization of data items within the data blob, receive a command to generate, from the data block, at least one row of a representation portion of a plurality of representation portions from which a 2D representation of the data blob is to be generated, use the data blob metadata and a node block map indicative of which data items of the data block are required to generate the representation portion to derive one or more transforms to be performed with the data block to generate the at least one row of the representation portion, and perform the one or more transforms with the data block to generate the at least one row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey Michelle Christian, Michael Stephen Whitcher, Donald Kent McAlister, Phillip Elliot Hanna
  • Publication number: 20170286509
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and storage storing instructions causing the processor to store, at a node device of a grid of node devices, a data block of a data blob, receive data blob metadata indicative of an organization of data items within the data blob, receive a command to generate, from the data block, at least one row of a representation portion of a plurality of representation portions from which a 2D representation of the data blob is to be generated, use the data blob metadata and a node block map indicative of which data items of the data block are required to generate the representation portion to derive one or more transforms to be performed with the data block to generate the at least one row of the representation portion, and perform the one or more transforms with the data block to generate the at least one row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey Michelle Christian, Michael Stephen Whitcher, Donald Kent McAlister, Phillip Elliot Hanna
  • Publication number: 20170286007
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a storage storing instructions causing the processor to compare quantities of node devices storing partitions and of the partitions to determine whether the node device quantity is less than the partition quantity. In response to the node device quantity of node being less: for each stored copy of each partition, assign a cost to load the copy of the partition based at least on a size of the partition; add dummy node devices to cause the node device quantity to at least equal the partition quantity; for each dummy node device, assign a very high cost to load each partition; use MILP to derive a first pass assignment of a single copy of each partition to be loaded within either a node device or dummy node device; and transmit an indication of at least the first pass assignment to the node devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Kent McAlister, Daniel Jacob Underwood
  • Publication number: 20170286520
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a storage storing instructions causing the processor to receive representation metadata indicating features of representation data to be generated from a plurality of representation portions, receive a command to generate at least one row of the representation data, determine a subset of data blocks of a data blob required to generate the at least one row, and a subset of node devices that store the subset of data blocks, for each node device of the subset of node devices, derive a node block map identifying at least one data item of a data block for generating a representation portion, transmit the node block maps to the subset of node devices; and transmit a command to the subset of node devices to each generate at least one row of one of the plurality of representation portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Stacey Michelle Christian, Michael Stephen Whitcher, Donald Kent McAlister, Phillip Elliot Hanna
  • Patent number: 9778876
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a processor and a storage storing instructions causing the processor to compare quantities of node devices storing partitions and of the partitions to determine whether the node device quantity is less than the partition quantity. In response to the node device quantity of node being less: for each stored copy of each partition, assign a cost to load the copy of the partition based at least on a size of the partition; add dummy node devices to cause the node device quantity to at least equal the partition quantity; for each dummy node device, assign a very high cost to load each partition; use MILP to derive a first pass assignment of a single copy of each partition to be loaded within either a node device or dummy node device; and transmit an indication of at least the first pass assignment to the node devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Kent McAlister, Daniel Jacob Underwood
  • Publication number: 20080080716
    Abstract: System and methods for simplified management of secured data and communications networks with a back-up for a key authority point for scalability and availability for stateful failover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Donald Kent McAlister, Michael M. Sneed
  • Publication number: 20080080708
    Abstract: A method for enabling secure communication between a first node in a distributed network and at least one second node in the distributed network by using a cryptographic key, including the steps of using an encrypting key to encrypt the cryptographic key to generate a wrap key in a secure hardware module, transmitting the wrap key to the at least one second node over a network, and decrypting the wrap key using the encrypting key to obtain the cryptographic key. Also, a system for enabling secure communication in a distributed network by using a cryptographic key, including a first node transmitting the cryptographic key, a secure hardware module for encrypting the cryptographic key with a encrypting key to obtain a wrap key, a network for transmitting the wrap key, and a second node, the second node configured to decrypt the wrap key using the encrypting key to obtain the cryptographic key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Donald Kent McAlister, Marcelle Gibble
  • Publication number: 20080082823
    Abstract: System and methods for simplified management of secured networks with distributed keys and management of same for a data and/or communications network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Charles Rodney Starrett, Donald Kent McAlister