Patents by Inventor Eric A. LAWRENCE

Eric A. LAWRENCE 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).

  • Dynamically selecting alternative query access plans
    Patent number: 7925648
    Abstract: A query access plan for executing a database query is dynamically selected from among multiple alternative query access plans based on the availability of computer resources allocated for running the query. Preferably, a first query access plan is generated based on resources then available, and if it is possible to provide additional resources, one or more alternative plans are generated based on the additional resources. If an alternative plan is significantly better than the original plan based on a comparison of query related parameters, the alternative is chosen for executing the query. Additional resources for running the query may be provided from logically partitioned and/or grid environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Mahdad Majd, Randy William Ruhlow, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Caching pages via host variable correlation
    Patent number: 7912851
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment track a history of statements that query data from a database. When a new statement is received, the history is searched for a correlation between the new statement and previous statements. The correlation is based on host variables in the history and the new statement. When a correlation is found, a prediction is made for the next statement to be received based on the previous statement in the history for which the correlation was found. The prediction is then used to retrieve pages from the database into a cache, which may be used by a subsequent statement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Randy William Ruhlow, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Dynamic optimization of prepared statements in a statement pool
    Patent number: 7912848
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeremy Alan Arnold, Eric Lawrence Barsness, Richard Dean Dettinger, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Embedded advertising enhancements in interactive computer game environments
    Patent number: 7901288
    Abstract: Advertisements may be selected for display to a user in a computer game environment based at least in part on one or more of a personality trait of the user as determined from monitoring a behavior of the user as the user is participating in the computer game environment, a user affinity for a subject of another advertisement as determined from monitoring activity of the user after the user views the other advertisement while the other advertisement is displayed in the computer game environment, and a characteristic of the user as determined from a username selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Isoprene Production
    Publication number: 20110039323
    Abstract: A method of producing isoprene is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of obtaining a host transgenic microorganism and observing the production of isoprene by the microorganism. In another embodiment, the invention is a transgenic host microorganism for producing isoprene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Singsaas, Amy Elizabeth Wiberley, Thomas David Sharkey
  • Processing of deterministic user-defined functions using multiple corresponding hash tables
    Patent number: 7890480
    Abstract: A deterministic UDF processing mechanism processes user-defined functions (UDFs) using multiple hash tables. Data access patterns for a UDF are collected, and an appropriate hash table set is then determined for the UDF from the data access patterns. If a UDF accesses some similar columns and some disjoint columns, the similar columns are grouped together, and one or more hash tables are allocated to the similar columns. Disjoint columns are allocated their own hash tables. In addition, the allocation of hash tables may be adjusted based on historical access patterns collected over time. By dynamically allocating and adjusting sets of hash tables to a deterministic UDF, the performance of the UDF is greatly increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Daniel E. Beuch, Theresa Renee Euler, Paul Stuart Nelsestuen, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Monitoring performance of a data processing system
    Patent number: 7885954
    Abstract: An apparatus and program product monitors performance of a computer system via a result size including a result set size of accesses to a database and a page size. Preferred embodiments are directed to a performance monitor that correlates data from existing tools that report data concerning access to the database and the use of system resources. Other embodiments are directed to a performance monitor that is included in an application server associated with the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • METHOD FOR DEALING WITH SINGULARITIES IN GRAVITY REFERENCED ENDOSCOPIC IMAGING
    Publication number: 20110026787
    Abstract: A method for avoiding rapid or sudden image rotation or reversal in a gravity leveled endoscopic imaging system is disclosed. A mathematical neighborhood of a singular viewing configuration is defined and within this neighborhood the endoscopic image orientation follows specified rules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Hale, Hans David Hoeg, Nathan Jon Schara
  • Monitoring performance of a data processing system
    Patent number: 7882104
    Abstract: An apparatus and program product monitor performance of a computer system via a result size including a result set size of accesses to a database and a page size. Preferred embodiments are directed to a performance monitor that correlates data from existing tools that report data concerning access to the database and the use of system resources. Other embodiments are directed to a performance monitor that is included in an application server associated with the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • MULTI-PARTITION QUERY GOVERNOR IN A COMPUTER DATABASE SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20110022585
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a multi-partition query governor in a partitioned computer database system. In preferred embodiments a query governor uses data of a query governor file that is associated with multiple partitions to determine how the query governor manages access to the database across multiple partitions. Also, in preferred embodiments, the query governor in a local partition that receives a query request communicates with a query governor in a target partition to accumulate the total resource demands of the query on the local and target partitions. In preferred embodiments, a query governor estimates whether resources to execute a query will exceed a threshold over all or a combination of database partitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP.
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Robert Joseph Bestgen, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Database relationship constraint
    Patent number: 7873671
    Abstract: According to the preferred embodiments, a database relationship constraint is defined for a first column that specifies a set of allowable values for the first column that depend on a set of data values in a second column that may be of a different type than data in the first column. In a first embodiment, a database relationship constraint specifies allowable values for one column in a database table based on one or more data values in a different column in the same database table. In a second embodiment, a database relationship constraint specifies a set of allowable values in a first column based on one or more data values in a second column in a different database table. In both cases, the data in the second column may be of a different type than data in the second column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Creating profiling indices
    Patent number: 7865509
    Abstract: A database engine and optimizer framework support creation of a series of profiling indices over a column having character string data, such as a traditional “varchar” data type. The profiling indices result in a reduction of the number of records that are searched when searching for a sub-string match within that column. In some embodiments, the series of indices are created over a column that is typically searched using the LIKE predicate or some similar technique; these indices indicate for each record whether certain sub-strings may exist in that record's value in the column. Thus, the indices are used to find the rows that may match one or more portions of the particular term being queried or, in other words, eliminate those records that do not have at least a portion of the term to be matched. The number of records actually retrieved and searched for the query sub-string is thereby reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Brian Robert Muras, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Monitoring performance of a data processing system
    Patent number: 7853585
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for monitoring the performance of a computer system via an result size including a result set size of accesses to a database and a page size. Preferred embodiments are directed to a performance monitor that correlates data from existing tools that report data concerning access to the database and the use of system resources. Other embodiments are directed to a performance monitor that is included in an application server associated with the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Multi-partition query governor in a computer database system
    Patent number: 7853584
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for a multi-partition query governor in a partitioned computer database system. In preferred embodiments a query governor uses data of a query governor file that is associated with multiple partitions to determines how the query governor manages access to the database across multiple partitions. Also, in preferred embodiments, the query governor in a local partition that receives a query request communicates with a query governor in a target partition to accumulate the total resource demands of the query on the local and target partitions. In preferred embodiments, a query governor estimates whether resources to execute a query will exceed a threshold over all or a combination of database partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Robert Joseph Bestgen, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Grouping threads in a debugger display
    Patent number: 7844952
    Abstract: A debugger display groups threads according to user-specified criteria. The threads may be grouped by type, by current or historic breakpoints, according to historical debug patterns, based on what thread spawned the thread, based on execution pattern, based on object class in a Java environment, based on Java thread group in a Java environment, or base on other suitable criteria. The grouping of threads is displayed graphically to a user of the debugger, thereby allowing more efficient debugging of multi-threaded computer programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Real time data replication for query execution in a massively parallel computer
    Patent number: 7844620
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may be used to increase query processing parallelism of an in-memory database stored on a parallel computing system. A group of compute nodes each store a portion of data as part of the in-memory database. Further, a pool of compute nodes may be reserved to create copies of data from the compute nodes of the in-memory database as part of query processing. When a query is received for execution, the query may be evaluated to determine whether portions of in-memory should be duplicated to allow multiple elements of the query (e.g., multiple query predicates) to be evaluated in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, David L. Darrington, Amanda Peters, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Autonomically adjusting configuration parameters for a server when a different server fails
    Patent number: 7823012
    Abstract: A load balancer detects a server failure, and sends a failure notification message to the remaining servers. In response, one or more of the remaining servers may autonomically adjust their configuration parameters, thereby allowing the remaining servers to better handle the increased load caused by the server failure. One or more of the servers may also include a performance measurement mechanism that measures performance before and after an autonomic adjustment of the configuration parameters to determine whether and how much the autonomic adjustments improved the system performance. In this manner server computer systems may autonomically compensate for the failure of another server computer system that was sharing the workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Mahdad Majd, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Method for dealing with singularities in gravity referenced endoscopic imaging
    Patent number: 7811224
    Abstract: A method for avoiding rapid or sudden image rotation or reversal in a gravity leveled endoscopic imaging system is disclosed. A mathematical neighborhood of a singular viewing configuration is defined and within this neighborhood the endoscopic image orientation follows specified rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Karl Storz Development Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Hale, Hans David Hoeg, Nathan Jon Schara
  • Method and system for creating database profiling indices
    Patent number: 7809730
    Abstract: A database engine and optimizer framework support creation of a series of profiling indices over a column having character string data, such as a traditional “varchar” data type. The profiling indices result in a reduction of the number of records that are searched when searching for a sub-string match within that column. In some embodiments, the series of indices are created over a column that is typically searched using the LIKE predicate or some similar technique; these indices indicate for each record whether certain sub-strings may exist in that record's value in the column. Thus, the indices are used to find the rows that may match one or more portions of the particular term being queried or, in other words, eliminate those records that do not have at least a portion of the term to be matched. The number of records actually retrieved and searched for the query sub-string is thereby reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, Brian Robert Muras, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Environment Based Node Selection for Work Scheduling in a Parallel Computing System
    Publication number: 20100241881
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program product manage scheduling of a plurality of jobs in a parallel computing system of the type that includes a plurality of computing nodes and is disposed in a data center. The plurality of jobs are scheduled for execution on a group of computing nodes from the plurality of computing nodes based on the physical locations of the plurality of computing nodes in the data center. The group of computing nodes is further selected so as to distribute at least one of a heat load and an energy load within the data center. The plurality of jobs may be additionally scheduled based upon an estimated processing requirement for each job of the plurality of jobs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence Barsness, David L. Darrington, Amanda Peters, John Matthew Santosuosso