Patents by Inventor Geoffrey Sharman

Geoffrey Sharman 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).

  • Distributed read/write replication with primary copy first write and primary copy transfer features
    Patent number: 5737738
    Abstract: When an update is made to a data record in a distributed, replicated data processing system, the update is first applied to a primary copy of the data record before being applied to any other copy to ensure that updates are applied in the correct time sequence. Apparatus and a method of operating a distributed data processing system is provided in which responsibility for the primary copy is transferable to whichever processor in the system requires most frequent update access, providing improved performance and availability of data. The primary copy may be partitioned and distributed across the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Sharman
  • Distributed data processing system
    Patent number: 5627961
    Abstract: Distributed data processing systems with replication of data across the system are required to provide data access and availability performance approaching that of a stand-alone system with its own data, but reductions in network traffic gained by replication must be balanced against the additional network traffic required to update multiple copies of the data. Apparatus and a method of operating a distributed data processing system is provided in which a currency period is associated with each copy of a data object and the data object is assumed to be valid during the currency period. The apparatus has means for checking (500) whether the currency period has expired and means for updating (570, 580) the copies. A validity indicator is set on determination of expiry of the currency period and when updates are applied to the primary copy, and is checked to determine validity of a copy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Sharman
  • System for distributed database replicated read with exclusive central server transfer of primary copies
    Patent number: 5586310
    Abstract: When an update is made to a data record in a distributed, replicated data processing system, the update is first applied to a primary copy of the data record before being applied to any other copy to ensure that updates are applied in the correct time sequence. Apparatus and a method of operating a distributed data processing system is provided in which responsibility for the primary copy is transferable to whichever processor in the system requires most frequent update access, providing improved performance and availability of data. The primary copy may be partitioned and distributed across the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey Sharman