Patents by Inventor Gerald Francis McBrearty

Gerald Francis McBrearty 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: 7191297
    Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for controlling the behavior of an application through a device or device subtype in a logical volume manager. The present invention allows for creating device types or subtypes to be used when creating a logical volume. The device type or device subtype specified during the creation of the logical volume signals to an application that the application may perform a particular behavior. The use of alternate device types and subtypes when creating a logical volume inform an application that the application can behave in a new way defined by the device type and subtype.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Gerald Francis McBrearty
  • Patent number: 7139802
    Abstract: A display interface at a sending terminal including the conventional means enabling the sender of an electronic mail document to specify users to receive the document; but, in addition, provides means enabling the sender of the electronic mail document to specify users not receive the document. Then, users specified not to receive the electronic mail document are precluded from receiving the document. Thus, the sender is enabled to specify users not to receive a copy, forward or print of the document. A display interface is also provided at a receiving terminal that includes means enabling the receiver of an electronic mail document to further specify users to be forwarded the document; and also means enabling the receiver of the electronic mail document to specify users not to be forwarded the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Kelley Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 7140040
    Abstract: Apparatus for eavesdropping within an area layer adjacent to and surrounding a LAN area periphery for potential wireless transmissions of an intruder having a lower frequency within a level below the LAN frequency; and an implementation responsive to said eavesdropping apparatus for changing the encryption code of said encrypted wireless transmission upon the eavesdropping detection of a wireless transmission of said lower frequency addressed to a network location of one of the terminals in said LAN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh, James Stanley Tesauro
  • Patent number: 7137009
    Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for providing access to resources within the data processing system. A request is received from a requestor to access a resource in the data processing system. A cookie is sent to the requestor, wherein the cookie is used to access the resource. An identification of the requestor and the cookie is stored to form a stored identification and a stored cookie. Responsive to receiving a subsequent cookie from a source, an identification of the source and the cookie is compared with the stored identification and the stored cookie. Responsive to a match between the identification of the source and the cookie and the stored identification and the stored cookie, access to the resource is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sharon M. Gordon, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 7111325
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method of notifying a user that there may be a possibility of communicating with a computer system other than an intended one are provided. When a host in use by the user is to request a DNS name service, the request is sent to two or more DNS servers. If all the servers return the same IP address, then there is a likelihood that the user may communicate with the intended computer system. If, however, two or more different IP addresses are returned, there is a high likelihood that the user may communicate with a computer system other than the intended one. When this occurs a warning is generated notifying the user of such a likelihood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Kelley Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 7103739
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing hardware aware logical volume mirrors are provided. In particular, the an improved logical volume system and method are provided in which a mirroring device driver is provided that selects a physical storage device from which data is to be read based on information obtained regarding the physical devices used in the mirror of the data. The mirroring device driver may be part of a logical volume device driver (LVDD), such that a modified LVDD is provided, or may work in concert with the logical volume device driver to achieve the purposes of the present invention. The information regarding the physical devices used in the mirror may include characteristic data of physical storage devices (e.g., whether a write cache is used, whether a read-ahead cache is used, RPM speed, connector type, etc.) and may also include operational history data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Kelley Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 7096333
    Abstract: A method, system, and program product for controlling multi-node access to a disk storage system. In accordance with the method of the present invention, an active access authorization is set for a first node. The active access authorization enables read and write access by the first node to user and meta data within the disk storage system. A passive access authorization is set for a second node. The passive access authorization enables read-only access by the second node to logical volume management meta data within the disk storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Thomas Van Weaver
  • Patent number: 7085816
    Abstract: In order to reduce overall downloading time for Web documents without depriving the user of valuable Web document resources, the user at a receiving Web station is enabled to preselect which received Web documents will be downloaded in a text-only mode. An implementation is provided at the receiving Web station for determining whether a received web document has been preselected for downloading in a text-only mode, and in responsive to this determination, there is an implementation for downloading such received preselected Web documents in a text-only mode. The user is enabled not only to designate specified documents to be downloaded in a text-only mode but the user may also preselect whole World Wide Web domains or specified Web sites within such domains from which received Web documents are to be downloaded in a text-only mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 7076632
    Abstract: A method, system, and program for fast paging of a large memory block are provided. A request to physically remove a memory block device from a data processing system is received. A logical volume within disk space is dynamically allocated for a contiguous paging space. Multiple logical pages for the memory block devices are translated into multiple physical addresses for the memory block device. A single input/output request is issued to page out data located at the multiple physical addresses to the contiguous paging space, such that after the single request is complete, the memory block device can be safely removed. Further, when a replacement memory block device is detected, a single input/output request is issued to page in data located within the contiguous paging space to the replacement memory block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Mark Douglass Rogers
  • Patent number: 7069410
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for allowing a mirroring map to be used with more than one piece of data are provided. First, a mirroring map is created and given a name. Then, the name of the mirroring map and the mirroring map itself are stored into the computer system. When a piece of data is to be stored in accordance with the mirroring map any time thereafter, the name of the mirroring map is used to associate the mirroring map with the piece of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh, Thomas Van Weaver
  • Patent number: 7028090
    Abstract: A method, system and token are described which control access to a token server system. In a first aspect, a method and system for controlling access to a file system of a token server comprise encoding a time specific permission into a token. In a second aspect, a token server system comprises at least one client and a token server accessible by the at least one client. The token server provides a token to the at least one client to allow the client to have access to the data on the token server. The token includes a time specific permission. In a third aspect, a token for use in a token server system comprises a group of privileges and security identifiers. The token includes a time specific permission. A system and method in accordance with the present invention controls access to networked systems, but does not totally disable or change a system to accommodate temporary outages of access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 6983352
    Abstract: A system and method for performing a point in time backup is presented. A backup application initiates a point in time backup whereupon a backup tracker monitors write requests during the point in time backup. The backup tracker logs data block locations that have already been backed up whose content changes in response to a write request. After a first pass of backing up data blocks, the backup application backs up the changed data blocks. During the changed data block backup procedure, the backup application invokes a copy on write command for particular changed data blocks that receive write requests prior to their content being backed up. The copy on write command stores the particular changed data block's content in a temporary storage area in which the backup application retrieves when the backup application is ready to backup the particular changed data blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 6978284
    Abstract: A system and method for designating and deleting expired files includes a means for storing expiration dates along with file identification data maintained by the file system. An earliest expiration date is stored in data maintained by the file system pertaining to each directory. In this manner, a check of the directory data indicates whether one or more expired files exist in the directory. The system date is compared to the earliest expiration date for a directory, for example when a “list contents of directory” command is received. If the earliest expiration date is earlier than the system date then a comparison is made with the files in the directory and individual files with expiration dates earlier than the current date are deleted. The earliest expiration date is then update to the correspond to the next earliest expiration date falling after the current date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh, Vi Trieu Tran, Michael W. Wortman
  • Patent number: 6973580
    Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for monitoring and alerting remote client users of digital intrusions of their computers by host servers. In general, the present invention monitors actions taken by host servers relating to information about the remote client and displays graphical alerts when a digital intrusion or a breach of security occurs during a network connection, such as a connection to the Internet, with the host server. Specifically, the present invention monitors certain aspects of the remote client user s interaction with host servers. Based on certain interaction, such as an attempt by the host server to retrieve non-related information about the remote client, the remote client user can be provided with a graphical alert. This allows the remote client user to make an informed decision whether or not to allow certain host server sites to retrieve the client user s personal information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Allen Carroll, William Alton Fiveash, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 6968401
    Abstract: A path control module manages a set of primary paths and a set of standby paths for a target device. When a path in the set of primary paths fails, the path control module may failover to the set of standby paths. Alternatively, when a path in the set of primary paths fails, the path control module may failover that path to a single path from the set of standby paths. The sets of primary paths and standby paths may be set by an administrator to control load balancing of resources in the storage area network. The primary set of paths for a first disk may be the standby set of paths for a second disk. Similarly, the primary set of paths for the second disk may be the standby set of paths for the first disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Chris Alan Schwendiman
  • Publication number: 20050256859
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method of allowing an application program continued access to a frozen file system are provided. An application program that requires continued access to a file system, even when the file system is frozen, may register with the system. Doing so allows the system to identify application program as one that needs continued access to the file system. Hence, the application program may continue to be provided access to the file system while all other application programs are prevented from accessing the file system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 6966051
    Abstract: A method, system, and product are disclosed for automatically generating a symbol-based debug script, which is executable by a debug program, for debugging a software program. Function symbols included in the software program are identified. The functions represented by the function symbols may be executed during an execution of the software program. A debug script is then automatically generated which, when executed by a debug program, will record each one of the functions symbols which represent a function called by the software program during execution of the software program by the debug program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 6961727
    Abstract: A method of automatically generating and decommissioning mirrors of data contained in physical storage volumes in computer system is disclosed. Physical storage volumes and portions of volumes are monitored to collect usage statistics. Those usage statistics are then used to determine whether to mirror the volume or volume portion for greater efficiency. Likewise, the usage statistics are used to determine when mirrors already generated should be decommissioned due to lack of usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Francis McBrearty, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh
  • Patent number: 6948118
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for bookmarking a path to a presently displayed Web page are provided. The path is made of a plurality of web pages that have previously been accessed and from which the presently displayed Web page emanates. When a user wants to bookmark the presently displayed Web page, the user is given an option to choose all the Web pages that were previously accessed. If the user so chooses, all the Web pages are bookmarked at once. When the bookmark folder is accessed anytime thereafter, the bookmarked Web pages are displayed as a chain of bookmarked Web pages and in the order they were accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Denise Marie Genty, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh, Shawn Patrick Mullen, James Stanley Tesauro
  • Publication number: 20050183011
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for modifying a document. A determination is made as to whether a portion of the selected content is protected from deletion. This determination is made in response to receiving a user input to delete selected content within the document. Deletion of the portion of the selected content is prevented in response to the portion of the selected content being protected. In some cases, the portion may be deleted after receiving a second user input confirming the deletion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susann Marie Keohane, Gerald Francis McBrearty, Shawn Patrick Mullen, Jessica Kelley Murillo, Johnny Meng-Han Shieh