Patents by Inventor Kevin A. Butler

Kevin A. Butler 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).

  • Publication number: 20140036232
    Abstract: A monitor is used to display a visual acuity test operated by software from an associated computer. A patient is spaced a predetermined distance from the monitor during the testing procedure, and individual, multiple LED housings are equally spaced about a center point of the monitor to direct light toward the patient during at least a portion of the test procedure. The light emanating from the individual housings is a diffuse, unfocused light to simulate glare, and the intensity of the light may be selectively altered. Conducting acuity testing under glare conditions determines if there is any reduction or fall off in the patient's acuity vision under such circumstances and provides an indication of whether the patient may require cataract surgery or has another ocular problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: M&S TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Kevin A. Butler
  • Patent number: 8550631
    Abstract: A monitor is used to display a visual acuity test operated by software from an associated computer. A patient is spaced a predetermined distance from the monitor during the testing procedure, and individual, multiple LED housings are equally spaced about a center point of the monitor to direct light toward the patient during at least a portion of the test procedure. The light emanating from the individual housings is a diffuse, unfocused light to simulate glare, and the intensity of the light may be selectively altered. Conducting acuity testing under glare conditions determines if there is any reduction or fall off in the patient's acuity vision under such circumstances and provides an indication of whether the patient may require cataract surgery or has another ocular problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: M&S Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin A. Butler
  • Patent number: 8419184
    Abstract: An automated ophthalmic system is disclosed that is utilized to examine the eyes of a subject. A refraction system measures a refractive error of each eye and identifies a lens to correct the refractive error detected. A display presents one or more of an optotype, a chart, a test and a function to the subject to ascertain the refractive error. An interface device receives a voltage signal from the refraction system, converts the voltage signal into one or more ASCII characters, and communicates the one or more ASCII characters to the display to present the one or more of an optotype, a chart, a test and a function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: M+S Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Butler, Michael C. Whittenburg
  • Patent number: 8167429
    Abstract: An automated ophthalmic system is disclosed that is utilized to examine the eyes of a subject. A refraction system measures the refractive error of each eye and identifies a lens to correct the refractive error detected. A display presents one or more optotypes to the subject to ascertain the refractive error. An interface device receives a wireless signal from the refraction system, converts the wireless signal into one or more ASCII characters, and communicates the one or more ASCII characters to the display to present the one or more optotypes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: M&S Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin A. Butler, Michael C. Whittenburg
  • Patent number: 8140725
    Abstract: Provided is an article of manufacture, system and method for a management system for using host and storage controller port information to configure paths between a host and storage controller in a network. The management system obtains information on ports on at least one host, at least one storage controller, and at least one fabric over which the host and storage controller ports connect. The management system gathers, for at least one host port and storage controller port, a connection metric and a traffic metric. The management system processes the connection and traffic metrics for the host and storage ports to select at least one host port and at least one storage controller port configures the port pair to provide at least one path enabling the access at least one storage volume managed by the selected storage controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Wei Chin, Scott J. Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti
  • Publication number: 20110320654
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided to automatically retrieve zoning best practices from a centralized repository and to ensure that automatically generated zones do not violate these best practices. A user selects a set of hosts and storage controllers. The user also selects a guidance policy for creating the zone, and also selects a set of validation policies that must be enforced on the zone. If the user selects a guidance policy and a validation policy combination that is incompatible, the mechanism allows the user to change either the selected guidance policy or the set of validation policies. If the user has selected consistent-zoning as a guidance policy, then the mechanism automatically selects a guidance policy that does not violate the known validation policies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Mei Chin, Scott Joseph Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti
  • Publication number: 20110228228
    Abstract: A monitor is used to display a visual acuity test operated by software from an associated computer. A patient is spaced a predetermined distance from the monitor during the testing procedure, and individual, multiple LED housings are equally spaced about a center point of the monitor to direct light toward the patient during at least a portion of the test procedure. The light emanating from the individual housings is a diffuse, unfocused light to simulate glare, and the intensity of the light may be selectively altered. Conducting acuity testing under glare conditions determines if there is any reduction or fall off in the patient's acuity vision under such circumstances and provides an indication of whether the patient may require cataract surgery or has another ocular problem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventor: Kevin A. Butler
  • Patent number: 8024773
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided to automatically retrieve zoning best practices from a centralized repository and to ensure that automatically generated zones do not violate these best practices. A user selects a set of hosts and storage controllers. The user also selects a guidance policy for creating the zone, and also selects a set of validation policies that must be enforced on the zone. If the user selects a guidance policy and a validation policy combination that is incompatible, the mechanism allows the user to change either the selected guidance policy or the set of validation policies. If the user has selected consistent-zoning as a guidance policy, then the mechanism automatically selects a guidance policy that does not violate the known validation policies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Wei Chin, Scott Joseph Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti
  • Patent number: 7820944
    Abstract: Provided are procedures and arrangements for determining composition of cored welding wire electrodes. A portion of a length of a cored welding wire electrode is detached, to serve as a sample portion. The sample portion is provided to a digestion vessel, where it is digested into a sample solution. The sample solution is provided to an analytical device which analyzes the sample solution to determine the elements and concentrations of elements which comprise the sample solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Butler, Susan M. Femec, Amy C. Russell
  • Publication number: 20100223404
    Abstract: Provided is an article of manufacture, system and method for a management system for using host and storage controller port information to configure paths between a host and storage controller in a network. A management system is coupled to a network, wherein the management system communicates over the network with a plurality of hosts, storage controllers, and a network monitor to configure paths in the network between the hosts and the storage controllers in order for the storage controller to provide storage services to the hosts. The network monitor collects statistics from the components in the network. The management system obtains from the network monitor information on ports on at least one host, ports on at least one storage controller managing access to storage volumes, and at least one fabric over which the at least one host and storage controller ports connect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Wei Chin, Scott J. Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti
  • Patent number: 7779122
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically identifying an optimal set of attributes of entities included in a networked system. Entity types are ranked based on information gain. A first classification accuracy relative to a first entity type is determined. The first entity type is the top-ranked entity type or a first aggregate entity type. A second entity type is selected base on the ranking. A database join of a first set of attributes associated with the first entity type and a second set of attributes associated with the second entity type is performed. A second classification accuracy relative to a second aggregate entity type generated by the join is determined. In response to determining that the second classification accuracy is not greater than the first classification accuracy, an optimal set of attributes contributing to a problem in the networked system is identified as the first set of attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Ramani Ranjan Routray, Prasenjit Sarkar, Chung-hao Tan, Kiyoung Yang
  • Patent number: 7761629
    Abstract: Provided is a method for using host and storage controller port information to configure paths between a host and storage controller. Information is gathered on ports on at least one host, ports on at least one storage controller managing access to storage volumes, and at least one fabric over which the at least one host and storage controller ports connect. For at least one host port and storage controller port, information is gathered on a connection metric related to a number of paths in which the port is configured and a traffic metric indicating Input/Output (I/O) traffic at the port. A determination is made of available ports for one host and storage controller that are available to provide paths between one host and storage controller. The connection and traffic metrics for the available host ports are processed to select at least one host port. The connection and traffic metrics for the available storage controller ports are processed to select at least one storage controller port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Wei Chin, Scott J. Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti
  • Patent number: 7685277
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically identifying an optimal set of attributes of entities included in a networked system. Entity types are ranked based on information gain. A first classification accuracy relative to a first entity type is determined. The first entity type is the top-ranked entity type or a first aggregate entity type. A second entity type is selected based on the ranking. A database join of a first set of attributes associated with the first entity type and a second set of attributes associated with the second entity type is performed. A second classification accuracy relative to a second aggregate entity type generated by the join is determined. In response to determining that the second classification accuracy is not greater than the first classification accuracy, an optimal set of attributes contributing to a problem in the networked system is identified as the first set of attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Ramani Ranjan Routray, Prasenjit Sarkar, Chung-hao Tan, Kiyoung Yang
  • Publication number: 20090187518
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically identifying an optimal set of attributes of entities included in a networked system. Entity types are ranked based on information gain. A first classification accuracy relative to a first entity type is determined. The first entity type is the top-ranked entity type or a first aggregate entity type. A second entity type is selected base on the ranking. A database join of a first set of attributes associated with the first entity type and a second set of attributes associated with the second entity type is performed. A second classification accuracy relative to a second aggregate entity type generated by the join is determined. In response to determining that the second classification accuracy is not greater than the first classification accuracy, an optimal set of attributes contributing to a problem in the networked system is identified as the first set of attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Ramani Ranjan Routray, Prasenjit Sarkar, Chung-hao Tan, Kiyoung Yang
  • Publication number: 20090187533
    Abstract: A method and system for automatically identifying an optimal set of attributes of entities included in a networked system. Entity types are ranked based on information gain. A first classification accuracy relative to a first entity type is determined. The first entity type is the top-ranked entity type or a first aggregate entity type. A second entity type is selected basal on the ranking. A database join of a first set of attributes associated with the first entity type and a second set of attributes associated with the second entity type is performed. A second classification accuracy relative to a second aggregate entity type generated by the join is determined. In response to determining that the second classification accuracy is not greater than the first classification accuracy, an optimal set of attributes contributing to a problem in the networked system is identified as the first set of attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Ramani Ranjan Routray, Prasenjit Sarkar, Chung-hao Tan, Kiyoung Yang
  • Patent number: 7536266
    Abstract: A non-flat sample is analyzed by a first spectrometer which has previously been calibrated for flat sample analysis. The non-flat sample is then analyzed by a second spectrometer calibrated for flat samples. The values collected from analysis of the non-flat sample by the first spectrometer are plotted against values collected from analysis of non-flat samples by the second spectrometer. The plot identifies a differences between the first spectrometer values and the second spectrometer values. The plot values are used in conjunction with the standard values from the first spectrometer to calculate final standard values for the second spectrometer. Final standard values for the second spectrometer are then used to generate calibration curves for the second spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Butler, Patrick R. Brennan
  • Patent number: 7521081
    Abstract: Methods are presented for reducing reactivity of ferroalloys used in the manufacture of stick welding electrodes with ferroalloy coatings, in which surface metal silicon of ferroalloy powder is stabilized by dissolving or prereacting the surface silicon or silicon dioxide to provide stabilized ferroalloy powder with decreased surface reactivity to caustic silicate solutions that can be mixed with silicate solution to form a slurry for coating precut welding rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Butler, David M. Fedor
  • Publication number: 20090094664
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided to automatically retrieve zoning best practices from a centralized repository and to ensure that automatically generated zones do not violate these best practices. A user selects a set of hosts and storage controllers. The user also selects a guidance policy for creating the zone, and also selects a set of validation policies that must be enforced on the zone. If the user selects a guidance policy and a validation policy combination that is incompatible, the mechanism allows the user to change either the selected guidance policy or the set of validation policies. If the user has selected consistent-zoning as a guidance policy, then the mechanism automatically selects a guidance policy that does not violate the known validation policies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Wei Chin, Scott Joseph Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti
  • Patent number: 7495766
    Abstract: In accordance with the present application, a method and system is provided for measuring an amount of surface material on a wire. A section of the wire and a beam generating device configured to generate a high energy beam are placed in a positional relationship with each other. The relationship permits a high energy beam generated from the beam generating device to impinge upon a location on the section of the wire. A reflected beam from the high energy beam is reflected from the section of the wire and is detected by a detector positioned at a location to receive the reflected beam. The beam received by the detector is investigated to determine the characteristics of the surface material on the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Linccln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Butler, André J. Sommer
  • Publication number: 20080301332
    Abstract: Provided is a method for using host and storage controller port information to configure paths between a host and storage controller. Information is gathered on ports on at least one host, ports on at least one storage controller managing access to storage volumes, and at least one fabric over which the at least one host and storage controller ports connect. For at least one host port and storage controller port, information is gathered on a connection metric related to a number of paths in which the port is configured and a traffic metric indicating Input/Output (I/O) traffic at the port. A determination is made of available ports for one host and storage controller that are available to provide paths between one host and storage controller. The connection and traffic metrics for the available host ports are processed to select at least one host port. The connection and traffic metrics for the available storage controller ports are processed to select at least one storage controller port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric Kevin Butler, Pi-Wei Chin, Scott J. Colbeck, Kaladhar Voruganti