Patents by Inventor Mark B. Thomas

Mark B. Thomas 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: 20240075473
    Abstract: A lateral flow assay device of the present disclosure has numerous features to ensure correct operation of the device under gravity, such as vent pockets for enabling the flow of sample fluid from one chamber to the next when the vent pocket is unsealed. The vent pockets have protrusions to help prevent accidental resealing. The device also can have a gasket to ensure free air movement between open vent pockets. Flow control features that protrude horizontally into a chamber proximal to an outlet act to deflect the flow to the side of the chamber opposite from the outlet, prior to the flow entering the outlet. Such features can reduce the flow velocity of the sample fluid and increase the effective fluid flow path length, enhance mixing of reagents with a sample, and enabling more accurate control of fluid flow in the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Mark Nowakowski, Michael Wang, Robert B Cary, Hong Cai, Conrad Lindberg, Martin Bouliane, Donald J Thomas
  • Publication number: 20240076724
    Abstract: An automated method for performing an assay of the present disclosure can be performed in a microfluidic device that is a lateral flow device having numerous features to ensure correct operation of the device under gravity, such as vent pockets for enabling the flow of sample fluid from one chamber to the next when the vent pocket is unsealed. Each chamber can have a reagent recess proximal to an inlet end of the chamber. A reagent pellet formed in a reagent recess can be effectively mixed with a sample as the sample flows into the chamber. A flexible circuit with patterned metallic electrical components disposed on a heat stable material can be in direct contact with fluid in the chambers and has resistive heating elements aligned with, for example, a chamber for performing an amplification reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Mark Nowakowski, Michael Wang, Robert B Cary, Hong Cai, Conrad Lindberg, Martin Bouliane, Donald J Thomas
  • Patent number: 10606491
    Abstract: A method for providing redundancy in a virtualized storage system for a computer system is provided. The method includes determining a first set of first logical addresses to provide a virtual storage volume. A redundancy schema is then selected to provide redundancy data for primary data stored in the first set of first logical addresses. A second set of second logical addresses is determined to provide logical storage for the primary data and for the redundancy data. The first set of first logical addresses and the second set of second logical addresses are then mapped and a set of physical addresses is selected from a set of physical storage elements. Mapping between the second set of second logical addresses and the set of physical addresses is then performed to provide physical storage for the primary data and the redundancy data stored in the virtual storage volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark B. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20190004716
    Abstract: A method for providing redundancy in a virtualized storage system for a computer system is provided. The method includes determining a first set of first logical addresses to provide a virtual storage volume. A redundancy schema is then selected to provide redundancy data for primary data stored in the first set of first logical addresses. A second set of second logical addresses is determined to provide logical storage for the primary data and for the redundancy data. The first set of first logical addresses and the second set of second logical addresses are then mapped and a set of physical addresses is selected from a set of physical storage elements. Mapping between the second set of second logical addresses and the set of physical addresses is then performed to provide physical storage for the primary data and the redundancy data stored in the virtual storage volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventor: Mark B. Thomas
  • Patent number: 10114563
    Abstract: A method for providing redundancy in a virtualized storage system for a computer system is provided. The method includes determining first set of first logical addresses to provide a virtual storage volume. A redundancy schema is then selected to provide redundancy data for primary data stored in the first set of first logical addresses. A second set of second logical addresses is determined to provide logical storage for the primary data and for the redundancy data. The first set of first logical addresses and the second set of second logical addresses are then mapped and a set of physical addresses is selected from a set of physical storage elements. Mapping between the second set of second logical addresses and the set of physical addresses is then performed to provide physical storage for the primary data and the redundancy data stored in the virtual storage volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark B. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9563359
    Abstract: A system is provided for transforming an in-use RAID array from a first array configuration having a first parameter to a second array configuration having a second parameter while preserving a logical data structure of the RAID array. The system includes an extent reservation component, and a data migration component for reading unmigrated data from an area of an array arranged according to the first array configuration and writing the data to an area of the array arranged according to the second array configuration using reserved extents to store migrated data. The system also includes a first I/O component for performing I/O according to the first array configuration on unmigrated data prior to its reading by the data migration component, and a second I/O component for performing I/O according to the second array configuration on the migrated data after writing the migrated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joanna K. Brown, Matthew J. Fairhurst, William J. Scales, Mark B. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20160041764
    Abstract: A system is provided for transforming an in-use RAID array from a first array configuration having a first parameter to a second array configuration having a second parameter while preserving a logical data structure of the RAID array. The system includes an extent reservation component, and a data migration component for reading unmigrated data from an area of an array arranged according to the first array configuration and writing the data to an area of the array arranged according to the second array configuration using reserved extents to store migrated data. The system also includes a first I/O component for performing I/O according to the first array configuration on unmigrated data prior to its reading by the data migration component, and a second I/O component for performing I/O according to the second array configuration on the migrated data after writing the migrated data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Joanna K. Brown, Matthew J. Fairhurst, William J. Scales, Mark B. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9195412
    Abstract: A system is provided for transforming an in-use RAID array from a first array configuration having a first parameter to a second array configuration having a second parameter while preserving a logical data structure of the RAID array. The system includes an extent reservation component, and a data migration component for reading unmigrated data from an area of an array arranged according to the first array configuration and writing the data to an area of the array arranged according to the second array configuration using reserved extents to store migrated data. The system also includes a first I/O component for performing I/O according to the first array configuration on unmigrated data prior to its reading by the data migration component, and a second I/O component for performing I/O according to the second array configuration on the migrated data after writing the migrated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joanna K. Brown, Matthew J. Fairhurst, William J. Scales, Mark B. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20150019809
    Abstract: A method for providing redundancy in a virtualized storage system for a computer system is provided. The method includes determining first set of first logical addresses to provide a virtual storage volume, A redundancy schema is then selected to provide redundancy data for primary data stored in the first set of first logical addresses. A second set of second logical addresses is determined to provide logical storage for the primary data and for the redundancy data. The first set of first logical addresses and the second set of second logical addresses are then mapped and a set of physical address es is selected from a set of physical storage elements. Mapping between the second set of second logical addresses and the set of physical addresses is then performed to provide physical storage for the primary data and the redundancy data stored in the virtual storage volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Mark B. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8880843
    Abstract: A method for providing redundancy in a virtualized storage system for a computer system is provided. The method includes determining a first set of first logical addresses to provide a virtual storage volume. A redundancy schema is then selected to provide redundancy data for primary data stored in the first set of first logical addresses. A second set of second logical addresses is determined to provide logical storage for the primary data and for the redundancy data. The first set of first logical addresses and the second set of second logical addresses are then mapped and a set of physical storage addresses is selected from a set of physical storage elements. Mapping between the second set of second logical addresses and the set of physical addresses is then performed to provide physical storage for the primary data and the redundancy data stored in the virtual storage volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark B. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20130205086
    Abstract: Transforming an in-use RAID array from a first array configuration having a first parameter to a second array configuration having a second parameter while preserving the logical data structure. An extent reservation component and data migration component are provided for reading unmigrated data from an area of an array arranged according to the first array configuration and writing the data to an area of the array arranged according to the second array configuration using reserved extents to store first migrated data and using further extents to store second migrated data. A first I/O component for performing I/O according to the first array configuration on unmigrated data prior to its reading by the data migration component is provided along with a second I/O component for performing I/O according to the second array configuration on the first migrated data and the second migrated data after its writing by the data migration component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corp,
    Inventors: Joanna K. Brown, Matthew J. Fairhurst, William J. Scales, Mark B. Thomas
  • Patent number: 8347182
    Abstract: Mechanisms for ensuring data consistency in a data store are provided. The mechanisms access a parity scrub factor f and perform a check on a data group of the data store. The check on the data group includes performing a parity check on a portion of the data group, the portion being equal to 1/f of the data group, and performing a data verify on the remainder of the data group. The performing of the check is repeated for the entire data store. An offset factor is used to select the portion of the data group for the parity check. In this case, the offset factor may be incremented when the performance of the check on the data group of the data store has been repeated for the entire data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joanna K. Brown, Matthew J. Fairhurst, Mark B. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20110197024
    Abstract: A method for providing redundancy in a virtualized storage system for a computer system is provided. The method includes determining a first set of first logical addresses to provide a virtual storage volume. A redundancy schema is then selected to provide redundancy data for primary data stored in the first set of first logical addresses. A second set of second logical addresses is determined to provide logical storage for the primary data and for the redundancy data. The first set of first logical addresses and the second set of second logical addresses are then mapped and a set of physical storage addresses is selected from a set of physical storage elements. Mapping between the second set of second logical addresses and the set of physical addresses is then performed to provide physical storage for the primary data and the redundancy data stored in the virtual storage volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark B. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100005374
    Abstract: Mechanisms for ensuring data consistency in a data store are provided. The mechanisms access a parity scrub factor f and perform a check on a data group of the data store. The check on the data group includes performing a parity check on a portion of the data group, the portion being equal to 1/f of the data group, and performing a data verify on the remainder of the data group. The performing of the check is repeated for the entire data store. An offset factor is used to select the portion of the data group for the parity check. In this case, the offset factor may be incremented when the performance of the check on the data group of the data store has been repeated for the entire data store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joanna K. Brown, Matthew J. Fairhurst, Mark B. Thomas