Patents by Inventor Michael Alan Venz

Michael Alan Venz 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: 8396846
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product modify the behavior of a database trigger. An attribute desired by a user for a database trigger may be received. The attribute may relate to a change in the functionality of the trigger, such as a restriction on trigger behavior. An object that includes the attribute may be generated. The attribute may be associated with and applied to the trigger. In this manner, the attribute may be selectively applied to multiple triggers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Patent number: 7809142
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method protect data in a database table from unauthorized access through the combination of scrambling the data in the rows and columns of a database table and encrypting the data in different rows and/or columns using different encryption keys. A complementary descrambling and decryption process may then be used by an authorized party to recover the data stored in the scrambled and encrypted table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John David Bohush, Christine Rose Rand, Michael Allen Rothschild, Michael Alan Venz
  • Patent number: 7747882
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for managing the building of indexes are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: initiating an index rebuilding process in a computer; detecting a “Power down” command for the computer; evaluating a progress level of the index rebuilding process; in response to the index rebuilding process exceeding a predetermined completion level, delaying the “Power down” command until the index rebuilding process is completed; and in response to the index rebuilding process being less than the predetermined completion level, aborting the index rebuilding process and executing the “Power down” command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20100094812
    Abstract: A method, computer program product or computer system for dynamically controlling the firing of a trigger for a DELETE CASECADE referential constraint in a database management system, which includes defining a DELETE CASCADE Trigger Fire Attribute (DCTFA) for each dependent file of the DELETE CASCADE referential constraint in a database, initializing each DCTFA with a value corresponding to enabling trigger firing or disabling trigger firing, and firing the trigger according to the value of the DCTFA of each dependent file during the DELETE CASCADE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Patent number: 7689534
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for processing database triggers having delay attributes. In general, delay attributes may selectively introduce a delay between the firing of a trigger and the execution of the triggered action. The delay may be based on waiting for a specified time interval, waiting until a specified time, or reaching a predetermined threshold of a measure of system performance. The use of delay attributes may enable greater control over the timing of the execution of the triggered action, resulting in reduced impact on the performance of an underlying system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20090157737
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product modify the behavior of a database trigger. An attribute desired by a user for a database trigger may be received. The attribute may relate to a change in the functionality of the trigger, such as a restriction on trigger behavior. An object that includes the attribute may be generated. The attribute may be associated with and applied to the trigger. In this manner, the attribute may be selectively applied to multiple triggers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20090049060
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for managing database records rejected due to referential constraints. In one embodiment, such rejected records may be processed automatically. More specifically, the foreign key value included in a rejected record may be automatically added to a parent table, and the rejected record may then be re-inserted into the destination table. In another embodiment, rejected records may be stored in a rejection queue. The rejected records may be presented to a user in a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI may be configured to enable the user to update the parent table to include the missing foreign key value. Additionally, the GUI may be configured to enable the user to select specific records to be inserted into their respective destination tables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20090019198
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for processing database triggers having delay attributes. In general, delay attributes may selectively introduce a delay between the firing of a trigger and the execution of the triggered action. The delay may be based on waiting for a specified time interval, waiting until a specified time, or reaching a predetermined threshold of a measure of system performance. The use of delay attributes may enable greater control over the timing of the execution of the triggered action, resulting in reduced impact on the performance of an underlying system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20080317242
    Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method protect data in a database table from unauthorized access through the combination of scrambling the data in the rows and columns of a database table and encrypting the data in different rows and/or columns using different encryption keys. A complementary descrambling and decryption process may then be used by an authorized party to recover the data stored in the scrambled and encrypted table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John David Bohush, Christine Rose Rand, Michael Allen Rothschild, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20080178152
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for creating and using perishable code are presented. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the steps of determining if a unit of code is perishable; and in response to determining that the unit of code is perishable, disabling the unit of code, either by deleting the unit of code or by disabling it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Publication number: 20080178012
    Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for managing the building of indexes are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: initiating an index rebuilding process in a computer; detecting a “Power down” command for the computer; evaluating a progress level of the index rebuilding process; in response to the index rebuilding process exceeding a predetermined completion level, delaying the “Power down” command until the index rebuilding process is completed; and in response to the index rebuilding process being less than the predetermined completion level, aborting the index rebuilding process and executing the “Power down” command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventors: Rafal Przemyslaw Konik, Mark William Theuer, Michael Alan Venz
  • Patent number: 6820080
    Abstract: Methods, systems and articles of manufacture are provided for setting a state of triggers between operative and inoperative. In an operative state the trigger may be called during triggering I/O operations such as Insert, Update and Delete. The inoperative state indicates that the system has detected a condition requiring user intervention. In a particular embodiment, a database management system (DBMS) will analyze the function being performed on a table (such as a rename of the table) and with dependent object data, the DBMS will determine if the trigger is self-referencing. If so, the trigger made inoperative. Making the trigger inoperative and requiring user intervention prevents the system from potentially producing undesired results. In another embodiment, a determination of dependency is made upon receiving a database command to affect an object. According to the type of command, the object and its dependents are either affected or unaffected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark John Anderson, Kevin Robert Brettin, Russell Edward Bruhnke, Kyle Eric Gilbertson, Ritchie Lee Nyland, Richard Donald Parrott, Kathy Lynn Passe, Randy Keith Rolfe, Susan Liisa Romano, Renee Kristin Saxman, Kathryn Rose Steinbrink, Mark William Theuer, Jonathan Lee Triebenbach, Michael Alan Venz, Jane Ann Vold
  • Patent number: 6763358
    Abstract: Methods, systems, data structures and articles of manufacture are provided for maintaining a list/tally of columns that are modified by an I/O operation. The list allows for determining which triggers, both row and column oriented, should be activated upon the operation. In addition, a tracking mechanism is provided to track modifications to additional columns that occur because of the triggers being executed. In another embodiment, management of modifications to existing database objects (i.e., table definitions) is automated. Modifications to the table definition include, for example, changing the number of columns and the data type definitions. Accordingly, in one embodiment, if a column is added or removed from a database table, the database management system automatically updates and manages the tracking mechanism so the actual number of columns that exist in the database table is accurately reflected. In this manner, the integrity of the DBMS is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark John Anderson, Theresa Renee Euler, Russ Owen, Richard Donald Parrott, Kathy Lynn Passe, Jonathan Lee Triebenbach, Michael Alan Venz, Jane Ann Vold
  • Publication number: 20020194189
    Abstract: Methods, systems, data structures and articles of manufacture are provided for maintaining a list/tally of columns that are modified by an I/O operation. The list allows for determining which triggers, both row and column oriented, should be activated upon the operation. In addition, a tracking mechanism is provided to track modifications to additional columns that occur because of the triggers being executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Mark John Anderson, Theresa Renee Euler, Russ Owen, Richard Donald Parrott, Kathy Lynn Passe, Jonathan Lee Triebenbach, Michael Alan Venz, Jane Ann Vold
  • Publication number: 20020184207
    Abstract: Methods, systems and articles of manufacture are provided for setting a state of triggers between operative and inoperative. In an operative state the trigger may be called during triggering I/O operations such as Insert, Update and Delete. The inoperative state indicates that the system has detected a condition requiring user intervention. In a particular embodiment, a database management system (DBMS) will analyze the function being performed on a table (such as a rename of the table) and with dependent object data, the DBMS will determine if the trigger is self-referencing. If so, the trigger made inoperative. Making the trigger inoperative and requiring user intervention prevents the system from potentially producing undesired results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark John Anderson, Kevin Robert Brettin, Russell Edward Bruhnke, Kyle Eric Gilbertson, Ritchie Lee Nyland, Richard Donald Parrott, Kathy Lynn Passe, Randy Keith Rolfe, Susan Liisa Romano, Renee Kristin Saxman, Kathryn Rose Steinbrink, Mark William Theuer, Jonathan Lee Triebenbach, Michael Alan Venz, Jane Ann Vold