Patents by Inventor Michael John Branson

Michael John Branson 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: 9880877
    Abstract: A method dynamically adjusts the resources available to a processing unit of a distributed computer process executing on a multi-node computer system. The resources for the processing unit are adjusted based on the data other processing units handle or the execution path of code in an upstream or downstream processing unit in the distributed process or application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Publication number: 20160364218
    Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein describe joining processing elements (e.g., of a streams processing environment) using optimization techniques, such as by whole program optimization. An optimization tool evaluates multiple processing elements based on one or more optimization rules. The optimization tool identifies, based on the evaluation, processing elements that can be merged. The optimization tool joins the identified processing elements together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Eric Lawrence BARSNESS, Michael John BRANSON, James Edward CAREY, John M. SANTOSUOSSO
  • Patent number: 8566803
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may be used to generate a benchmark profile for a computing job configured to execute on distributed systems. The benchmark profile may be used to predict the performance of components of a computing job for a variety of different distributed computing system architectures. A profiling tool evaluates the computing job to identify the particular performance characteristics of the application and match this with benchmarks that are most representative of the identified performance characteristics and store them in the benchmark profile. The identified benchmarks may then be run on different configurations of a distributed computing system in order to predict the performance of the application for a variety of scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Zachary Adam Garbow, David Roy Limpert, Candace Trielle Pederson
  • Patent number: 8478874
    Abstract: A system and method for composing a stream servicing environment which considers all stakeholders includes identifying service component requirements needed for processing a data stream, and determining available service elements for processing the stream. Feasible service environments are constructed based upon the available service elements and the service component requirements. Efficiency measures are computed for each feasible service environment considering all stakeholders. A best service environment is determined based upon the efficiency measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Frederick Douglis, Parijat Dube, Zachary A. Garbow
  • Patent number: 8413141
    Abstract: The disclosure and claims herein are directed to copying segments of a virtual resource definition from an existing virtual resource to create a new virtual resource definition or modifying an existing one to simplify virtualization management. The virtualization manager divides a virtual resource definition into a number of reusable segments. A user may then select one or more segments and place them into a new or existing virtual resource definition. The user can choose to mix and match segments to quickly create or modify a virtual resource definition such as a virtual server, virtual printer or virtual data storage. Any default information in the new virtual resource or old information in the existing resource is replaced by the information in the copied segment. Any dependencies in the existing virtual resource are resolved with user input to break the dependencies or copy dependent data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Gregory Richard Hintermeister
  • Patent number: 8359347
    Abstract: A cooperative data stream processing system is provided that utilizes a plurality of independent, autonomous and possibly heterogeneous sites in a cooperative arrangement to process user-defined job requests over dynamic, continuous streams of data. The sites negotiate peering relationships to share data and processing resources to handle the submitted job requests. These peering relationships can be cooperative or federated and can be expressed using common interest policies. Each site within the system runs an instance of a system architecture for processing job requests and is therefore a self-contained, fully functional instance of the cooperative data stream processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Frederick Douglis, Bradley William Fawcett, Zhen Liu, William Waller, Fan Ye
  • Patent number: 8291330
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment present a main view and at least one peek view of data. When the user selects to move the data from the main view to the peek view, a subset of data objects in the main view is selected based on an importance of the data objects and optionally based on the size of the peek view. The subset is copied to the peek view, and the peek view is dynamically updated when the data objects are updated. In this way, the user can monitor changes to the peek view while working on other data in the main view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, George Francis DeStefano, Gregory Richard Hintermeister, Andrew James Streit
  • Patent number: 8276200
    Abstract: A system and method for securely processing sensitive streams in a mixed infrastructure includes analyzing a stream to determine data sensitivity. A likelihood that processing elements employed to process the stream would result in a risk to sensitive information is determined. At least a portion of the data stream having sensitive information is transferred to a secure processing environment to ensure security of the data stream during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Frederick Douglis, Parijat Dube, Zachary A. Garbow
  • Patent number: 8219848
    Abstract: A failure recovery framework to be used in cooperative data stream processing is provided that can be used in a large-scale stream data analysis environment. Failure recovery supports a plurality of independent distributed sites, each having its own local administration and goals. The distributed sites cooperate in an inter-site back-up mechanism to provide for system recovery from a variety of failures within the system. Failure recovery is both automatic and timely through cooperation among sites. Back-up sites associated with a given primary site are identified. These sites are used to identify failures within the primary site including failures of applications running on the nodes of the primary site. The failed applications are reinstated on one or more nodes within the back-up sites using job management instances local to the back-up sites in combination with previously stored state information and data values for the failed applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Frederick Douglis, Bradley William Fawcett, Zhen Liu, Bin Rong, Fan Ye
  • Patent number: 8220040
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a verifier receives requirements for membership in a group from a service and receives proof of attributes from users. The verifier verifies whether the proof of attributes meets the membership requirements and sends acceptance or rejection to the service. If the proof meets the requirements, the service allows the users to become members of the group and allows the members to transfer data to and from other members. If the proof does not meet the requirements, the service prevents the users from becoming members. In this way, the service and group members know that other group members satisfy the group membership requirements without needing to know the identity of the group members or other information unrelated to the group membership requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick S. Botz, Michael John Branson, Gregory Richard Hintermeister
  • Patent number: 8171122
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provides visualization of IT resources that are exposed as WSDM resources. A management system with a console provides visibility and functionality for WSDM resources by employing a visualization mechanism that processes standardized visualization metadata that is sent from a WSDM resource. The visualization mechanism uses standardized information to enable the management system console to display a robust presentation of the resource without needing to update the management system and console code when new types of resources are added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Elliott Arwe, Michael John Branson, David Arlen Elko, Anthony Wayne Erwin, Jeffrey Alan Frey, Steven Gene Halverson, Georg Ochs
  • Patent number: 8156501
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product implement dynamic authority for a user to perform tasks on a resource. A user selected task on a resource is identified and analyzed to determine whether the task changes a state of the resource. When determined that the task changes a state of the resource, then a relationship of the resource to related resources is analyzed. Access to tasks on the resource is dynamically determined for the user based upon the identified relationship of the resource to related resources. Based on the analysis performed, access is denied or a summary of side effects with confirmation is presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Gregory Richard Hintermeister, Michael D. Rahn
  • Patent number: 8127032
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a method to identify a preferred system configuration for a distributed system to use for executing a given computing job. A benchmark profile may specify a collection of benchmarks representative of the job, and the collection of benchmarks may be executed across various permutations of compute nodes that are part of the distributed system. That is, the benchmark profile identifies one or more benchmarks which best represent the runtime characteristics of the computing job. The collection of benchmarks may be executed to predict the performance of the computing job using different permutations of available nodes, before deploying the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Zachary Adam Garbow, David Roy Limpert, Candace Trielle Pederson
  • Patent number: 7904916
    Abstract: A common consolidation management application provides an interface to the multiple different system management software applications and at least one user input console. An adapter in each of the system management software applications supports communication with the consolidation application. A system administrator issues requests to different system management software applications using a common interface provided by the consolidation application. The consolidation application can be installed over an existing complex of computer systems managed by different management applications, without modifying the managed systems or replacing the management applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Gregory Richard Hintermeister, James Franklin Macon, Jr., Scott Anthony Sylvester
  • Patent number: 7849164
    Abstract: A device, which is encoded with ordered steps, is connected to a network. In an embodiment, each of the steps includes a type, a link that points at a respective tool, and a completion condition. The steps are sent from the device to an address in the network. A selection of one of the links is received from a user who is associated with the type. In response, the user interface for the tool that is pointed at by the link is sent to the user. The user interface includes tool commands. In response to receiving a tool command from the user, the tool command is performed, and if the tool command causes the completion condition for its step to be met, a completion command for the step is sent to the address in the network. In this way, setup activities are coordinated for configuring a device in a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Gregory Richard Hintermeister
  • Publication number: 20100275202
    Abstract: The disclosure and claims herein are directed to copying segments of a virtual resource definition from an existing virtual resource to create a new virtual resource definition or modifying an existing one to simplify virtualization management. The virtualization manager divides a virtual resource definition into a number of reusable segments. A user may then select one or more segments and place them into a new or existing virtual resource definition. The user can choose to mix and match segments to quickly create or modify a virtual resource definition such as a virtual server, virtual printer or virtual data storage. Any default information in the new virtual resource or old information in the existing resource is replaced by the information in the copied segment. Any dependencies in the existing virtual resource are resolved with user input to break the dependencies or copy dependent data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, Gregory Richard Hintermeister
  • Publication number: 20100186019
    Abstract: A method dynamically adjusts the resources available to a processing unit of a distributed computer process executing on a multi-node computer system. The resources for the processing unit are adjusted based on the data other processing units handle or the execution path of code in an upstream or downstream processing unit in the distributed process or application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael John Branson, John Matthew Santosuosso
  • Patent number: 7693988
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining data consistency between a subject and an observer. In one embodiment, an observer configures an aspect with a desired update type indicator, and then instructs the aspect to attach itself to a subject. The subject sends an update to the aspect when it changes state. The aspect interrogates the update, generates a update type indication, and selectively communicates an update based on a comparison between the desired type indication and the update type indicator. Some embodiments may also selectively modify and accumulate the update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond Severt Barsness, Michael John Branson, Neela Patel, Andrew James Streit
  • Patent number: 7596617
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and business method allow a customer to access execution data only if transmission of the execution data to the vendor is enabled. In a first embodiment, the customer cannot access any execution data unless transmission of the execution data to the vendor is enabled. In a second embodiment, the customer can access some limited execution data, but cannot access more extensive execution data unless transmission of the execution data to the vendor is enabled. The preferred embodiments provide the capability of a customer accessing historical execution data in exchange for the customer transmitting the execution data to the vendor. In this manner the needs of both vendor and customer are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Royan Herbert Bartley, Michael John Branson, Steven Gene Halverson, David Alan Jaeger, Todd Mark Kelsey, Paul William Wertzler
  • Publication number: 20090178137
    Abstract: A system and method for securely processing sensitive streams in a mixed infrastructure includes analyzing a stream to determine data sensitivity. A likelihood that processing elements employed to process the stream would result in a risk to sensitive information is determined. At least a portion of the data stream having sensitive information is transferred to a secure processing environment to ensure security of the data stream during processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: MICHAEL John BRANSON, Frederick Douglis, Parijat Dube, Zachary A. Garbow