Patents by Inventor Michael L. Harper

Michael L. Harper 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: 8495321
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for firehose dumping modified data in a static random access memory of a hard disk drive to non-volatile memory of the hard disk drive during a power event. Responsive an indication of a power event in the hard disk drive, hard disk drive command processing is suspended. A token is set in the non-volatile storage indicating that flash memory in the non-volatile memory contains modified data. A portion of a static random access memory cache table containing information on the modified data in the static random access memory is copied to the flash memory. The modified data from the static random access memory is then copied to the flash memory. Responsive to a determination that the power event that initiated the copy of the modified data in the static random access memory to the flash memory is still present, the hard disk drive is shut down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary A. J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Publication number: 20120215971
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for firehose dumping modified data in a static random access memory of a hard disk drive to non-volatile memory of the hard disk drive during a power event. Responsive an indication of a power event in the hard disk drive, hard disk drive command processing is suspended. A token is set in the non-volatile storage indicating that flash memory in the non-volatile memory contains modified data. A portion of a static random access memory cache table containing information on the modified data in the static random access memory is copied to the flash memory. The modified data from the static random access memory is then copied to the flash memory. Responsive to a determination that the power event that initiated the copy of the modified data in the static random access memory to the flash memory is still present, the hard disk drive is shut down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary A. J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Patent number: 8195901
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for firehose dumping modified data in a static random access memory of a hard disk drive to non-volatile memory of the hard disk drive during a power event. Responsive an indication of a power event in the hard disk drive, hard disk drive command processing is suspended. A token is set in the non-volatile storage indicating that flash memory in the non-volatile memory contains modified data. A portion of a static random access memory cache table containing information on the modified data in the static random access memory is copied to the flash memory. The modified data from the static random access memory is then copied to the flash memory. Responsive to a determination that the power event that initiated the copy of the modified data in the static random access memory to the flash memory is still present, the hard disk drive is shut down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary A. J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Patent number: 7900096
    Abstract: A method for automatically detecting and correcting one or more hang conditions within one or more of a master device and target device of a serial bus interface when one or more signals are held in an invalid state. A hang timer monitors one or more operations of the serial bus when the serial bus is participating in a serial bus transfer. If the transfer does not end before the bus timeout value has been exceeded, the hang timer will issue a reset to the state machine forcing the state machine back to an idle state. The hang timer will also disable the serial bus drivers of the state machine, whereby the hang condition is corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan N. Cardwell, Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary Anne J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Publication number: 20100199021
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for firehose dumping modified data in a static random access memory of a hard disk drive to non-volatile memory of the hard disk drive during a power event. Responsive an indication of a power event in the hard disk drive, hard disk drive command processing is suspended. A token is set in the non-volatile storage indicating that flash memory in the non-volatile memory contains modified data. A portion of a static random access memory cache table containing information on the modified data in the static random access memory is copied to the flash memory. The modified data from the static random access memory is then copied to the flash memory. Responsive to a determination that the power event that initiated the copy of the modified data in the static random access memory to the flash memory is still present, the hard disk drive is shut down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary A. J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Publication number: 20100180162
    Abstract: A method for automatically detecting and correcting one or more hang conditions within one or more of a master device and target device of a serial bus interface when one or more signals are held in an invalid state. A hang timer monitors one or more operations of the serial bus when the serial bus is participating in a serial bus transfer. If the transfer does not end before the bus timeout value has been exceeded, the hang timer will issue a reset to the state machine forcing the state machine back to an idle state. The hang timer will also disable the serial bus drivers of the state machine, whereby the hang condition is corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bryan N. Cardwell, Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary Anne J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Publication number: 20100046590
    Abstract: A data transmission system for transmitting data from a first location to a second location includes a transmitting device configured to transmit the data and located at the first location. The transmitting device includes a serial attached SCSI (SAS) enabled controller. The system also includes an I/O port coupled to the transmitting device and having multiple lanes and a repeater powered by one of the lanes. The system also includes a receiving device coupled to the second end of the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary Anne Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Publication number: 20090307563
    Abstract: A method of a method of replacing bad sectors in a Hard Disk Drive comprises detecting bad sectors on the Hard Disk Drive; remapping the bad sectors to an auxiliary data storage device comprising an Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory connected to the Hard Disk Drive; and storing data on the auxiliary storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: IBM Corporation (Almaden Research Center)
    Inventors: Mary A. Marquez, Gregg S. Lucas, Craig A. Klein, Michael L. Harper, Robert E. Medlin
  • Patent number: 7542302
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided and includes a label layer, disposed in a user visible interface of a front bezel, in which an icon is etched, a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB), abutting a rear surface of the label layer and being configured to form a light source housing that positionally corresponds to that of the icon, a light source assembly, including a substrate, which is fixedly recessed in a rear portion of the light source housing, and a light emitting portion, supported by the substrate, from which light is emitted toward at least the icon, and solder plating to reflect light emitted by the light source away from the preselected icon toward the preselected icon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Curnalia, Michael L. Harper, Craig A. Klein, Gregg S. Lucas, Mary Anne J. Marquez, Robert E. Medlin
  • Patent number: 7103690
    Abstract: A connection is provided between logical macros to allow prioritization of operations in accordance with an arbitration scheme that distinguishes between operations based on such factors as priority or size of transaction. The invention allows connection of logical macros and prioritizes the appropriate operation for the resources available to optimize data throughput to optimize the utilization of multiple buses. A first arbiter manages data transmissions over a first communication bus. Arriving short or high-priority messages are transmitted over a second communication bus managed by a second arbiter, but only if the target logical macro is not the same as currently targeted by the first arbiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gary W. Batchelor, Brian J. Cagno, Renee S. LaMar, Michael L. Harper