Patents by Inventor Patrick James Helland

Patrick James Helland 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: 20240111746
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to the distribution of database key permissions. A database system may distribute first permission information to a plurality of database nodes that identifies a distribution of key range permissions to ones of the plurality of database nodes. A given key range permission being distributed to a given database node may permit that database node to write records whose keys fall within a key range associated with the given key range permission. The database system may receive, from a first database node, a request for a first key range permission provisioned to a second database node. The database system may modify the first permission information to derive second permission information that provisions the first key range permission to the first database node instead of the second database node. The database system may distribute the second permission information to ones of the plurality of database nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Patent number: 11847107
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to the distribution of database key permissions. A database system may distribute first permission information to a plurality of database nodes that identifies a distribution of key range permissions to ones of the plurality of database nodes. A given key range permission being distributed to a given database node may permit that database node to write records whose keys fall within a key range associated with the given key range permission. The database system may receive, from a first database node, a request for a first key range permission provisioned to a second database node. The database system may modify the first permission information to derive second permission information that provisions the first key range permission to the first database node instead of the second database node. The database system may distribute the second permission information to ones of the plurality of database nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Patent number: 11822535
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Patent number: 11741050
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to managing distributed storage of data for various entities according to classifications for these entities. A database node of a distributed storage system may receive, from a first entity of a plurality of entities, a request to store a set of data. The database node may further obtain metadata associated with the first entity, wherein the metadata specifies one of a plurality of classifications for the entities. The database node may provide the set of data to one or more of a plurality of caches for storage. The caches may be located in two or more availability zones and are configured to store the set of data based on the classification for the first entity identified in the metadata associated with the first entity. The database node may also store the set of data in a shared object storage coupled to the database node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkateswararao Jujjuri, Nathaniel Wyatt, Jameison Bear Martin, Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20230244649
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to backing up skip list data structures to facilitate a subsequent recovery. In various embodiments, a computing system creates a checkpoint of a skip list including a plurality of key-value records that include pointers to others of the plurality of key-value records. Creating the checkpoint includes scanning the skip list to identify ones of the plurality of key-value records that are relevant to the checkpoint and storing the identified key-value records in a storage such that the identified key-value records include pointers modified to exclude ones of the plurality of key-value records that are not relevant to the checkpoint. The computing system can then recover the skip list based on the created checkpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick James Helland, James E. Mace
  • Publication number: 20230237035
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to efficiently managing skip list data structures. In various embodiments, a computing system stores a skip list including a plurality of key-value records that include one or more pointers to others of the plurality of key-value records. The computing system scans the skip list for a location associated with a particular key. The scanning includes using a prefix of the particular key to identify a particular portion of the skip list, where the particular portion includes key-value records having keys with the same prefix. The scanning also further includes initiating a scan for the location within the identified portion. In some embodiments, the computing system inserts a key-value record into the skip list at the location associated with the particular key in response to the scan identifying the location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick James Helland, James E. Mace
  • Patent number: 11681705
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to tree data structures capable of storing information indicative of database keys. A computer system may operate a database. The computer system may store a multi-level tree data structure usable to perform key lookups for the database. In various cases, the multi-level tree data structure may be stored in system memory as a plurality of subtree data structures each comprising a set of linked nodes. A given one of the plurality of subtree data structures may be stored as a respective continuous block of information in system memory. The computer system may access the respective continuous block for a first particular subtree data structure encompassing a particular range of levels in the multi-level tree data structure. The accessing may be performed without accessing one or more other subtree data structures encompassing one or more levels within the particular range of levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20230148215
    Abstract: This disclosure provides various techniques that may allow for accessing values stored in a data structure that stores multiple values corresponding to database transactions using a skip list. A key may be used to traverse the skip list to access data associated with the key. The skip list maintains on ordering of multiple keys, each associated with a particular record in the data structure, using indirect links between data records in the data structure that reference buckets included in hash table. Each bucket includes pointers to one or more records in the skip list.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick James Helland, James E. Mace, Thomas Fanghaenel
  • Publication number: 20230143075
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to the distribution of database key permissions. A database system may distribute first permission information to a plurality of database nodes that identifies a distribution of key range permissions to ones of the plurality of database nodes. A given key range permission being distributed to a given database node may permit that database node to write records whose keys fall within a key range associated with the given key range permission. The database system may receive, from a first database node, a request for a first key range permission provisioned to a second database node. The database system may modify the first permission information to derive second permission information that provisions the first key range permission to the first database node instead of the second database node. The database system may distribute the second permission information to ones of the plurality of database nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Patent number: 11625386
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to efficiently managing skip list data structures. In some embodiments, a computing system stores a skip list including a plurality of key-value records that include one or more pointers to others of the plurality of key-value records. The computing system scans the plurality of key-value records in key order to identify key-value records to be purged from the skip list. The scanning includes maintaining a list of key-value records that include pointers that point to key-value records that have not yet been scanned by the scanning. In response to identifying a key-value record for purging, the computing system purges the key-value record by substituting the pointers included the key-value records of the list with pointers included in the key-value record being purged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Patrick James Helland, James E. Mace, Akshay Manchale Sridhar
  • Patent number: 11544271
    Abstract: This disclosure provides various techniques that may allow for accessing values stored in a data structure that stores multiple values corresponding to database transactions using a skip list. A key may be used to traverse the skip list to access data associated with the key. The skip list maintains on ordering of multiple keys, each associated with a particular record in the data structure, using indirect links between data records in the data structure that reference buckets included in hash table. Each bucket includes pointers to one or more records in the skip list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Patrick James Helland, James E. Mace, Thomas Fanghaenel
  • Publication number: 20220391379
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20220391378
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20220391376
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20220391377
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20220391291
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a database system includes worker nodes operable to perform transactions and director nodes operable to ensure transactional consistency for the transactions. A worker node may receive a request to perform a transaction involving writing a record. The worker node may then issue, to director nodes of the database system, a request for information that facilitates performance of an operation for the transaction. A director node may determine whether to approve the request based on whether the operation could cause transactional inconsistency in the database system. The worker node may proceed to perform the operation for the transaction in response to receiving approval responses from a majority of the director nodes, with none of the received responses indicating a disapproval of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Patent number: 11494356
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to the distribution of database key permissions. A database system may distribute first permission information to a plurality of database nodes that identifies a distribution of key range permissions to ones of the plurality of database nodes. A given key range permission being distributed to a given database node may permit that database node to write records whose keys fall within a key range associated with the given key range permission. The database system may receive, from a first database node, a request for a first key range permission provisioned to a second database node. The database system may modify the first permission information to derive second permission information that provisions the first key range permission to the first database node instead of the second database node. The database system may distribute the second permission information to ones of the plurality of database nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Patrick James Helland
  • Patent number: 11416470
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide multi-version concurrency control of database records with uncommitted transactions. The system and methods may include receiving a query regarding a transaction counter number. When a transaction header identifying data is updated with the assigned transaction counter number, the updated transaction header may be used in identifying data as an instance of multiversion concurrency control information by the received query. A key lookup may be performed, and when the key lookup encounters an uncommitted row for a transaction number, a corresponding transaction header identifying data to identify a data array element to determine whether the transaction number is committed, and determining the transaction counter number when the transaction number is committed. The transaction counter number may be stamped on the row version record when it is determined that the row is committed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Salesforce, Inc.
    Inventors: Subho Sanjay Chatterjee, Patrick James Helland, Nathaniel Wyatt, James E. Mace, Punit B. Shah
  • Publication number: 20220245094
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to managing distributed storage of data for various entities according to classifications for these entities. A database node of a distributed storage system may receive, from a first entity of a plurality of entities, a request to store a set of data. The database node may further obtain metadata associated with the first entity, wherein the metadata specifies one of a plurality of classifications for the entities. The database node may provide the set of data to one or more of a plurality of caches for storage. The caches may be located in two or more availability zones and are configured to store the set of data based on the classification for the first entity identified in the metadata associated with the first entity. The database node may also store the set of data in a shared object storage coupled to the database node.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Venkateswararao Jujjuri, Nathaniel Wyatt, Jameison Bear Martin, Patrick James Helland
  • Publication number: 20220245123
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to efficiently managing skip list data structures. In some embodiments, a computing system stores a skip list including a plurality of key-value records that include one or more pointers to others of the plurality of key-value records. The computing system scans the plurality of key-value records in key order to identify key-value records to be purged from the skip list. The scanning includes maintaining a list of key-value records that include pointers that point to key-value records that have not yet been scanned by the scanning. In response to identifying a key-value record for purging, the computing system purges the key-value record by substituting the pointers included the key-value records of the list with pointers included in the key-value record being purged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Patrick James Helland, James E. Mace, Akshay Manchale Sridhar