Patents by Inventor Patrick M. Bland
Patrick M. Bland 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).
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Patent number: 8607003Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for memory access to a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) form factor flash memory are provided. Embodiments include receiving, by a controller from a processor through cacheable memory in the processor, a read request; transmitting, by the controller, the read request to the DIMM form factor flash memory; polling, by the controller, a read queue in the DIMM form factor flash memory until data is ready for the read request; copying from the DIMM form factor flash memory, by the controller, the data corresponding to the read request to a read queue in the controller; transmitting, by the controller on an interface between the controller and the processor, an invalidate command for the cacheable memory; and in response to receiving the invalidate command, reading by the processor the data stored in the read queue in the controller.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2011Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Dhruv M. Desai, Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Makoto Ono
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Publication number: 20130166849Abstract: A computing system with physically remote shared computer memory, the computing system including: a remote memory management module, a plurality of computing devices, a plurality of remote memory modules that are external to the plurality of computing devices, and a remote memory controller, the remote memory management module configured to partition the physically remote shared computer memory amongst a plurality of computing devices; each computing device including a computer processor and a local memory controller, the local memory controller including: a processor interface, a local memory interface, and a local interconnect interface; each remote memory controller including: a remote memory interface and a remote interconnect interface, wherein the remote memory controller is operatively coupled to the data communications interconnect via the remote interconnect interface such that the remote memory controller is coupled for data communications with the local memory controller over the data communicationType: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2012Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Bruce L. Beukema, Patrick M. Bland, Randolph S. Kolvick, James A. Marcella, Makoto Ono, Paul G. Reuland
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Publication number: 20130166672Abstract: A computing system with physically remote shared computer memory, the computing system including: a remote memory management module, a plurality of computing devices, a plurality of remote memory modules that are external to the plurality of computing devices, and a remote memory controller, the remote memory management module configured to partition the physically remote shared computer memory amongst a plurality of computing devices; each computing device including a computer processor and a local memory controller, the local memory controller including: a processor interface, a local memory interface, and a local interconnect interface; each remote memory controller including: a remote memory interface and a remote interconnect interface, wherein the remote memory controller is operatively coupled to the data communications interconnect via the remote interconnect interface such that the remote memory controller is coupled for data communications with the local memory controller over the data communicationType: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2011Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Bruce L. Beukema, Patrick M. Bland, Randolph S. Kolvick, James A. Marcella, Makoto Ono, Paul G. Reuland
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Publication number: 20130019048Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for memory access to a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) form factor flash memory are provided. Embodiments include receiving, by a controller from a processor through cacheable memory in the processor, a read request; transmitting, by the controller, the read request to the DIMM form factor flash memory; polling, by the controller, a read queue in the DIMM form factor flash memory until data is ready for the read request; copying from the DIMM form factor flash memory, by the controller, the data corresponding to the read request to a read queue in the controller; transmitting, by the controller on an interface between the controller and the processor, an invalidate command for the cacheable memory; and in response to receiving the invalidate command, reading by the processor the data stored in the read queue in the controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Dhruv M. Desai, Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Makoto Ono
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Publication number: 20120173653Abstract: A computer program product and computer implemented method are provided for migrating a virtual machine between servers. The virtual machine is initially operated on a first server, wherein the first server accesses the virtual machine image over a network at a memory location within fabric attached memory. The virtual machine is migrated from the first server to a second server by flushing data to the virtual machine image from cache memory associated with the virtual machine on the first server and providing the state and memory location of the virtual machine to the second server. The virtual machine may then operate on the second server, wherein the second server accesses the virtual machine image over the network at the same memory location within the fabric attached memory without copying the virtual machine image.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2010Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick M. Bland, John M. Borkenhagen, Thomas M. Bradicich, Dhruv M. Desai, Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Joseph J. Jakubowski, Randolph S. Kolvick, Makoto Ono
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Patent number: 8102651Abstract: Method and apparatus providing airflow through a chassis including an upstream column of memory modules and a downstream column of memory modules. The airflow is divided into first and second separate airflow streams extending from an upstream end of the upstream column to a downstream end of the downstream column. The first airflow stream is guided into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column and to avoid contact with any memory module in the downstream column. The second airflow stream is guided to avoid contact with any memory module in the upstream column and into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column. The improved cooling enables the extended use of a single memory module per channel, even though the thermal load on such a memory module is greater.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2009Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Vinod Kamath, Jimmy G. Foster, Sr., Ivan R. Zapata
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Patent number: 7984326Abstract: Memory downsizing in a computer memory subsystem, the subsystem including one or more channels of computer memory with each channel including several Dual In-line Memory Modules (‘DIMMs’) and each DIMM capable of on-die termination (‘ODT’). Memory downsizing according to embodiments of the present invention includes identifying, during a memory initialization test in a Power On Self Test (‘POST’) by a firmware module, a defective DIMM of a particular channel in the computer memory subsystem and disabling, by the firmware module, the defective DIMM, including enabling ODT for the defective DIMM without disabling any non-defective DIMMs.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2009Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Jimmy G. Foster, Sr.
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Publication number: 20110080700Abstract: Method and apparatus providing airflow through a chassis including an upstream column of memory modules and a downstream column of memory modules. The airflow is divided into first and second separate airflow streams extending from an upstream end of the upstream column to a downstream end of the downstream column. The first airflow stream is guided into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the upstream column and to avoid contact with any memory module in the downstream column. The second airflow stream is guided to avoid contact with any memory module in the upstream column and into contact with a single memory module operably-installed in the downstream column. The improved cooling enables the extended use of a single memory module per channel, even though the thermal load on such a memory module is greater.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2009Publication date: April 7, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Vinod Kamath, Jimmy G. Foster, SR., Ivan R. Zapata
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Publication number: 20100293410Abstract: Memory downsizing in a computer memory subsystem, the subsystem including one or more channels of computer memory with each channel including several Dual In-line Memory Modules (‘DIMMs’) and each DIMM capable of on-die termination (‘ODT’). Memory downsizing according to embodiments of the present invention includes identifying, during a memory initialization test in a Power On Self Test (‘POST’) by a firmware module, a defective DIMM of a particular channel in the computer memory subsystem and disabling, by the firmware module, the defective DIMM, including enabling ODT for the defective DIMM without disabling any non-defective DIMMs.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2009Publication date: November 18, 2010Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Jimmy G. Foster, SR.
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Patent number: 7694055Abstract: Interrupts are directed to currently idle processors. Which of a number of processors of a computing system that are currently idle is determined. An interrupt is received and directed to one of the currently idle processors for processing. Determining which processors are currently idle can be accomplished by monitoring each processor to determine whether it has entered an idle state. When a processor has entered an idle state, it is thus determined that the processor is currently idle. Where just one processor is currently idle, an interrupt is directed to this processor. Where more than one processor is currently idle, one of these processors is selected to which to deliver an interrupt, such as in a round-robin manner. Where no processor is currently idle, then one of the processors is selected to which to deliver an interrupt.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2005Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ryuji Orita, Susumu Arai, Brian D. Allison, Patrick M. Bland
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Patent number: 7562247Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for providing independent clock failover for scalable blade servers that include assigning a server blade to one of a plurality of clock failover groups, providing a plurality of independent clock signals to the clock generator of the server blade, wherein one of the plurality of independent clock signals is an active clock signal, detecting a failover condition for the clock failover group assigned to the server blade, and switching the active clock signal, in response to the detected failover condition, from one independent clock signal to another independent clock signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2006Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Marcus A. Baker, Justin P. Bandholz, Patrick M. Bland, Andrew S. Heinzmann
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Publication number: 20090006673Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a presence of a device that includes providing a clock driver having a pair of differential clock signal lines capable of connection to a device, providing a presence detection signal for transmission through the pair of differential clock signal lines, determining whether the presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines, and identifying the presence of the device if the presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2008Publication date: January 1, 2009Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Randoph S. Kolvick
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Patent number: 7464195Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting a presence of a device. Specifically, a method and a system are disclosed that may comprise providing a clock driver having a pair of differential clock signal lines capable of connection to a device, providing a presence detection signal for transmission through the pair of differential clock signal lines, determining whether the presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines, identifying the absence of the device if no presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines, identifying the presence of the device if the presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines, and notifying a system management module of the presence of the device.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Randoph S. Kolvick
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Publication number: 20080120451Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for automatically enabling replacement hardware. A method for automatically enabling hardware in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: setting a presence bit of the hardware to a first value in response to a removal of the hardware from a socket; replacing the hardware into the socket; storing the first value of the presence bit in a memory; and automatically re-enabling the socket based on the stored first value of the presence bit for the socket or for assemblies containing the socket.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2006Publication date: May 22, 2008Inventors: Randolph S. Kolvick, Patrick M. Bland
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Publication number: 20080005407Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for detecting a presence of a device that includes providing a clock driver having a pair of differential clock signal lines capable of connection to a device, providing a presence detection signal for transmission through the pair of differential clock signal lines, determining whether the presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines, and identifying the presence of the device if the presence detection signal is received through the pair of differential clock signal lines.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2006Publication date: January 3, 2008Inventors: Patrick M. Bland, Randoph S. Kolvick
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Publication number: 20070294561Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for providing independent clock failover for scalable blade servers that include assigning a server blade to one of a plurality of clock failover groups, providing a plurality of independent clock signals to the clock generator of the server blade, wherein one of the plurality of independent clock signals is an active clock signal, detecting a failover condition for the clock failover group assigned to the server blade, and switching the active clock signal, in response to the detected failover condition, from one independent clock signal to another independent clock signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2006Publication date: December 20, 2007Inventors: Marcus A. Baker, Justin P. Bandholz, Patrick M. Bland, Andrew S. Heinzmann
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Patent number: 6601109Abstract: A system and method for providing network communications between personal computer systems using USB communications. The disclosed USB networking hub allows multiple hosts to exist in a USB-based network. The networking hub includes an integrated virtual network adapter, which provides for communications among and between multiple hosts.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 1999Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard Bealkowski, Patrick M. Bland
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Patent number: 6330656Abstract: A system for partitioning and allocating individual PCI slots within a Primary Host Bridge (PHB) in a partitioned computer system is provided. An innovative PHB system is included which allows a PCI slot to be dynamically assigned to one or more partitions at a given time, allowing for more efficient allocation of system resources.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 1999Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard Bealkowski, Patrick M. Bland
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Patent number: 5623697Abstract: A system having an industry standard architecture (ISA) bus with a 24-bit memory addressing capacity and a peripheral controller interconnect (PCI) bus with a 32-bit memory addressing capacity, is provided with a bridge coupled between the ISA and PCI buses. The bridge has a direct memory access (DMA) controller circuit that generates 32-bit memory addresses for DMA transfer operations over the PCI bus. The DMA controller circuit includes a pair of cascaded DMA controllers that generate the 16 least significant bits of the 32-bit memory addresses, and address extension logic having a low page register that provides the 8 next most significant bits of the 32-bit memory addresses, and a high page register that provides the 8 most significant bits of the 32-bit memory addresses. The 16 bits provided by the low and high page registers are concatenated with the lower 16 bits to form the 32-bit addresses.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1994Date of Patent: April 22, 1997Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Daniel R. Cronin, III, Richard G. Hofmann, Dennis Moeller, Lance M. Venarchick
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Patent number: 5619729Abstract: A device and method for power management of direct memory access ("DMA") slaves through DMA traps. The device comprises a plurality of registers coupled with conventional logic in order to generate a control signal for disabling direct memory access transfer requests for a powered-off DMA slave until the slave is re-powered. The method for managing power comprises steps of unmasking bits in a register containing information regarding which DMA slaves have been powered-off. Next, the DMA Controller consults a power management macro ("PMM") to determine whether a DMA transfer request involves a powered-off DMA slave. If not, the DMA transfer continues. However, if the DMA transfer does involve a powered-off DMA slave, then a main software application in operation is temporarily halted and the PMM generates a SMI signal and outputs the SMI signal to the central processing unit ("CPU") while keeping the disable control signal asserted, which effectively disables the DMA channel.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1996Date of Patent: April 8, 1997Assignees: Intel Corporation, International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Patrick M. Bland, Richard G. Hofmann, Robert T. Jackson, Nader Amini, Bechara F. Boury, Jayesh Joshi