Patents by Inventor Robert Paul Stelzer

Robert Paul Stelzer 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: 7921230
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, the illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for configuring devices. Device information for a plurality of devices is retrieved from an object data manager. A determination is made as to whether a keyboard-video-mouse environment exists. If a keyboard-video-mouse environment does not exist, each device in a plurality of devices is configured to either an available state or a defined state. If a keyboard-video-mouse environment exists, each device in the plurality of devices is configured to the available state. A list of all enumerated devices is requested and a determination is made as to whether a particular device is in the list of enumerated devices. If the particular device is not in the list of enumerated devices, a pseudo device is added to the list to form a modified list of all enumerated devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Corporation
    Inventors: John Paul Harvey, Wei Kuo, Dac D Nguyen, Robert Paul Stelzer
  • Publication number: 20100064079
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, the illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for configuring devices. Device information for a plurality of devices is retrieved from an object data manager. A determination is made as to whether a keyboard-video-mouse environment exists. If a keyboard-video-mouse environment does not exist, each device in a plurality of devices is configured to either an available state or a defined state. If a keyboard-video-mouse environment exists, each device in the plurality of devices is configured to the available state. A list of all enumerated devices is requested and a determination is made as to whether a particular device is in the list of enumerated devices. If the particular device is not in the list of enumerated devices, a pseudo device is added to the list to form a modified list of all enumerated devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Paul Harvey, Wei Kuo, Dac D. Nguyen, Robert Paul Stelzer
  • Publication number: 20090040232
    Abstract: In a graphics based subsystem based on direct memory access transfer, a user queue library is used by the application program interface to send graphic command data to the graphics adapter. The user queue library transfers data stored within the user queue to the graphics adapter using direct memory access transfers. The user queue library determines whether the data should be saved. The application program interface calls a user queue routine from a user queue library. The user queue routine saves the control data to a trace file in memory. The user queue routine then transfers the graphics command data to the graphics adapter using a direct memory access transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: MANJUNATH BASAPPA MUTTUR, George Francis Ramsay, III, Robert Paul Stelzer
  • Patent number: 7136943
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer instructions for storing data relating to the switch in a context switch history containing a number of prior context switches occurring prior to a current context. The storing of data occurs in response to a change in context for a direct memory access resource. Portions of the direct memory access chain of requests are freed using the context switch history to form freed portions, wherein the freed portions are reused for requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wei Kuo, James A. Pafumi, Robert Paul Stelzer
  • Patent number: 6993598
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing direct memory access transfers. Monitoring is performed for an event to pass ownership of a direct memory access resource to a new thread. A buffer of the new thread is added by an operating system component to the end of a direct memory access chain of requests from the current thread. The addition of this buffer to the end of a direct memory access chain provides an anchor point for the new thread to add additional requests for the direct memory access resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Anthony Pafumi, Robert Paul Stelzer, Wei Kuo
  • Patent number: 6917364
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for managing a set of memory resources used to store texture objects in a data processing system. A texture manager allocates memory to a current texture object in a set of memory resources. A stored texture object, handled by the texture manager, is selectively removed in response to an inability to allocate sufficient memory to the current texture object. The allocating and selectively removing steps are repeated until the current texture object is allocated sufficient memory. The repeating step is halted in response to an absence of any stored texture objects, handled by a texture manager, being present in the first memory resource. Stored texture objects, handled by another texture manager, are selectively removed in response to an inability to allocate sufficient memory to the current texture object. Memory is allocated in the set of memory resources to the current texture object in response to selectively removing stored texture objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Truc Duy Nguyen, Mark Richard Nutter, Robert Paul Stelzer
  • Patent number: 6629175
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling access to an adapter, such as a graphics adapter, are disclosed. The method includes querying an adapter lock with a first thread. Thereafter, responsive to determining that the lock indicates the first thread does not have access to the adapter, a sequence to obtain access to the adapter is initiated where the sequence includes writing the adapter context corresponding to the first thread. The, sequence may include a ring 3 to ring 0 transition. The method also includes, in response to determining that the lock indicates the first thread has access to the adapter, communicating to the adapter with the first thread without invoking the sequence to obtain access to the adapter. In one embodiment, querying the adapter lock includes writing a first word of the adapter lock using an atomic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sidney James Manning, James Anthony Pafumi, Robert Paul Stelzer, Timothy Howard White
  • Patent number: 6437788
    Abstract: A computer system having a graphics display with texture management employs a graphics adapter with texture memory. The graphics adapter is ‘virtualized’ by the operating system. When making a graphics context switch, the state of the graphics adapter including texture memory is saved. Threads are used to allow rapid and frequent context switches. A graphics process that will use texture memory in the adapter reserves a thread, for use during a graphics context switch. The thread calls into the operating system where it is blocked until a graphics context switch is initiated. At that time, the thread is unblocked to do texture management, such as saving of texture memory. During the save portion of the graphics context switch the graphics driver saves the current hardware state of the adapter, and the special purpose texture thread is unblocked to allow texture memory to be processed, and saves texture memory and calls back into the driver where it is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Milot, James Anthony Pafumi, Robert Paul Stelzer
  • Publication number: 20020101427
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for managing a set of memory resources used to store texture objects in a data processing system. A texture manager allocates memory to a current texture object in a set of memory resources. A stored texture object, handled by the texture manager, is selectively removed in response to an inability to allocate sufficient memory to the current texture object. The allocating and selectively removing steps are repeated until the current texture object is allocated sufficient memory. The repeating step is halted in response to an absence of any stored texture objects, handled by a texture manager, being present in the first memory resource. Stored texture objects, handled by another texture manager, are selectively removed in response to an inability to allocate sufficient memory to the current texture object. Memory is allocated in the set of memory resources to the current texture object in response to selectively removing stored texture objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Truc Duy Nguyen, Mark Richard Nutter, Robert Paul Stelzer