Patents by Inventor Robert Welland

Robert Welland 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: 9634824
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing a configurable computer system capable of being modeled are disclosed. The system, in one embodiment, includes a configurable component and a clock distributor. The configurable component includes multiple programmable devices arranged in a predefined configuration. The predefined configuration, for example, is a cubical shape having multiple neighboring nodes. The configurable component is capable of being modeled in accordance with policies from a system program for data transmission. The clock distributor further includes a first clock element, which provides long-term accuracy, and a second clock element, which provides short-term accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20150229466
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing a configurable computer system capable of being modeled are disclosed. The system, in one embodiment, includes a configurable component and a clock distributor. The configurable component includes multiple programmable devices arranged in a predefined configuration. The predefined configuration, for example, is a cubical shape having multiple neighboring nodes. The configurable component is capable of being modeled in accordance with policies from a system program for data transmission. The clock distributor further includes a first clock element, which provides long-term accuracy, and a second clock element, which provides short-term accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: ROBERT WELLAND
  • Patent number: 9031062
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing a configurable computer system capable of being modeled are disclosed. The system, in one embodiment, includes a configurable component and a clock distributor. The configurable component includes multiple programmable devices arranged in a predefined configuration. The predefined configuration, for example, is a cubical shape having multiple neighboring nodes. The configurable component is capable of being modeled in accordance with policies from a system program for data transmission. The clock distributor further includes a first clock element, which provides long-term accuracy, and a second clock element, which provides short-term accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20140115127
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing a configurable computer system capable of being modeled are disclosed. The system, in one embodiment, includes a configurable component and a clock distributor. The configurable component includes multiple programmable devices arranged in a predefined configuration. The predefined configuration, for example, is a cubical shape having multiple neighboring nodes. The configurable component is capable of being modeled in accordance with policies from a system program for data transmission. The clock distributor further includes a first clock element, which provides long-term accuracy, and a second clock element, which provides short-term accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Patent number: 8644438
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing a configurable computer system capable of being modeled are disclosed. The system, in one embodiment, includes a configurable component and a clock distributor. The configurable component includes multiple programmable devices arranged in a predefined configuration. The predefined configuration, for example, is a cubical shape having multiple neighboring nodes. The configurable component is capable of being modeled in accordance with policies from a system program for data transmission. The clock distributor further includes a first clock element, which provides long-term accuracy, and a second clock element, which provides short-term accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20130120245
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of user interface (“UI”) having multiple motion dots capable of detecting user inputs are disclosed. In one embodiment, a digital processing system includes a first motion dot, a second motion dot, and a device. The first motion dot can be attached to a first location of a user's body and the second motion dot may be attached to the second location of the user's body. The first motion dot, for example, includes accelerometers able to identify a physical location of the first motion dot and the second motion dot also includes accelerometers capable of detecting an input generated based on relative physical position between the first motion dot and the second motion dot. The device, which is logically coupled to the second motion via a wireless connection, is configured to store the input in a local storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Patent number: 8368646
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of user interface having multiple motion dots capable of detecting user inputs are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user interface (“UI”) device includes a first motion dot and a second motion dot. The first motion dot is capable of attaching to a first finger and the second motion dot is configured to attach to a second finger. The first finger, in one example, is a thumb and the second finger is an index finger. The first motion dot includes multiple accelerometers used for identifying the physical location of the first motion dot. The second motion dot, which is logically coupled to the first motion dot via a wireless communications network, is capable of detecting a user input in response to a relative physical position between the first and the second motion dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Patent number: 8279415
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a distance are disclosed. A measuring device includes a timer, a counter, an optical emitter, an optical receiver, and a distance computing element. In one embodiment, the timer provides a sequence of signals and the counter counts pulses in a loop. The loop includes an electrical path and an optical path. While an optical emitter such as a laser can emit outgoing beams, an optical receiver such as a photodiode receives return beams from the reflective surface. The reflective surface reflects the return beam in accordance with the outgoing beam. The distance computing element measures a distance in response to the outgoing and return beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventors: Robert Welland, Bryan M. Willman
  • Publication number: 20110188620
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of providing a configurable computer system capable of being modeled are disclosed. The system, in one embodiment, includes a configurable component and a clock distributor. The configurable component includes multiple programmable devices arranged in a predefined configuration. The predefined configuration, for example, is a cubical shape having multiple neighboring nodes. The configurable component is capable of being modeled in accordance with policies from a system program for data transmission. The clock distributor further includes a first clock element, which provides long-term accuracy, and a second clock element, which provides short-term accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20100208233
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring a distance are disclosed. A measuring device includes a timer, a counter, an optical emitter, an optical receiver, and a distance computing element. In one embodiment, the timer provides a sequence of signals and the counter counts pulses in a loop. The loop includes an electrical path and an optical path. While an optical emitter such as a laser can emit outgoing beams, an optical receiver such as a photodiode receives return beams from the reflective surface. The reflective surface reflects the return beam in accordance with the outgoing beam. The distance computing element measures a distance in response to the outgoing and return beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Robert Welland, Bryan M. Willman
  • Patent number: 7574343
    Abstract: A modeling system permits developers of applications for distributed computer system, such as those used in server data centers or Internet data centers (IDCs), to architect their hardware and software in an abstract manner. The modeling system defines a set of components that represent abstract functional operations of the application that will eventually be physically implemented by one or more computers and one or more software programs executing on the computers. Associated with the model components is a schema that dictates how the functional operations are to be specified. From the model components, the developers can create logical, scale-independent models of the applications that may be implemented by the distributed computer system. The application is scale-independent in that the application is invariant in respect to the number of computers and software programs that my eventually be used to implement it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Levi, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Jakob Rehof, Bassam Tabbara, Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20090146951
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of user interface having multiple motion dots capable of detecting user inputs are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user interface (“UI”) device includes a first motion dot and a second motion dot. The first motion dot is capable of attaching to a first finger and the second motion dot is configured to attach to a second finger. The first finger, in one example, is a thumb and the second finger is an index finger. The first motion dot includes multiple accelerometers used for identifying the physical location of the first motion dot. The second motion dot, which is logically coupled to the first motion dot via a wireless communications network, is capable of detecting a user input in response to a relative physical position between the first and the second motion dots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20080059214
    Abstract: In accordance with certain aspects of the model-based policy application, each of a plurality of policies is associated with appropriate parts of a model of a heterogeneous system. A deployment agent is invoked to apply each of the plurality of policies to components associated with the parts of the model. An identification of a change to one of the plurality of policies is received, and the deployment agent is also invoked to apply the changed policy to selected ones of the components associated with the parts of the model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Vinberg, Bruce Copeland, Robert Fries, Kevin Grealish, Jonathan Hardwick, Michael Healy, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, David James, Anand Lakshminarayanan, Edwin Lassettre, Raymond McCollum, Rob Mensching, Mazhar Mohammed, Rajagopalan Narayanan, Geoffrey Outhred, Zhengkai Pan, Efstathios Papaefstathiou, John Parchem, Vij Rajarajan, Ashvikumar Sanghvi, Bassam Tabbara, Rene Vega, Vitaly Voloshin, Robert Welland, John Wilson, Eric Winner, Jeffrey Woolsey
  • Publication number: 20070016393
    Abstract: Model-based propagation of attributes allows a user to define one or more attributes, policies associated with the system and particular components, constraints associated with various components, and dependencies between components of the system. The user also defines the manner in which the attributes are to be propagated throughout a model of the system. The attributes are then propagated to the appropriate components in the model using information associated with the model of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Vinberg, Anand Lakshminarayanan, Ashvinkumar Sanghvi, Vij Rajarajan, Vitaly Voloshin, Bassam Tabbara, Kevin Grealish, Rob Mensching, Geoffrey Outhred, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20070005320
    Abstract: Model-based configuration management and modeling identifies violations of configuration constraints. A system includes multiple components and multiple applications defined by a model of the system. A process identifies configuration settings associated with the components and configuration settings associated with the applications. A configuration policy is created for the system based on information contained in the model of the system and the configuration settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Vinberg, Anand Lakshminarayanan, Ashvinkumar Sanghvi, Vij Rajarajan, Vitaly Voloshin, Bassam Tabbara, Kevin Grealish, Rob Mensching, Geoffrey Outhred, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Robert Welland, Rajagopalan Narayanan, Bruce Copeland, Ken Pan, David James, Michael Healy
  • Publication number: 20070006218
    Abstract: Model-based virtual system provisioning includes accessing a model of a workload to be installed on a virtual machine of a system as well as a model of the system. A workload refers to some computing that is to be performed, and includes an application to be executed to perform the computing, and optionally includes the operating system on which the application is to be installed. The workload model identifies a source of the application and operating system of the workload, as well as constraints of the workload, such as resources and/or other capabilities that the virtual machine(s) on which the workload is to be installed must have. An installation specification for the application is also generated, the installation specification being derived at least in part from the model of the workload and the model of the virtual system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Vinberg, Robert Fries, Kevin Grealish, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Rob Mensching, Geoffrey Outhred, John Parchem, Bassam Tabbara, Rene Vega, Robert Welland, Eric Winner, Jeffrey Woolsey
  • Publication number: 20060271341
    Abstract: A design tool includes a service definition model to enable abstract description of distributed computing systems and distributed applications. The design tool also includes a schema to dictate how functional operations within the service definition model are to be specified. The functional operations include design of distributed applications, deployment of distributed applications, and management of distributed applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mathilde Brown, Charlie Chase, Kevin Grealish, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, David Noble, Geoffrey Outhred, Glenn Peterson, Bassam Tabbara, Alexander Torone, Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20060259610
    Abstract: A multi-tiered server management architecture is employed including an application development tier, an application operations tier, and a cluster operations tier. In the application development tier, applications are developed for execution on one or more server computers. In the application operations tier, execution of the applications is managed and sub-boundaries within a cluster of servers can be established. In the cluster operations tier, operation of the server computers is managed without concern for what applications are executing on the one or more server computers and boundaries between clusters of servers can be established. The multi-tiered server management architecture can also be employed in co-location facilities where clusters of servers are leased to tenants, with the tenants implementing the application operations tier and the facility owner (or operator) implementing the cluster operations tier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Steven Levi, David Stutz, Bassam Tabbara, Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20060259609
    Abstract: A multi-tiered server management architecture is employed including an application development tier, an application operations tier, and a cluster operations tier. In the application development tier, applications are developed for execution on one or more server computers. In the application operations tier, execution of the applications is managed and sub-boundaries within a cluster of servers can be established. In the cluster operations tier, operation of the server computers is managed without concern for what applications are executing on the one or more server computers and boundaries between clusters of servers can be established. The multi-tiered server management architecture can also be employed in co-location facilities where clusters of servers are leased to tenants, with the tenants implementing the application operations tier and the facility owner (or operator) implementing the cluster operations tier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Steven Levi, David Stutz, Bassam Tabbara, Robert Welland
  • Publication number: 20060235664
    Abstract: Model-based capacity planning includes accessing a model of a planned system that includes multiple components. Relationships among the multiple components are identified based on the model of the system. Transactions to be performed by the planned system are identified along with a cost associated with each of the identified transactions. Operation of the planned system is simulated using the model of the planned system and the identified costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Vinberg, Bassam Tabbara, Kevin Grealish, Rob Mensching, Geoffrey Outhred, Galen Hunt, Aamer Hydrie, Robert Welland, Efstathios Papaefstathiou, Jonathan Hardwick