Patents by Inventor Steven F. Best

Steven F. Best 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: 10545843
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives comprising a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and the error recovery operations are selected from a list of changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 10359936
    Abstract: A method for determining a primary storage device and a secondary storage device for copies of data comprises determining metrics data for at least two storage devices located on different servers in a computing environment. The method further comprises adjusting the metrics data using a predefined weighting factor for read data blocks rates and a predefined weighting factor for written data blocks rates, where the predefined weighting factor for the written data blocks rates is higher than the predefined weighting factor for the read data blocks rates. The method further comprises selecting a storage device of the at least two storage devices as a primary storage device based, at least in part, on the adjusted metrics data for each of the at least two storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9916094
    Abstract: A method for determining a primary storage device and a secondary storage device for copies of data comprises determining metrics data for at least two storage devices located on different servers in a computing environment. The method further comprises adjusting the metrics data using a predefined weighting factor for read data blocks rates and a predefined weighting factor for written data blocks rates, where the predefined weighting factor for the written data blocks rates is higher than the predefined weighting factor for the read data blocks rates. The method further comprises selecting a storage device of the at least two storage devices as a primary storage device based, at least in part, on the adjusted metrics data for each of the at least two storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9910746
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives comprising a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and the error recovery operations are selected from a list of changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Publication number: 20180052602
    Abstract: A method for determining a primary storage device and a secondary storage device for copies of data comprises determining metrics data for at least two storage devices located on different servers in a computing environment. The method further comprises adjusting the metrics data using a predefined weighting factor for read data blocks rates and a predefined weighting factor for written data blocks rates, where the predefined weighting factor for the written data blocks rates is higher than the predefined weighting factor for the read data blocks rates. The method further comprises selecting a storage device of the at least two storage devices as a primary storage device based, at least in part, on the adjusted metrics data for each of the at least two storage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Publication number: 20180052748
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives comprising a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and the error recovery operations are selected from a list of changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. BEST, Janice M. GIROUARD, Robert E. REILAND, Yehuda SHIRAN
  • Patent number: 9690484
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention that include arranging a first storage device and second storage device to store data in a mirrored configuration. Upon receiving a message indicating that the first storage device is in an error recovery mode, the host processor can convey a second request to read the data from the second storage device. The storage device is selected from a list comprising a hard disk drive and a solid state disk drive, and the hard disk drive comprises a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and wherein the error recovery operation is selected from a list comprising changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9619211
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for the automated suggestion of code usage patterns in an IDE. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for automated suggestion of code usage patterns in an IDE is provided. The method includes receiving input of a code snippet for a source code file of a software development project loaded into memory of a host computer for display through an IDE. The method further includes matching terms of the received input to terms in different blocks of code in different source code files of the software development project. The method yet further includes selecting one of the different blocks of code as a code completion choice for insertion into the source code file in the IDE. Finally, the method includes inserting the selected one of the different blocks of code into the source code file in the IDE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lorelei M. McCollum, Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Timothy B. Snow
  • Publication number: 20170046071
    Abstract: A method for determining a primary storage device and a secondary storage device for copies of data comprises determining metrics data for at least two storage devices located on different servers in a computing environment. The method further comprises adjusting the metrics data using a predefined weighting factor for read data blocks rates and a predefined weighting factor for written data blocks rates, where the predefined weighting factor for the written data blocks rates is higher than the predefined weighting factor for the read data blocks rates. The method further comprises selecting a storage device of the at least two storage devices as a primary storage device based, at least in part, on the adjusted metrics data for each of the at least two storage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9535612
    Abstract: In a method for determining a primary storage device and a secondary storage device for copies of data, one or more processors determine metrics data for at least two storage devices in a computing environment. The one or more processors adjust the metrics data. The one or more processors determine an I/O throughput value based on the adjusted metrics data for each of the at least two storage devices. The one or more processors compare the determined I/O throughput values for each of the at least two storage devices. The one or more processors select a storage device of the at least two storage devices with the lowest determined I/O throughput as a primary storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehouda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9471450
    Abstract: For reducing data loss by a processor device in a computing storage environment, data blocks are prioritized for creating an N number of additional secondary copies of data using a vulnerability factor for identifying those of the data blocks having a probability of failure. The data blocks include at least a primary copy and a secondary copy of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Ziv Serlin, Yehuda Shiran
  • Publication number: 20160246508
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention that include arranging a first storage device and second storage device to store data in a mirrored configuration. Upon receiving a message indicating that the first storage device is in an error recovery mode, the host processor can convey a second request to read the data from the second storage device. The storage device is selected from a list comprising a hard disk drive and a solid state disk drive, and the hard disk drive comprises a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and wherein the error recovery operation is selected from a list comprising changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9317382
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9280431
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product provide a process that includes storing data on first data storage devices, and a backup copy of the data on the first and/or on second ones of the data storage devices. A probability of a failure of each of at least some of the first and/or second data storage devices is determined, and at least one of the first and/or data storage devices that is determined to have a higher probability of failure than a threshold and/or a probability of failure of another of the data storage devices, is selected. A second backup copy of the data, stored on the selected data storage device(s), is also stored on third ones of the data storage devices. The first and/or second data storage devices determined to have the higher probability of failure are used for their designated purpose after the second backup copy is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 9195754
    Abstract: Generally speaking embodiments that dynamically expand the amount of information displayed with search or query results are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise a method for viewing information of a search that includes presenting a number of search results in response to a search, enabling a user to select one or more of the search results for a period of time, and dynamically expanding an amount of information associated with the selected search result based upon the period of time. Further embodiments comprise apparatuses having a display and a selection sensor to sense when a user selects one of the results and measure a period of time that the user selects the result. These embodiments also include a result expander to expand the amount of information displayed for a selected result as the period of time increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Robert J. Eggers, Jr., Janice M. Girouard, Peter A. Zannucci
  • Publication number: 20150317201
    Abstract: Various embodiments are provided that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives comprising a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and the error recovery operations are selected from a list of changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. BEST, Janice M. GIROUARD, Robert E. REILAND, Yehuda SHIRAN
  • Patent number: 9081741
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include arranging a first storage device and a second storage device to store data in a mirrored configuration. Upon a host processor receiving, in response to a first request conveyed to read the data from the first storage device, a message indicating that the first storage device is in an error recovery mode, the host processor can convey a second request to read the data from the second storage device. Upon receiving the data from the second storage device, the host processor can cancel the first request. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Publication number: 20150113090
    Abstract: In a method for determining a primary storage device and a secondary storage device for copies of data, one or more processors determine metrics data for at least two storage devices in a computing environment. The one or more processors adjust the metrics data. The one or more processors determine an I/O throughput value based on the adjusted metrics data for each of the at least two storage devices. The one or more processors compare the determined I/O throughput values for each of the at least two storage devices. The one or more processors select a storage device of the at least two storage devices with the lowest determined I/O throughput as a primary storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard, Robert E. Reiland, Yehuda Shiran
  • Patent number: 8984333
    Abstract: An approach to providing diagnostics of data storage medium units may be performed automatically without interruption to system operations. Upon receipt of one or more error messages occurring on a first data storage medium unit, data content from the first data storage medium unit may be copied to a second data storage medium unit. A system may operate using the second data storage medium unit while the first data storage medium unit is diagnosed for possible disk failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven F. Best, Janice M. Girouard
  • Publication number: 20140351627
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven F. BEST, Janice M. GIROUARD, Robert E. REILAND, Yehuda SHIRAN