Patents by Inventor Steven Hunter

Steven Hunter 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: 20070027952
    Abstract: A method, mechanism and computer usable medium is provided for distributing I/O fabric errors to the appropriate root nodes in a multi-root environment. The case where the I/O fabric is attached to more than one root node and where each root can potentially share with the other roots the I/O adapter (IOA) resources which are attached to the I/O is addressed. Additionally, a method, mechanism and computer usable medium is provided by which errors detected in an I/O fabric may be routed to all root nodes which may be affected by the error, while not being reported to the root nodes that will not be affected by those errors. In particular, distributed computing system which uses the PCI Express protocol to communicate over the I/O fabric is addressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: William Boyd, Douglas Freimuth, William Holland, Steven Hunter, Renato Recio, Steven Thurber, Madeline Vega
  • Publication number: 20070019637
    Abstract: A mechanism, method and computer usable medium is provided for each root node of a multiple root node system and its own independent address space. This mechanism also allows multiple system images within the same root node to have their own independent address spaces. A mechanism is also provided for incorporating legacy root node and input/output adapters that are non-aware of the mechanisms introduced by this invention. Input/ output adapters which implement this invention may also have the number of functions that they support greatly expanded beyond the present eight functions per input/output adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: William Boyd, Douglas Freimuth, William Holland, Steven Hunter, Renato Recio, Steven Thurber, Madeline Vega
  • Publication number: 20070000937
    Abstract: The system includes a bin hopper which temporarily stores a plurality of small elements, such as medications. The elements are moved out of the bin and singulated into a one-by-one sequence by a series of singulating conveyors. The resulting sequence of elements is moved onto a main system conveyor where the element is identified and then moved to a loading mechanism which arranges the item so it is ready to be gripped and stored. The system includes a mass storage apparatus comprising a series of four upstanding cylindrical drums, each having a plurality of individually accessible and addressable cell storage locations for the elements. A gripping apparatus removes the elements from the loading mechanism and transfers them to a selected location in a cylindrical drum. When an article is to be dispensed, the drum is rotated so that an ejection arm comes adjacent the desired location in the drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: Omnicell, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Hunter, David Browning, Dennis Fuhrman, William Park
  • Publication number: 20060206602
    Abstract: A method and system to quickly redirect traffic from a server blade to different access switches that provide data communication to a network is presented. Each access switch has external ports directed upstream towards the network, and correlated internal ports directed downstream towards the server blade. The server blade has a primary interface associated with a first access switch and a secondary failover interface associated with a second access switch. In the event that the first access switch loses an upstream data signal or connection via one of its upstream external ports, a corresponding downstream internal port in the first access switch is disabled, thus causing the primary interface in the server blade to failover to the secondary failover interface and its associated second access switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Hunter, Norman Strole
  • Publication number: 20060203715
    Abstract: A method and system to quickly redirect traffic from a server blade to different access switches that provide data communication to a network is presented. Each access switch has external ports directed upstream towards the network, and correlated internal ports directed downstream towards the server blade. The server blade has a primary upstream interface associated with a first access switch and a secondary failover upstream interface associated with a second access switch. In the event that the first access switch loses an upstream data signal or connection to one of its upstream external ports, a VLAN-determined corresponding downstream internal port in the first access switch is disabled, thus causing the primary upstream interface in the server blade to failover to the secondary failover upstream interface and its associated second access switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Hunter, Norman Strole
  • Publication number: 20050273934
    Abstract: A lower leg pillow separates a person's legs and prevents the knees and ankles from touching. The lower leg pillow has a resilient pillow body within a covering. The symmetric resilient pillow body supports and separates the knees and ankles. The body has opposite first and second ends with a waist between the ends, connected by a continuous rim. A top and an opposite bottom have the rim as their perimeter. The covering fits snugly upon the pillow body. In use, a person has the lower leg pillow with the first end between their knees and the second end between their ankles thus separating the legs and aligning the spine during sleep.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventor: Steven Hunter
  • Publication number: 20050253852
    Abstract: A system and method enables animators to efficiently pose character models' feet. An initial foot model position is received. The initial foot model position specifies a foot model contact point. One or more foot roll parameters are specified that change the relative angle between at least a portion of the foot model and an initial orientation of an alignment plane. Foot roll parameters specify the rotation of the foot model around foot model contact points. Foot roll parameters can include heel roll, ball roll, and toe roll, which specify the rotation of the foot model around contact points on the heel, ball, and toe, respectively, of a foot model. To maintain the position of the foot model contact point, the foot model position is adjusted based on the foot roll parameter. The repositioned foot model is realigned with alignment plane, which restores contact at the foot model contact point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: Pixar
    Inventors: Robert Russ, Christian Hoffman, David Mullins, Steven Hunter
  • Publication number: 20050251755
    Abstract: A method for a computer system includes displaying a toolbar region with user selectable icons on a display, positioning a cursor on the display over the toolbar region, and receiving a first command from the user while the cursor is positioned over the toolbar region, wherein the first command from the user comprises pressing and holding of a button on a user input device, displaying additional user selectable icons on the display in response to the first command, positioning the cursor on the display over one user selectable icon, and receiving a second command from the user while the cursor is positioned on the one user selectable icon, wherein the second command from the user comprises releasing the button on the user input device, wherein the one user icon and the user selectable icons are then displayed in the toolbar region in response to the second command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: Pixar
    Inventors: David Mullins, Karon Weber, Maxwell Drukman, Steven Hunter, Christopher King, Katrina Archer
  • Publication number: 20050234884
    Abstract: Techniques for customizing draw styles of widgets to better accommodate a user's direct manipulation needs. A user can customize various attributes of a widget and its manipulators to suit the user's needs. The customizations are stored as a style. The stored style can subsequently be applied to the widget to control the appearance and behavior of the widget. Stored styles may be applied to other widgets and can also be shared between users.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Applicant: Pixar
    Inventors: Maxwell Drukman, Karon Weber, Robert Russ, Steven Hunter, Tom Hahn, Christopher King, Katrina Archer
  • Publication number: 20050155042
    Abstract: A framework that allows a transition from a conventional object method invocation model to a services model, where services are explicitly represented and managed before actually being invoked is described. According to one aspect of the invention, a runtime configurable component-based system is described having a plurality of services. Each service includes a set of properties describing the service. The properties include at least, a set of configuration properties to describe functionalities of the service, a lifecycle property to describe a state transition flow of the service for a specific runtime instance, a state property to describe each state in the lifecycle, and a set of dependency properties to describe inter-dependencies of the service with other services of the plurality of services while within a specific state in the lifecycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Kolb, Mason Jones, Steven Hunter
  • Publication number: 20050060590
    Abstract: A system and method for utilizing the locale-independence of virtual machine technology is employed to facilitate load imbalancing in support of power management. Arbitrary stateless or stateful workloads are migrated as virtual machines from a larger number of resources to a smaller number of resources so as to eliminate workload from some resources. These latter resources can then be placed into a lower-power state to reduce power consumption. When workload rises again, some or all of the lower-powered resources can be powered-on, and workload can be reapplied to them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Bradley, Richard Harper, Steven Hunter
  • Publication number: 20050030310
    Abstract: A graphical user interface for a computer system includes a display portion configured to display a representation of a first three-dimensional object, wherein the first three-dimensional object has an associated first volume, and a control icon associated with the first three-dimensional object, wherein the control icon is configured to allow a user to specify a bend amount to the first three-dimensional object in a first dimension, wherein the display portion is also configured to display a representation of a bent first three-dimensional object, wherein the bent first three-dimensional object comprises the first three-dimensional object that is bent lengthwise in response to the bend amount, and that may have an adjusted thickness in response to the bend amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Applicant: Pixar
    Inventors: Steven Hunter, David Mullins, Robert Russ, William Wise, William Sheffler, Christian Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20050007370
    Abstract: A graphical user interface for a computer system includes a display portion configured to display a representation of a first three-dimensional object and a second three-dimensional object, wherein the first three-dimensional object has an associated first volume, and wherein the second three-dimensional object has an associated second volume, and a control icon associated with the first three-dimensional object, wherein a user can specify a modification to the first three-dimensional object in a first dimension via the control icon, wherein the display portion is also configured to display a representation of a modified first three-dimensional object, wherein the modified first three-dimensional object comprises the first three-dimensional object that is modified in the first dimension in response to the modification and that is modified in a second dimension in response to the modification and to a volume preservation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Pixar
    Inventors: Steven Hunter, David Mullins, Robert Russ, William Wise, William Sheffler, Christian Hoffman
  • Publication number: 20040244001
    Abstract: A method allowing a plurality of resources allocators to allocate use of resources (e.g., processing resources) without communicating with each other. The resource allocators are independent of one another and allocate the resources based upon availability notifications from a plurality of resources. Availability of a resource is based upon a characteristic of the resource (e.g., resource occupancy) and may be determined by the resource comparing the characteristic to a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: John Henry Haller, Steven Hunter, Michael John Lemke, Kevin Wayne McKiou, Harvey Rubin, Brian Tickle