Patents by Inventor Steven L. Pratt

Steven L. Pratt 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: 10305303
    Abstract: A method for a wireless charging receptacle is provided in the illustrative embodiments. An enclosure having a shape and a plurality of sides is formed to at least partially enclose a device while charging a rechargeable power source in the device. An opening is formed in the enclosure. the opening is located on a first side from the plurality of sides. The first side has a surface area less than a second surface area of a second side in the plurality of sides, the second surface area being largest of all surface areas of all sides in the plurality of sides. A wireless charging mechanism is configured relative to at least one of (i) the second side and (ii) a third side of the enclosure, wherein the wireless charging mechanism wirelessly supplies energy to a second wireless charging mechanism coupled with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jenifer Hopper, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister
  • Patent number: 10002062
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to diagnostic evaluation of hardware components of a computer machine. A conventional storage device is replaced with a modified storage device. Read and write operations are received by the modified storage device. Issuance of a response to the read and write operations is limited to an acknowledgement receipt, which is employed to evaluate performance and/or bandwidth of the machines with respect to hardware for data storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Dobbelstein, Steven L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 9400754
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to mitigating page eviction from cache memory. Pages of data in the cache are compressed, and are periodically swapped to a physical storage device to create space in the cache for additional pages. To avoid the impact of eviction latencies, an asynchronous thread scanning process scans the cache for any pages that are not committed to the storage device, decompresses a selected one of the pages, and asynchronously writes the decompressed page copy to the physical storage device. The compressed copy of the selected page remains in the cache during the asynchronous write with an indicator for the page set to convey that a replica of the page has been written to physical storage, allowing for efficient eviction from the in-memory pool at a later time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jenifer Hopper, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister
  • Publication number: 20160172884
    Abstract: A method for a wireless charging receptacle is provided in the illustrative embodiments. An enclosure having a shape and a plurality of sides is formed to at least partially enclose a device while charging a rechargeable power source in the device. An opening is formed in the enclosure. the opening is located on a first side from the plurality of sides. The first side has a surface area less than a second surface area of a second side in the plurality of sides, the second surface area being largest of all surface areas of all sides in the plurality of sides. A wireless charging mechanism is configured relative to at least one of (i) the second side and (ii) a third side of the enclosure, wherein the wireless charging mechanism wirelessly supplies energy to a second wireless charging mechanism coupled with the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: JENIFER HOPPER, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister
  • Publication number: 20160149433
    Abstract: An apparatus for a wireless charging receptacle is provided in the illustrative embodiments. An enclosure having a shape and a plurality of sides is formed to at least partially enclose a device while charging a rechargeable power source in the device. An opening is formed in the enclosure. the opening is located on a first side from the plurality of sides. The first side has a surface area less than a second surface area of a second side in the plurality of sides, the second surface area being largest of all surface areas of all sides in the plurality of sides. A wireless charging mechanism is configured relative to at least one of (i) the second side and (ii) a third side of the enclosure, wherein the wireless charging mechanism wirelessly supplies energy to a second wireless charging mechanism coupled with the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jenifer Hopper, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister
  • Publication number: 20160117233
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to diagnostic evaluation of hardware components of a computer machine. A conventional storage device is replaced with a modified storage device. Read and write operations are received by the modified storage device. Issuance of a response to the read and write operations is limited to an acknowledgement receipt, which is employed to evaluate performance and/or bandwidth of the machines with respect to hardware for data storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Dobbelstein, Steven L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 9244807
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to diagnostic evaluation of hardware components of a computer machine. A conventional storage device is replaced with a modified storage device. Read and write operations are received by the modified storage device. Issuance of a response to the read and write operations is limited to an acknowledgement receipt, which is employed to evaluate performance and/or bandwidth of the machines with respect to hardware for data storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Steven L. Dobbelstein, Steven L. Pratt
  • Publication number: 20150178222
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to mitigating page eviction from cache memory. Pages of data in the cache are compressed, and are periodically swapped to a physical storage device to create space in the cache for additional pages. To avoid the impact of eviction latencies, an asynchronous thread scanning process scans the cache for any pages that are not committed to the storage device, decompresses a selected one of the pages, and asynchronously writes the decompressed page copy to the physical storage device. The compressed copy of the selected page remains in the cache during the asynchronous write with an indicator for the page set to convey that a replica of the page has been written to physical storage, allowing for efficient eviction from the in-memory pool at a later time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jenifer Hopper, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister
  • Patent number: 8838916
    Abstract: A method uses a record of I/O priorities in a determination of a storage medium of a hybrid storage system in which to store a file. The method maintains the record of I/O priorities by assigning an I/O temperature value to each request for access to the file based upon an I/O priority level of the process making the request. The method marks the file as hot if the file temperature value is greater than a threshold value. The method stores files marked as hot in a lower latency storage medium of the hybrid storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mingming Cao, Ben Chociej, Scott R. Conor, Steven M. French, Matthew R. Lupfer, Steven L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 8635413
    Abstract: A hypervisor receives a memory page checksum from a guest operating system, which corresponds to a page of memory utilized by the guest. Next, the hypervisor proceeds through a series of steps to detect that the memory page checksum matches a checksum value included in a checksum entry item, which includes an identifier of a different guest. In turn, the hypervisor shares the page of memory between the guest and the different guest in response to detecting that the memory page checksum matches the checksum value included the checksum entry item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Michael Corry, Mark Alan Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl Milton Rister, Andrew Matthew Theurer
  • Patent number: 8615161
    Abstract: Recording television programs for future playback by enabling the user to record a plurality of programs that have sequential units of commercial content. There is sequential sensing for commercial content units. When a commercial content unit is reached, it is removed for separate storage. A determination is made as to whether the removed commercial content unit is the same as a previous commercial content unit that has been removed. Any previous commercial unit that has been removed has been stored in a file and a pointer to the file inserted in place of the commercial in the sequential stream of the television program being recorded. Thus, if the removed commercial unit has the same content, i.e. is a repeat of a previous commercial, the inserted pointer will point to the file of the previous commercial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M Corry, Mark A Peloquin, Steven L Pratt, Karl M Rister, Andrew M Theurer
  • Patent number: 8468288
    Abstract: A method, data processing system and computer program product enables efficient transfer of a virtual machine from a first data processing system (DPS) to a second DPS using a combination of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Uniform Data Protocol (UDP). A virtual machine migration (VMM) utility identifies all memory pages of the first virtual machine. The VMM utility notifies the second DPS via TCP of the scheduled transfer of the virtual machine. The VMM utility copies and transfers the memory pages of the virtual machine to the second DPS via UDP. When all expected components of the virtual machine are not received by the second DPS and/or memory data is modified within the memory pages during the migration, the VMM utility combines the missing data and the modified data and transfers the final components of the virtual machine using TCP. Execution of the virtual machine resumes on the second DPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M. Corry, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister, Andrew M. Theurer
  • Publication number: 20130142498
    Abstract: Recording television programs for future playback by enabling the user to record a plurality of programs that have sequential units of commercial content. There is sequential sensing for commercial content units. When a commercial content unit is reached, it is removed for separate storage. A determination is made as to whether the removed commercial content unit is the same as a previous commercial content unit that has been removed. Any previous commercial unit that has been removed has been stored in a file and a pointer to the file inserted in place of the commercial in the sequential stream of the television program being recorded. Thus, if the removed commercial unit has the same content, i.e. is a repeat of a previous commercial, the inserted pointer will point to the file of the previous commercial.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M. Corry, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister, Andrew M. Theurer
  • Publication number: 20130073783
    Abstract: A method uses a record of I/O priorities in a determination of a storage medium of a hybrid storage system in which to store a file. The method maintains the record of I/O priorities by assigning an I/O temperature value to each request for access to the file based upon an I/O priority level of the process making the request. The method marks the file as hot if the file temperature value is greater than a threshold value. The method stores files marked as hot in a lower latency storage medium of the hybrid storage medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mingming Cao, Ben Chociej, Scott R. Conor, Steven M. French, Matthew R. Lupfer, Steven L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 8364007
    Abstract: Improving storage efficiency for a digital video recorder is provided. It is determined whether television programming is being presented on a high definition channel or a standard definition channel. The television programming is recorded using the digital video recorder in response to determining that the television programming is being presented on a standard definition channel without making any resolution changes to the television programming. It is determined whether the content of the television programming originates in high definition or standard definition. When the television programming originates in standard definition, it is determined whether a corresponding standard definition channel is available. In response to determining the corresponding channel is available, the television programming is recorded in standard definition from the corresponding channel. Otherwise, the television programming is downscaled on the high definition channel to a standard definition resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M. Corry, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister, Andrew M. Theurer
  • Publication number: 20120331344
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to diagnostic evaluation of hardware components of a computer machine. A conventional storage device is replaced with a modified storage device. Read and write operations are received by the modified storage device. Issuance of a response to the read and write operations is limited to an acknowledgement receipt, which is employed to evaluate performance and/or bandwidth of the machines with respect to hardware for data storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven L. Dobbelstein, Steven L. Pratt
  • Patent number: 8239583
    Abstract: A system and method for migrating domains from one physical data processing system to another are provided. With the system and method, domains may be assigned direct access to physical I/O devices but in the case of migration, the I/O devices may be converted to virtual I/O devices without service interruption. At this point, the domain may be migrated without limitation. Upon completion of the migration process, the domain may be converted back to using direct physical access, if available in the new data processing system to which the domain is migrated. Alternatively, the virtualized access to the I/O devices may continue to be used until the domain is migrated back to the original data processing system. Once migration back to the original data processing system is completed, the access may be converted back to direct access with the original physical I/O devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M. Corry, Mark A Peloquin, Steven L Pratt, Santhosh Rao, Karl M Rister
  • Patent number: 8234655
    Abstract: A hypervisor receives a memory page checksum from a guest operating system, which corresponds to a page of memory utilized by the guest. Next, the hypervisor proceeds through a series of steps to detect that the memory page checksum matches a checksum value included in a checksum entry item, which includes an identifier of a different guest. In turn, the hypervisor shares the page of memory between the guest and the different guest in response to detecting that the memory page checksum matches the checksum value included the checksum entry item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Michael Corry, Mark Alan Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl Milton Rister, Andrew Matthew Theurer
  • Publication number: 20120192203
    Abstract: A hypervisor receives a memory page checksum from a guest operating system, which corresponds to a page of memory utilized by the guest. Next, the hypervisor proceeds through a series of steps to detect that the memory page checksum matches a checksum value included in a checksum entry item, which includes an identifier of a different guest. In turn, the hypervisor shares the page of memory between the guest and the different guest in response to detecting that the memory page checksum matches the checksum value included the checksum entry item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin Michael Corry, Mark Alan Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl Milton Rister, Andrew Matthew Theurer
  • Publication number: 20110145471
    Abstract: A method, data processing system and computer program product enables efficient transfer of a virtual machine from a first data processing system (DPS) to a second DPS using a combination of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Uniform Data Protocol (UDP). A virtual machine migration (VMM) utility identifies all memory pages of the first virtual machine. The VMM utility notifies the second DPS via TCP of the scheduled transfer of the virtual machine. The VMM utility copies and transfers the memory pages of the virtual machine to the second DPS via UDP. When all expected components of the virtual machine are not received by the second DPS and/or memory data is modified within the memory pages during the migration, the VMM utility combines the missing data and the modified data and transfers the final components of the virtual machine using TCP. Execution of the virtual machine resumes on the second DPS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: IBM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin M. Corry, Mark A. Peloquin, Steven L. Pratt, Karl M. Rister, Andrew M. Theurer