Patents by Inventor Thomas Abel

Thomas Abel 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: 7603436
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for capturing data from a population of device users with network access. A requestor may request a data capture. The requested data may include, for example, a geographical location or a desired subject matter. Devices capable of providing the requested data capture are identified and requested to provide the data. The devices may be identified based on location, capabilities, availability, etc. The data capture from the identified federated devices may be sent to the requestor. The data may be exchanged for a fee, determined by prearrangement or via an economic model such as a competitive auction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ruston John David Panabaker, Eric Horvitz, Gregory Baribault, Miller Thomas Abel, Feng Zhao
  • Publication number: 20090070303
    Abstract: A system for executing a query on data that has been partitioned into a plurality of partitions is provided. The system includes providing partitioned data including one or more columns and the plurality of partitions. The partitioned data includes a limit key value associated with each column for a given partition. The system further includes receiving a query including a predicate on one of the one or more columns of the partitioned data; and utilizing the predicate on the one of the one or more columns in a pruning decision on at least one of the one or more partitions based on the limit key values associated with the plurality of partitions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: THOMAS ABEL BEAVIN, SAURAJ GOSWAMI, TERENCE PATRICK PURCELL
  • Patent number: 7499917
    Abstract: Processing non-Boolean term conditions in database queries. A query that is a request for data in a database is received and includes at least one uneven non-Boolean term condition that spans multiple tables in the database. The non-Boolean term condition is split into separate portions, each of the portions providing a Boolean term that can be satisfied by accessing one table in the database. The separate portions are executed independently to find at least one data result in the database that satisfies the Boolean term of each separate portion, and the data result from each separate portion are combined into a final result that satisfies the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Terence Patrick Purcell, Thomas Abel Beavin
  • Publication number: 20090019040
    Abstract: Processing non-Boolean term conditions in database queries. A query that is a request for data in a database is received and includes at least one uneven non-Boolean term condition that spans multiple tables in the database. The non-Boolean term condition is split into separate portions, each of the portions providing a Boolean term that can be satisfied by accessing one table in the database. The separate portions are executed independently to find at least one data result in the database that satisfies the Boolean term of each separate portion, and the data result from each separate portion are combined into a final result that satisfies the query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: TERENCE PATRICK PURCELL, THOMAS ABEL BEAVIN
  • Patent number: 7461060
    Abstract: Methods for executing a query on data that has been partitioned into a plurality of partitions are provided. The method includes providing partitioned data including one or more columns and the plurality of partitions. The partitioned data includes a limit key value associated with each column for a given partition. The method further includes receiving a query including a predicate on one of the one or more columns of the partitioned data; and utilizing the predicate on the one of the one or more columns in a pruni.ng decision on at least one of the one or more partitions based on the limit key values associated with the plurality of partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Abel Beavin, Sauraj Goswami, Terence Patrick Purcell
  • Publication number: 20080215534
    Abstract: Techniques are provided that determine that a query includes at least one subquery that may be correlated or decorrelated. An internal representation of the query that represents the subquery in both correlated and decorrelated form is generated, wherein the internal representation includes at least one virtual table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Abel BEAVIN, Mengchu CAI, Yao-Ching Stephen CHEN, Hsiuying Yen CHENG, Fen-Ling LIN, Irene Ching-Hua LIU, Jerry MUKAI, Demai NI, Yoichi TSUJI, Li XIA, Ying ZENG
  • Publication number: 20080203330
    Abstract: A shielding assembly for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, such as an ion implantation apparatus, includes one or more removable shielding members configured to cover inner surfaces of a mass analyzing chamber. The shielding assembly reduces process by-products from accumulating on the inner surfaces. In one embodiment, a shielding assembly includes first and second shielding members, each having a unitary construction and configured to cover a magnetic area in the mass analyzing chamber. The shielding members desirably are made entirely of graphite or impregnated graphite to minimize contamination of the semiconductor device being processed caused by metal particles eroded from the inner surfaces of the mass analyzing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Cornel Danciu, Thomas Abels, Brian Good
  • Publication number: 20080125102
    Abstract: The present invention includes methods and technologies for defining and administering device manners policy (“DMP”), propagating DMP, reception and recognition of, and compliance with DMP. Such policy may be used to communicate to various mobile and other devices the “manners” with which compliance is expected or required. Similar to some of the social manners honored among people, such as with “no smoking” or “employees only” zones, “no swimming” or “no flash photography” areas, and scenarios for “please wash your hands” or “no talking out loud”, devices may recognize and comply with analogous “device manners” policy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Miller Thomas Abel, Shai Guday, Michael Sinclair
  • Patent number: 7378670
    Abstract: A shielding assembly for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, such as an ion implantation apparatus, includes one or more removable shielding members configured to cover inner surfaces of a mass analyzing chamber. The shielding assembly reduces process by-products from accumulating on the inner surfaces. In one embodiment, a shielding assembly includes first and second shielding members, each having a unitary construction and configured to cover a magnetic area in the mass analyzing chamber. The shielding members desirably are made entirely of graphite or impregnated graphite to minimize contamination of the semiconductor device being processed caused by metal particles eroded from the inner surfaces of the mass analyzing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cornel Danciu, Thomas Abels, Brian Good
  • Publication number: 20080120306
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for capturing data from a population of device users with network access. A requestor may request a data capture. The requested data may include, for example, a geographical location or a desired subject matter. Devices capable of providing the requested data capture are identified and requested to provide the data. The devices may be identified based on location, capabilities, availability, etc. The data capture from the identified federated devices may be sent to the requestor. The data may be exchanged for a fee, determined by prearrangement or via an economic model such as a competitive auction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ruston John David Panabaker, Eric Horvitz, Gregory Baribault, Miller Thomas Abel, Feng Zhao
  • Patent number: 7376646
    Abstract: Techniques are provided that determine that a query includes at least one subquery that may be correlated or decorrelated. An internal representation of the query that represents the subquery in both correlated and decorrelated form is generated, wherein the internal representation includes at least one virtual table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Abel Beavin, Mengchu Cai, Yao-Ching Stephen Chen, Hsiuying Yen Cheng, Fen-Ling Lin, Irene Ching-Hua Liu, Jerry Mukai, Demai Ni, Yoichi Tsuji, Li Xia, Ying Zeng
  • Publication number: 20080107037
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for determining reliability of data from a network or federated device. In one example, data from different devices in the network are compared and a relationship between the devices is determined. The reliability may be based on the relationship of the devices and/or similarity of data from the devices. In another example, reliability of devices and/or data from the devices may be based on a historical reliability of the devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott C. Forbes, Alexander Frank, Shai Guday, Miller Thomas Abel, Johannes Klein, William Jefferson Westerinen
  • Publication number: 20080087729
    Abstract: Technology for use with computing devices, particularly mobile devices and wireless networks supporting federation, enabling people, devices, systems, or the like to join together in electronic federations for purposes of voting or the like. The votes in such voting situations may be weighted based on various criteria associated with the voter, the subject of the vote, and/or other criteria relevant to the voting scenario. The technology also enables users to monitor a voting scenario in real-time and tailor their own voting or decisions or the like to the scenario, even as it unfolds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Dawson Yee, Scott C. Forbes, Shai Guday, Miller Thomas Abel
  • Patent number: 7185791
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for metering and dispensing powdered product into containers, including a storage chamber for receiving the product, an incrementally rotating filler wheel that has at least one metering opening, the filler wheel in a first position receiving product from the storage chamber and in a second position dispensing the received product to a container, and a closure element, which is disposed adjacent to the filler wheel and can be connected to the filler wheel in such a way that upon a motion of the filler wheel into its replacement position, the closure element is disposed below the storage chamber, to prevent the escape of product from the storage chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Lasser, Thomas Abel, Friedrich Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20070007053
    Abstract: An off-road emergency vehicle includes an operator compartment with an environmentally controlled atmosphere and wireless communication devices. The modified, extended all-terrain vehicle frame supports an enclosed equipment compartment having a top and sides. The equipment compartment is large enough to enclose a full-length stretcher for someone in need of care in an off-road area. The equipment compartment also contains a bench for an emergency technician and storage. The vehicle includes a secondary power source used to supply power to the lighting system and equipment of the equipment compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventor: Thomas Abel
  • Patent number: 6980981
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for selecting a join order for tables subject to a join operation. An estimation is made of a join cost to perform joins on permutations of at least two of the tables, wherein each join permutation indicates an order of joining the tables. A determination is made as to whether sufficient computational resources are available to perform a join cost analysis of further join permutations of the tables. If sufficient computational resources are not available, then a determination is made of a restricted subset of remaining join permutations of at least two of the tables for which join costs have not been estimated that is less than all the remaining join permutations. The join costs of permutations of tables in the restricted subset is estimated and the estimated join costs are used to select one join permutation of all the tables having a lowest estimated join cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Abel Beavin, You-Chin Fuh, Joseph F. Sinnott, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20040251281
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for metering and dispensing powdered product into containers, including a storage chamber for receiving the product, an incrementally rotating filler wheel that has at least one metering opening, the filler wheel in a first position receiving product from the storage chamber and in a second position dispensing the received product to a container, and a closure element, which is disposed adjacent to the filler wheel and can be connected to the filler wheel in such a way that upon a motion of the filler wheel into its replacement position, the closure element is disposed below the storage chamber, to prevent the escape of product from the storage chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Markus Lasser, Thomas Abel, Friedrich Herrmann
  • Publication number: 20030212701
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for selecting a join order for tables subject to a join operation. An estimation is made of a join cost to perform joins on permutations of at least two of the tables, wherein each join permutation indicates an order of joining the tables. A determination is made as to whether sufficient computational resources are available to perform a join cost analysis of further join permutations of the tables. If sufficient computational resources are not available, then a determination is made of a restricted subset of remaining join permutations of at least two of the tables for which join costs have not been estimated that is less than all the remaining join permutations. The join costs of permutations of tables in the restricted subset is estimated and the estimated join costs are used to select one join permutation of all the tables having a lowest estimated join cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Abel Beavin, You-Chin Fuh, Joseph F. Sinnott
  • Publication number: 20030038252
    Abstract: A shielding assembly for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, such as an ion implantation apparatus, includes one or more removable shielding members configured to cover inner surfaces of a mass analyzing chamber. The shielding assembly reduces process by-products from accumulating on the inner surfaces. In one embodiment, a shielding assembly includes first and second shielding members, each having a unitary construction and configured to cover a magnetic area in the mass analyzing chamber. The shielding members desirably are made entirely of graphite or impregnated graphite to minimize contamination of the semiconductor device being processed caused by metal particles eroded from the inner surfaces of the mass analyzing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cornel Danciu, Thomas Abels, Brian Good
  • Patent number: 6272487
    Abstract: The system, method, and program of this invention collects multi-column statistics, by a database management system, to reflect a relationship among multiple columns of a table in a relational database. These statistics are stored in the system catalog, and are used during query optimization to obtain an estimate of the number of qualifying rows when a query has predicates on multiple columns of a table. A multi-column linear quantile statistic is collected by dividing the data of multiple columns into sub-ranges where each sub-range has approximately an even distribution of data, and determining a frequency and cardinality of each sub-range. A multi-column polygonal quantile statistic is collected by dividing the data of multiple columns into sub-spaces where each sub-space contains approximately the same number of tuples, and determining a frequency and cardinality of each sub-space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Abel Beavin, Balakrishna Raghavendra Iyer, Akira Shibamiya, Hong Sang Tie, Min Wang