Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Miller

Thomas J. Miller 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: 20160098224
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to storage allocation. In aspects, a hierarchical data structure is used to track allocation data for storage managed by a file system. The hierarchical data structure may have multiple levels with each level having data regarding a different granularity of storage. Portions of the hierarchical data structure may be locked independently of other portions of the hierarchical data structure. The hierarchical data structure may indicate that one or more portions of storage are for exclusive use by a directory. Extra space may be reserved in allocated space in anticipation of subsequent operations. Allocation requestors may obtain storage allocation from regions associated with different levels of the hierarchical data structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Patent number: 9293622
    Abstract: Re-emitting semiconductor constructions (RSCs) for use with LEDs, and related devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. A method of fabrication includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming on a first side of the substrate a semiconductor layer stack, attaching a carrier window to the stack, and removing the substrate after the attaching step. The stack includes an active region adapted to convert light at a first wavelength ?1 to visible light at a second wavelength ?2, the active region including at least a first potential well. The attaching step is carried out such that the stack is disposed between the substrate and the carrier window, which is transparent to the second wavelength ?2. The carrier window may also have a lateral dimension greater than that of the stack. The removal step is carried out so as to provide an RSC carrier device that includes the carrier window and the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Catherine A. Leatherdale, Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Xiaoguang Sun, Zhaohui Yang, Todd A. Ballen, Amy S. Barnes
  • Patent number: 9268643
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to querying and repairing data. In aspects, a component may detect that data on storage has become corrupted. In response, the component may request data from one or more redundant copies of the data and may determine which of the redundant copies, if any, are not corrupted. If a non-corrupted copy is found, the component may send a request that the corrupted data be repaired and may identify the non-corrupted copy to use to repair the corrupted data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Chesong Lee, Thomas J. Miller, Neal R. Christiansen, Matthew S. Garson
  • Patent number: 9218135
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to storage allocation. In aspects, a hierarchical data structure is used to track allocation data for storage managed by a file system. The hierarchical data structure may have multiple levels with each level having data regarding a different granularity of storage. Portions of the hierarchical data structure may be locked independently of other portions of the hierarchical data structure. The hierarchical data structure may indicate that one or more portions of storage are for exclusive use by a directory. Extra space may be reserved in allocated space in anticipation of subsequent operations. Allocation requestors may obtain storage allocation from regions associated with different levels of the hierarchical data structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Patent number: 9183246
    Abstract: A file system uses data integrity techniques that are a selectable attribute of a file system object. Some file system objects have integrity on for various accesses, while other file system objects do not. Different default settings can be provided for different file system objects. Such a setting for a file system object can be changed to and from having integrity on. Given a file system object with an attribute, the file system provides file system operations for which the data integrity operation used on the file system object depends on this attribute. Such operations include, but are not limited to, operations for changing the attribute, creating file system objects with such attributes, providing and changing default settings for such attributes, and writing data to and reading data from files, which use different data integrity techniques based on this attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: William Tipton, Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille
  • Patent number: 9151560
    Abstract: The present invention is for a firearm sound suppressor which is attached to the barrel of a firearm to reduce the noise and flash generated by the firearm. The firearm sound suppressor improves the dissipation of heat and provides a breach head on the end thereof for use as a ramming and breaching instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Spike's Tactical, LLC
    Inventors: James R Myers, David B Fricke, Michael Register, Thomas J Miller, III
  • Publication number: 20150223447
    Abstract: A kit for a reactionary turkey target includes a first component layer, a second component layer, means for attaching the first component layer to the second component layer, and a pair of rods. The first component layer has a profile shape corresponding to a head of game animal. The second component layer has a profile shape corresponding to a body of a game animal. The pair of rods is configured to be attached to the second component layer, for supporting the assembled reactionary turkey target in an upright position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20150199143
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to maintaining consistency in a storage system. In aspects, one or more objects may be updated in the context of a transaction. In conjunction with updating the objects, logical copies of the objects may be obtained and modified. A request to write the updated logical copies is sent to a storage controller. The logical copies do not overwrite the original copies. In conjunction with sending the request, a data structure is provided for the storage controller to store on the disk. The data structure indicates the one or more objects that were supposed to be written to disk and may include verification data to indicate the content that was supposed to be written to disk. During recovery, this data structure may be used to determine whether all of the object(s) were correctly written to disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Publication number: 20150178165
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to checkpoints for a file system. In aspects, updates to the file system are organized into checkpoint buckets. When a checkpoint is desired, subsequent updates are directed to another checkpoint bucket. After global tables have been updated for updates in the current checkpoint bucket, a logical copy of the global tables is created. This logical copy is stored as part of the checkpoint data. To assist in recovery, a checkpoint manager may wait until all updates of the current checkpoint bucket have been written to storage before writing final checkpoint data to storage. This final checkpoint data may refer to the logical copy of the global tables and include a validation code to verify that the checkpoint data is correct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Cargille, Thomas J. Miller, William R. Tipton
  • Patent number: 9053959
    Abstract: Semiconductor light converting constructions are disclosed. The semiconductor light converting construction includes a first semiconductor layer for absorbing at least a portion of light at a first wavelength; a semiconductor potential well for converting at least a portion of the light absorbed at the first wavelength to light at a longer second wavelength; and a second semiconductor layer that is capable of absorbing at least a portion of light at the first wavelength. The first semiconductor layer has a maximum first index of refraction at the second wavelength. The second semiconductor layer has a second index of refraction at the second wavelength that is greater than the maximum first index of refraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Jun-Ying Zhang, Thomas J. Miller
  • Patent number: 8994071
    Abstract: We have observed anomalous behavior of II-VI semiconductor devices grown on certain semiconductor substrates, and have determined that the anomalous behavior is likely the result of indium atoms from the substrate migrating into the II-V layers during growth. The indium can thus become an unintended dopant in one or more of the II-VI layers grown on the substrate, particularly layers that are close to the growth substrate, and can detrimentally impact device performance. We describe a variety of semiconductor constructions and techniques effective to deplete the migrating indium within a short distance in the growth layers, or to substantially prevent indium from migrating out of the substrate, or to otherwise substantially isolate functional II-VI layers from the migrating indium, so as to maintain good device performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 8996829
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to maintaining consistency in a storage system. In aspects, one or more objects may be updated in the context of a transaction. In conjunction with updating the objects, logical copies of the objects may be obtained and modified. A request to write the updated logical copies is sent to a storage controller. The logical copies do not overwrite the original copies. In conjunction with sending the request, a data structure is provided for the storage controller to store on the disk. The data structure indicates the one or more objects that were supposed to be written to disk and may include verification data to indicate the content that was supposed to be written to disk. During recovery, this data structure may be used to determine whether all of the object(s) were correctly written to disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Patent number: 8984233
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to error detection for files. In aspects, before allowing updates to a clean file, a flag marking the file as dirty is written to non-volatile storage. Thereafter, the file may be updated as long as desired. Periodically or at some other time, the file may be marked as clean after all outstanding updates to the file and error codes associated with the file are written to storage. While waiting for outstanding updates and error codes to be written to storage, if additional requests to update the file are received, the file may be marked as dirty again prior to allowing the additional requests to update the file. The request to write a clean flag regarding the file may be done lazily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Patent number: 8924356
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to checkpoints for a file system. In aspects, updates to the file system are organized into checkpoint buckets. When a checkpoint is desired, subsequent updates are directed to another checkpoint bucket. After global tables have been updated for updates in the current checkpoint bucket, a logical copy of the global tables is created. This logical copy is stored as part of the checkpoint data. To assist in recovery, a checkpoint manager may wait until all updates of the current checkpoint bucket have been written to storage before writing final checkpoint data to storage. This final checkpoint data may refer to the logical copy of the global tables and include a validation code to verify that the checkpoint data is correct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Cargille, Thomas J. Miller, William R. Tipton
  • Publication number: 20140337302
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to error detection for files. In aspects, before allowing updates to a clean file, a flag marking the file as dirty is written to non-volatile storage. Thereafter, the file may be updated as long as desired. Periodically or at some other time, the file may be marked as clean after all outstanding updates to the file and error codes associated with the file are written to storage. While waiting for outstanding updates and error codes to be written to storage, if additional requests to update the file are received, the file may be marked as dirty again prior to allowing the additional requests to update the file. The request to write a clean flag regarding the file may be done lazily.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Publication number: 20140304550
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to error detection for files. In aspects, before allowing updates to a clean file, a flag marking the file as dirty is written to non-volatile storage. Thereafter, the file may be updated as long as desired. Periodically or at some other time, the file may be marked as clean after all outstanding updates to the file and error codes associated with the file are written to storage. While waiting for outstanding updates and error codes to be written to storage, if additional requests to update the file are received, the file may be marked as dirty again prior to allowing the additional requests to update the file. The request to write a clean flag regarding the file may be done lazily.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Patent number: 8835963
    Abstract: Light emitting system (100), particularly, light emitting systems that utilize semiconductor wavelength converting regions (104), and methods of producing such systems are disclosed. The light emitting systems and methods of producing such systems seek to frustrate recombination of free carriers that are associated with wavelength converting regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Junqing Xie, Thomas J. Miller, Terry L. Smith
  • Patent number: 8793440
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to error detection for files. In aspects, before allowing updates to a clean file, a flag marking the file as dirty is written to non-volatile storage. Thereafter, the file may be updated as long as desired. Periodically or at some other time, the file may be marked as clean after all outstanding updates to the file and error codes associated with the file are written to storage. While waiting for outstanding updates and error codes to be written to storage, if additional requests to update the file are received, the file may be marked as dirty again prior to allowing the additional requests to update the file. The request to write a clean flag regarding the file may be done lazily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Publication number: 20140189428
    Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to querying and repairing data. In aspects, a component may detect that data on storage has become corrupted. In response, the component may request data from one or more redundant copies of the data and may determine which of the redundant copies, if any, are not corrupted. If a non-corrupted copy is found, the component may send a request that the corrupted data be repaired and may identify the non-corrupted copy to use to repair the corrupted data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chesong Lee, Thomas J. Miller, Neal R. Christiansen, Matthew S. Garson
  • Patent number: 8710533
    Abstract: Light emitting systems are disclosed. More particularly light emitting systems that utilize wavelength converting semiconductor layer stacks, and preferred amounts of potential well types in such stacks to achieve more optimal performance are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Junqing Xie, Thomas J. Miller, Xiaoguang Sun