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).

  • Patent number: 8694823
    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: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chesong Lee, Thomas J. Miller, Neal R. Christiansen, Matthew S. Garson
  • Publication number: 20130340313
    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: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SPIKE'S TACTICAL, LLC
    Inventors: James R. Myers, David B. Fricke, Michael Register, Thomas J. Miller, III
  • Publication number: 20130325830
    Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations are to be handled as a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages operations consistent with transactional behavior. Logging and recovery are also facilitated by logging page data separate from the main log with a unique signature that enables the log to determine whether a page was fully flushed to disk prior to a system crash.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Robert G. Atkinson
  • Publication number: 20130311733
    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: April 29, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Patent number: 8541803
    Abstract: Disclosed re-emitting semiconductor constructions (RSCs) may provide full-color RGB or white-light emitting devices that are free of cadmium. Some embodiments may include a potential well that comprises a III-V semiconductor and that converts light of a first photon energy to light of a smaller photon energy, and a window that comprises a II-VI semiconductor having a band gap energy greater than the first photon energy. Some embodiments may include a potential well that converts light having a first photon energy to light having a smaller photon energy and that comprises a II-VI semiconductor that is substantially Cd-free. Some embodiments may include a potential well that comprises a first III-V semiconductor and that converts light having a first photon energy to light having a smaller photon energy, and a window that comprises a second III-V semiconductor and that has a band gap energy greater than the first photon energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 8510336
    Abstract: A transactional file system wherein multiple file system operations may be performed as a transaction. An application specifies that file system-related operations are to be handled as a transaction, and the application is given a file handle associated with a transaction context. For file system requests associated with a transaction context, a file system component manages operations consistent with transactional behavior. Logging and recovery are also facilitated by logging page data separate from the main log with a unique signature that enables the log to determine whether a page was fully flushed to disk prior to a system crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Surendra Verma, Thomas J. Miller, Robert G. Atkinson
  • Patent number: 8488641
    Abstract: Light sources are disclosed. A disclosed light source includes a III-V based pump light source (170) that includes nitrogen and emits light at a first wavelength. The light source further includes a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) that converts at least a portion of the first wavelength light (174) emitted by the pump light source (170) to at least a partially coherent light at a second wavelength (176). The VCSEL includes first and second mirrors (120, 160) that form an optical cavity for light at the second wavelength. The first mirror (120) is substantially reflective at the second wavelength and includes a first multilayer stack. The second mirror (160) is substantially transmissive at the first wavelength and partially reflective and partially transmissive and the second wavelength. The second mirror includes a second multilayer stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 8433865
    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: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Jonathan M. Cargille, William R. Tipton, Surendra Verma
  • Publication number: 20130075775
    Abstract: Light emitting systems are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Junqing Xie, Thomas J. Miller, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Publication number: 20130075774
    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: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Junqing Xie, Thomas J. Miller, Terry L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20130069038
    Abstract: Light emitting systems are described. Particularly, light emitting systems and light converting components utilized within these systems are described. The light emitting system and components are formed such that dark-line defects do not interfere with the light emitting system efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Terry L. Smith, Xiaoguang Sun, Junqing Xie
  • Publication number: 20130067270
    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: November 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Chesong Lee, Thomas J. Miller, Neal R. Christiansen, Matthew S. Garson
  • Patent number: 8350765
    Abstract: The present invention, as typically embodied, implements an energy source, a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a resonant cavity, and an electricity meter (e.g., voltmeter, ammeter, or power meter) to calibrate an electronic device. Firstly, the receiving antenna is calibrated based on measurement of power that has been generated and transmitted in known quantity, propagated through air, and received by the receiving antenna. Secondly, the resonant cavity is connectively situated between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna; the resonant cavity is calibrated based on measurement of power that has been generated and transmitted in the same quantity, propagated through the resonant cavity, and received by the receiving antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jerry Rosson Smith, Jr., Thomas J. Miller
  • Patent number: 8338838
    Abstract: An arrangement of light sources is attached to a semiconductor wavelength converter. Each light source emits light at a respective peak wavelength, and the arrangement of light sources is characterized by a first range of peak wavelengths. The semiconductor wavelength converter is characterized by a second range of peak wavelengths when pumped by the arrangement of light sources. The second range of peak wavelengths is narrower than the first range of peak wavelengths. The semiconductor wavelength converter is characterized by an absorption edge having a wavelength longer than the longest peak wavelength of the light sources. The wavelength converter may also be used for reducing the wavelength variation in the output from an extended light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Xiaoguang Sun, Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Terry L. Smith, Tommie W. Kelley, Catherine A. Leatherdale
  • Publication number: 20120259816
    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: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Cargille, Thomas J. Miller, William R. Tipton
  • Patent number: 8224780
    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 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Cargille, Thomas J. Miller, William R. Tipton
  • Publication number: 20120097983
    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: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: 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
  • Publication number: 20120097921
    Abstract: Disclosed re-emitting semiconductor constructions (RSCs) may provide full-color RGB or white-light emitting devices that are free of cadmium. Some embodiments may include a potential well that comprises a III-V semiconductor and that converts light of a first photon energy to light of a smaller photon energy, and a window that comprises a II-VI semiconductor having a band gap energy greater than the first photon energy. Some embodiments may include a potential well that converts light having a first photon energy to light having a smaller photon energy and that comprises a II-VI semiconductor that is substantially Cd-free. Some embodiments may include a potential well that comprises a first III-V semiconductor and that converts light having a first photon energy to light having a smaller photon energy, and a window that comprises a second III-V semiconductor and that has a band gap energy greater than the first photon energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Terry L. Smith, Michael A. Haase, Thomas J. Miller, Xiaoguang Sun
  • Patent number: 8148742
    Abstract: An LED is provided comprising two or more light-emitting Type II interfaces wherein at least two of the Type II interfaces differ in transition energy by at least 5%, or more typically by at least 10%, and wherein at least one of the Type II interfaces is within a pn junction. Alternately, an LED is provided comprising two or more light-emitting Type II interfaces wherein at least two of the Type II interfaces differ in transition energy by at least 5%, or more typically by at least 10%. The Type II interfaces may include interfaces from a layer which is an electron quantum well and not a hole quantum well, interfaces to a layer which is a hole quantum well and not an electron quantum well; and interfaces that satisfy both conditions simultaneously. The Type II interfaces may be within a pn or pin junction or not within a pn or pin junction. In the later case, emission from the Type II interfaces may be photopumped by a nearby light source. The LED may be a white or near-white light LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase
  • Patent number: 8148741
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided comprising a first potential well located within a pn junction and a second potential well not located within a pn junction. The potential wells may be quantum wells. The semiconductor device is typically an LED, and may be a white or near-white light LED. The semiconductor device may additionally comprise a third potential well not located within a pn junction. The semiconductor device may additionally comprise absorbing layers surrounding or closely or immediately adjacent to the second or third quantum wells. In addition, graphic display devices and illumination devices comprising the semiconductor device according to the present invention are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Thomas J. Miller, Michael A. Haase, Xiaoguang Sun