Patents by Inventor Thomas Mittelholzer

Thomas Mittelholzer 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: 8988798
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for iterative read channel operation includes executing digital front-end (DFE) functions on signal samples employing decisions provided by a detector executing a detection algorithm, executing an error correcting code (ECC) decoding algorithm on the signal samples using a decoder employing the decisions provided by the detector to generate decisions provided by the decoder, storing the signal samples and the decisions provided by the detector and the decoder, and in an iterative process: executing the DFE functions on the signal samples employing the decisions provided by the decoder, executing the detection algorithm on the signal samples using the detector employing the decisions provided by the decoder to regenerate the decisions provided by the detector, executing the decoding algorithm using the decisions provided by the detector to regenerate the decisions provided by the decoder, and outputting decoding information when the decoding algorithm produces a valid codeword.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Sedat Oelcer
  • Publication number: 20150067331
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for performing remote data storage includes providing, by at least one client, files to be stored on a remote server, evaluating popularity of the files, and storing the files on the server in a form that depends on the popularity of the files. Files with a first level of popularity are stored in a deduplicated form and files with a second level of popularity are stored in an encrypted form, the first level of popularity being higher than the second level of popularity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Jens Jelitto, Thomas Mittelholzer, Slavisa Sarafijanovic, Alessandro Sorniotti, Jan Stanek
  • Patent number: 8972837
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for reading and writing data in q-level cells of solid-state memory, where q>2. Input data is encoded into codewords having N qary symbols, wherein the symbols of each codeword satisfy a single-parity-check condition. Each symbol is written in a respective cell of the solid state memory by setting the cell to a level dependent on the qary value of the symbol. Memory cells are read to obtain read signals corresponding to respective codewords. The codewords corresponding to respective read signals are detected by relating the read signals to a predetermined set of N-symbol vectors of one of which each possible codeword is a permutation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Mittelholzer, Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis
  • Publication number: 20150058696
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for providing header protection in magnetic tape recording is adapted to write a codeword interleave (CWI) set on a magnetic tape including a plurality of CWIs equal to a number of tracks, wherein a data set includes a plurality of CWI sets, provide a CWI set header for the CWI set, the CWI set header including a CWI header for each CWI in the CWI set, each CWI header including at least a CWI Designation (CWID) which indicates a location of the CWI within the data set, calculate or obtain CWID parity for all CWIDs in the CWI set header, the CWID parity including error correction coding (ECC) parity, and store the CWID parity to one or more fields which are repeated for each CWI header in the CWI set header without using reserved bits in the CWI set header to store the CWID parity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8964321
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic medium's readback signal samples are processed iteratively to provide dropout mitigation for a read channel by feeding the decoder output decisions back to the read channel front end where they are used to drive the decision-aided digital signal processing functions and control loops. Since data decisions provided by the decoder are typically more reliable than those provided by the detector, a significant performance improvement is obtained. A more reliable operation of the digital front-end signal processing functions in turn allows improvements to the reliability of the decoded data. Usage of Error Correcting Code (ECC) schemes that are soft decodable makes the read channel technique, described according to various embodiments herein, particularly efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Sedat Oelcer
  • Publication number: 20150046767
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for combination error and erasure decoding for product codes includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to receive captured data, generate erasure flags for the captured data and provide the erasure flags to a C2 decoder, set a stop parameter to be equal to a length of C1 codewords in a codeword interleave used to encode the captured data, and selectively perform, in an iterative process, error or erasure C1 decoding followed by error or erasure C2 decoding until decoding is successful or unsuccessful. In more embodiments, a method and/or a computer program product may be used for combination error and erasure decoding for product codes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8938665
    Abstract: A method for detecting codewords of a length-N, qary-symbol code, the symbols of each codeword stored in respective q-level cells of solid-state memory, where q>2, includes reading from memory cells storing a group of codewords to obtain respective read signals each comprising N signal components corresponding to respective symbols of a codeword. The signal components of the read signals are ordered according to signal level to produce an ordered component sequence. The ordered component sequence is partitioned to obtain segments corresponding to respective memory cell levels. Each segment contains a number of components dependent on predetermined frequency data indicative of expected frequency of occurrence of the corresponding level in use of the code. A reference signal level corresponding to each q memory cell level is determined in dependence on the signal components. The codeword corresponding to each read signal is then detected in dependence on the reference signal levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Mittelholzer, Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis
  • Publication number: 20150015982
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for selecting an optimum tape layout to store data on a tape medium may include a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to: select a family of data set layouts based on parameters associated with at least a tape drive and the tape medium, compute a set of all minimum distances for the selected family of data set layouts, calculate a first performance metric associated with each possible set of parameters, select a best first performance metric from all calculated first performance metrics and store a set of parameters associated with the best first performance metric, and select a data set layout algorithm which utilizes the set of parameters associated with the best first performance metric, wherein the data set layout algorithm and a rewrite layout algorithm combine to form an optimum tape layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer
  • Patent number: 8930798
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for encoding input data for recording in s-level storage of a solid state storage device, where s f 2. Input data words are encoded in groups of M input data words in accordance with first and second BCH codes to produce, for each group, a set of M first codewords of the first BCH code. The set of M first codewords is produced such that at least one predetermined linear combination of the M first codewords produces a second codeword of the second BCH code, this second BCH code being a sub-code of the first BCH code. The sets of M first codewords are then recorded in the s-level storage. If each of the first and second codewords comprises N q-ary symbols where q=pk, k is a positive integer and p is a prime number, the q-ary code alphabet can be matched to the s-ary storage by ensuring that q and s are uth and vth powers respectively of a common base r, where u and v are positive integers and k f u, whereby p(k/u)v=s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Evangelos S. Eleftheriou, Thomas Mittelholzer
  • Patent number: 8929014
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for integrating data and header protection in tape recording includes a processor and logic adapted to: provide a data array organized in rows and columns, each row of the data array including four interleaved C1 codewords (CWI-4), add a header to each row of the data array, each header including a CWI-4 Designation (CWID) which indicates a location of the CWI-4 within the data array, calculate ECC parity for at least one C1 codeword in each of the headerized rows, and modify the headerized rows to include the ECC parity, wherein each modified row includes four interleaved codewords, at least one codeword being a C1? codeword which includes ECC parity for a data portion of a C1 codeword and a portion of a header, wherein none of the CWIDs are split across multiple C1? codewords in a single modified row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8930803
    Abstract: A method for detecting codewords in solid-state storage devices. The method includes the steps of: obtaining respective read signals by reading memory cells that stores a group of codewords, where each of the read signals includes N signal components corresponding to respective symbols of the codeword; producing an ordered read signal by ordering the components of each of the read signals according to a signal level; producing an average read signal by averaging corresponding components of the ordered read signals; determining a reference signal level that corresponds to each of q levels of the memory cells in relation to the average read signal with predefined probabilities of each symbol value occurring at each symbol position in the codeword, where the symbols of the codeword are ordered according to the symbol value; and detecting the codeword corresponding to each of the read signal in relation to the reference signal levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Mittelholzer, Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis
  • Publication number: 20140380118
    Abstract: A method for decoding a headerized sub data set (SDS) according to one embodiment includes decoding a header from a headerized SDS to obtain a SDS. C1 and C2 decoding are performed on the SDS in a number of iterations based on a number of interleaves in each row of the SDS. A number of columns of the SDS are overwritten with successfully decoded C2 codewords. A number of rows of the SDS are overwritten with successfully decoded C1 codewords. A number of C1 and/or C2 codewords of the SDS are erased. Remaining rows and/or columns of the SDS are maintained as uncorrected. The SDS is output when all rows of the SDS include only C1 codewords and all columns of the SDS include only C2 codewords.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8910012
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for encoding data includes logic adapted for receiving data having one or more sub data sets, a C1 encoder module adapted for generating a plurality of C1 codewords during C1 ECC encoding of the one or more sub data sets, logic adapted for interleaving the plurality of C1 codewords into C1 codeword interleaves (CWIs), each CWI having a predetermined number of C1 codewords interleaved therein, a C2 encoder module adapted for generating a plurality of C2 codewords during C2 ECC encoding of the one or more sub data sets, wherein each C2 codeword has at most one symbol from each C1 codeword in each CWI, and wherein each C2 codeword has one symbol from at least two different C1 codewords in each CWI, and logic adapted for writing the one or more encoded sub data sets to a storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mario Blaum, Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer
  • Publication number: 20140355149
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic medium's readback signal samples are processed iteratively to provide dropout mitigation for a read channel by feeding the decoder output decisions back to the read channel front end where they are used to drive the decision-aided digital signal processing functions and control loops. Since data decisions provided by the decoder are typically more reliable than those provided by the detector, a significant performance improvement is obtained. A more reliable operation of the digital front-end signal processing functions in turn allows improvements to the reliability of the decoded data. Usage of Error Correcting Code (ECC) schemes that are soft decodable makes the read channel technique, described according to various embodiments herein, particularly efficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Sedat Oelcer
  • Publication number: 20140355151
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for integrating data and header protection in tape recording includes a processor and logic adapted to: provide a data array organized in rows and columns, each row of the data array including four interleaved C1 codewords (CWI-4), add a header to each row of the data array, each header including a CWI-4 Designation (CWID) which indicates a location of the CWI-4 within the data array, calculate ECC parity for at least one C1 codeword in each of the headerized rows, and modify the headerized rows to include the ECC parity, wherein each modified row includes four interleaved codewords, at least one codeword being a C1? codeword which includes ECC parity for a data portion of a C1 codeword and a portion of a header, wherein none of the CWIDs are split across multiple C1? codewords in a single modified row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Keisuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140359396
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for iterative read channel operation includes executing digital front-end (DFE) functions on signal samples employing decisions provided by a detector executing a detection algorithm, executing an error correcting code (ECC) decoding algorithm on the signal samples using a decoder employing the decisions provided by the detector to generate decisions provided by the decoder, storing the signal samples and the decisions provided by the detector and the decoder, and in an iterative process: executing the DFE functions on the signal samples employing the decisions provided by the decoder, executing the detection algorithm on the signal samples using the detector employing the decisions provided by the decoder to regenerate the decisions provided by the detector, executing the decoding algorithm using the decisions provided by the detector to regenerate the decisions provided by the decoder, and outputting decoding information when the decoding algorithm produces a valid codeword.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Sedat Oelcer
  • Publication number: 20140355147
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic medium's readback signal samples are processed iteratively to provide a slip-resistant read channel by feeding the decoder output decisions back to the read channel front end where they are used to drive the decision-aided digital signal processing functions and control loops. Since data decisions provided by the decoder are typically more reliable than those provided by the detector, a significant performance improvement is obtained. A more reliable operation of the digital front-end signal processing functions in turn allows improvements to the reliability of the decoded data. Usage of Error Correcting Code (ECC) schemes that are soft decodable makes the read channel technique, described according to various embodiments herein, particularly efficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Sedat Oelcer
  • Publication number: 20140347762
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a tape drive system includes a soft detector having logic configured to execute a first forward loop of a detection algorithm on a first block of signal samples during a first time interval, execute a first reverse loop of the detection algorithm on the first block of signal samples during a second time interval, execute a second reverse loop of the detection algorithm on the first block of signal samples during a fifth time interval, and execute a second forward loop of the detection algorithm on the first block of signal samples during a fourth time interval using second soft information. Other tape drive systems and computer program products for decoding data are presented in more embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Roy D. Cideciyan, Robert A. Hutchins, Thomas Mittelholzer, Sedat Oelcer
  • Patent number: 8897062
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for iteratively writing contents to memory locations are provided. A statistical model is used to determine a sequence of pulses to write desired contents to a memory location. The contents can be expressed as a resistance value in a range to store one or more bits in a memory cell. For phase change memory, an adaptive reset pulse and one or more annealing pulses are selected based on a desired resistance range. Reading the resistance value of the memory cell can provide feedback to determine adjustments in an overall pulse application strategy. The statistical model and a look up table can be used to select and modify pulses. Adaptively updating the statistical model and look up table may reduce the number of looping iterations to shift the resistance value of the memory cell into the desired resistance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew J. Breitwisch, Roger W. Cheek, Stefanie R. Chiras, Ibrahim M. Elfadel, Michele M. Franceschini, John P. Karidis, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Thomas Mittelholzer, Mayank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20140325296
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting N-symbol codewords.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Mittelholzer, Nikolaos Papandreou, Charalampos Pozidis