Patents by Inventor Vern L. Watts

Vern L. Watts 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: 8200665
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program for reorganizing a database while concurrently providing access to the database for updates. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 8200664
    Abstract: A program for reorganizing information in a computer system while concurrently providing access to the information for updates. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 7502800
    Abstract: A method of reorganizing a database while concurrently providing access to the database for updates. In an exemplary embodiment of the method, an on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data. Tracked changes include the location in the original data-space where the change occurred and a flag indicting the type of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Publication number: 20090063553
    Abstract: A program for reorganizing information in a computer system while concurrently providing access to the information for updates. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. BEIER, Vern L. Watts
  • Publication number: 20090055448
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program for reorganizing a database while concurrently providing access to the database for updates. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 7146373
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described that use index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces referred to as data data-spaces to efficiently associate temporary information with data-elements in a data-space. An original data-space is divided into data-elements of fixed size, based upon application requirements for the resolution at which temporary information is to be associated with data in the original data-space. The relative base address of data-elements in an index data-space can be ascertained from the relative base address of their corresponding data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. Each index data-space data-element can be populated with a pointer to a data data-space data-element that can be populated with information relevant to the associated original data-space data-element. Index data-space and data data-space memory requirements are optimized to meet application requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 7085787
    Abstract: An on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data. Tracked changes include the location in the original data-space where the change occurred and a flag indicting the type of change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Publication number: 20040015468
    Abstract: An on-line reorganization facility (ORF) uses index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces, referred to as data data-spaces, to efficiently track and coordinate information about the data-elements in an original data-space operated upon by a reorganization process. A relative base address of a data-element in an index data-space can be derived from a relative base address of a data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. An index data-space data-element contains a location of a data-element in a data data-space that tracks change information related to a corresponding data-element in the original data-space. Tracked changes are later applied to the newly reorganized data-space to assure consistency and integrity of the data. Tracked changes include the location in the original data-space where the change occurred and a flag indicting the type of change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Publication number: 20040015469
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described that use index data-spaces that point to other data-spaces referred to as data data-spaces to efficiently associate temporary information with data-elements in a data-space. An original data-space is divided into data-elements of fixed size, based upon application requirements for the resolution at which temporary information is to be associated with data in the original data-space. The relative base address of data-elements in an index data-space can be ascertained from the relative base address of their corresponding data-element in an original data-space, and vice versa. Each index data-space data-element can be populated with a pointer to a data data-space data-element that can be populated with information relevant to the associated original data-space data-element. Index data-space and data data-space memory requirements are optimized to meet application requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 6539398
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accessing a database. A hierarchical database system is modeled into an objects framework, wherein the objects framework corresponds to one or more application views, database definitions, and data defined and stored in the hierarchical database system. The objects framework also provides mechanisms for accessing a relational database system, wherein the objects framework provides industry-standard interfaces for attachment to the relational database system. Transactions from an application program for both the hierarchical database system and the relational database system are processed through the objects framework using message queue objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard G. Hannan, Shyh-Mei Fang Ho, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 5933820
    Abstract: The system, method, and program product of this invention allows a database management system to internally use direct and indirect pointing to locate targeted data elements that are logically related to another data element or are a target of a secondary index. By using direct and indirect pointing, the number of steps involved in a reorganization of the database can be reduced. After a reorganization, the database management system does not go back, in a separate process, to update all of the direct pointers that have pointed to segments that have moved as a result of the reorganization. Instead, the direct pointer is updated, by using the indirect pointer, only upon a first reference to the targeted data element that has moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley Al Beier, Sidney Kornelis, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 5881379
    Abstract: The system, method, and program product of this invention allows a database management system to internally use direct and indirect pointing to locate targeted data elements that are logically related to another data element or are a target of a secondary index. By using direct and indirect pointing, the number of steps involved in a reorganization of the database can be reduced. After a reorganization, the database management system does not go back, in a separate process, to update all of the direct pointers that have pointed to segments that have moved as a result of the reorganization. Instead, the direct pointer is updated, by using the indirect pointer, only upon a first reference to the targeted data element that has moved. Each targeted data element has an entry in an indirect index where a unique identifier of the targeted data element is the key into the index. The indirect index has two direct pointer slots. Which pointer slot is used by the DBMS is determined by the odd/even reorganization number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley Al Beier, Sidney Kornelis, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 4751702
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for maintaining availability of a restartable data base system where continuity of service is guaranteed by having a loosely-coupled backup processor taking over processing of a degraded active processor. The backup processor continuously tracks the activities of the active processor to ascertain data set elements updatable by the active processor. Upon switchover, images of data set elements updatable by the degraded active processor are created in the buffer of the backup processor. By making references and updates to the images, processing of the backup processor can start immediately after switchover. Upon preventing the degraded active processor from making further updates, the backup processor writes the images back to the data base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1988
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harley A. Beier, Takeshi Fukumoto, Harrison Scofield, Vern L. Watts
  • Patent number: 4399504
    Abstract: Data resources are shared by applications executing on a plurality of central electronic complexes. Each complex of a pair includes a resource lock manager (IRLM) which maintains the hold and wait locks for applications executing on the complex and selected wait locks for the other complex. Selective communication of lock request information is controlled by hash tables maintained in synchronization in each IRLM, which denote the interest of each complex in each hash class of data resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald L. Obermarck, Jimmy P. Strickland, Vern L. Watts