Patents by Inventor William Leonard Mills

William Leonard Mills 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: 8095504
    Abstract: A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Access Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: William Leonard Mills, Robert G. McKenzie, Tom Butler, Alvin I. Pivowar
  • Patent number: 7917552
    Abstract: A method and system thereof for identifying records are described. Records on a node are distinguished from other records on the node by assigning each record a unique local identifier. When a record is moved from one node to another node, a unique global identifier is assigned to the record. A translation technique is employed to map the local identifier to the global identifier (and vice versa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Access Systems Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: William Leonard Mills
  • Publication number: 20100332450
    Abstract: A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: ACCESS SYSTEMS AMERICAS, INC.
    Inventors: William Leonard Mills, Robert G. McKenzie, Tom Butler, Alvin I. Pivowar
  • Patent number: 7836015
    Abstract: A method and system for fast synchronization of computer databases using coverage status. First coverage information of a first database and second coverage information of a second database are accessed. Using the coverage information from the two databases, it may be determined which data elements from the second database are more recent than corresponding data elements from the first database. Data elements from the second database that are more recent than corresponding data elements of the first database may be transferred to the first database. In this novel manner, synchronization of two databases may take place without comparing corresponding data elements between the two databases in order to determine if a data element has been modified. By this exchange of coverage information, it is possible to transfer only changed records, in one direction, allowing for a consistent synchronization method that is typically faster than prior art methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Access Systems Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: William Leonard Mills, Tom Butler, Robert G. McKenzie
  • Patent number: 7792794
    Abstract: A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: PalmSource Inc.
    Inventors: William Leonard Mills, Robert G. McKenzie, Tom Butler, Alvin I. Pivowar
  • Publication number: 20100036844
    Abstract: A first method includes requesting a modification of a data object within the data store using a first application process, establishing a read lock on the data object, initializing an object monitor adapted to detects changes to the data object and releasing the read lock, allowing other concurrent processes to write to the data object, wherein the object monitor detects if any of the concurrent processes overwrite the data object. A second method includes requesting a modification of a data object within the data store using a first application process, establishing a read lock on the data store, initializing a datastore monitor adapted to detect changes to the data store, reading all data objects in the data store and releasing the read lock on the data store, allowing other concurrent processes to write to the data store wherein the datastore monitor detects if any of the concurrent processes overwrite one or more data objects in the data store.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: ACCESS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Butler, William Leonard Mills
  • Publication number: 20100030802
    Abstract: Methods and systems to maintain data integrity across a plurality of devices by reducing or preventing dangling references are provided. In one embodiment, all data objects are provided with reference IDs enabling reference to an extant version of an object. In another embodiment, a global synchronization clock per synchronization node is used. Furthermore, in an embodiment, data integrity is enhanced through the use of snapshots during synchronization processes. In another embodiment, forwarding deletes is used to resolve conflicts in a synchronization process. In another embodiment, update ordering is employed to maintain data integrity when adding or deleting data objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: ACCESS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Butler, William Leonard Mills
  • Publication number: 20080301197
    Abstract: A method and system thereof for identifying records are described. Records on a node are distinguished from other records on the node by assigning each record a unique local identifier. When a record is moved from one node to another node, a unique global identifier is assigned to the record. A translation technique is employed to map the local identifier to the global identifier (and vice versa).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: PALMSOURCE, INC.
    Inventor: William Leonard Mills
  • Patent number: 7418466
    Abstract: A method and system thereof for identifying records are described. Records on a node are distinguished from other records on the node by assigning each record a unique local identifier. When a record is moved from one node to another node, a unique global identifier is assigned to the record. A translation technique is employed to map the local identifier to the global identifier (and vice versa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: PalmSource, Inc.
    Inventor: William Leonard Mills
  • Patent number: 7139748
    Abstract: A method and system for N-way synchronization of computer databases. Synchronization of computer databases is structured into three rounds, namely an agenda round, a query round and a report round. In the agenda round, a synchronization agent software module inquires of a common synchronization engine for updates to the agent's database and provides information as to the level of information in the agent's database. During a query round, a common synchronization engine may request information from databases with new information and distribute that database information to databases needing the new information during a report round. Multiple agents, each representing an associated database may participate a synchronization. In addition, various special purpose agents may also receive, provide and otherwise operate on synchronization information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Palmsource, Inc.
    Inventors: William Leonard Mills, Robert G. McKenzie, Tom Butler, Alvin I. Pivowar
  • Patent number: 6934710
    Abstract: A method and system thereof for identifying records are described. Records on a node are distinguished from other records on the node by assigning each record a unique local identifier. When a record is moved from one node to another node, a unique global identifier is assigned to the record. A translation technique is employed to map the local identifier to the global identifier (and vice versa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: PalmSource, Inc.
    Inventor: William Leonard Mills