Patents by Inventor William Preston

William Preston 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: 20100223440
    Abstract: A storage device has a storage medium and a processor. The processor is disposed within the storage device and is adapted to receive multiple commands as a command block over an interface. The processor is adapted to extract each of the multiple commands from the single block for execution on the storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: William Preston Goodwill, Thomas John Schwartzkopf, Robert H. Thibadeau, John Nestor
  • Publication number: 20100217977
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of security for a data storage device and in particular embodiments, an object based data storage device. In a particular embodiment, a system comprises an object based data storage device adapted to store objects received from a host The object based data storage device may be adapted to encrypt and decrypt objects without allowing access to an encryption key or decryption key from external to the object based data storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: William Preston Goodwill, Dave B. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20100177801
    Abstract: A temperature sensor is described that includes a base, a first set of posts attached to the base having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, a second set of posts attached to the base and having a second coefficient of thermal expansion, and two substantially parallel conductive plates forming a capacitor. The first of the conductive plates is fixed to the first set of posts and the second of the conductive plates is fixed to the second set of posts. Temperature changes cause the first set of posts and the second set of posts to elongate at different rates, thereby changing a distance between the conductive plates and therefore the resulting capacitance. A system and method are also described for determining resonant frequency associated with the sensor which correlates to the temperature at the sensor when multiple sensors are networked across a system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: William Preston Geren, Brian Kenneth Kormanyos, Kathryn A. Masiello, Gerardo Pena
  • Publication number: 20100052911
    Abstract: A system for tracking objects that include radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated therewith. The system including a structure substantially defining an enclosure, a reflective interior of the enclosure configured for the reflection of radio signals, at least one conveyor belt that transports the objects through the structure, at least one RFID reader panel inside the structure, wherein the at least one RFID reader panel transmits a radio signal into the interior of the structure such that the radio signal will reflect off of the interior of the structure to increase a probability that the RFID tags associated with the objects that enter the structure are read, and an operator terminal that receives and stores information regarding read RFID tags from the at least one reader panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Marc Rollo Matsen, Donald Dabelstein, David B. Blackwell, William Preston Geren, Arun Ayyagari, Kevin Yong Ung, Craig F. Battles, Jason Bommer
  • Patent number: 7657875
    Abstract: A system and method for collecting a plurality of metrics during a single run of a computer program. The mechanism of the present invention initializes a plurality of counters to count events associated with metrics of interest. The mechanism of the present invention then counts the occurrence of events associated with metrics of interest during a single execution of a computer program. When a branch has been taken, a trace record is generated for the branch taken, wherein the generated trace record contains a count of events associated with the metrics of interest for the branch taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Scott Thomas Jones, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Patent number: 7647457
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a processor for associating a data type with a memory location. The type is associated with a location by means of metadata that is generated and manipulated by hardware instructions that are typically generated by a compiler as it generates the other instructions that comprise the machine code version of a program. A determination is made as to whether a data value about to be stored is of the required data type for that location. The hardware indicates an error condition if the types do not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Robert Tod Dimpsey, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Patent number: 7640539
    Abstract: A system and method for collecting a plurality of metrics during a single run of a computer program. The mechanism of the present invention initializes a plurality of counters to count events associated with metrics of interest. The mechanism of the present invention then counts the occurrence of events associated with metrics of interest during a single execution of a computer program. Responsive to a determination that a counter in a plurality of counters has generated an interrupt, the interrupt is rerouted to an interrupt handler, wherein the interrupt handler generates trace records comprising trace information corresponding to the interrupt. The mechanism of the present invention then generates profiles for the trace records, wherein the profiles differentiate the trace records based on the metric type associated with each trace record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Scott Thomas Jones, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20090199565
    Abstract: An engine exhaust nozzle comprises a plurality of CMC staves attached to one or more support rings arranged axially. The support rings provide a circumferential load path between the staves and for attaching the exhaust nozzle to the metallic engine components. The staves are fixed to the support rings with a spacing intended to accommodate for relative movement due to the difference in CTE for the CMC and metallic components and due to thermal gradients through the wall thickness. The resulting apparatus is lightweight, relieves the nozzle of thermal stresses, and is easier to manufacture and repair.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: John Joseph Brown, William Preston Keith
  • Patent number: 7548989
    Abstract: A method, a system, an apparatus, and a computer program product are presented for loading LDIF ((Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Data Interchange Format) data into a directory. A single reader thread reads entries from an LDIF file; each entry is associated with a priority value, e.g., the priority value for an entry may be based on the number of delimiters in the distinguished name within the entry. Multiple loading threads concurrently add the entries into an LDAP directory in accordance with their associated priority values. The entries are added to the LDAP directory in an order of highest indicated priority to lowest indicated priority; entries that are associated with priority values that indicate equal priority are considered to be equivalent for the purposes of ordering the entries, so entries that have equal priority may be added to the LDAP directory in any order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Kean G Kuiper, Christopher Michael Richardson
  • Patent number: 7519961
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for averaging out variations from run to run of a computer program are provided. With the apparatus and method, call trees are generated for two or more executions of a build of a computer program. The apparatus and method perform a “tree-addition” operation in which the two or more call trees generated during runs of the computer program are added to one another to thereby accumulate statistics for each call in the call trees. These statistics may then be divided by the number of runs whose tree data structures are being accumulated. In this way, an average of the tree data structures is generated. In addition, any portions of the tree data structure that are due to asynchronous events are averaged out so that their relative affect in the resulting tree data structure is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Robert Tod Dimpsey, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Patent number: 7506330
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying differences in runs of a computer program that are due to changes in the code of the computer program. With the apparatus and method, call trees are generated for two or more builds of a computer program. The apparatus and method perform a “tree-subtract” operation in which the two or more call trees generated during runs of two or more different builds of a computer program are subtracted from one another to identify build to build differences in the execution of the computer program. From the resulting tree, portions of the runs of the different builds of the computer program where the resource utilization of the computer program has not changed are easily identifiable. Moreover, portions of the runs of the different builds of the computer program where there are improvements or regressions in resource utilization of the computer program may be easily identifiable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Robert Tod Dimpsey, Kean G. Kuiper, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20080281209
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device which comprises a light guide incorporating a Bragg grating. The apparatus also comprises a moveable wall portion which is coupled to the Bragg grating so that a movement of the wall portion causes a force that effects a change in strain of the Bragg grating and thereby effects a change in an optical period of the Bragg grating. A temperature related change in the optical period of the Bragg grating is reduced by a temperature related change in the force on the Bragg grating by the moveable wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: John William Arkwright, Simon Nicholas Doe, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Edward William Preston
  • Publication number: 20080229156
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a processor for associating a data type with a memory location. The type is associated with a location by means of metadata that is generated and manipulated by hardware instructions that are typically generated by a compiler as it generates the other instructions that comprise the machine code version of a program. A determination is made as to whether a data value about to be stored is of the required data type for that location. The hardware indicates an error condition if the types do not match.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, Robert Tod Dimpsey, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20080192230
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for pressure sensing. The apparatus comprises a light guide, a Bragg grating incorporated into the light guide and a moveable wall portion. The moveable wall portion has opposite first and second sides and is being positioned so that a change in pressure at one of the sides relative to a pressure at the other side will move the moveable wall portion. The moveable wall portion is coupled to the Bragg grating so that the movement of the moveable wall portion causes a force on a side of the Bragg grating. The force has a component that is transversal to the Bragg grating and effects a change in strain of the Bragg grating and thereby a change in an optical period of the Bragg grating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: John William Arkwright, Simon Nicholas Doe, Vinay Kumar Tyagi, Edward William Preston
  • Publication number: 20080168247
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a data storage device, and a security partition in the data storage device containing information defining a time period in which a user is authorized to access data stored in the data storage device. A method performed by the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: William Preston Goodwill, Thomas John Schwartzkopf, Robert Harwell Thibadeau
  • Patent number: 7386690
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a processor for associating a data type with a memory location. The type is associated with a location by means of metadata that is generated and manipulated by hardware instructions that are typically generated by a compiler as it generates the other instructions that comprise the machine code version of a program. A determination is made as to whether a data value about to be stored is of the required data type for that location. The hardware indicates an error condition if the types do not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Robert Tod Dimpsey, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart
  • Publication number: 20080105600
    Abstract: A hemodialysis apparatus includes: a dialysate-delivery system including at least one unit selected from the group consisting of (i) a dialysate-preparation unit, (ii) a dialysate-circulation unit, (iii) an ultrafiltrate-removal unit, and (iv) a dialysate-monitoring unit; and a user/machine interface operably connected to the dialysate-delivery system, the user/machine interface comprising a touch screen, the touch screen including a screen having (a) a target ultrafiltration display, (b) an ultrafiltration rate display, (c) a transmembrane pressure display, (d) an arterial pressure display, (e) a venous pressure display, (f) a dialysis fluid conductivity display, and (g) a dialysis fluid temperature display; and wherein at least one of the displays of the touch screen is selectable to adjust a setting displayed by the display, the setting used to operate at least one of (i) the dialysate-preparation unit, (ii) the dialysate-circulation unit, (iii) the ultrafiltrate-removal unit, and (iv) the dialysate-monito
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicants: Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare S.A.
    Inventors: Mark Connell, Robert Bedient, Raymond Elsen, Michael Hogard, Harley Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jean Long, Bruce Peterson, William Preston, Dalibor Smejtek
  • Patent number: 7363564
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one port for coupling signals to the apparatus, a mode selector for setting the apparatus to a normal mode or a debug mode, and a port control for controlling access to secure information in the apparatus through the port in accordance with the selected mode. A method for controlling access to the port is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Moss, Monty Aaron Forehand, Donald Preston Matthews, Jr., Laszlo Hars, Donald Rozinak Beaver, Charles William Thiesfeld, Jon David Trantham, William Preston Goodwill
  • Patent number: 7338694
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a laminate composite structure and a method for fabricating a laminate composite structure, wherein the laminate composite structure comprises a solid laminate and a composite sandwich structure. The solid laminate includes a bend having composite pins inserted there through. The composite sandwich structure is comprised of a core material sandwiched between top and bottom composite face sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Preston Keith, Joshua Andrew Chua, Buddhadev Chakrabarti
  • Patent number: 7328374
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a processor for checking assertions. A determination by the processor is made as to whether metadata for an assertion is associated with the memory location, in response to detecting a change in data in a memory location. The data to the assertion is compared by the processor, in response to the metadata being associated with the memory location. An error is generated by the processor if the assertion is invalid, with respect to the data. The processor checks the assertions for validity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William Preston Alexander, III, Robert Tod Dimpsey, Frank Eliot Levine, Robert John Urquhart