Patents Issued in October 24, 2017
  • Patent number: 9798466
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using a plurality of sub-buffers and a free segment list to allocate segments to a plurality of threads to use for writing data. Groups of threads are assigned to sub-buffers. At least one segment of data is indicated in each of the sub-buffers. The threads assigned to one of the sub-buffers write to the at least one segment indicated in the sub-buffer to which the threads are assigned. A free segment list indicates segments which are not indicated in one of the sub-buffers. In response to one of the segments in a containing sub-buffer comprising one of the sub-buffers becoming a full segment having less than a threshold amount of free space, the indication of the full segment in the containing sub-buffer is replaced with one of the segments indicated in the free segment list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Herve G. P. Andre, Juan J. Ruiz, Trung N. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9798467
    Abstract: A method begins by a storage unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN) executing transitioning storage of one or more groups of encoded data slices. The method continues while transitioning storage of the one or more groups of encoded data slices with the storage unit receiving a proxied data access request regarding an encoded data slice from another storage unit of the DSN. The method continues by the storage unit determining whether the other storage unit is an authentic storage unit of the DSN based on at least one of the encoded data slice, a previous version of the distributed agreement protocol, and a new version of the distributed agreement protocol. The method continues by when the other storage unit is the authentic storage unit, processing the proxied data access request to produce a data access response and sending the data access response to the other storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Manish Motwani, Jason K. Resch
  • Patent number: 9798468
    Abstract: Systems and methods dynamically manage replicas of data sets. A collection of data stores is used to redundantly store one or more replicas of one or more data sets. The replicas may be used to respond to read requests from multiple sources. Upon identification of a need to allocate storage space to a data object, space used by one or more of the replicas is allocated to the data object. Various parameters may be utilized in the selection of one or more replicas whose storage space can be allocated to the data object. The parameters may be based at least in part on characteristics of the one or more data sets relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Bradley E. Marshall, Tate Andrew Certain, Nicholas J. Maniscalco
  • Patent number: 9798469
    Abstract: A storage device includes a nonvolatile memory and a memory controller. The nonvolatile memory performs read, write, and erase operations. The memory controller operates in an operating mode where the memory controller exchanges a voltage signal, set to a reference voltage level within an allowable range, with the nonvolatile memory or receives the voltage signal from an external device. When operating in the operating mode, the memory controller optimizes an operating frequency of the nonvolatile memory depending on a voltage level of the voltage signal and a temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: YoungWook Kim, Kui-Yon Mun, Soong-Mann Shin, Jae-Sung Yu
  • Patent number: 9798470
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a non-volatile first memory, a second memory, and a memory controller. The memory controller is configured to store a plurality of translation information in the first memory and perform a first process in a case of starting. The translation information indicates a relation between a first address designated from the outside and a second address indicating a location in the first memory. The first process is a process in which the memory controller acquires the plurality of translation information from the first memory in an order of a storage location of the translation information in the first memory, and stores the plurality of acquired translation information in the second memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Tohru Fukuda, Shinichiro Nakazumi, Yoshihisa Kojima
  • Patent number: 9798471
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for improving performance of a de-clustered disk array by making statistics on a number and types of active input/output (I/O) requests of each of the plurality of physical disks; dividing the plurality of physical disks at least into a first schedule group and a second schedule group based on the statistic number and types of the active I/O requests of the each physical disk for a predetermined time period, the first schedule group having a first schedule priority, the second schedule group having a second schedule priority higher than the first schedule priority; and selecting, in a decreasing order of the schedule priority, a physical disk for schedule from one of the resulting schedule groups thereby preventing too many I/O requests from concentrating on some physical disks and thereby improve overall performance of a de-clustered RAID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Compnay LLC
    Inventors: Alan Zhongjie Wu, Colin Yong Zou, Chris Zirui Liu, Fei Wang, Zhengli Yi
  • Patent number: 9798472
    Abstract: A System, Computer Program Product, and Computer-executable method for managing cache de-staging on a data storage system wherein the data storage system provides a Logical Unit (LU), the System, Computer Program Product, and Computer-executable method including dividing the LU into two or more extents, analyzing each of the two or more extents, creating a cache de-staging policy based on the analysis, and managing cache de-staging of the LU based the cache de-staging policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Assaf Natanzon, Eitan Bachmat, Mark Abashkin
  • Patent number: 9798473
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method for increasing the write speed for data streams on storage volumes, such as RAID volumes, by delaying the extra operations associated with data protection when one or more data streams are written to the storage volume. Specifically, in response to a storage volume receiving a data block for writing to the volume, the storage volume determines whether the data block is part of a larger data stream. If the data block is part of a larger data stream, the data block is written to the volume, but the steps of creating volume recovery data is delaying until a period of low activity on the storage volume in order to maximize write speed for the data stream. When a low period of activity (e.g., below a threshold level) is detected, volume recovery data is created for the data block and written to the volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OWC Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Standing
  • Patent number: 9798474
    Abstract: Methods, computing systems and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include collecting, from a software-defined storage system including one or more computing nodes that are configured to provide a storage service, performance metrics for each of the computing nodes, and detecting, based on the performance metrics, a performance bottleneck in the software-defined storage system. In embodiments of the present invention, each of the computing nodes includes one or more software modules and one or more hardware components, and the performance bottleneck is either a given software module or a given hardware component. In some embodiments, detecting the performance bottleneck includes predicting the performance bottleneck. Upon detecting the performance bottleneck, a solution for the performance bottleneck can be determined, and the performance bottleneck and the solution can be presented to a user on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zah Barzik, Yaacov Frank, Tomer Goldberg, Amit Margalit, Rivka M. Matosevich, Osnat Shasha
  • Patent number: 9798475
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a controller writes data stored in a first data group of a plurality of data groups into a first block group of the plurality of block groups and writes data stored in a second data group of the plurality of data groups into a second block group of the plurality of block groups in a case where a first condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Kamimura
  • Patent number: 9798476
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention include a system, method, and computer program product for skewing expected wearout times of memory devices in an array are provided according to some embodiments of the present invention. In general, the method includes determining or receiving an amount of spare space to provide in an array of memory devices, allocating the spare space non-uniformly to the memory devices in the array, and skewing expected wearout times of the memory devices by controlling writing of data to the array according to the allocation of the spare space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steven R. Hetzler
  • Patent number: 9798477
    Abstract: A plurality of storage nodes cooperating as a storage cluster is provided. Each of the plurality of storage nodes has storage memory. Each storage node of the plurality of storage nodes is configurable to direct erasure coded striping of data of one of an Mode or data segment across the plurality of storage nodes of the storage cluster, with at least one storage node of the plurality of storage nodes having a differing amount of storage capacity of the storage memory from an amount of storage capacity of another storage node in the plurality of storage nodes. A method of storing data in a storage cluster is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Par Botes, John Colgrove, John Davis, John Hayes, Robert Lee, Joshua Robinson, Peter Vajgel
  • Patent number: 9798478
    Abstract: An operating method of a storage device and a nonvolatile memory device determine whether a nonvolatile memory device performs a program operation on at least one of a plurality of pages. Either a program time stamp table, managed with program elapsed times of the plurality of pages, or an update count of the program time stamp table is updated, based on the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Hwan Choi, Byungjune Song
  • Patent number: 9798479
    Abstract: The described embodiments include a computing device that performs operations for at least one of resizing or relocating a table in a memory in the computing device. In the described embodiments, the computing device includes at least one register storing a table base address indicating an original location of an original table in the memory and a table size indicating an original size of the original table in the memory. When relocating the original table, the computing device copies, using the table base address, some or all of the entries from the original table to a new table in the memory and then updates the table base address to indicate a location of the new table in the memory. When resizing the original table, the computing device updates the table size to indicate a new size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew G. Kegel
  • Patent number: 9798480
    Abstract: A memory system may include: a data storage unit comprising a first memory device through which data are inputted/outputted through a first channel and a second memory device through which data are inputted/outputted through a second channel, wherein each of the first and second memory devices comprises a plurality of blocks each having multi-level cells (MLCs); and a controller suitable for selecting a first target block among the plurality of blocks of a channel which includes a first victim block and selecting a second target block among the plurality of blocks of a channel of which does not include the first victim block, and separating data of the MLCs included in the first victim block on a level basis and copying the separated data into the first and second target blocks, respectively, during a garbage collection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Jeen Park
  • Patent number: 9798481
    Abstract: A memory system and operating method thereof are provided. The non-volatile memory array is configured to store data. The controller is coupled to the non-volatile memory array. The memory controller is configured to provide a special write operation to write the data in the non-volatile memory array before a board mount operation is applied, and provide a regular write operation to write the data in the non-volatile memory array after the board mount operation is applied. A read margin provided by the special write operation is larger than a read margin provided by the regular write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ming-Huei Shieh, Chuen-Der Lien, Chi-Shun Lin
  • Patent number: 9798482
    Abstract: A system and method for efficient and secure memory allocation in virtualized systems. A hypervisor receives, from a first virtual machine (VM), a message specifying a page of memory accessible to the first VM. The hypervisor determines that the page is not accessible to other VMs, adds an identifier identifying the page to a set of free page identifiers, and associates the identifier with the first VM. The hypervisor receives a page allocation request from a second VM, and in response attempts to locate an identifier associated with the second VM in the set of free page identifiers. Responsive to a successful attempt, the hypervisor allocates to the second VM a first page of memory corresponding to the located identifier, without clearing the first page. Responsive to an unsuccessful attempt, the hypervisor clears a second page of memory and allocates the cleared second page to the second VM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Red Hat, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Tsirkin, Henri van Riel
  • Patent number: 9798483
    Abstract: An approach for object storage power consumption optimization in a networked storage environment is provided. In a typical embodiment, a plurality of memory devices are organized into pods into which redundantly replicated objects are intelligently placed. At least one pod is activated in a read-write configuration, such that data written to the networked storage environment is written to this pod. At least one other pod is a deactivated pod, which has at least one designated memory device in a read-only configuration and a remainder of devices in a deactivated state. Requests for data contained in this deactivated pod are serviced by the designated memory device in the read-only configuration. In some embodiments, the activated and deactivated pods are rotated based on an event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Egan F. Ford, Michael J. Fork
  • Patent number: 9798484
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises: a programmable circuit unit comprising a partial reconfiguration unit; a storage unit used by each of logic circuits configured in the partial reconfiguration unit; and a control unit that controls a logic circuit that becomes an access destination, in accordance with receiving an access command, wherein the control unit compares an address space indicating the access destination of the access command with the signal that is output from the partial reconfiguration unit due to the partial reconfiguration unit being configured using circuit information included in the configuration data, and controls to set as an access destination the logic circuit configured in the partial reconfiguration unit outputting the signal matching the address space indicating the access destination of the access command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Kambegawa
  • Patent number: 9798485
    Abstract: Improved path management techniques for storage networks are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a processor circuit, a detection component for execution by the processor circuit to receive an advertisement of a set of paths for accessing a logical storage volume and determine whether the set of paths comprises an optimized path, and a modification component for execution by the processor circuit to, when the set of paths does not comprise an optimized path, send a first instruction to update a reporting nodes parameter for the logical storage volume to identify an owner node for the logical storage volume and a corresponding partner node. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: NETAPP INC.
    Inventors: Dean Kalman, Joseph R. Sunday
  • Patent number: 9798486
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of replicating a file system is disclosed. The method starts with receiving a source file system container map at a target storage system, the source file system container map including mapping between a source file system and containers containing data of the source file system. An active target file system container map is then created based on the source file system container map to map data of the source file system to containers of the target storage system storing the data of the source file system. The data corresponding to the containers mapping to the source file system are received. The active target file system container map is then populated as containers of the target storage system are populated with data from the deduplicated source storage system, wherein the source and target container maps are utilized in subsequent restoration of data of the source file system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventor: Pranay Singh
  • Patent number: 9798487
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a computer-implemented method for migrating a memory page from a first memory to a second memory. The method includes determining a first page size supported by the first memory. The method also includes determining a second page size supported by the second memory. The method further includes determining a use history of the memory page based on an entry in a page state directory associated with the memory page. The method also includes migrating the memory page between the first memory and the second memory based on the first page size, the second page size, and the use history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Jerome F. Duluk, Jr., Cameron Buschardt, James Leroy Deming, Lucien Dunning, Brian Fahs, Mark Hairgrove, Chenghuan Jia, John Mashey, James M. Van Dyke
  • Patent number: 9798488
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes moving data from an original, unmoved stride from an original array to target stripes of a target stride in a distributed array in response to a determination that all target stripes of the target stride are in a blank state indicating no data is stored therein, delaying movement of the data from the original stride to the target stripes of the target stride in response to a determination that any of the target stripes of the target stride are in an old state indicating unmoved data is stored therein, and moving the data from the original stride to the target stripes of the target stride after delaying and in response to a determination that all the target stripes of the target stride that were in the old state have switched to the blank state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chiahong Chen, Bo Cheng, Xue Dong Gao, David R. Kahler, Hai Bo Qian
  • Patent number: 9798489
    Abstract: An administrator provisions a virtual disk in a remote storage platform and defines policies for that virtual disk. A virtual machine writes to and reads from the storage platform using any storage protocol. Virtual disk data within a failed storage pool is migrated to different storage pools while still respecting the policies of each virtual disk. Snapshot and revert commands are given for a virtual disk at a particular point in time and overhead is minimal. A virtual disk is cloned utilizing snapshot information and no data need be copied. Any number of Zookeeper clusters are executing in a coordinated fashion within the storage platform, thus increasing overall throughput. A timestamp is generated that guarantees a monotonically increasing counter, even upon a crash of a virtual machine. Any virtual disk has a “hybrid cloud aware” policy in which one replica of the virtual disk is stored in a public cloud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HEDVIG, INC.
    Inventors: Avinash Lakshman, Srinivas Lakshman
  • Patent number: 9798490
    Abstract: A system method and program product for data replication comprising based on metadata, creating a mapping of pending IO to a logical storage medium and changing a mapping of the logical storage medium to tiered storage mediums to optimize the pending IO to the logical storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: Assaf Natanzon
  • Patent number: 9798491
    Abstract: A semiconductor system may include a plurality of memory devices corresponding to a plurality of channels, an address mapping unit suitable for converting addresses corresponding to provided external requests according to a selected address map among a plurality of address maps; a monitoring unit suitable for monitoring the external requests provided to each of the plurality of channels, and a control unit suitable for providing a control signal for controlling the address mapping unit to select an address map according to a result of the monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Kyung-Min Lee, Young-Suk Moon
  • Patent number: 9798492
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a buffer memory, a plurality of function blocks, each of which transmits to a request of access to the buffer memory, and accesses the buffer memory according to a response to the request of access; and a buffer management unit suitable for receiving the request of access, and transmitting the response to the request of access according to a status of the buffer memory, wherein the buffer management unit and each of the plurality of function blocks may communicate through a dedicated channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Kwang Jong Song, Dae Geun Jee
  • Patent number: 9798493
    Abstract: An interface receives a command corresponding to a non-volatile memory. The interface determines whether a bypass mode is enabled and whether the command is a medium-access command. A primary processing node processes the command in response to determining at least one of the following: that the bypass mode is disabled or that the command is not a medium-access command. A secondary processing node processes the command, in response to determining that the bypass mode is enabled and that the command is a medium-access command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn P. Authement, Christopher M. Dennett, Gowrisankar Radhakrishnan, Donald J. Ziebarth
  • Patent number: 9798494
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for pre-allocating storage space for an application operation in a space efficient volume. To transmit application requests to a storage controller managing a space efficient volume, a determination is made of an amount of space required for an application operation requiring a series of write operations over a period of time to the space efficient volume. A space pre-allocation request for the application operation is transmitted to the storage controller. The space pre-allocation request indicates a requested amount of physical space to pre-allocate to the application operation to cause the storage controller to pre-allocate the requested amount of space in advance of the application operation needing the requested amount of space in the volume for the series of write operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert S. Gensler, Jr., Lisa J. Gundy, Christopher J. Miller, Jeffrey R. Suarez
  • Patent number: 9798495
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for data unit classification in accordance with one embodiment of the present description, in which in response to a data processing command, a storage controller classifies data units of a storage unit as either allocated to a data set or as unallocated to any data set. If allocated to a data set, the storage controller can further classify data set-allocated data units as either containing client data or metadata or as empty. In accordance with one aspect of the present description, the storage controller may bypass data processing of the data units which have not been allocated to any data set or otherwise do not contain client data or metadata. Other aspects of data unit classification in accordance with the present description are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory E. McBride, David C. Reed, Michael R. Scott, Richard A. Welp
  • Patent number: 9798496
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a networked system are provided. One method includes generating an object by a processor for storing a plurality of data chunks at a storage device, where the object includes a header segment and a data segment, the header segment providing a first offset address where an uncompressed data chunk is stored within the object and a second offset address of the object indicating a beginning of a compressed group having compressed data chunks and providing an indicator of a compression group size; reading the header segment by the processor to retrieve the second offset and the compressed group size in response to a first request for a data chunk within the compressed group; and decompressing the data chunk of the compressed group by the processor and providing the uncompressed data chunk for completing the first read request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: NETAPP, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Daniel Varghese, Anil Paul Thoppil
  • Patent number: 9798497
    Abstract: Generating a virtual storage area network (VSAN) is disclosed. From the perspective of a customer's virtual machine, the VSAN is a logical network of storage devices that provide features that are typically associated with a physical storage access network, such as block level data storage; logical disk arrays; tape libraries; optical jukeboxes; quality of service; disk mirroring, backup and restoration services; archival and retrieval of archived data; data migration from one virtual storage device to another; sharing of data among different virtual machines in a network; and the incorporation of virtual subnetworks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Skytap
    Inventors: Bradley M. Schick, Bulat Shelepov, Nikolai Slioussar
  • Patent number: 9798498
    Abstract: A method of operating a memory controller includes allocating a new entry whenever a write command is input from a host; and transferring data corresponding to an entry in a specific state among a plurality of states to the host in response to a read command output from the host, wherein the plurality of states are a FREE state, a WRITE state, a WRITE OLD state, a READ state, a PEND state, a PEND OLD state, a CACHE state, and a DEL state, and the specific state is at least one of the PEND state, the PEND OLD state, or the CACHE state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Jin Cho, Seong Nam Kwon, Hyun Seok Kim, Jae Geun Park, Seong Jun Ahn, Mi Hyang Lee
  • Patent number: 9798499
    Abstract: A hybrid storage device that includes a hard-disk drive (HDD) and a flash memory is described. When control logic in the hybrid storage device receives a request from an external device to write a block of data to a logical address in a first portion of an address space that maps to the HDD, the control logic writes the block of data to the HDD. However, if there is a change in environmental state information of the hybrid storage device during the write operation, the control logic writes at least a portion of the block of data to a logical address for the block of data in a second portion of the address space which maps to the flash memory. Note that the address space may be common to the external device and the hybrid storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Khalu Bazzani
  • Patent number: 9798500
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include allocating to a higher-tier uniform distribution space an approximately equal capacity from each of a collection of physical disks of a common storage tier, wherein a tier of a physical disk indicates an importance of data to be stored on the physical disk and allocating to a lower-tier cold track space any portions of the physical disks not allocated to the higher-tier uniform distribution space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Michael J. Klemm, Anthony Floeder
  • Patent number: 9798501
    Abstract: Provided are an image forming apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an operation control program and an operation control method. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a server processing unit, and a group management unit that manages one or more of other image forming apparatuses each including a server processing unit as a first apparatus group, and manages one or more of other image forming apparatuses chosen as a second apparatus group. The image forming apparatus further includes a judgement unit that judges whether the image forming apparatus is in a state capable of executing processing at a processing request received, and a proxy execution control unit that, on judging that the image forming apparatus is not in the state, requests an image forming apparatus belonging to the first or second apparatus group for proxy execution of the processing, according to the kind of processing request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Kawano
  • Patent number: 9798502
    Abstract: To make a set of set values of a plurality of print setting items added in a first execution environment usable in a second execution environment as well, an information processing apparatus comprises: a first printer driver configured to operate in a first execution environment, and add a set of set values of a plurality of print setting items to a list; and an application corresponding to a second printer driver configured to operate in a second execution environment, and obtain the set of the set values added by the first printer driver and display the set of the set values as a choice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Omura
  • Patent number: 9798503
    Abstract: Example systems and related methods may relate to controlling a printing device remotely during real-time communication session. Namely, a system may include a first server and a second server. The first server may include an application configured to provide a user interface. The second server may be configured to communicate with the first server and a plurality of printer devices according to a data transport protocol. A request that includes a printer device identifier may be received by a controller. Based on the printer device identifier, a target printer device may be determined from the plurality of printer devices. A communication session may be established between the first server, the second server, and the target printer device. The communication session is configured according to the data transport protocol. The controller may be configured to control the target printer device based on the communication session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Zakharov
  • Patent number: 9798504
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit connectable to a print server system with a print service providing print data. The image forming apparatus includes a reception unit that receives a URL from the print service in response to receipt of a print instruction, the URL indicating a location where the print data is stored and receives the print data based on the received URL, and a transmission unit that transmits the received print data to the printing unit. The transmission unit starts communication with the printing unit in response to receipt of partial print data, does not disconnect communication with the printing unit before receipt of a remainder of the print data finishes, and disconnects communication with the printing unit in response to completion of transmission of all of the print data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Kitagata
  • Patent number: 9798505
    Abstract: A system and method of printing involves the use of mixed paper sizes in which the orientation of printing media can be selected to avoid a mixture of paper sheet orientations in the output document when auto tray selection has been selected by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA LABORATORY U.S.A., INC.
    Inventor: Randy Cruz Soriano
  • Patent number: 9798506
    Abstract: A method for scheduling a reload of a supply material in a printing system including a print engine capable of printing at a settable print velocity while using the supply material, a control unit for controlling a print job queue comprising at least one print job scheduled to be printed by means of a scheduling scheme while using the supply material, a supply material input holder for holding the supply material, and a user interface for interacting with a user of the printing system. The method includes determining a plurality of moments in time that the supply material input holder is empty, and simultaneously scheduling for each determined moment in time of the plurality of moments in time a reload event of reloading the supply material input holder with the supply material in the scheduling scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OCE-TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: William E. P. P. Hoeward, Roel W. A. Van Bakel
  • Patent number: 9798507
    Abstract: The display device receives first data, including a control instruction, encapsulated at an application layer by a first external device, matching a data protocol of a first dedicated link over the first dedicated link; and if the control instruction is a control instruction directed to the display device, then the display device performs a corresponding operation according to the control instruction; and if the control instruction is a control instruction directed to a second external device, then the display device transmits the first data to the second external device over a second dedicated link so that the second external device performs a corresponding operation according to the control instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: HISENSE ELECTRIC CO., LTD., HISENSE USA CORPORATION, HISENSE INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ke Zhu
  • Patent number: 9798508
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to providing direct access to graphical user interface (GUI) frame buffers and to associating input hardware with a login session. In one scenario, a computer system registers a plug-in software module with a remote desktop client. The registering includes requesting one or more frame buffers rendered for display on a computer system display. The computer system determines that a session has been established between a computer system user and the remote desktop client. The computer system then receives the requested frame buffers and displays the frame buffers on the computer system display and/or sends the received frame buffers to various registered third parties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: David Jaroslav Sebesta, Robert C. Elmer, Robert Wilhelm Schmieder, Michael Thomas Gahrns, Clark David Nicholson
  • Patent number: 9798509
    Abstract: An example system may include a communication interface; a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by the processor cause the server to perform of a set of functions. The set of functions may include determining an anticipated travel duration of a user of a client device, using the anticipated travel duration of the user as a basis to generate a playlist of a personalized news program for the user, and transmitting data representing the generated playlist to the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC
    Inventors: Venkatarama Anilkumar Panguluri, Venkata Sunil Kumar Yarram, Lalit Kumar, Raghavendra Sunku
  • Patent number: 9798510
    Abstract: Embodiments provided herein involve connected states between a mobile device and one or more zones in a network media system and different interactions between the mobile device and the network media system involving the connected states. The connected states may be established between the mobile device and the one or more zones such that further actions taken on media items identified in the playlist on the mobile device may also be taken on corresponding media items in a playback queue associated with the one or more zones. The interface on the mobile device may display various graphical representations to indicate the different interactions involving the connected states, including when a connected state is established, when a connected state is lost, and when a reconnected state is reestablished. The interface may further provide selectable icons to allow a user to navigate among the different media playback options involving the connected states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhishek Kumar, Robert Andrew Lambourne
  • Patent number: 9798511
    Abstract: An audio data transmitting method applied to an audio data transmitting device. The audio data transmitting method comprises: (a) receiving first audio data from at least one audio data source, wherein the first audio data follows a first audio format; and (b) outputting the first audio data from the audio data transmitting device without encoding or decoding the first audio data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventor: Pei-Lin Hsu
  • Patent number: 9798512
    Abstract: In general, this disclosure is directed to techniques for adjusting various types of volumes based on audio present in a currently executing application. A computing device not currently outputting audio for playback at an audio output device operatively coupled to the computing device receives an indication of user input to adjust a volume level. Responsive to receiving the indication of the user input, the computing device determines context data based on content associated with the currently executing application. The computing device predicts, based on the context data, a type of audio that is planned to be output for playback at the audio output device. The type of audio is one of many types of audio capable of being output for playback. The computing device adjusts, based on the type of the audio, a respective volume level associated with the audio type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander James Faaborg, Daniel Marc Gatan Shiplacoff
  • Patent number: 9798513
    Abstract: Content identification methods for consumer devices determine robust audio fingerprints that are resilient to audio distortions. One method generates signatures representing audio content based on a constant Q-factor transform (CQT). A 2D spectral representation of a 1D audio signal facilitates generation of region based signatures within frequency octaves and across the entire 2D signal representation. Also, points of interest are detected within the 2D audio signal representation and interest regions are determined around selected points of interest. Another method generates audio descriptors using an accumulating filter function on bands of the audio spectrum and generates audio transform coefficients. A response of each spectral band is computed and transform coefficients are determined by filtering, by accumulating derivatives with different lags, and computing second order derivatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: GRACENOTES, INC.
    Inventors: Jose Pio Pereira, Mihailo M. Stojancic, Peter Wendt
  • Patent number: 9798514
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for color beat display in a media content environment. A media device, operating as a client device, can receive and play media content provided by a media server, or another system or peer device. A user interface enables a user to select from a plurality of displayed media options to be played at the device, wherein each media option corresponds to a media content item, e.g., a song. During the playing of a selected media content, a visual display logic or component determines an audio beat, volume, or other characteristic of the playing media content, and uses this information to modify the visual display at the user interface, to match the audio beat, volume, or other characteristic, for example by synchronizing a variation in color, brightness, scale, transparency, or intensity of a particular region of the visual display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SPOTIFY AB
    Inventors: Ivo Silva, Joe Phillips, Stanley Wood
  • Patent number: 9798515
    Abstract: A method is provided for synchronizing clocks on a plurality of audio playback devices. The method includes receiving a broadcast/multicast acknowledgement packet from a synchronization agent at a first audio playback device of the plurality of audio playback devices. A first timestamp representing a time when the acknowledgement packet was received by the first audio playback device is recorded. A broadcast/multicast timestamp packet is received from a time server at the first audio playback device. The timestamp packet includes a second timestamp representing a time when the time server received the acknowledgement packet from the synchronization agent. A local clock time on the first audio playback device is updated based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp. The method enables clock synchronization among the plurality of audio playback devices for synchronized playback of streamed audio via the plurality of audio playback devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Paulo Souza Mendes, Michael William Elliot