Slave Computer Locking Patents (Class 709/210)
  • Patent number: 7369902
    Abstract: A network system is constructed by connecting a safety PLC constituting a master unit and safety slaves 2 to each other through a safety network 3. The safety slaves each have a device information storage unit 25 for storing individual information and status information of the safety devices connected. The individual information is acquired and stored in advance, while the stored contents of the status information are updated based on the result of monitoring the status of the safety devices in operation. These processes are executed by a MPU 23. In response to a request from the safety PLC, the device information stored are transmitted, so that the safety PLC can collect and manage the device state as well as the normal state of the slave units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Teruyuki Nakayama, Toshiyuki Nakamura, Yasuo Muneta
  • Patent number: 7343432
    Abstract: Described is a distributed lock processing technique that may be used to coordinate access to globally accessed resource between endpoints using the connecting message fabric. Processors in a data storage system communicate using the message switch of the message fabric. Each processor is an endpoint within a data storage system. Each endpoint, prior to requesting a lock, dynamically determines a current lock owner of the lock to be requested in accordance with a determination of which endpoints are available as lock owners at the current time. The lock request is issued to the current lock owner with a requested time period used by the lock owner to determine an expiration time. The lock expires automatically at the expiration time even if the lock holder becomes unavailable. If the current lock owner becomes unavailable, a new lock owner is determined prior to the next request for that lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Brett D. Niver, Steven R. Chalmer, Steven T. McClure
  • Publication number: 20080034053
    Abstract: Multiple devices are automatically configured within a cluster through the use of exclusive file locks in a shared file system. The devices execute a process to determine the health of the enabled services and check for failed services. Actions are tailored based upon which services and roles are enabled for a specific device to maintain a relationship and sharing of information and data between the devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: APPLE COMPUTER, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Edward Dasenbrock, Gregory Bjorn Vaughan, Kazuhisa Yanagihara
  • Patent number: 7328263
    Abstract: A method of controlling concurrent users of a distributed resource on a network is disclosed. In one aspect, there are one or more local lock managers executing on corresponding hosts and cooperating as a distributed lock manager. The resource is limited to a maximum number of concurrent users. A user identification for each user is associated with one host. In response to a request associated with a particular user associated with a first host, a lock is requested from a first local lock manager process executing on the first host. A related method of handling a request for a count-limited resource includes receiving a request from a client process for the computer resource. If it is determined that the request exceeds a maximum count for the resource, then it is determined whether a current time is within a retry time period of the client's first request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shahrokh Sadjadi
  • Patent number: 7283621
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and structures are discussed that enhance media processing. One aspect of the present invention includes a data structure to enhance media processing. The data structure includes a terminal data structure to instantiate terminal objects and a speech recognition terminal data structure that extends the terminal data structure. Another aspect of the present invention includes a data structure to enhance media processing. This data structure includes a terminal data structure to instantiate terminal objects and a speech generation terminal data structure that extends the terminal data structure. These data structures may be used to implement an internet protocol interactive voice response system, an internet protocol unified message system, and speech-enabled Web applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Mary Michelle Quinton
  • Patent number: 7257619
    Abstract: An interlocking architecture for a software interface and a bar code scanner. Upon power-up, a handshaking operation is performed between a scanner (1600) having a scanner processor (2600) and a computer processor (2612) of a computer (302) based upon the code stored in the NV memory (2602) of the scanner (1600) and a unique code associated with the software interface running on the computer (302). A wedge (1608) is provided as an interface mechanism for the scanner (1600) and a keyboard (1610) to a keyboard port (2500) of the computer (302). The handshaking occurs through the wedge (1608) via a keyboard interface (2610) to the processor (2600) such that a successful handshake directs the processor (2600) to engage a switch (2604) which enables power to a sensing head (2606) for read optically encoded information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: LV Partners, LP
    Inventor: Jeffry Jovan Philyaw
  • Patent number: 7254452
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlling a system that operates responsive to a plurality of input control signals are disclosed. During operation the system generates a plurality of output status/control signals. A master controller has at least first and second controllers. The first controller outputs and inputs signals over a first communication path, and the second controller outputs and inputs signals over a second communication path. The first and second controllers output signals based on input signals received over the first and second communication paths, respectively, and also based on stored control data. A plurality of input/output modules are provided. Each of the input/output modules has first and second slave controllers. The first slave controller of each of the input/output modules inputs and outputs signals over the first communication path to the first controller, and the second slave controller outputs and inputs signals over the second communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: EI Electronics LLC
    Inventors: Karl A. Davlin, Adel George Tannous, Alan R. Loudermilk
  • Patent number: 7248603
    Abstract: A system and method for converting code associated with synchronous method calls to code that can be employed to perform asynchronous method calls and for supporting such asynchronous method calls is provided. The system includes a pattern generator that can break code for a synchronous method call into one or more constituent parts including a begin asynchronous operation method, an end asynchronous operation method, an asynchronous call state object and an asynchronous call result object. The system includes a pattern data store that holds data associated with converting a synchronous method call to an asynchronous method call, which facilitates employing the system consistently across environments like file input/output, stream input/output, socket input/output, networking, remoting channels, proxies, web forms, web services and messaging message queues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brian M. Grunkemeyer, Jonathan C. Hawkins, Christopher W. Brumme, Gopala Krishna R. Kakivaya, Lance E. Olson, Dmitry Robsman, Henry L. Sanders, II
  • Patent number: 7246052
    Abstract: The system simulator comprises master simulators 1f, 1s, 2f and 2s for simulating a bus master, a slave simulator L for simulating a bus slave, a function manager F for sequentially actuating the master simulator and the slave simulator by using a function call and a thread manager S for actuating the master simulator by using a thread switching. When the master simulator activated by using the function call from the function manager accesses the slave simulator and an access blocking is caused, the master simulator controls the thread manager such that the master simulator is activated by using the thread switching carried out by the thread manager. Thus, it is possible to carry out the simulation at a high speed without getting into a dead lock state caused by the access blocking and without changing the simulator for simulating a conventional bus master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Shamoto, Masahiro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7243131
    Abstract: A personal computer that is a controller transmits a reserve request for reserving a remote control. An MD recorder/player that is a target sets a reserve mode corresponding to the reserve request. The MD recorder/player prohibits another controller from performing a remote control by another controller. In addition, the MD recorder/player prohibits local key operations other than reproduction keys, a stop key, and an eject key. Thus, only the personal computer can perform an operation control for updating management information of the MD recorder/player. Thus, a mismatch of management information due to a remote control of another controller and a local key operation can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiraku Inoue
  • Patent number: 7236974
    Abstract: A multi-level locking hierarchy for a relational database includes a locking level applied to a multi-dimensionally clustering table, a locking level applied to blocks within the table, and a locking level applied to rows within the blocks. The hierarchy leverages the multi-dimensional clustering of the table data for efficiency and to reduce lock overhead. Data is normally locked in order of coarser to finer granularity to limit deadlock. When data of finer granularity is locked, data of coarser granularity containing the finer granularity data is also locked. Block lock durations may be employed to ensure that a block remains locked if any contained row remains locked. Block level lock attributes may facilitate detection of at least one of a concurrent scan and a row deletion within a block. Detection of the emptying of a block during a scan of the block may bar scan completion in that block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bishwaranjan Bhattacharjee, Leslie A. Cranston, Matthew A. Huras, Timothy R. Malkemus, Catherine S. McArthur, Sriram K. Padmanabhan, Michael J. Winer
  • Patent number: 7228547
    Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and program for enabling access to a plurality of services. A plurality of service class implementations is provided for services from different vendors, wherein each service class implementation provides an implementation of methods and objects from a same abstract service class. A service object is constructed for one service in response to at least one called method from one of the service class implementations. The service object includes information on resources of the service. Method calls are received from one service class implementation requesting information on service resources for one named service. The requested information is accessed from the service object for the named service to return to the method call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Tsu-I Yaung
  • Patent number: 7197585
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing the execution on guest processors of a broadcast instruction requiring a corresponding operation on other processors of a guest machine. Each of a plurality of processors on an information handling system is operable either as a host processor under the control of a host program executing on a host machine or as a guest processor under the control of a guest program executing on a guest machine. The guest machine is defined by the host program executing on the host machine and contains a plurality of such guest processors forming a guest multiprocessing configuration. A lock is defined for the guest machine containing an indication of whether it is being held by a host lock holder from the host program and a count of the number of processors holding the lock as guest lock holders. Upon decoding a broadcast instruction executing on a processor operating as a guest processor, the lock is tested to determine whether it is being held by a host lock holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mark S. Farrell, Charles W. Gainey, Jeffrey P. Kubala, Damian L. Osisek
  • Patent number: 7155516
    Abstract: A system for managing packets incoming to a data router has a local packet memory (LPM) mapped into pre-configured memory units, to store packets for processing, an external packet memory (EPM), a first storage system to store packets in the LPM, and a second storage system to store packets in the EPM. The system is characterized in that the first storage system attempts to store all incoming packets in the LPM, and for those packets that are not compatible with the LPM, relinquishes control to the second system, which stores the LPM-incompatible packets in the EPM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: MIPS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Enrique Musoll, Stephen Melvin, Mario Nemirovsky
  • Patent number: 7152125
    Abstract: A computing system having expansion modules. One of the expansion modules is identified as a master module. The other modules act as slaves to the master module. The central processing unit routes a task to either the master module for portioning out or to all of the expansion modules. The master module then receives completion signals from all of the active slave modules and then provides only one interrupt to the central processing unit for that task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: John I. Garney, Robert J. Royer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7137028
    Abstract: A method and system provides an increased robustness and protection against the occurrence of soft errors in parallel connect functional redundancy checking processors. This is achieved by predicting in advance the likely occurrence of a soft error and its impact on the resulting instruction flow and using already existing circuit implementations to hide the transient error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald O. Smith
  • Patent number: 7120505
    Abstract: A safety network system is constructed by connecting a safety PLC to a safety slave through a safety network. The safety slave obtains safety input informations from a plurality of safety devices connected thereto and transmits information based on the plurality of safety input informations in response to a request from the safety PLC. At this time, the safety slave determines whether or not a safety condition is satisfied based on the plurality of safety input informations, includes two notification modes, that is, a result notification mode in which a result of determination of safety determined by the above determination is transmitted and a detailed information mode in which the plurality of safety input informations are transmitted as they are as aggregated data, and returns a safety response in any of the modes according to a command from the safety PLC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nakamura, Yasuo Muneta
  • Patent number: 7110830
    Abstract: A microprocessor system includes a plurality of modules, among them a microprocessor and at least one storage module for storing the code and/or data for the microprocessor. Stored, in a non-changeable manner, in at least one of the modules, referred to as exchange-protected module, is a serial number of this module. A control module is configured to receive a data value specified by the at least one serial number and to block, at least partially, the function of the microprocessor system if the received data value does not match an expected data value encoded in the control module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Weber, Klaus Schneider, Axel Aue
  • Patent number: 7093230
    Abstract: A distributed data system may include a plurality of nodes one or more of which may include at least one multi-threaded process operable to access portions of distributed data. A lock mechanism may grant locks to the multi-threaded processes for portions of the distributed data. Only a process holding a lock may access a portion corresponding to the lock. Threads of other processes may not access the portion. A process may include a lock management thread pool dedicated to managing locks for portions of the distributed data for access by other threads of the process. Each lock management thread of the lock management thread pool may request a lock for a portion of distributed data on behalf of the process. The process may hold one or more locks for portions of distributed data corresponding to one or more lock management threads of the lock management thread pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandhya E, Ajay Kumar, Venugopal Rao K
  • Patent number: 7085867
    Abstract: Methods and associated structures for transparently mapping SCSI2 reservation protocol exchanges into corresponding SCSI3 reservation protocol exchanges. A mapping element may be operable within host systems that support SCSI2 reservation protocols. The mapping element intercepts and translates SCSI2 reservation exchanges into corresponding SCSI3 reservation protocol exchanges. The mapped exchanges may then be forwarded to a SCSI3 based storage subsystem to permit such an updated storage subsystem to appropriately interact with a cluster of host systems. The cluster of host systems may then be comprised of a heterogeneous mix of SCSI2 and SCSI3 based host applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventor: Yanling Qi
  • Patent number: 7062750
    Abstract: A system and method in which a remote network source maintains source code and symbol files for debugging purposes with automatic downloading of the correct files when they are needed. Files are remotely maintained based on unique data associated with that file (unique parameters) that are independent of the product name, release and/or build number. Such data includes time / date stamp information and file size, or signature and age data. When a given file is needed, such as to debug an executable code module, a symbol server at the client constructs a path (e.g., URL) to the needed file based on the unique information from the corresponding executable file, whereby the correct symbol file is accessed. Via that symbol file, the correct source file may be located and accessed. Security via authentication and access control lists may control access to the files, and authentication may be automatic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mark David Whidby, Pat Styles, Barbara Lynne Kess, Andre F. Vachon, Mohammad Jazayeri, Danial George Neault, Douglas Seth Laundry
  • Patent number: 7050860
    Abstract: The safe PLC1 and the safe slaves 2 are connected with each other via the safe network 3. The safe PLC has the function of transmitting a request of safety information by broadcast message to the safe slaves. The safe slaves are each provided with a safety information transmission function for transmitting safety information indicative of whether the safe slave is in a safe condition or not; and a changing function for changing a priority of a transmission frame which carries the safety information. As a result, when the safe slaves send back safe responses at once in response to the broadcast message, safety information (danger) with a higher priority is transmitted ahead of others to the safe PLC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuo Muneta, Toshiyuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7013339
    Abstract: A method to control a network device in a network comprising several devices includes a first controller that operates to prevent another controller from performing an unwanted overtaking of a network device that is currently controlled by the first controller. In one embodiment, the first controller has the ability to reserve a controllable network device to thereby become its primary controller, so that the first controller may maintain control over the controllable network device against control demands of other controllers present in the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Andreas Schwager
  • Patent number: 7003309
    Abstract: A communication system has a master device and a slave device clocked by the system clock generated by the master device for data transfer between them. When no data transfer takes place between them for a predetermined period, the slave device goes into a sleep mode. The slave device in the sleep mode can return to the active mode when it receives a system clock. Thus, the slave device can be placed in the sleep mode and return to the active mode without any additional signal lines. The communication system can save a large amount of power during the sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Suzuki, Hiroshi Miura
  • Patent number: 7000046
    Abstract: An apparatus for and method of implementing a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity cluster instruction processors which are managed by a highly scalable, off the shelf communication processor. Because the commodity processors have virtually no system viability features such as memory protection, failure recovery, etc., the communication processor assumes the responsibility for providing these functions. The low cost of the commodity cluster instruction processors makes the system almost linearly scalable. Furthermore, having a fully scalable communication processor ensures a completely scalable system. The cluster/locking, caching, and mass storage accessing functions are fully integrated into a single hardware platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas P. Cooper, Carl R. Crandall, Thomas N. DeVries, Michael J. Heideman, Craig B. Johnson, David A. Novak, Michael C. Otto, Haeng D. Park
  • Patent number: 6996672
    Abstract: A system and method for replicating data between a plurality of storage locations. Each storage location has a controller with a port to a data communication network and a pool of storage. A logical unit (LUN) of storage is implemented at each storage location such that each implemented LUN comprises a substantially complete replica of the data stored in each other LUN. At least two of the controllers at the plurality of storage locations present their implemented LUN as an active device to the one or more host systems for receiving operational data access requests. Preferably, there are three or more storage locations in the system. Preferably, there are three or more storage locations in the system and each storage location can behave as a source location or a destination location for a particular operational data transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development, L.P.
    Inventors: Clark Lubbers, Susan Elkington, Randy Hess, Stephen J. Sicola, James McCarty, Anuja Korgaonkar, Jason Leveille
  • Patent number: 6981061
    Abstract: In a system where a plurality of mobile terminals shares a data of the server, upon issuing an update request data of server from the mobile terminals, without depending on the stability of the communication method used by the mobile terminals, a fair data updating becomes possible which only relies on an issuing order of the update request. In the present system, the clock module is provided to all the mobile terminals and the server having a synchronized time. The mobile terminal adds the update request issuing time obtained from the timing module to the update request data upon issuing the update request data, and the update request data is repeatedly sent until the server receives it. During the repeated transmission, an issuing time attached to the update request is identical to the original issuing time, and the server processes the data update request received within the update request reception period in an order of the issuing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Sakakura
  • Patent number: 6966059
    Abstract: A system and method for providing automated low bandwidth updates of computer anti-virus application components is described. Components of one or more deployed computer anti-virus applications requiring updating are periodically identified. Each updated computer anti-virus application component is pulled from a component repository on a centralized component server by a replicator. Each out-of-date computer anti-virus application component is updated. The one or more updated computer anti-virus application components for the computer anti-virus applications are pushed to superagents. The updated computer anti-virus application components to the deployed computer anti-virus applications are multicast to agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: McAfee, Inc.
    Inventors: Satish Shetty, Harvir Singh, Michael Bacus
  • Patent number: 6912578
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for improving the utilization of a resource in a shared client computer environment. The invention overcomes the problem inherent in using traditional computer programs on a shared client, by monitoring the status of an application, determining when an application does not need a resource, and causing the application to stop consuming the resource. In one embodiment, resource consumption is not halted, but the application is caused to use less of the resource. The invention detects when a user has stopped interaction with an application. This can occur, for instance, when the user removes an identifier from the end user terminal. When the user interaction stops, the invention has a mechanism to stop a program from consuming resources (or to reduce its resource usage) and to restart it (or return it to its original state) later.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: James G. Hanko, J. Duane Northcutt, Gerard A. Wall
  • Patent number: 6886064
    Abstract: In a computer system having a logical-partitioned server, each partition of the server is provided with its own separate lock and access corridor, in addition to a global lock. When the locking of a partition lock is followed by the locking of the global lock, the system is serialized. The partition locks are controlled by system firmware on behalf of an OS isolating each partition; however, the global lock is controlled by the system firmware to be unlocked independent of the lock/unlock status of the partition locks. In this manner, the ability or inability of an OS that issued a machine check interrupt to unlock its partition lock after the machine check analysis is complete is irrelevant; once the machine check analysis is complete, the system firmware unlocks the global lock, giving other partitions access to shared system resources to run their own machine checks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: George John Dawkins, Prakash Vinodrai Desai, Van Hoa Lee, Gordon D. McIntosh
  • Patent number: 6871209
    Abstract: A transaction manager facilitates modification and maintenance of data used to provide information regarding computer communications between computer systems. The transaction manager uses a manager file that contains transaction codes-attribute strings and corresponding action values. The transaction code-attribute strings can include mask characters that act as substitution values. When a transaction takes place requiring information regarding a particular attribute of that transaction be sent, the transaction manager consults the manager file to obtain the action value corresponding to the transaction and attribute, or the transaction code-attribute string containing mask characters that can be substituted for the transaction and attribute. The transaction manager performs the action associated with the action value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corp.
    Inventors: Mark A. Kirkpatrick, Darin J. Morrow, John A. Strohmeyer
  • Patent number: 6862668
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for using cache coherency locking to facilitate on-line volume expansion in a multi-controller storage device. A volume set is divided into segments by a first controller. The first controller acquires a cache lock for one of the segments of the volume set to be expanded. A second controller is provided access to any non-cache-locked segments of data during the expansion while safeguarding integrity of the segment undergoing expansion. The first controller also provides the second controller information regarding the expansion so that the second controller may, in the event the first controller fails, perform the expansion using a backup copy of the segment being expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Dennis McKean, Randall Alan Pare
  • Patent number: 6823356
    Abstract: The management and use of replicated distributed transactions is facilitated. A distributed synchronous transaction system protocol is provided to manage the replication of distributed transactions for client application instances. The distributed synchronous transaction system allows transactions to be replicated without having the client application instances be aware of other instances to receive the transaction. Further, if a failure occurs during processing of a distributed replicated transaction, the distributed synchronous transaction system manages the recovery of the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marcos N. Novaes, Gregory D. Laib, Jeffrey S. Lucash, Rosario A. Uceda-Sosa
  • Patent number: 6813527
    Abstract: A control system architecture suitably includes sufficient computation redundancy and control command management to isolate and recover a faulted processor and/or to recover all processing units in the redundant system without adverse effects. Computational redundancy may be provided with multiple processors and/or processing units within computers or computing platforms. In addition to isolating and recovering from internal faults, various embodiments allow computing units to detect faults in other system elements such as sensors, adaptors, actuators and/or effectors. Further embodiments may also include one or more actuator adaptor units that detect faults in other system components and issue discrete instructions to trigger a recovery. In some embodiments, the recovery is performed within one or two computing frames, or otherwise in a short enough time period so as to have only minimal affects, if any, on system performance or redundancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Hess
  • Patent number: 6757715
    Abstract: An interlocking architecture for a software interface and a bar code scanner. Upon power-up, a handshaking operation is performed between a scanner (1600) having a scanner processor (2600) and a computer processor (2612) of a computer (302) based upon the code stored in the NV memory (2602) of the scanner (1600) and a unique code associated with the software interface running on the computer (302). A wedge (1608) is provided as an interface mechanism for the scanner (1600) and a keyboard (1610) to a keyboard port (2500) of the computer (302). The handshaking occurs through the wedge (1608) via a keyboard interface (2610) to the processor (2600) such that a successful handshake directs the processor (2600) to engage a switch (2604) which enables power to a sensing head (2606) for read optically encoded information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: L.V. Partners, L.P.
    Inventor: Jeffry Jovan Philyaw
  • Patent number: 6754695
    Abstract: There is provided a terminal device with which a shared unit shared with the other terminal device on a network is connected, characterized in that the terminal device comprises a transmitting/receiving section for receiving information sent from the other terminal device with respect to the shared unit, and a control section for allowing the other terminal device a right to use the shared unit based on the information sent from the other terminal device and received by the transmitting/receiving section, and for releasing a state having the right to use the shared unit, if the information sent from the other terminal device is indicative of a given instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Kuroshima
  • Patent number: 6754769
    Abstract: In a disk array controller, the cache memory has memory modules and a plurality of clossbar switches. A plurality of host computer adapters are connected with the clossbar switches while a plurality of disk enclosure adapters are connected with the clossbar switches. The clossbar switches are connected with the memory modules. The clossbar switches have function to directly connect the host computer adapters to the disk enclosure adapters. Accordingly, data transfer between the host computer and the disk enclosure can be carried out, independent on memory data transfer capability to the cache memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Masafumi Kawano
  • Patent number: 6748423
    Abstract: Techniques for using a controlling computer to control another computer with special instruction package prior to launch of the operating system in the controlled computer. For example, a method includes operating the package prior to running the OS in the controlled computer, using the package to cause the controlled computer to respond to a command from the controlling computer, using the package to generate a video frame to represent the received command and the generated response in two separate fields, and sending data for the video frame to the controlling computer. The package may be a special BIOS instruction set. The two separate fields have different coordinates and data bits representing the command are in the designated command field. In operation, the special BIOS set extracts a command from the data bits in the designated command field for execution according to the coordinates of the data bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rahul Khanna, Kerry B. Vander Kamp
  • Publication number: 20040107263
    Abstract: An agency communication section is equipped in an intranet, and when communications are made with a slave unit on the Internet which is located outside a firewall, the agency communication section executes encryption/decryption by agency in place of a slave unit having no mechanism for encryption in the intranet. The slave unit having a mechanism for encryption judges whether it is located inside or outside the firewall, and executes encryption if it is located outside or executes no encryption if it is located inside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: NEC Infrontia Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiko Fujiwara, Yoshikazu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6691167
    Abstract: Method and Apparatus for Network Problem Segment Isolation. The present invention provides a method for characterizing network segment quality for a segment transmitting messages from a first endpoint to a second endpoint on a network. The method includes the step of receiving messages transmitted between the first and second endpoints. The messages include a first set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first to second endpoint for both the first and second segments and a second set of quality metrics for message transmission from the first endpoint to the juncture. Furthermore, the method includes subtracting the second set of quality metrics from the corresponding quality metrics of the first set of quality metrics to calculate a third set of quality metrics representing the quality metrics of the second segment. Additionally, the method includes comparing the third set of quality metrics to a first set of segment qualities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Acterna LLC
    Inventors: Peter J. Procopio, Gary A. Meyer, Eric R. Julien, Eugene N. Cookmeyer
  • Publication number: 20040019660
    Abstract: A distributed data system may include nodes each including a process that may access distributed data. A lock mechanism coupled to the distributed data store may grant locks for portions of the distributed data. Only threads of a process holding a lock for a portion of the distributed data may access the portion. A process may obtain a lock for a distributed data portion. In one embodiment, the process may release the lock if no more threads require access to the portion so may initiate a “dummy” thread requester indicating a thread requiring access to the portion. If other threads requiring access are initiated, it may not be necessary to obtain the lock again. This may help reduce the use of resources associated with using locks. If the process receives a request to release the lock, the process may cancel the dummy thread requester and release the lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Sandhya E., Ajay Kumar
  • Patent number: 6677968
    Abstract: A real time notification system that tracks, for each user, the logon status of selected co-users of an on-line or network system and displays that information in real time to the tracking user in a unique graphical interface. The invention provides user definable on-line co-user lists, or “buddy lists”, that track specific co-users in real-time automatically. A user can create many separate buddy lists of co-users, either with intersecting or disjoint lists of users, and label these buddy lists according to the user's preference. The user can update a buddy list or create new buddy lists whenever necessary. When a user logs on to a system, the user's set of buddy lists is presented to the buddy list system. The buddy list system attempts to match co-users currently logged into the system with the entries on the user's buddy list. Any matches are displayed to the user. As co-users logon and logoff, a user's buddy list is updated to reflect these changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: America Online, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry Appelman
  • Patent number: 6615243
    Abstract: A system for programming/controlling various audio/video devices coupled to one another via a bus structure, through the use of a single macro key utilizes an addressing structure. Each various audio/video device includes memory and a processor/controller for the memory and bus management. The memory is divided into master data memory and slave data memory depending on the role of the audio/video device. Data transfer over the bus only contains dummy numbers that are used as macro command addresses, with the macro data itself processed and stored in the various audio/video device. This eliminates the need to store the different commands of the various audio/video devices in the device chosen to initiate the macro. For each macro, one audio/video device is the master device while the remaining audio/video devices are slaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Magdy Megeid, Robert Freudenmann
  • Patent number: 6539445
    Abstract: A method for processing requests to service computational tasks. An application server system receives requests to run various jobs. A job indicates that a certain application program is to be executed with a certain set of input. The application server system includes a master computer and multiple slave computers. The master computer receives requests to run jobs, selects a slave computer to run each job, and then assigns each job to slave computer selected for that job. The master computer of the application server system receives the requests from client computers that may be connected to the application server system via the Internet. A client-side component of the application server system may execute on the client computers to assist users in submitting their requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: ImageX.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Krum
  • Patent number: 6510478
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for coordinating access to a shared object amongst a plurality of processes in a distributed system. One process is identified as a lock owner process controlling a lock associated with the shared object. When a process needs to access the shared object, it requests control of the lock from the lock owner process. When no other process controls the lock, the lock owner process grants control to the requesting process. When another process controls the lock, the lock owner process places the requesting process in a queue and waits for the lock to become available. All accesses to the shared object are processed through the lock owner processes thus assuring coordination and synchronization among the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Aprisma Management Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Jeffords, Todd Crowley, Thomas Hazel, Donald Sexton
  • Patent number: 6502148
    Abstract: A method for processing requests to service computational tasks. An application server system receives requests to run various jobs. A job indicates that a certain application program is to be executed with a certain set of input. The application server system includes a master computer and multiple slave computers. The master computer receives requests to run jobs, selects a slave computer to run each job, and then assigns each job to slave computer selected for that job. The master computer of the application server system receives the requests from client computers that may be connected to the application server system via the Internet. A client-side component of the application server system may execute on the client computers to assist users in submitting their requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: ImageX.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent Krum
  • Patent number: 6493746
    Abstract: A network management system for a network, in which server object operates on a server realizing function of network management and client object corresponding to the server object operates on a client, has a lock obtaining portion which locks corresponding server object when a condition of one of the server objects corresponding to one client object is varied associating with operation for the one client object, locks other server objects associated with the one of server objects; and notifies locked condition to all of client objects corresponding to locked server object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Enjou
  • Patent number: 6473849
    Abstract: A messaging scheme to synchronize processes within a distributed memory multiprocessing computer system having two or more processing nodes interconnected using an interconnect structure of dual-unidirectional links. The microcode within the lock requesting node transmits a write command to write corresponding node identification data into a lock register in the arbitrating node. The lock requesting node iteratively reads the lock register until it finds its node identification data stored therein with a valid bit set. The lock requesting node then informs all remaining processing nodes to release shared system resources. This is accomplished through a release request bit and a release response bit in each processing node. After completion of lock operations, the lock requesting node sends a message to the arbitrating node to reset the valid bit in the lock register, and a broadcast message to each remaining node to reset the release request bit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Keller, William A. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20020091852
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for transferring data. A request is sent by a requester to a responder. The request includes an amount of available processing space at the requestor. When the request is received from the responder, data is identified using the request. The data is placed into a plurality of subsequences of data packets for transfer to the requester, wherein each packet within the set of subsequences hold data in amount less than or equal to the amount of available space. These subsequences are then sent to the requestor one subsequence at a time. A new subsequence is sent each time the available processing space at the requester becomes free to process data from another subsequence. The requestor receives a subsequence from the plurality of subsequences in response to the request each time the amount of available processing space is free, wherein data within each of the set of subsequences fits within the amount of available processing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Giles Roger Frazier, Gregory Francis Pfister, Renato John Recio
  • Patent number: 6397256
    Abstract: A system for monitoring Internet usage, in accordance with the present invention, includes an Internet access unit for accessing the Internet, the Internet access unit including a browser for navigating on the Internet. A transmission device is included for transmitting browser activity and providing browser activity information to be transmitted to a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit is remotely disposed from the Internet access unit and coupled to the transmission device, the monitoring unit including a display for viewing and recording Internet activity of the Internet access unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hoi Yeung Chan, Thomas Yu-Kiu Kwok, Fred Tze-Keung Tong