Prioritized Access Regulation Patents (Class 711/151)
  • Patent number: 8316191
    Abstract: A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor is described. The processor includes a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions and a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads. The processor also includes a memory control system that has a first memory controller that sorts memory references based on whether the memory references are directed to an even bank or an odd bank of memory and a second memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Wheeler, Bradley Burres, Matthew J. Adiletta, Gilbert Wolrich
  • Publication number: 20120290797
    Abstract: A method of passing message data from a first device to a second device in a software defined radio (SDR) apparatus. A shared memory is defined in the apparatus for access by either one of the first and the second devices. A priority message originating from one of the devices and destined to the other device is loaded into a buffer of the shared memory, and the address of the buffer is passed to the other device. The message in the buffer of the shared memory is then accessed directly from the other device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventor: Christopher R. Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 8312259
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for booting a computer system from the backup and working with the backup as if it were a normal storage device, including loading an initialization application to run in a single thread mode and that identifies a storage media with the backup that includes boot blocks; installing and activating a handler of a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) interrupt module, for intercepting boot loader requests to the storage media, and for redirecting them to the backup; creating a bitmap of the data blocks stored in the backup and of a writable data storage device to which new data will be written; initiating the BIOS to load and execute the boot blocks from the backup; transferring control to a routine defined by a boot record stored in the backup's boot blocks; installing and activating an I/O filter for intercepting the requests to the writable data storage device, and after a write request is received, the I/O filter writes a corresponding data block to the writable data
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Acronis International GmbH
    Inventors: Dennis S. Dyatlov, Juri V. Tsibrovskyy, Maxim V. Lyadvinsky, Serguei M. Beloussov
  • Patent number: 8312247
    Abstract: A plural-partitioned type nonvolatile storage device which solves the problem that a memory card composed of a flash memory and a controller, when a storage area is divided into a plurality of partitions, cannot be correctly used with a conventional host apparatus incapable of recognizing plural partitions. The memory card includes, as its storage areas, a device characteristic data storage area, a division table storage area, and a device storage area, where the device storage area is partitioned into plural partitions. The memory card can have different modes for adapting different accesses from the external host, and allows the external host to access partitions corresponding to the mode. Division information as to a dividing method for the plural partitions, and access information as to the host-accessible partitions corresponding to each individual mode are stored in the division table storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 8312229
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided in a computing environment for scheduling access to a resource. The method grants access to the resource by a non-real-time request when the non-real-time request can be completed before the latest possible start time at which a first real-time request must start service to timely complete all actual and anticipated real-time requests, otherwise granting the first real real-time request access to the resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Meyer Bros. Technology Group LLC
    Inventor: Rudolf Henricus Johannes Bloks
  • Patent number: 8307167
    Abstract: An integrated memory control apparatus including a first interface decoder, a second interface decoder and an interface controller is provided. Wherein, the first interface decoder is coupled to a control chip through a first serial peripheral interface (SPI), the second interface decoder is coupled to a micro-processor unit through a general transmission interface, and the interface controller is coupled to a memory through a second SPI. When the interface controller receives the request signals from the control chip and the micro-processor unit, the control chip may correctly read data from the memory through the first and second SPI. On the other hand, the micro-processor unit may stop reading data from the memory through the general transmission interface. Therefore, the control chip and the micro-processor unit may share the same memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: ITE Tech. Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Min Hou
  • Patent number: 8307168
    Abstract: An integrated memory control apparatus including a first interface decoder, a second interface decoder and an interface controller is provided. Wherein, the first interface decoder is coupled to a control chip through a first serial peripheral interface (SPI), the second interface decoder is coupled to a micro-processor unit through a general transmission interface, and the interface controller is coupled to a memory through a second SPI. When the interface controller receives the request signals from the control chip and the micro-processor unit, the control chip may correctly read data from the memory through the first and second SPI. On the other hand, the micro-processor unit may stop reading data from the memory through the general transmission interface. Therefore, the control chip and the micro-processor unit may share the same memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: ITE Tech. Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Min Hou
  • Patent number: 8307179
    Abstract: Copy pair monitoring is provided for a storage system having plural host computers, at least one storage subsystem, and a management computer. The storage subsystem including volumes storing data requested by the host computer, the management computer being accessible to the host computer and the storage subsystem. The copy pair monitoring includes obtaining every piece of copy pair definition information that is stored in the host computer, removing duplicate copy pair definition information from the whole copy pair definition information obtained, and collecting the copy pair status based on the obtained copy pair definition information from which duplicate copy pair definition information has been removed. Each host computer is assigned a priority level, and, when more than one host computer includes the same copy pair, the host computer with the lowest priority obtains the copy pair information to reduce the load on the higher priority host computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Emaru, Yuichi Yagawa, Hiroyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8301820
    Abstract: A memory system for use with a master-slave type bus such as an AHB bus has a memory, a bus interface to allow memory access from the bus, and a direct memory access interface to allow memory access from a DMA controller without occupying the bus. The system can reduce occupancy of the bus, it can allow dedicated DMA access protocols faster than the bus protocol to be used, and can remove or reduce the need for bus arbitration and associated circuitry and delays. An arbiter can arbitrate between the memory accesses and give priority to DMA accesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Belgium N.V.
    Inventor: Rudolph Alexandre
  • Patent number: 8301816
    Abstract: A memory access controller including a command analysis unit to receive write access request and command data and to analyze access to a memory, a command execution unit to output command and data control signals to the memory based on write data, and the analysis result, a mode setting unit to switch between a first operation mode in which a write access request is issued when both the command data and the corresponding write data are available, and a second operation mode in which a write access request is issued when the command data is available independently of availability of the write data corresponding to the command data, and a timing arbitration unit provided for each bus master to output the write access request and command data to the command analysis unit and output the write data to the command execution unit in accordance with the mode setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yohsuke Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8301846
    Abstract: An integrated memory control apparatus including a first interface decoder, a second interface decoder and an interface controller is provided. Wherein, the first interface decoder is coupled to a control chip through a first serial peripheral interface (SPI), the second interface decoder is coupled to a micro-processor unit through a general transmission interface, and the interface controller is coupled to a memory through a second SPI. When the interface controller receives the request signals from the control chip and the micro-processor unit, the control chip may correctly read data from the memory through the first and second SPI. On the other hand, the micro-processor unit may stop reading data from the memory through the general transmission interface. Therefore, the control chip and the micro-processor unit may share the same memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: ITE Tech. Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Min Hou
  • Patent number: 8301670
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and a method of managing a snapshot storage pool (SSP) associated with a storage unit of a distributed data storage system. According to some embodiments of the invention, the apparatus may include a logic module and a processor. The logic module may be adapted to provide a threshold corresponding to a ratio between a current amount of storage resources used for storing snapshots in the SSP and a total storage capacity defined for the SSP. The processor may be adapted to trigger an action that may be effective for managing the SSP in response to the amount of storage resources used for storing snapshots in the SSP crossing the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yaron Revah, Shemer Schwartz, Efri Zeidner, Ofir Zohar
  • Patent number: 8296501
    Abstract: A memory management method for a non-volatile memory and a controller using the same are provided. The non-volatile memory is substantially divided into a plurality of blocks. First, non-erasing information of a plurality of memory units comprising at least one block is recoded and used as a reference to establish an evaluation value. Then, whether to move data of at least one block on the memory units to another memory unit according to the evaluation value is determined. Accordingly, problems of read disturb and data retention due to excessive reading times can be resolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Phison Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chih-Kang Yeh
  • Patent number: 8291177
    Abstract: A method for dynamically allocating control of a storage device, the method comprising receiving an access request from a first computer requesting access to a storage device; directing, based upon the access request, a first storage controller computer to assume an inactive state with respect to control of the storage device; and directing, based upon the access request, a second storage controller computer to assume an active state with respect to control of the storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: CommVault Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Varghese Devassy, Rajiv Kottomtharayil, Manoj Kumar Vijayan Retnamma
  • Patent number: 8286162
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses, methods, and systems for delivering an interrupt to a virtual processor are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an interface to receive an interrupt request, delivery logic, and exit logic. The delivery logic is to determine, based on an attribute of the interrupt request, whether the interrupt request is to be delivered to the virtual processor. The exit logic is to transfer control to a host if the delivery logic determines that the interrupt request is not to be delivered to the virtual processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gilbert Neiger, Rajesh Sankaran Madukkarumukumana, Richard A. Uhlig, Udo Steinberg, Sebastian Schoenberg, Sridhar Muthrasanallur, Steven M. Bennett, Andrew V. Anderson, Erik C. Cota-Robles
  • Patent number: 8275916
    Abstract: A system for processing routing according to priorities of logical interfaces is provided. The system includes a priority setting unit for setting priorities of a plurality of logical interfaces set in a physical interface, and a priority scheduler for determining a priority of a respective logical interface from an input frame, and for outputting the input frame to a driver queue of the physical interface when the input frame is output from a logical interface having the highest priority. Traffic burstiness caused by queuing can be reduced in a network routing system employing at least one logical interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Byoung-Chul Kim
  • Patent number: 8276151
    Abstract: A method is provided for a first logical processor to determine a running status of a target logical processor of an information processing system. In such method, an instruction is issued by the first logical processor running on the information processing system for determining whether the target logical processor is running. In response to issuing the instruction, a state descriptor belonging to the target logical processor is queried to determine whether the target logical processor is currently running. A result is then returned to the first logical processor, the result indicating whether or not the target logical processor is currently running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Greg A. Dyck, Mark S. Farrell, Charles W. Gainey, Jeffrey P. Kubala, Robert R. Rogers, Mark A. Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 8275949
    Abstract: A Common System Storage Repository replaces all the different system support storages distributed across a server system topology transparent to various subsystems by providing a central non-volatile repository for all the different system data. Each of the various subsystems communicate with the Common System Storage Repository via the individual system support storage interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Reiner Rieke, Dieter Staiger
  • Patent number: 8271741
    Abstract: A “request scheduler” provides techniques for batching and scheduling buffered thread requests for access to shared memory in a general-purpose computer system. Thread-fairness is provided while preventing short- and long-term thread starvation by using “request batching.” Batching periodically groups outstanding requests from a memory request buffer into larger units termed “batches” that have higher priority than all other buffered requests. Each “batch” may include some maximum number of requests for each bank of the shared memory and for some or all concurrent threads. Further, average thread stall times are reduced by using computed thread rankings in scheduling request servicing from the shared memory. In various embodiments, requests from higher ranked threads are prioritized over requests from lower ranked threads. In various embodiments, a parallelism-aware memory access scheduling policy improves intra-thread bank-level parallelism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Onur Mutlu, Thomas Moscibroda
  • Patent number: 8271742
    Abstract: A device and a method to efficiently process the symbols coded in OFDM according to the various protocols available. This is achieved through a device to process OFDM-based symbols comprising a base band input data and a base band output data, and comprising at least two programmable execution units connected to at least one working memory, this device being characterized in that, the programmable execution units (EU) are connected to the memory (M-1, M-2, M3, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Abilis Systems SARL
    Inventors: Yves Mathys, Alain Duret
  • Patent number: 8266389
    Abstract: A hierarchical memory request stream arbitration technique merges coherent memory request streams from multiple memory request sources and arbitrates the merged coherent memory request stream with requests from a non-coherent memory request stream. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a method of generating a merged memory request stream from a plurality of memory request streams includes merging coherent memory requests into a first serial memory request stream. The method includes selecting, by a memory controller circuit, a memory request for placement in the merged memory request stream from at least the first serial memory request stream and a merged non-coherent request stream. The merged non-coherent memory request stream is at least partially based on an indicator of a previous memory request selected for placement in the merged memory request stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Guhan Krishnan, Antonio Asaro, Don Cherepacha, Thomas R. Kunjan, Joerg Winkler, Ralf Flemming, Maurice B. Steinman, Jonathan Owen, John Kalamatianos
  • Patent number: 8254401
    Abstract: The device comprises a memory (3) for storing several user share parameters and several amounts capable of advancing. A decision means (6) allocates a chosen service slice of the resource to a user selected as possessing the least advanced amount. It subsequently advances his amount according to a chosen increment. A memory link means (5) defines user queues of “FIFO” type, such that the user having the least advanced amount in a queue appears at the head of this queue. According to the invention, the memory (3) stores a limited number of values of increments. The memory link means (5) associates one of these values of increments with each user and allocates an increment value to each queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Streamcore
    Inventor: Rémi Despres
  • Patent number: 8250197
    Abstract: A method for providing quality of service to a plurality of hosts accessing a common resource is described. The common resource may be a middle-tier or back-end server. A client IO request is received at one host of the plurality of hosts from one of a plurality clients executing as software entities on respective hosts. The host determines whether an issue queue is full. The IO request is issued to the common resource when the issue queue is not full. A current average latency observed at the host and an adjusted window size is calculated, based at least in part on the current average latency. The issue queue is resized to correspond with the adjusted window size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Gulati, Irfan Ahmad
  • Patent number: 8250253
    Abstract: Techniques for generating information identifying a next direct memory access (DMA) task to be serviced. In an embodiment, arbitration logic provides a sequence of masking logic to determine, according to a hierarchy of rules, a next task to be serviced by a DMA engine. In certain embodiments, masking logic includes logic to mask information representing pending tasks to be serviced, the masking based on identification of a channel as being a suspended channel and/or a victim channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Joon Teik Hor, Suryaprasad Kareenahalli
  • Patent number: 8250313
    Abstract: A conflict avoidance system is provided. The conflict avoidance system comprises a first data store provided at a first geographic location and a second data store at a second geographic location, where the first and second data stores are replications of one another. The conflict avoidance system also comprises a conflict avoidance module operable to receive a data store request from applications, wherein the conflict avoidance module communicates update data store requests to the first data store and communicates create data store requests and delete data store requests to the second data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Robin D. Katzer, Carl J. Persson
  • Patent number: 8244988
    Abstract: A method, circuit arrangement, and design structure utilize a lock prediction data structure to control ownership of a cache line in a shared memory computing system. In a first node among the plurality of nodes, lock prediction data in a hardware-based lock prediction data structure for a cache line associated with a first memory request is updated in response to that first memory request, wherein at least a portion of the lock prediction data is predictive of whether the cache line is associated with a release operation. The lock prediction data is then accessed in response to a second memory request associated with the cache line and issued by a second node and a determination is made as to whether to transfer ownership of the cache line from the first node to the second node based at least in part on the accessed lock prediction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jason F. Cantin, Steven R. Kunkel
  • Patent number: 8239919
    Abstract: An optic module is disclosed having a memory configured to store data. To selectively control access to the memory and data stored in memory, a method and apparatus for memory access control is provided which creates access levels. The access levels include associated passwords, and read/write capability control, and address access range. During use a technician or other party would enter a password via an interface and the entered password is compared to the password associated with each access level. If a match is not found, then access to the memory, a hence data within the memory is denied. If a match is found the technician gains access to the data stored in the memory address range associated with the access level. Read and write access may also be granted or denied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Mindspeed Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mike Le, Keith R. Jones, Gilberto I. Sada
  • Patent number: 8234506
    Abstract: Unsecure system software and secure system software on the same computer system is switched between. A computer system includes one or more processors, which may not have any built-in security features, memory, and firmware. The memory stores secure system software and unsecure system software. In response to receiving a user signal, the firmware switches from the unsecure system software running on the processors to the secure system software running on the processors (and back again). While the unsecure system software is running, the secure system software is protected from tampering by the unsecure system software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hassan Hajji, Seiichi Kawano, Takao Moriyama
  • Patent number: 8230421
    Abstract: The design of nonblocking linked data structures using single-location synchronization primitives such as compare-and-swap (CAS) is a complex affair that often requires severe restrictions on the way pointers are used. One way to address this problem is to provide stronger synchronization operations, for example, ones that atomically modify one memory location while simultaneously verifying the contents of others. We provide a simple and highly efficient nonblocking implementation of such an operation: an atomic k-word-compare single-swap operation (KCSS). Our implementation is obstruction-free. As a result, it is highly efficient in the uncontended case and relies on contention management mechanisms in the contended cases. It allows linked data structure manipulation without the complexity and restrictions of other solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Nir N. Shavit, Mark S. Moir, Victor M. Luchangco
  • Patent number: 8230485
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling access to a computer provides for loose security within a local network while retaining strong security against external access to the network. In one embodiment, a user has access to trusted nodes in a secured group within an unmanaged network, without being required to choose, enter and remember a login password. To establish such a secure blank password or one-click logon account for the user on a computer, a strong random password is generated and stored, and the account is designated as a blank password account. If the device is part of a secured network group, the strong random password is replicated to the other trusted nodes. When a user with a blank password account wishes to log in to a computer, the stored strong random password is retrieved and the user is authenticated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sterling M. Reasor, Ramesh Chinta, Paul J. Leach, John E. Brezak, Eric R. Flo
  • Patent number: 8225048
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to manage access to computing resources. More specifically, certain embodiments are described in which a resource or resource consumer can engage access controls or request that access controls be engaged if the age of a request exceeds one or more thresholds. For example, a requester may, after the age of a request meets or exceeds a threshold, indicate to a destination that a control should be engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregg B. Lesartre, Craig Warner, John Wastlick, Harvey Ray, John W. Bockhaus
  • Patent number: 8225049
    Abstract: Provided is a data storage device. The data storage device includes an interface, a buffer controller, a memory controller, a non-volatile memory, and a self-powered semiconductor device adjacent to and electrically connected to the buffer controller. The self-powered semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip and a rechargeable micro-battery attached to the semiconductor chip. The rechargeable micro-battery includes a first current collector and a second current collector, which face each other, a first polarizing electrode in contact with the first current collector and facing the second current collector, a second polarizing electrode in contact with the second current collector and facing the first polarizing electrode, and an electrolyte layer formed between the first and second polarizing electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Subramanya Mayya, Hee-seok Kim, Ik-Soo Kim, Min-Young Park, Hyun-Suk Kwon
  • Patent number: 8214590
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups is described. The system and method for dynamic redistribution of parity groups operates on a computer storage system that includes a plurality of disk drives for storing parity groups. Each parity group includes storage blocks. The storage blocks include one or more data blocks and a parity block that is associated with the data blocks. Each of the storage blocks is stored on a separate disk drive such that no two storage blocks from a given parity set reside on the same disk drive. The computer system further includes a redistribution module to dynamically redistribute parity groups by combining some parity groups to improve storage efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Overland Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Ulrich, James R. Schweitzer, Gregory D. Bolstad, Jay G. Randall, John R. Staub, Wilbur George Priester
  • Patent number: 8214594
    Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for managing cache allocation between a primary storage and a secondary storage. The system includes a device with a primary storage, secondary storage, and cache manager. The method includes downloading a web resource, storing the web resource in the primary storage, determining the amount of time required to download the web resource, and determining the amount of time required to retrieve the web resource from the secondary storage. If the amount of time required to retrieve the web resource from the secondary storage is less than the amount of time required to download the web resource, the method stores the web resource in the secondary storage. Additionally, web resources may be moved from the secondary storage to the primary storage based on their likelihood of being utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Gabriel B. Kneisley, Brian Smith, Jeff Bryan
  • Patent number: 8209689
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for avoiding live-lock during transaction execution is herein described. Counting logic is utilized to track successfully committed transactions for each processing element. When a data conflict is detected between transactions on multiple processing elements, priority is provided to the processing element with the lower counting logic value. Furthermore, if the values are the same, then the processing element with the lower identification value is given priority, i.e. allowed to continue while the other transaction is aborted. To avoid live-lock between processing elements that both have predetermined counting logic values, such as maximum counting values, when one processing element reaches the predetermined counting value all counters are reset. In addition, a failure at maximum value (FMV) counter may be provided to count a number of aborts of a transaction when counting logic is at a maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shlomo Raikin, Shay Gueron, Gad Sheaffer
  • Patent number: 8209498
    Abstract: In order to provide HSM that can effectively use the storage capacity of an upper Tier in an HSM system, a lower Tier of the HSM system detects a group of files having the same data content from a plurality of files stored in the lower Tier, and keeps at least one of the real data of the group of files having the same data content while deleting the rest of the data. The upper Tier receives the process result from the lower Tier. Then, in response to a read request from the host computer that specifies a file included in the group of files and transferred to the upper Tier from the lower Tier, the upper Tier identifies the at least one of the data that is kept and corresponding to the specified file, and responds to the host computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Takata, Hitoshi Kamei, Atsushi Sutoh, Takahiro Nakano, Nobumitsu Takaoka, Akio Shimada
  • Patent number: 8205250
    Abstract: A method of validating a digital certificate comprises retrieving from a first data store a digital certificate, retrieving from a second data store a plurality of certificate revocation lists (CRLs), and selecting one of the plurality of CRLs to validate the digital certificate as of a date which is before the current date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew R. Blaikie, Gene R. Franklin, Peter J. Hendsbee, Jane A. S. Hunter, Jeewhoon Park
  • Patent number: 8200935
    Abstract: An allocation control apparatus may access an address table storing addresses of slice areas allocated in a storage area for an entire storage system having a plurality of storage devices and addresses that do not correspond to allocated slice areas. The allocation control apparatus includes a reception unit receiving a request for allocating an arbitrary storage capacity an allocation unit allocating, by referring to the address table, an address that does not correspond to the allocated slice area for at least a part of the requested storage capacity and allocates an address for the slice area to the remaining storage capacity when the reception unit receives the allocation request, and a transmission unit transmitting the result allocated by the allocation unit to a requesting source of the allocation request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yasuo Noguchi, Kazutaka Ogihara, Masahisa Tamura, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, Tetsutaro Maruyama, Takashi Watanabe, Tatsuo Kumano
  • Patent number: 8200911
    Abstract: A device having a shared memory and a shared memory controlling method are disclosed. A digital processing device can include a shared memory, having a storage area including at least one common section, coupled to each of the processors through separate buses and outputting access information to whether a processor is accessing a common section. With the present invention, each processor can efficiently use or/and control a shared memory by using access information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: MTekvision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-Sik Jeong
  • Patent number: 8200928
    Abstract: A storage system maintains consistency of the stored contents between volumes even when a plurality of remote copying operations are executed asynchronously. A plurality of primary storage control devices and a plurality of secondary storage control devices are connected by a plurality of paths, and remote copying is performed asynchronously between respective first volumes and second volumes. Write data transferred from the primary storage control device to the secondary storage control device is held in a write data storage portion. Update order information, including write times and sequential numbers, is managed by update order information management portions. An update control portion collects update order information from each update order information management portion, determines the time at which update of each second volume is possible, and notifies each-update portion. By this means, the stored contents of each second volume can be updated up to the time at which update is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Arakawa, Kenta Ninose, Akira Deguchi, Katsuhiro Okumoto
  • Patent number: 8195902
    Abstract: Provided is a copy pair monitoring method which is for a storage system having at least one host computer, at least one storage subsystem, and a management computer, the storage subsystem including volumes storing data requested by the host computer to be written, the management computer being accessible to the host computer and the storage subsystem. The copy pair monitoring method is characterized by including the steps of: obtaining every piece of copy pair definition information that is stored in the host computer; removing duplicate copy pair definition information from the whole copy pair definition information obtained; and collecting the copy pair status based on the obtained copy pair definition information from which duplicate copy pair definition information has been removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Emaru, Yuichi Yagawa, Hiroyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8196180
    Abstract: A system and method for providing roaming access on a network are disclosed. The network includes a plurality of wireless and/or wired access points. A user may access the network by using client software on a client computer (e.g., a portable computing device) to initiate an access procedure. In response, a network management device operated by a network provider may return an activation response message to the client. The client may send the user's username and password to the network provider. The network provider may rely on a roaming partner, another network provider with whom the user subscribes for internet access, for authentication of the user. Industry-standard methods such as RADIUS, CHAP, or EAP may be used for authentication. The providers may exchange pricing and service information and account information for the authentication session. A customer may select a pricing and service option from a list of available options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventors: James D. Keeler, Matthew M. Krenzer
  • Patent number: 8190804
    Abstract: Various methods and apparatus are described for a memory scheduler. The memory scheduler has a pipelined arbiter to determine which request will access the target memory core. Pipelining occurs in stages within the arbiter over a period of more than one clock cycle. The pipelined arbiter uses two or more weighting factors affecting an arbitration decision that are processed in parallel. A predictive scheduler in the memory scheduler uses data from a previous cycle to make the arbitration decision about a request during a current clock cycle in which the arbitration decision is made in order to increase overall system efficiency of requests being serviced in the integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Sonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishnan Srinivasan, Drew E. Wingard
  • Patent number: 8185699
    Abstract: In a separating device that separates a processor configured to perform process by using data recorded in a cache memory connected to the processor, a stopping unit, upon receiving a processor separation request, stops the processor from performing a new process; and a separation executing unit, upon completion of process being performed by the processor, separates the processor after invalidating the data recorded in the cache memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Kumiko Endo, Hitoshi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8185700
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a bus message in a first cache corresponding to a speculative access to a portion of a second cache by a second thread, and dynamically determining in the first cache if an inter-thread dependency exists between the second thread and a first thread associated with the first cache with respect to the portion. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Madriles Gimeno, Carlos García Quinones, Pedro Marcuello, Jesús Sánchez, Fernando Latorre, Antonio González
  • Patent number: 8180975
    Abstract: A “request scheduler” provides techniques for batching and scheduling buffered thread requests for access to shared memory in a general-purpose computer system. Thread-fairness is provided while preventing short- and long-term thread starvation by using “request batching.” Batching periodically groups outstanding requests from a memory request buffer into larger units termed “batches” that have higher priority than all other buffered requests. Each “batch” may include some maximum number of requests for each bank of the shared memory and for some or all concurrent threads. Further, average thread stall times are reduced by using computed thread rankings in scheduling request servicing from the shared memory. In various embodiments, requests from higher ranked threads are prioritized over requests from lower ranked threads. In various embodiments, a parallelism-aware memory access scheduling policy improves intra-thread bank-level parallelism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Moscibroda, Onur Mutlu
  • Patent number: 8180199
    Abstract: A playback apparatus which plays back video or music contents, includes: a playback unit playing back the video or music contents recorded on a recording medium; an output unit outputting the video or music contents played back in the playback unit; and a control unit controlling at least an operation of the playback unit, wherein in the video or music contents, a quick reference mark is set at multiple places, in response to user manipulation, the control unit finds a start of a sequence in accordance with the quick reference mark to control the operation of the playback unit to play back the video or music contents, in response to user manipulation for the quick reference, the control unit varies a priority that expresses a degree served for the quick reference, and for the mark having a low priority, the control unit accepts no user manipulation for quick reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Haruo Yoshida, Shigeru Kashiwagi, Masaharu Murakami, Masayoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 8180973
    Abstract: Interrupts and code threads are assigned in a particular way to the core CPUs of a network file server in order to reduce latency for processing client requests for file access. Threads of the network stack are incorporated into real time threads that are scheduled by a real-time scheduler and executed exclusively by a plurality of the core CPUs that are not interrupted by disk adapter interrupts so that the disk adapter interrupts do not interrupt execution of the network stack. Instances of a storage access driver are hard affinity threads, and soft affinity threads include a multitude of instances of a thread of the file system stack for file access request processing so that file access request processing for a multitude of concurrent file access requests is load balanced over the core CPUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Philippe Armangau, Jean-Pierre Bono, John Forecast, Sorin Faibish
  • Patent number: 8176287
    Abstract: LAN-managed storage volumes are managed by a LAN storage manager installed on a storage management server. In processing a LAN-free storage volume request, the LAN tape manager selects a LAN-managed storage volume responsive to the LAN-free storage volume allocation request wherein the LAN-managed storage volume is initialized as a candidate for a LAN-free storage operation. The LAN-managed storage volume may be initialized by the LAN storage manager as a candidate for a LAN-free storage operation prior to the LAN storage manager receiving the LAN-free storage volume allocation request or in response to the LAN storage manager receiving the LAN-free storage volume allocation request. Additionally, prior to being initialized as a candidate for a LAN-free storage operation, the LAN-managed storage volume may be a pre-existing storage volume or a scratch storage volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Cannon, Colin S. Dawson, Barry Fruchtman, Robert G. Labrie, Carol J. Nylund
  • Patent number: 8176265
    Abstract: A memory is used by concurrent threads in a multithreaded processor. Any addressable storage location is accessible by any of the concurrent threads, but only one location at a time is accessible. The memory is coupled to parallel processing engines that generate a group of parallel memory access requests, each specifying a target address that might be the same or different for different requests. Serialization logic selects one of the target addresses and determines which of the requests specify the selected target address. All such requests are allowed to proceed in parallel, while other requests are deferred. Deferred requests may be regenerated and processed through the serialization logic so that a group of requests can be satisfied by accessing each different target address in the group exactly once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Brett W. Coon, Ming Y. Siu, Weizhong Xu, Stuart F. Oberman, John R. Nickolls, Peter C. Mills