Remote Repair Patents (Class 714/6.31)
  • Patent number: 8650439
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for fault tolerant Firmware-Over-The-Air (FOTA) update are provided. The method includes computing a checksum for each sector of a partially updated firmware, for each sector of the partially updated firmware, determining a last instruction in an update package that was applied to that sector, based on checksums included in the update package and the computed checksums of the sectors of the partially updated firmware, determining a last instruction of the update package that was applied to the partially updated firmware prior to the interruption based on the last instruction applied to each sector, and resuming the update procedure starting from an instruction immediately following the last applied instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bryan Eugene Rabeler
  • Patent number: 8627138
    Abstract: A system, computer-implemented method, and a computer program product for monitoring a first data portion written to a first storage device accessible by a first computing device. At least a second data portion written to at least a second storage device accessible by at least a second computing device is monitored. Recovery data is written to a recovery storage device external to and accessible by the first and the at least a second computing devices, wherein the recovery data is based, at least in part, upon the first and second data portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Roy E. Clark, Robert C. Solomon
  • Patent number: 8621276
    Abstract: Perceived corruptions encountered on file system volumes, and which cannot be initially remedied online, are processed to verify whether they are true, existing volume data structure corruptions or, alternatively, false positives. Upon the verification of one or more of a volume's corruptions, error scanning is performed to check for, and attempt to remedy online, all the existing corruptions on the volume. Subsequent to error scanning processing, if one or more verified corruptions continue to exist on a file system volume, at file system boot up time spot corruption correction is performed to attempt to remedy the existing, verified corruptions on the volume. Spot corruption correction is performed to attempt to correct verified data structure corruptions on a volume of the file system while the volume is maintained offline for the time necessary to attempt to correct its prior identified corruptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sarosh C. Havewala, Neal R. Christiansen, John D. Slingwine, Daniel Chan, Craig A. Barkhouse, Lane Haury, Kiran Kumar G. Bangalore, Thiago Sigrist
  • Patent number: 8621267
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for using an extended patching procedure for correction or repair of logical data portions, pages, or sectors of a computer data storage device. The extended patching procedure targets for repair not only the page(s) appearing to be defective or unusable based on a failed read operation for a data transfer request, but also additional pages. Determining the additional pages to include for automatic patching is based on: statistical distribution analyzes to include pages within the physical or logical vicinity of the original page, information about the underlying storage device technology or Input/Output (I/O) subsystem, and/or historical data about error conditions for areas related to the original page. Preemptively patching pages based on extended page lists improves system performance by reducing the total number of costly repair processes and by avoiding situations involving correction actions that fail to resolve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Alexandre Santana da Costa, Umair Ahmad, Brett A. Shirley, Matthew G. Gossage
  • Patent number: 8607099
    Abstract: Data structure errors, or corruptions, identified during, e.g., normal computing device system processing, file system processing or user access processing, are verified prior to the file system identifying the error for offline correction or notifying the user or system administrator a data structure error exists. Identified data structure corruptions are verified while the file system volumes are maintained online and otherwise accessible to other processing tasks and user access. Verified data structure corruptions are logged for further corrective processing. Data structure corruptions that cannot be verified, i.e., false positives, are not further processed and are not identified to file system administrators or users as corruptions, freeing the file system to concentrate on normal processing and true, verifiable errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sarosh C. Havewala, Neal R. Christiansen, John D. Slingwine, Craig A. Barkhouse, Daniel Chan
  • Publication number: 20130166946
    Abstract: Various embodiments for disaster recovery (DR) production takeover in a computing environment by a processor device are provided. If, for a designated storage system operable in the computing environment, a takeover operation may be executed, and a DR storage system has validly replaced the designated storage system using a replacement process, a withdrawal of a DR mode of operation is performed, and ownership of at least one storage device operable in the computing environment is transferred to the DR storage system. The replacement process authorizes the DR storage system to transfer the ownership while withdrawn from the DR mode of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: International Business Machines Corporation
  • Patent number: 8411129
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving registration messages at a call control agent device via first unicast transmissions from at least three video conference terminals. The registration messages request set up of a video conference between the at least three video conference terminals. The computer-implemented method includes sending a set up message from the call control agent device to each of the at least three conference terminals via second unicast transmissions. The set up message includes at least an identification of a multicast control group, a send multicast group of each of the at least three conference terminals, and a default receive multicast group. In response to the set up message, one or more of the at least three video conference terminals join the default receive multicast group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael Satterlee, Jamil Cheikhali, John F. Gibbons, Neal A. Shackleton
  • Patent number: 8392754
    Abstract: Various embodiments for disaster recovery (DR) production takeover in a computing environment by a processor device are provided. If, for a designated storage system operable in the computing environment, a takeover operation may be executed, and a DR storage system has validly replaced the designated storage system using a replacement process, a withdrawal of a DR mode of operation is performed, and ownership of at least one storage device operable in the computing environment is transferred to the DR storage system. The replacement process authorizes the DR storage system to transfer the ownership while withdrawn from the DR mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shay H. Akirav, Yariv Bachar, Aviv Caro, Dov N. Hepner, Ofer Leneman, Gil E. Paz, Tzafrir Z. Taub
  • Patent number: 8386842
    Abstract: A computer system with a damaged BIOS data recovering function is disclosed. When BIOS data in the computer are damaged, the computer system may update and recover the BIOS of the storage unit of the computer system in a standby mode via an external electronic device (another computer or a USB flash disk). The computer system includes a storage unit, a data transferring interface, a power supply unit, and a control unit. The computer system is electrically connected with the external electronic device via the data transferring interface. The power supply unit provides standby power (in the standby mode) when the computer system is shut down. The control unit is electrically connected with the power supply unit and the data transferring interface, respectively. The control unit is actuated via the standby power, receives the external BIOS stored in the external electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Chih-Shien Lin
  • Patent number: 8352784
    Abstract: A method and a device may be provided for saving and restoring one or more settings associated with the device. The one or more settings may be saved and changed before performing a task. After completion of the task, or after a determined failure of the task to complete, the one or more settings may be restored. Communications may be exchanged between a host and the device to create a restore point for saving the one or more settings, to change any of the one or more settings before performing the task, and to restore the one or more settings after completion of the task, or after determining the failure of the task to complete. The device may create and store the one or more settings in a restore point in the device, or may send the one or more settings to the host for storing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: David Burg, Vlad Sadovsky
  • Patent number: 8332687
    Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes providing a splitter at a first storage array, receiving data from a host, storing the data on the first storage array, using a data protection appliance (DPA) to expose a device, continuously copying data stored on the first storage array to the device using the splitter and replicating the data to a second storage array using the DPA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: Assaf Natanzon, Arich Don, Saar Cohen, Slavik Neymer, David Meiri, Brian Riordan, Anestis Panidis, Xiali He
  • Patent number: 8306670
    Abstract: A system for protecting, controlling, and monitoring substation devices of a power system, includes a spare protection and control unit that, when there is a failure in a protection and control unit from among protection and control units that perform a protection and control operation for the substation devices, downloads unit information including software and a device setting value of failed protection and control unit from a database unit and functions as an alternative unit for the failed protection and control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeto Oda
  • Patent number: 8261133
    Abstract: The present invention is a method, computer-readable medium and an apparatus for protection and recovery of non-redundant computer-readable information stored in a memory having multiple segments that features replacing computer-readable information stored in one of the multiple segments based upon a determination that computer-readable information stored in one of the remaining segments of the multiples segments is in a desired state. To that end, the memory device operates synergistically with a shelf manager, which maintains a state of computer-readable information in the differing address ranges of the memory device, so that any computer-readable information replaced in memory device may be achieved by executing uncorrupted computer-readable information stored in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Gunawan Ali-Santosa, Rajeev Bharol
  • Patent number: 8255645
    Abstract: In order to provide a more efficient persistent storage device, one or more long-term storage media are included along with a non-volatile memory. In one embodiment, one portion of the non-volatile memory is used as a write buffer and a read cache for writes and reads to the long-term storage media. Interfaces are provided for controlling the use of the non-volatile memory as a write buffer and a read cache. Additionally, a portion of the non-volatile memory is used to provide a direct mapping for specified sectors of the long-term storage media. Descriptive data regarding the persistent storage device is stored in another portion of the non-volatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Cenk Ergan, Clark D. Nicholson, Dan Teodosiu, Dean L. DeWhitt, Emily Nicole Hill, Hanumantha R. Kodavalla, Michael J. Zwilling, John M. Parchem, Michael R. Fortin, Nathan Steven Obr, Rajeev Y. Nagar, Surenda Verma, Therron Powell, William J. Westerinen, Mark Joseph Zbikowski, Patrick L. Stemen
  • Patent number: 8239647
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing data backup of a communication device. Data backup can occur automatically or manually. A data backup status indicator is displayed on the communication device indicating the current status of the data backup. The user can select the data backup status indicator to obtain additional information about the status of the data backup service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Smith Micro Software, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl J. Stocklein, Konstantin Othmer, Michael P. Ruf
  • Patent number: 8214685
    Abstract: To make available a backup copy of source data in a multi-site storage system, the source data is provided at a first storage site and an operational copy of the source data is provided at a second storage site. In response to a request to create a backup copy of the source data, the backup copy of the source data is produced at each of the first and second storage sites. In response to failure that causes the first storage site to be unavailable, recovery of a version of the source data is enabled based on accessing the backup copy of the source data at the second storage site, and accessing the operational copy of the source data at the second storage site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Shaun Rosychuk
  • Patent number: 8214632
    Abstract: Provided is a method of booting an electronic device including a host central processing unit (CPU) and a security module. The method includes: the host CPU starting to boot a system by using boot information in response to a reset or power on event of the electronic device; and when an authentication start instruction is not received by the security module from the host CPU until a first predetermined period elapses after an occurrence of the reset or power on event of the electronic device, controlling an operation of the host CPU by the security module. According to the method, when the authentication start instruction is received before the first predetermined period elapses, the security module authenticates the boot information and controls the operation of the host CPU based on an authentication result. A method of authenticating a boot of the electronic device in the security module is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun-ho Choi, Choon-sik Jung
  • Patent number: 8176363
    Abstract: A storage unit adapted for use in a processing system includes a controller including at least two compute nodes, each of the compute nodes including a read/write cache and a persistent cache; and machine executable instructions stored within machine readable media, the instructions including instructions for tracking in-flight data in the persistent cache and composing a list of the in-flight data segments after a failure of the controller. A processing system and a method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Aviad Zlotnick
  • Patent number: 8145966
    Abstract: A method and system of supporting and testing equipment distant from the support system are provided. The method includes the steps of forming a communications link between the equipment and the support system, using the support system to measure performance of the equipment and to provide a set of performance data, providing library data relating to the equipment, comparing the performance data with the library data and analysing the compared data whereby to provide a performance diagnosis of the equipment, all in a substantially continuous real time operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Astrium Limited
    Inventors: Terence Alfred Roblett, Graham Anthony Ward
  • Patent number: 8145942
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a debugging tool includes a processor and logic, that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to: receive a Volume Table of Contents (VTOC)/INDEX data set for a first VTOC/INDEX data of a remote system, create second VTOC/INDEX data (which is a replicated version of the first VTOC/INDEX data of the remote system) from the VTOC/INDEX data set, execute a second scenario (which is a replicated version of a first scenario that was executed on the remote system using the first VTOC/INDEX data that caused the error) using the second VTOC/INDEX data to reproduce an error, and set up trace points in the second VTOC/INDEX data to start a debugging session while executing the second scenario using the second VTOC/INDEX data. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are also described according to various other embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Trinh H. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8122234
    Abstract: A device includes a first memory with first and second memory segments. The first memory segment stores a full image file. A second memory segment stores a partial image file, which is a smaller file and has fewer features than the full image file. A second memory stores a boot program. A control module detects an error in the full image file and executes the boot program using the partial image file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Michael Orr
  • Patent number: 8112662
    Abstract: A smart card comprises a storage unit in which various data are stored, a communication unit to perform data communication with an external apparatus, and a processing unit which executes processing corresponding to a command received via the communication unit. The processing unit of the smart card detects data judged to have data abnormality from the data stored in the storage unit in a case where the command received from the external apparatus is an abnormal data confirmation command, and notifies the external apparatus of response data including information indicating the data in which the data abnormality has been detected by the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Aki Fukuda, Saori Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20120030509
    Abstract: A processor core includes one or more cache memories and a repair unit. The repair unit may repair locations in the cache memories identified as having errors during an initialization sequence. The repair unit may further cause information corresponding to the repair locations to be stored within one or more storages. In response to initiation of a power-down state of a given processor core, the given processor core may execute microcode instructions that cause the information from the one or more storages to be saved to a memory unit. During a recovery of the given processor core from the power-down state, the processor core may execute additional microcode instructions that cause the information to be retrieved from the memory unit, and saved to the one or more storages. The repair unit may restore repairs to the locations in the cache memories using the information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Timothy J. Wood, Charles Ouyang
  • Patent number: 8107945
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques enable wireless remote recovery for a wireless device that has encountered a potentially unrecoverable programming error during execution of a primary program controlling operations of the wireless device, e.g. an error that might otherwise prevent network communications. In response to the error, program execution changes over from the primary program to execution of a backup program. Under control of the backup program, the wireless device initiates a communication with a recovery server, over the air through a wireless network serving the wireless device. The communication utilizing the backup program enables the wireless device to receive programming from the recovery server, including a replacement version for at least a portion of the primary program. The primary program can then be corrected by replacing the portion thereof with the received replacement version. The wireless device then resumes normal operation, by resuming execution using the corrected primary program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventors: Barry Hoffner, Ronald Stamm
  • Patent number: 8103901
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and system are presented for establishing redundant computer resources. According to one embodiment, in a system including a plurality of processor devices and a plurality of storage devices, the processor devices, the storage devices and the management server being connected via a network, the method comprises storing device information relating to the processor devices and the storage devices and topology information relating to topology of the network, identifying at least one primary computer resource, selecting at least one secondary computer resource suitable to serve as a redundant resource corresponding to the at least one primary computer resource based on the device information and the topology information, and assigning the at least one secondary computer resource as a redundant resource corresponding to the at least one primary computer resource.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Fujibayashi
  • Patent number: 8074100
    Abstract: A restore management apparatus comprising a restore performing unit which performs restoration of a data and stores the data in a restore disk which is distinct from a backed up disk, a management unit that manages progress of the restoration performed by the restore performing unit, and an access controlling unit that references the progress of the restoration managed by the management unit, makes the restore performing unit preferentially perform the restoration of data that includes a region where the restoration is not completed in response to a data access request to the region, and accesses the region of the restore disk after the restoration is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hideki Sakurai, Yasuo Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8074107
    Abstract: Replicated instances in a database environment provide for automatic failover and recovery. A monitoring component can periodically communicate with a primary and a secondary replica for an instance, with each capable of residing in a separate data zone or geographic location to provide a level of reliability and availability. A database running on the primary instance can have information synchronously replicated to the secondary replica at a block level, such that the primary and secondary replicas are in sync. In the event that the monitoring component is not able to communicate with one of the replicas, the monitoring component can attempt to determine whether those replicas can communicate with each other, as well as whether the replicas have the same data generation version. Depending on the state information, the monitoring component can automatically perform a recovery operation, such as to failover to the secondary replica or perform secondary replica recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sivasubramanian, Grant Alexander MacDonald McAlister
  • Publication number: 20110289350
    Abstract: A backup and restoration process which first attempts to recover information blocks from locally connected information handling systems executing a backup/restore service before looking to the slower access cloud store to recover data blocks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Carlton Andrews, Clint H. O'Connor, Yuan-Chang Lo
  • Patent number: 8032726
    Abstract: A remote copy system includes a plurality of first storage systems and a plurality of second storage systems. Each first storage system assigns a sequential number to write data received from the host and sends the write data with the sequential number to the second storage system. One of the first storage systems defers the processing of the write request received from the host and instructs each of the first storage systems to create a marker, whereupon each of the first storage systems defers the processing of the write request, creates a marker including a sequential number and having a marker number, and sends the marker to the second storage system. Each of the second storage systems, when receiving a marker from the first storage system, stores the marker number included in the marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd
    Inventors: Takashige Iwamura, Hiroshi Arakawa, Kenta Ninose, Yoshihiro Asaka, Yusuke Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 8024601
    Abstract: The active server A101 notifies its own operating status to the administration server 106, and the administration server 106 acquires a snapshot and copies a disk according to the policy established by a user. When the active server A101 or the active disk 113 fails, the administration server 106 chooses a backup server A104 and a status storage disk A114 to be booted and restarts them by using the snapshot according to the policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Kambara, Yoshifumi Takamoto, Keisuke Hatasaki, Kouji Masuda