Charles M Nichols

US Patent:

7904647, Mar 8, 2011

Filed:

Nov 27, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/604631

Inventors:

Mohamad H. El-Batal - Westminster CO, US
Charles E. Nichols - Wichita KS, US
John V. Sherman - Derby KS, US
Keith W. Holt - Wichita KS, US
Jason M. Stuhlsatz - Alpharetta GA, US

Assignee:

LSI Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 12/00

US Classification:

711113, 711118, 711E1204

Abstract:

A method for offloading a cache memory is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) reading all of a plurality of cache lines from the cache memory in response to an assertion of a signal to offload of the cache memory, (B) generating a plurality of blocks by dividing the cache lines in accordance with a RAID configuration and (C) writing the blocks among a plurality of nonvolatile memories in the RAID configuration, wherein each of the nonvolatile memories has a write bandwidth less than a read bandwidth of the cache memory.

US Patent:

20080140960, Jun 12, 2008

Filed:

Dec 6, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/567627

Inventors:

Jason Ferris Basler - Los Gatos CA, US
Avishai Haim Hochberg - San jose CA, US
Charles Alan Nichols - Tucson AZ, US
Vadzim Ivanovich Piletski - San Jose CA, US
Thomas Franklin Ramke - Vonore TN, US
James Patrick Smith - Redwood City CA, US
Peter Tanenhaus - Vestal NY, US

International Classification:

G06F 13/28
G06F 12/00

US Classification:

711162, 711 4, 711E12028, 711E12002

Abstract:

A system and method to optimize memory usage during data backup. The system generates lists of files and attributes corresponding to local files and backup files, selectively allocates storage of the lists to the hard disk and/or memory, compares the lists, and updates the backup files to reflect differences between the local files and the backup files. At least a portion of the lists may be allocated to hard disk storage based on preestablised criteria such as historical memory usage, a dynamic determination of the amount of available memory relative to the amount of memory needed to perform a current backup, or a prior determination of the amount of available memory compared to the amount of memory required to perform a current backup. In this manner, the present invention efficiently utilizes memory resources to perform incremental backup procedures quickly and reliably and facilitates large scale file backup.

US Patent:

20120117562, May 10, 2012

Filed:

Nov 4, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/939548

Inventors:

Martin Jess - Erie CO, US
Charles E. Nichols - Wichita KS, US
Rexford A. Hill - San Diego CA, US
John G. Logan - Long Beach CA, US
Timothy R. Snider - Derby KS, US

Assignee:

LSI CORPORATION - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

G06F 9/455

US Classification:

718 1

Abstract:

Methods and structure for reprogramming firmware in a storage controller using a virtual machine management (VMM) environment. A storage process (current firmware) in the storage controller operates in a current virtual machine (VM) under control of a hypervisor. Reprogrammed (new) firmware is loaded into a new virtual machine under control of the hypervisor. The new firmware initializes and directs the current firmware to quiesce its processing. The new firmware also requests the hypervisor to map data in the memory space of the current virtual machine into the memory space of the new virtual machine and to transfer ownership/control of devices and network addresses from the current virtual machine to the new virtual machine. The new firmware operating on the new virtual machine then takes control of the storage controller and resumes processing of requests.

US Patent:

44588011, Jul 10, 1984

Filed:

Feb 4, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/464127

Inventors:

Charles R. Nichols - Golden CO

Assignee:

Ball Corporation - Muncie IN

International Classification:

B65G 4724
B65G 1100

US Classification:

193 46

Abstract:

A can twist is provided for changing the orientation of cans in a conveying system with each can having a leading side and a trailing side as it passes through the can twist. The guide rails for the open and closed ends of the cans are located so that only the trailing side of each can contacts the guide rails. Such contact is, at any one time, substantially a point contact of the open end and its guide rail and substantially a point contact of the closed end and its guide rail. This is accomplished by providing a plurality of frame members and guide rails with each frame member having two short sides and two long sides and securing the guide rails for the open end and the closed end at a location spaced from the center of each short side.