This inventor holds 3 USPTO granted patents. Top assignees: Seagate Technology Incorporated, Other. Active years: 2001-2016.
Location History:
- Bloomington, MN (US) (2001 - 2002)
- Shakopee, MN (US) (2016)
Company Filing History:
2 out of 8,742 
1 out of 834,350 Years Active: 2001-2016
Title: Innovations of Gerald A Houlder
Introduction
Gerald A Houlder is an accomplished inventor based in Bloomington, MN (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of data storage and management, holding a total of 3 patents. His work has had a profound impact on how data is stored and accessed in modern computing environments.
Latest Patents
One of Houlder's latest patents is for a system called Physical Subsector Error Marking. This innovation allows for selectively marking subsectors of a physical sector of a storage medium as unreadable. The error marking includes a bad sector mask to indicate that the subsector is unreadable, combined with an error signature to confirm that the bad sector mask was set intentionally. The remaining readable subsectors of the physical sector may be returned to the host, enhancing data integrity.
Another notable patent is for Global File System and Data Storage Device Locks. This system includes shared Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) storage devices for processing clients, coupled by a fiber channel interface. The storage devices feature storage blocks and locks that control their use by clients. Clients can issue actions to the storage devices for performing operations on the locks. A client may exclude other clients from using storage blocks by acquiring the lock for shared or exclusive use. If the client modifies the data, a version counter in the lock is updated when the lock is released. Expiration timers associated with the locks allow acquired locks to be released by timing out, ensuring efficient management of shared resources.
Career Highlights
Gerald A Houlder has worked with notable companies, including Seagate Technology Incorporated. His experience in the industry has allowed him to develop innovative solutions that address complex challenges in data storage and management.
Collaborations
Throughout his career, Houlder has collaborated with talented individuals such as Brian Thomas Edgar and Shuangyi Tang. These collaborations have contributed to the advancement of technology in the field.
Conclusion
Gerald A Houlder is a prominent inventor whose work in data storage technology has led to significant advancements. His patents reflect a deep understanding of the challenges in data management and showcase his innovative spirit.