Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Digital Equipment Corporation

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Other

Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Andrew David Birrell

Edward Pearce Wobber

Michael Isard

Michael Alex Schroeder

Martin Abadi

Ulfar Erlingsson

Muthukaruppan Annamalai

Michael Burrows

Charles Patrick Thacker

Timothy Lawrence Harris

Butler W Lampson

Mark David Lillibridge

Yuan Yu

Thomas Lee Rodeheffer

Raymond Paul Stata

Susan S Owicki

Puneet Kumar

Charles Gregory Nelson

Roger Michael Needham

Hallam G Murray, Jr

William Laing

Christopher Melling

Simon Jaffer

Michael D Schroeder

Johnson Hsieh

Edwin H Satterthwaite, Jr

Michael Schroeder

An automatic mutual exclusion computer programming system is disclosed which allows a programmer to produce concurrent programming code that is synchronized by default without the need to write any synchronization code. The programmer creates asynchronous methods which are not permitted make changes to shared memory that they cannot reverse, and can execute concurrently with other asynchronous methods. Changes to shared memory are committed if no other thread has accessed shared memory while the asynchronous method executed. Changes are reversed and the asynchronous method is re-executed if another thread has made changes to shared memory. The resulting program executes in a serialized order. A blocking system method is disclosed which causes the asynchronous method to re-execute until the blocking method's predicate results in an appropriate value. A yield system call is disclosed which divides asynchronous methods into atomic fragments. When a yield method call is made, shared memory changes are committed if possible or reversed and the atomic fragment is re-executed.

Automatic mutual exclusion

A pattern matching access control system determines whether a principal should be granted access to use a resource based on properties of applications comprised by the principal. The principal name may be created when an application is loaded, invokes other applications (or programs) and/or assumes a new role context. Access is provided based on whether, for each application, the publisher is authorized by system policy to grant privilege as requested by the application. When a resource which requires the privilege is requested by a principal, an access control list (ACL) for the resource is expanded with a list of applications that have been authorized through their publisher to assert the privilege. The expanded ACL is compared to the principal name to determine resource access.

Access control based on program properties

A general purpose high-performance distributed execution engine can be used by developers to deploy large-scale distributed applications. To allow developers to easily make use of the distributed execution engine, a graph building language is proposed that enables developers to efficiently create graphs (e.g., direct acyclic graphs) that describe the subprograms to be executed and the flow of data between them. A job manager (or other appropriate entity) reads the description of the graph created with the graph building language, builds the graph based on that description, and intelligently distributes the subprograms according to the graph so that system resources are used efficiently. In one embodiment, the graph building language (and, thus, the description of the graph) includes syntax for replication, pointwise connect, cross connect and merge.

Description language for structured graphs

A subscription-based computing device has hardware and a subscription enforcer implemented in the hardware. The enforcer has an accumulator that accumulates a usage value as the computing device is being used and an expiration value register that stores an expiration value. The enforcer allows the computing device to operate in a subscription mode without hindrance and with full use when the usage value is less than the stored expiration value, and allows the computing device to operate in an expiration mode with hindrance and without full use when the usage value reaches the stored expiration value to signal that the subscription for the computing device has expired.

Subscription-based computing implemented in hardware of computing device

Strong semantics are provided to programs that are correctly synchronized in their use of transactions by using dynamic separation of objects that are accessed in transactions from those accessed outside transactions. At run-time, operations are performed to identify transitions between these protected and unprotected modes of access. Dynamic separation permits a range of hardware-based and software-based implementations which allow non-conflicting transactions to execute and commit in parallel. A run-time checking tool, analogous to a data-race detector, may be provided to test dynamic separation of transacted data and non-transacted data. Dynamic separation may be used in an asynchronous I/O library.

Transactional memory with dynamic separation

Systems and methods are provided for resource access control in computer systems. Our approach includes new techniques for composing and authenticating principals in an access control system. Our principals may comprise information that identifies the role of the user of a computer system, the mechanism by which the user was authenticated, and program execution history. Thus, when a principal makes a request, access control determinations can be made based on the principal's identity. Access control lists may provide patterns that are used to recognize principals, thereby ensuring a level of security without enumerating precise identifiers for all of the possible principles that may request a particular resource.

Systems and methods for pattern matching on principal names to control access to computing resources

Methods and systems are provided for a cancellation server maintaining a database of identifiers of cryptographic puzzles. A cryptographic puzzle is created from a unique identifier and a timestamp, and is attached to an electronic mail message, along with the puzzle's solution. The recipient verifies that the solution is correct and that the timestamp is current, and further queries the cancellation server with the puzzle identifier. If the identifier does not exist in the database, then the recipient knows the received message is legitimate. If the identifier already appears in the database, the received message can be automatically removed from the recipient's computer.

Cryptographic puzzle cancellation service for deterring bulk electronic mail messages

A method for backing up data in a plurality of computers connected via a network. The method includes forming partnerships between the plurality of computers such that each computer in a partnership commits under agreements to help backup the data of its partners. The method further includes periodically verifying that previously backed up data is being retained by the computers committed to act as backup partners in accordance with the agreements. In another embodiment, the method provides a distributed cooperative backing up of data in a system that includes a loose confederation of computers connected via a network. In this embodiment the method includes selecting computers as potential backup partners from among the loose confederation of computers connected via the network based on predetermined criteria, and negotiating a reciprocal backup partnership agreement between the computers based on predetermined requirements, including backup requirements. Once the negotiations are complete and the agreements are made, the method proceeds to form partnerships between the computers. The computers become backup partners by agreeing to cooperatively provide backup services to each other so that a distributed cooperative backing up of data can be administered in the absence of central control. The method further includes periodically backing up data at the backup partners, where the data being backed up is encoded. The method also includes periodically verifying that previously backed up data is retained by the backup partners. Another aspect of the invention is a distributed cooperative backup system that includes a network and a loose confederation of computers connected via the network. A plurality of computers from among the loose confederation of computers is configured for distributed cooperative backing up of data and for functioning as backup partners. Each computer of the plurality of computers has a storage that can be used for providing reciprocal backup services. Each computer of the plurality of computers respectively also has a computer readable medium embodying computer program code configured to cause the computer to perform functions comparable to the method steps as described above.

Method and system for cooperatively backing up data on computers in a network

A system is provided for reading and writing sectors which may be realized as either a disk device to the local operating system, or as a virtual disk device to a virtual machine. A user's computing environment is stored in the network in the form of a disk image, which may be a virtual disk image, for example. The virtual disk is realized on host computers through host-resident virtual machine monitors such as MICROSOFT VIRTUAL PC&#xae;. Portable memory devices, such as flash devices, buffer virtual disk writes and cache reads, greatly reducing the performance degradation associated with remote disk access. The cache is mobile so that it can be travel with the user. The flash device remembers commonly used virtual disk content fingerprints so that the host machine's local disk can be used to satisfy many common disk reads when ubiquitous static content is involved. Standard, frequently used software images might be distributed in advance to host machines. Flash disk contents are trickled back into the networked parent disk image in order to provide an automatic backup facility, adding the benefit of ensuring that the flash drive doesn't overflow.

System and methods for an overlay disk and cache using portable flash memory

A lifting and shaping system for a bra is disclosed. The system uses lift platforms shaped to fit into the cups of the bra and formed from thin material such as plastic. The lift platforms are attached to the bra toward the center of the bra. Connectors having one end attached to the lift platform and the other end attached to a slide on the shoulder strap adjust the lift of the lift platform when the slide is moved. Flexible shaping members distribute the lift of the lift platforms and maintain the natural shape of the breasts as they are lifted. Smoothing shields ease the movement of the lift platforms and connectors within the cloth confines of the breast cups. The flexible shaping members may also perform some of the functions of a smoothing shield.

In a computerized distributed mail system, a plurality of client computers are connected to each other via a network. Each client computer is configured to execute client mail application programs. A mail service system is also connected to the network. The system is for executing server mail programs on server computers. The mail service system includes an index server for storing mail messages in message files, and for storing a full-text index of the mail messages. In addition, the system includes means for accessing the mail messages by the plurality of client computers by searching the full-text index using queries.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Andrew David Birrell