Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

International Business Machines Corporation

CheKim Chhuor

Nathan J Peterson

Gary David Cudak

Fred Allison Bower, Iii

John Michael Petersen

Wen Wei Tang

Yu Yu

Qian Qiaoneng

Mark Edward Molander

Yi Xu

Caihong Zhang

Zhi Liu

ZhenDe Fu

Ping Zhao

Zhijun Liu

Hai Zhong

Ning Zhou

Zhipeng Gao

Zhengdong Zhu

Zhaoli Wang

Qian QiaoNeng

Liying Jin

Weiyi Xie

Gregory Wallace Roth

Tang WenWei

One embodiment provides a method, the method including: detecting, at an audio provision system including at least one audio output device, an initiation of audio being provided via the at least one audio output device to a user; identifying and tracking, using at least one sensor of the audio provision system, a location of the user with respect to the at least one audio output device; and directing, using the audio provision system, audio provided by the at least one audio output device to the user, wherein the directing includes adjusting, based upon the location of the user, at least one attribute of the at least one audio output device, wherein the adjusting includes iteratively adjusting the at least one attribute as the location of the user changes. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Directional audio provision system

A method for virtual on-demand internet connectivity for management controllers is disclosed. The method includes starting, on a management controller of a computing device connected to a management network, a management session in response to a valid login request from an authorized system administrator computer. The method includes, after startup of the management session, establishing a proxy in a browser of a device with a connection to a public network. The proxy enables the management controller to send one or more internet requests through the proxy using the connection to the public network. The method includes providing information to the system administrator computer. The provided information includes information received by the management controller in response to the one or more internet requests.

Virtual on-demand internet connectivity for management controllers

Apparatus, methods, and program products for dynamically shaping are computing display screen are disclosed. One apparatus includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to receive an input from a user, determine if the input is a predefined input, and modify the size and/or shape of the computing display screen in response to the input being the predefined input. Methods and computer program products that perform the operations and/or functions of the apparatus are also disclosed.

Apparatus, methods, and program products for modifying a size and/or shape of a computing display screen

An apparatus, such as a computing node, includes a storage device for storing program instructions and a service processor for processing the program instructions to: send an out-of-band request for access to an operator panel, wherein the out-of-band request is sent over a local network domain operatively coupling a plurality of computing nodes; receive a first out-of-band reply identifying an address and one or more capabilities of an operator panel accessible over the local network domain; and negotiate an active link to the operator panel over the local network domain. Another apparatus is similar but further includes an operator panel operatively coupled to a service processor, the service processor for processing the program instructions to: receive the out-of-band request over the local network domain; send the first out-of-band message; and negotiate an active link between the operator panel and a computing node.

Access to an operator panel over an out-of-band local network domain

A method of data transfer over a communication network from a first information handling apparatus to a plurality of second information handling apparatuses includes generating, by the first information handling apparatus, an initial block and initializing, based on the initial block, a ledger. The method includes broadcasting the ledger to the plurality of second information handling apparatuses, and attempting to compute a new block, by each one of the plurality of second information handling apparatuses. Upon one of the plurality of second information handling apparatuses successfully computing said new block, the method then transmits data to the one of the plurality of second information handling apparatuses and updates the ledger based on the new block.

Performing firmware updates using blockchain

A method for preparing fast boot of an information handling apparatus. The information handling apparatus contains a first CPU configured to connect to a storage device storing firmware and a second CPU connected to the first CPU. The method contains the steps of: allocating a firmware region in memories associated with each one of the first and second CPUs respectively; and copying a firmware from a storage device to the firmware region of each one of the memories. By utilizing a system memory such as NVDIMM which provides higher access speed than NAND flash and also persistent data storage, one or more CPUs can be booted from firmware images in the NVDIMM much faster, thus saving the total booting time.

Method for fast booting processors in a multi-processor architecture

The present invention provides a computing device, apparatus for holding a power supply device, and methods of installing a power supply device in the computing device. The apparatus comprises a container and at least one electrical contact disposed on the container. The container is configured to hold the power supply device and to be received in a receiving space defined by the computing device. The container, when received in the receiving space, is operable to be removed from the receiving space without necessity of opening a cover of the computing device. The apparatus, computing device, and methods are advantageous in various aspects such as being favorable to the lifetime of the power supply device, convenient for uses to manage the power supply device, such as monitoring the status and make replacement when necessary, etc.

Computing device, apparatus for holding power supply device, and methods of installing power supply device in computing device

A data storage device includes a memory used to store device identification information, wherein the data storage device is operable to communication with an electronic device to receive the device identification information sent from the electronic device and to store the device identification information in the memory, and wherein the data storage device is operable to provide a hardware-switching device with the device identification information from the memory. A method for identifying multiple electronic devices includes providing, for each electronic device, a corresponding data storage device communicating with a hardware-switching device and storing device identification information related to each electronic device in the corresponding data storage device. Furthermore, in relation to communication between the data storage device and the hardware-switching device, the hardware-switching device receiving corresponding device identification information, so as to identify a corresponding electronic device based on the device identification information received by the hardware-switching device.

Data storage device identifying an electronic device to a hardware-switching device

A computing device includes a processor storing a mapping relationship of MAC addresses, IP addresses and device identifiers of client devices, and a network interface. The network interface receives dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) requests from, and transmits IP addresses to client devices. The processor, in response to receiving a DHCP request, determines if an IP address has been generated for the client device. The processor assigns the IP address to the client device in response to determining that the IP address has been generated for the client device; and obtains a device identifier from the client device in response to determining that the IP address has not been generated. The processor generates an IP address for the client device, establishes a mapping relationship of the MAC address and device identifier of the client device with the generated IP address, and assigns the generated IP address to the client device.

Methods and apparatus for an IP address assignment

A method of controlling a computing device includes detecting a user input request to disengage a drive component from a computing device, the computing device comprising a multiple-drive storage system having a plurality of drive components forming a single logical unit, and determining whether or not disengaging the drive component would cause failure of the multiple-drive storage system. The method includes disallowing disengagement of the drive component from the computing device in response to determining that disengaging the drive component would cause failure of the multiple-drive storage system, and allowing disengagement of the drive component from the computing device in response to determining that disengaging the drive component would not cause failure of the multiple-drive storage system.

Disallowing disengagement of a drive component

A connector for data transfer is provided. The connector comprises a connector body having a coupling mechanism, and a communication module for communicating with a first data processing device and a second data processing device. The communication module is arranged with respect to the connector body such that upon the coupling mechanism being coupled to the first data processing device, the communication module is positioned with respect to the first data processing device to effect close-range wireless communication between them to enable a data transfer between the first and second data processing device. A data processing system and a method of carrying out data transfer between a first and second data processing device are also provided.

Data transfer connector, system and method

A method for switching an electronic device's input interface is provides, as well as a computer program product for performing the method. The method includes acquiring information from an input device through at least one input interface of the electronic device in response to receiving an input selection request from a user, and displaying the information to the user in association with a corresponding input interface. An electronic device is also provided, the electronic device including at least one input interface, a processor configured to acquire information from an input device through the at least one input interface in response to receiving an input selection request from a user, and a display operable to display the information to the user in association with a corresponding input interface.

Acquiring and displaying information to improve selection and switching to an input interface of an electronic device

A method and apparatus for giving a prompt about a touch input operation is disclosed. A method comprises: displaying a graphic user interface (GUI), wherein a touch input operation prompt corresponding to at least one GUI widget is displayed on the GUI; receiving a touch input operation, wherein the received touch input operation is one of the touch input operations that are prompted on the GUI; executing a command represented by the GUI widget corresponding to the received touch input operation. The method and apparatus may give prompts about touch input operations corresponding to GUI widgets when running a GUI, so that users may execute commands represented by those GUI widgets intuitively using touch input operations.

Method and system for giving prompt about touch input operation

A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for activating a blade server in a blade server system. The method comprises receiving a request for activating the blade server and obtaining a hardware feature of the blade server. The method further comprises determining a virtual machine management program corresponding to the hardware feature of the blade server in accordance with a correspondence relationship between the hardware feature of the blade server and the virtual machine management program and remotely activating the blade server via a management bus by using the determined virtual machine management program. In accordance with the method, a suitable built-in virtual machine management program may be determined according to user requirements, and system security and stability upon blade server activation may be ensured.

Growing community of inventors

Shanghai, China

CheKim Chhuor