International Business Machines Corporation

Christopher J Monahan

Mary L Monahan

Dennis L Willson

Victor S Moore

Emily Jane Ratliff

Mark T Bowman

Keith Morea

Leslie P Hauck

Daniel James Winarski

Craig Alan Bennett

James Richard Schoech

Jesse Lee Thrall

Joseph C Hartung

Lee Douglas Willson

Gerald B Cullen

Deirdre Smith

E-commerce web page forms contain an encrypted and encoded string, which contains basic information about a product for sale on the web page. Optional product data (e.g. size, color) is selected by an online shopper and transmitted with the basic information when the form is submitted to a cash register server. The form may also contain store ID information which is used to the look up the secret string needed to decrypt the product information. A method for generating the encrypted encoded string for use in the web page is described. Confidentiality is provided with regard to purchases over the Internet.

Method and apparatus for E-commerce by using optional fields for virtual bar codes

In an E-commerce method for selling digital content over the Internet an FTP-like protocol is provided to carry out the delivery (download) of a purchased digital content item from a server computer to a client computer operated by the purchaser. The FTP-like communication protocol provides for error recovery during the download that does not require restarting the download from the beginning. After the download is completed the integrity of the downloaded file is checked. And the result of the check is communicated to the server which records that the digital content item has been successfully delivered to the purchaser.

Software and method for digital content vending and transport

A method, program, and system provide flexibility when a PFS requests a memory object reference from a File Server's Pager so that it can map the object in memory. The PFS supplies a reference in return that allows the pager to obtain a mapping of a data region within that memory object, the mapping being a layout of a region in that memory object. The method divides functions performed by a general purpose pager into function-subsets and associates the function-subsets with a set of flags passed in on an original memory object reference request. The method then integrates the functions required by the pager for that specific memory object to become part of the object's pager attributes and links the set of flags to a set of PFS call-back functions that represent customized functions that the PFS selectively replaces. In this manner, the PFS can dynamically override a sequence of base methods used to access data on a memory object by memory object basis.

System and method for flexible file encapsulation through latent levels

An automated storage library for which the management thereof is transparent to a requester is disclosed. The library provides for all of its own internal management. To access a file in the library, a requester need only specify the volume on which the file is located, permitting the use of a standard file access method for a single peripheral storage device. A path format which is the same as that used for a single, peripheral storage device, except that the peripheral storage device designator is replaced with a designator for the automated storage library and a volume label is inserted as a subdirectory path element, and a program product therefor are also disclosed.

Transparent library management

A method for servicing a mount request in an automated storage library in which all of the peripheral storage devices therein are occupied and which permits an active data storage medium to be temporarily demounted and subsequently remounted in any subsequently available peripheral storage device is disclosed. To service a mount request requiring that a data storage medium be demounted, the access information for the data storage medium to be demounted is first retained. After demounting and servicing of the mount request, the retained access information is used to permit remounting of the previously mounted data storage medium in any subsequently available peripheral storage device, thereby minimizing the risk of delay in remounting. The method also allows for optional parameters to prevent temporary demounting in an automated storage library, or to prevent temporary demounting of particular data storage media. An automated storage library and program product employing the method are also disclosed.

Virtual drives in an automated storage library

A method for selecting data storage media for demount in an automated storage library, and an automated storage library and program product therefor are disclosed. Preemptive demount of storage media is permitted when all peripheral storage devices in the library are occupied and one or more of such devices remains inactive for a predetermined time. Storage media may be demounted to service existing mount requests, provide the peripheral storage devices in which the media are mounted are inactive. There is also a need, however, to ensure the availability of an empty device to service future mount requests, particularly in libraries having only a single gripper mechanism. Thus, even when no mount requests are pending, the status of the peripheral storage devices is continually monitored. If the peripheral storage devices are all occupied, and one or more of such devices remains inactive for the predetermined time, the least recently used storage medium is demounted and transferred to a storage cell in the library.

Preemptive demount in an automated storage library

An error recovery subsystem which can be easily modified for use with any physical hardware which is being monitored is disclosed. The error recovery subsystem employs a user editable file including the rules for defining the system state, the error states, and the sequences of recovery actions to be taken depending upon the comparison between the system state and the error states. The rules for defining the system state, include don't care variables, and the sequences of recovery actions are specified using an index into a set of elemental recovery actions. Because the system state, error state, and sequence of recovery actions are defined in a user editable file modifications to the error recovery scheme can be made without recompiling the error recovery subsystem program code. Such modifications to the error recovery subsystem may therefore be made on a real time basis. A method for recovering from an error and a program product therefore are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Christopher J Monahan