Netapp, Inc.

Electronics for Imaging Gmbh

Decru, Inc.

Dan Avida

Serge Plotkin

Marc Blumer

The presently preferred embodiment of the invention provides an encryption based security system for network storage that separates the ability to access storage from the ability to access the stored data. This is achieved by keeping all the data encrypted on the storage devices. Logically, the invention comprises a device that has two network interfaces: one is a clear text network interface that connects to one or more clients, and the other is a secure network interface that is connected to one or more persistent storage servers. Functionally, each network interface supports multiple network nodes. That is, the clear text network interface supports multiple client machines, and the secure network interface supports one or more storage servers.

Encryption based security system for network storage

An apparatus and method for connecting a plurality of computing devices, e.g. web servers, database servers, etc., to a plurality of storage devices, such as disks, disk arrays, tapes, etc., by using a stream-oriented (circuit oriented) switch that has high throughput, but that requires non-negligible time for reconfiguration is disclosed. An example of such stream-oriented switch is an optical switch. The system decodes the requests from the computing devices and uses this information to create circuits, e.g. optical paths in embodiments where the stream-oriented switch is an optical switch, through the stream-oriented switch. The system uses these circuits to route traffic between the computing devices and the storage devices. Buffering of data and control in the device memory is used to improve overall throughput and reduce the time spent on reconfigurations.

Stream-oriented interconnect for networked computer storage

An apparatus and method for connecting a plurality of computing devices, e.g. web servers, database servers, etc., to a plurality of storage devices, such as disks, disk arrays, tapes, etc., by using a stream-oriented (circuit oriented) switch that has high throughput, but that requires non-negligible time for reconfiguration is disclosed. An example of such stream-oriented switch is an optical switch. The preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of communication ports for connection to servers, and plurality of ports for connection to storage devices. The system decodes the requests from the computing devices and uses this information to create circuits, e.g. optical paths in embodiments where the stream-oriented switch is an optical switch, through the stream-oriented switch. The system uses these circuits to route traffic between the computing devices and the storage devices. Buffering data and control in the device memory is used to improve overall throughput and reduce the time spent on reconfigurations.

A method and system are provided for converting image data between planar format and a chunky format. A barrel shifter sorts the image bytes by color plane for output to a plurality of memory cells. Two addresses of each memory cell are not interconnected and function as a set of selection lines, whose binary values determine the number of positions that the data stored in the memory cells are shifted in response to the action of the barrel shifter. The sorted bytes are stored according to color format in the remaining, interconnected addresses of the memory cells. When the barrel shifter does not shift the bytes in a word, cyan bytes are stored in the memory cells. When the barrel shifter shifts the word one byte position, magenta bytes are output to the memory cells. Yellow and black bytes, respectively, are output for shifts of two bytes and three bytes, respectively. Each color plane is therefore stored in a separate memory cell and the chunky format data are converted to a planar format. This planar data may then be output to a printer. Further, the invention is bidirectionally operative. Thus, color-sorted bytes in planar format may be input to the barrel shifter and sorted to output the image data in chunky format.

Method and system for image format conversion

A robotic plotting system 10 is provided, in which a robotic plotter 18 having a printhead 18 is placed on a substantially flat horizontal surface 23, upon a recording medium 22, and is directed across the medium 22 by ranging signals 16 transmitted to the printhead 18 from the periphery of the recording medium 22. In one embodiment, the robotic printhead 18 includes a motorized drive mechanism 26, 28 that propels it across the surface of the recording medium 22 in a controlled manner, for example using microwave control signals 16. Thus, a user can place a piece of paper 22 of any size on a flat surface 23 such as a table or floor, and the printhead 18 is propelled across the surface 23 and is directed by signals 16 beamed between the printhead 18 and a control mechanism 14. In this manner, a large-surface-area plotting system 10 is provided in the form of a small hand-held device.

Growing community of inventors

Belmont, CA, United States of America

Dan Avida