Motive Power, Inc.

Other

John M Neil

Deniz Teoman

An apparatus and method for caching data in a storage device of a computer system. A relatively high-speed, intermediate-volume storage device is operated as a user-configurable cache. Requests to access a mass storage device such as a disk or tape are intercepted by a device driver that compares the access request against a directory of the contents of the user-configurable cache. If the user-configurable cache contains the data sought to be accessed, the access request is carried out in the user-configurable cache instead of being forwarded to the device driver for the target mass storage device. Because the user-cache is implemented using memory having a dramatically shorter access time than most mechanical mass storage devices, the access request is fulfilled much more quickly than if the originally intended mass storage device was accessed. Data is preloaded and responsively cached in the user-configurable cache memory based on user preferences.

Preloading data in a cache memory according to user-specified preload criteria

An apparatus and method for accessing data in a computer system. A relatively high-speed, intermediate-volume storage device is operated as a user-configurable cache. Requests to access a mass storage device such as a disk or tape are intercepted by a device driver that compares the access request against a directory of the contents of the user-configurable cache. If the user-configurable cache contains the data sought to be accessed, the access request is carried out in the user-configurable cache instead of being forwarded to the device driver for the target mass storage device. Because the user-cache is implemented using memory having a dramatically shorter access time than most mechanical mass storage devices, the access request is fulfilled much more quickly than if the originally intended mass storage device was accessed. Data is preloaded and responsively cached in the user-configurable cache memory based on user preferences.

I/O cache with user configurable preload

A system for retrieving and displaying a pictorial user interface on a computer display or other monitor whereby a series of time-lapse pictorial images change, over time, under software control such that the time of day and changes thereof can be visualized both for a user's geographical location or environment, as well as for the geographical location or environment of another person, such as a party telephoning the user from a different geographical location or environment in a different time zone.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

John M Neil