Google Assigned Two Patents

Storing data across plurality of storage nodes
Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,745,329) developed by Andrew Kadatch, Redmond, WA, and Lawrence E. Greenfield, NY, for “storing data across a plurality of storage nodes.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for storing data on storage nodes. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a file to be stored across a plurality of storage nodes each including a cache. The is stored by storing portions of the file each on a different storage node. A first portion is written to a first storage node’s cache until determining that the first storage node’s cache is full. A different second storage node is selected in response to determining that the first storage node’s cache is full. For each portion of the file, a location of the portion is recorded, the location indicating at least a storage node storing the portion.“

The patent application was filed on Jan. 20, 2011 (13/010,548).

Selecting and storing data on HDD
Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,762,635) developed by Ross A. Biro, Ashburn, Virginia, for a “method and apparatus for selecting and storing data on a HDD drive.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Methods and apparatus for selecting and storing data on a HDD drive are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a first data set for writing to a HDD drive (HDD). The first data set can reside in a main memory of a computer and the first data set can be associated with a first disk address on the HDD. The method can also include determining that a second data set residing in the main memory is likely to be associated with a second disk address located within a selected proximity of the first disk address. The method can also include creating a third data set that includes the first data set and the second data set and writing the third data set to the HDD.“

The patent application was filed on March 31, 2005 (11/095,196).