Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Multicomputer synchronizing
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-18
2001-02-06
Luu, Le Hien (Department: 2756)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Multicomputer synchronizing
C709S226000, C709S229000, C713S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185626
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an arrangement and a method for linking clients to servers at run time in a distributed networking environment, particularly for start synchronization in a digital telecommunication system, comprising at least one ground based radio communication unit and a number of mobile radio communication units for communication with or via said ground based radio communication unit, wherein each of said communication units is provided with a digital data processor server linked to a communication port.
In distributed computing systems, applications are distributed throughout the network. These applications are made available at varying points of time. As a result of this, one application (addressing application) may try to address another application (addressed application) before the addressed application has become available. This means that it is very difficult to use time synchronization to resolve the numerous client server relationships between the distributed softwares. Furthermore, another important factor is that the lack of one single server software to start should not prevent the entire system from starting and working.
One possible solution is to let each application try addressing the other application until a response from the other application is received. The problem with this solution is the bad use of system capacity. The communication costs for unnecessary messages is high.
For example, a digital tele-communication system is realized as a network of neighbouring radio cells, together providing coverage of a service area. Such a system allows mobile stations to move freely between the cells in the service area without interruption of communication. A number of distributed databases are used to keep track of mobile stations. These databases may for example contain subscriber information, authentication parameters and ciphering keys. When a mobile station roams into a new mobile services switching centre area, the visitor location register database connected to that mobile services switching centre will request data about said mobile station from the home location register database.
Thus, in the field of mobile telecommunications, it would be especially advantageous to reduce unnecessary messages since this will unload processors and increase traffic capacity, for example during handover of calls in progress between cells or from one base station controller to another base station controller.
SUMMARY
An object of the invention is therefore to provide a flexible start synchronisation mechanism, making paired client-server communication handling independent of each other.
Therefore, an arrangement for handling linking of clients to servers at run time is provided. In the arrangement each communication port is linked to a functional unit which acts as a distributed database which is able to register when a specified server becomes available in a defined domain. This solution results in the use of a loose synchronisation mechanism based on events instead of time, between applications.
The functional unit can use an internal interface to distribute port names throughout a zone.
The functional unit can also use a first external interface to the internal process communication, to publish a port name, search and analyze for a port name, withdraw a port name, and to modify a port name.
The functional unit can also use a second external interface to users, who want to communicate at start phase, wherein users subscribe for a specified port name, making the functional unit wait for the requested port name to become available.
The functional unit can also use a third external interface to system upgrading, wherein system upgrading uses the interface to find which marks are related to a specific object type/object individual.
Preferably, the functional unit also uses a fourth external interface to processor error handle, wherein the functional unit acts as a server which will be informed when a processor failure occur.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a functional unit is allocated to each distributed communication operating system processor in a subnet.
It is an advantage with the invention that a functional unit at a zone level is able to communicate with a number of functional units at a subnet level, and that the functional units at said subnet level are each able to communicate with a number of functional units at a processor level.
The method according to the invention is characterized in that each client subscribes to a defined domain through a functional unit, and that each server is able to publish the service it provides through a defined domain, by registering it to said functional unit.
Preferably, the functional unit can be requested to register and notify a client processor when the specified server becomes available.
According to the invention, the functional unit can also be requested by a server to register that the service said server provides is available.
Preferably, each server publishes its service by means of a specified port name, which publication is bound to a working domain in which said service is accessible. This publication is distributed within the domain by means of the functional unit.
The port name can be a data structure which comprises parameters regarding object type, object individual and system upgrading.
The published data can be secured from unauthorized objects by means of a key which is returned to the applications, which key also can be used for modification or withdrawal of said publication.
The functional unit supports withdrawal of a port name, which action takes place when an object ceases to be used by any application or when a fault is detected.
The process of withdrawal of a port name involves a comparison between the stored key and a received key, to make sure that the withdrawal is being made by the correct port.
The functional unit also supports search and analysis of a port name, which action takes place when an object sends a message to another object using a port name as an address.
The process of search and analysis of a port name is handled by inter process communication, which calls the functional unit to get the destination address and in case the port name is not found, the message is returned to the sender with an error indication.
The functional unit supports modifying of a port name, which action takes place at system upgrading phase and has the same syntax as publish.
Preferably, modifying of a port name involves changing the system upgrading mark, to enable publishing a new object having the same object type and object individual, allowing testing of the new object during traffic, and removal of the old object from the network when the test has been passed.
The functional unit also can support wait for publishing of a port name, which action takes place at start and system upgrading phase.
Waiting for publishing of a port name preferably involve making the functional unit wait for the demand port name to be published, specifying a maximum waiting time, and informing objects when a specified object has published its port name to the functional unit.
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Adjimah Richard Komi
Chivi Anwar Hanna
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Farahi Farzaneh
Luu Le Hien
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
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