Data processing method, recording medium, and data...

Details Data processing method, recording medium, and data... Data processing method, recording medium, and data...

1999-03-01

2003-01-28

Jung, David (Department: 2175)

Data processing: database and file management or data structures

Database design

Data structure types

C709S241000, C709S241000, C709S241000, C709S241000, C707S793000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06513049

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing method employed when messages are exchanged between a client object and a plurality of server objects. The invention also relates to a recording medium on which an operating system implementing the above data processing method is recorded, and to a data processing apparatus provided with the above recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, software, such as application programs, is usually described by using a function call. The basic operation of the function call is shown in FIG.
1
. In
FIG. 1
, the function calling side is shown as a client, while the function-call receiving side is shown as a server.
In the function call, the client calls the function of the server, as indicated by the arrow A
1
in
FIG. 1
, thereby causing the server to execute the function, as indicated by the solid line A
2
in FIG.
1
. During this function calling, the client is in the waiting state, as represented by the single-dot-chain line A
3
in FIG.
1
. Upon completing the processing executed by the server, the server returns the value to the client, as indicated by the arrow A
4
in
FIG. 1
, thereby causing the client to restart processing, as indicated by the solid line A
5
in FIG.
1
.
Along with recent advances in software programming techniques, the development of software based on the object-oriented technique is progressing. When the object-oriented technique is applied to software, the functions of the software, such as application programs, can be formed into modules by forming objects. By exchanging the required information with each other such as messages, the objects fulfill their functions as modules. Such message exchanges are referred to as “message passing”.
As a method for implementing message passing, various techniques have been proposed and have been put into practical use. One of the techniques is “future”-based message passing. The basic operation of future-based message passing is shown in FIG.
2
.
In future-based message passing, a message is sent from a client object to a server object, as represented by the arrow B
1
in
FIG. 2
, to request the server object to perform predetermined processing. At this time, a data area for storing the result of the processing executed by the server object is reserved. The data area is an area for storing the result to be received by the client object, and is referred to as a “future”.
The server object executes processing, as indicated by the solid line B
2
in
FIG. 2
, in accordance with the request of the message sent from the client object. When the processing is completed, the server object stores the processing result in the future, as represented by the arrow B
3
in FIG.
2
.
Meanwhile, the client object continues processing, as indicated by the solid line B
4
in
FIG. 2
, after sending the above message to the server object. Thereafter, when the client object requires the result of the processing performed by the server object, it reads the data stored in the future, as represented by the arrow B
5
in FIG.
2
.
At this time, if the result of the processing executed by the server object has not yet been stored in the future, the client object is in the waiting state, as represented by the single-dot-chain line B
6
in FIG.
2
. When the processing result sent from the server object is stored in the future, it is delivered to the client object from the future, as represented by the arrow B
7
in FIG.
2
.
That is, if the result of the processing executed by the server object is stored in the future, the client object immediately receives the processing result. If, however, the result of the processing performed by the server object has not yet been stored in the future, the client object remains in the waiting state until the result is stored in the future.
In the development of object-oriented software, the functions of the software, such as application programs, are formed into modules by forming objects, as noted above. In this case, software, such as an application program, may be implemented by a single object. Alternatively, each function of the application program may be further formed into a module, so that the application program can be implemented by a plurality of objects.
In performing the above-described message passing, if the server object is implemented by a single object, it executes the processing requested by the client object by using the single object in response to the message sent from the client object, and then delivers the processing result to the client object. This type of message passing can be handled in a manner similar to the concept of the function calling illustrated in
FIG. 1
, based on the fact that the processing request is received and the processing result is returned by the same object. Even if there are a plurality of server objects, the above message passing can be handled in a manner similar to the concept of the function calling if a server object that receives the processing request is the same as a server object that returns the processing result.
However, if there are a plurality of server objects, and a server object that receives the processing request is different from a server object that returns the processing result, the aforementioned message passing cannot be handled in a manner similar to that of the function calling. Accordingly, it becomes necessary, for example, that the client object takes into account that the processing request is received and the processing result is returned by different server objects. However, such a requirement for the client server becomes a heavy burden on programming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in view of the above background of the conventional art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a data processing method in which even if there are a plurality of server objects, and even if a server, object that receives a processing request is different a server object that returns a processing result, message passing can be performed between the client object and the server object while eliminating the need for the client object to take into account that the processing request is received and the processing result is returned by the different server objects.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording medium on which an operating system implementing the above-described data processing method is recorded, and to provide a data processing apparatus provided with such a recording medium.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data processing method in which a message is sent from a client object to a server object having two or more objects, and the server object excutes processing in response to a request by the message and returns a result of the processing to the client object. In the aforementioned data processing method, upon sending the message from the client object to the server object, a data area for storing the result of the processing executed by the server object is reserved. When the processing is executed by the server object in response to the request by the message, an authorization to return the result of the processing executed by the server object to the client object is delegated between the objects of the server object. The result of the processing executed by the object which was most recently delegated to possess the authorization is stored in the data area. The result of the processing executed by the server object is received by the client object by reading the data stored in the data area.
With this arrangement, an authorization to return to the client object the result of the processing executed by the server object is delegated between the objects of the server object, and the processing result of the object which was most recently delegated to possess the authorization is stored in the data area. Thus, even if a processing request is received and a processing result is ret

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