Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data routing – Least weight routing
Reexamination Certificate
1997-01-14
2001-07-03
Maung, Zarni (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data routing
Least weight routing
C709S241000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256678
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an object oriented method and system for providing a common communications interface between software application programs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Communication between software applications and the programs which comprise the applications is an important issue in any computer system. One method of providing for such communications is through an application program interface (API). Several different API's are available for facilitating communication between application programs including Berkeley Sockets, IBM's CPI-C, Microsoft's NetBEUI, WinSock and PeerLogic's PIPES Platform™.
For general reference see Comer, Douglas E and Stevens, David L.,
Internetworking with TCP/IP
, vol. III, Prentice-Hall, (1993);
PIPES Platform User's Guide and Reference MaNual
, PeerLogic, Inc., (1993); “X/Open Transport Interface (XTI)”, X/Open CAE Specification, X/Open Company Limited, (1992); Stevens, W. Richard,
Unix Network Programming
, Prentice-Hall, (1990);
Common Programming Interface Communications Reference
, Fourth Edition, IBM, (1991); Schmidt, Douglas, “Concurrent O-O Network Programming With C++”, C++ World, 1994; and Bach, Maurice J.,
The Design of the Unix Operating System
, Prentice-Hall, (1986).
Each of the API's, however, has advantages and disadvantages which make it a better or worse choice than using another of the API's under similar circumstances. And, in many cases, it may be necessary for one application to use more than one of the API's because two or more applications with which it needs to communicate are using different ones of the API's available.
Thus, programming an application to use only one of the API's means that the application will not operate at peak performance under some circumstances. However, reprogramming the application to use a different API when circumstances change can become time consuming and increases the opportunity to introduce errors into the application because of the operational nuances of each API. Thus, it is desirable to have a common API which can be used to communicate with a variety of other API's.
Furthermore, as more efficient and/or more flexible API's become available, the desire to use the new API to take advantage of the latest features or to remedy past problems will sometimes necessitate a conversion. It is desirable to do such a conversion with minimum, if any, impact to the application.
These system can be described in terms of object models, functional models and dynamic models as discussed by James Rumbaugh et al. in the book
Object-Oriented Modeling and Design
published in 1991 by Prentice-Hall (the “OOMD”) which is herein incorporated by reference in it's entirety. According to the book OOMD, an object model of a system describes the object types which comprise the system and also shows the relationships between the object types. A functional model of the system shows the processes and data structures of the system and the flow of data therebetween but does not indicate the sequence of processing. The dynamic model of the system does show the processing sequence of the system. That sequencing is shown primarily as transitions from one state to another.
Thus, what is needed is a method and system for providing a common communications interface between software application programs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method and system which provide a common communications interface between a plurality of different types of software application programs through a communications network. The system and method include an Adapter means associated with and responsive to one of said plurality of programs for connecting said one of said plurality of programs to said communications network.
Also included is a Resource means associated with the Adaptor means and with one of the plurality of software application programs. The Resource means stores at least one identifier, or Resource Name, associated with the software application programs in a Name Space. The Resource means is also responsive to an Agent means associated with another of the plurality of software application programs and generates a View means associating the first software application program with the second software application program. The View means accept communications from the software application programs through said communications network.
The View means, coupled to the Resource means of one software application program, is responsive to another software application program and accepts the data transmitted between the two programs.
The system and method also include Data means, coupled to the View means, which stores the data transmitted between the software application programs.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5073890 (1991-12-01), Danielsen
patent: 5454109 (1995-09-01), Bruynooghe et al.
Stevens, UNIX Network Programming, Prentice Hall, p. 19, 153, 204, 212, 267-272, 339, Dec. 1990.*
M. Pendergast, “Design and Evaluation of A Distributed Object-Oriented Communication System for EMS Application Development”, Proceedings of the 10th Annual International Phoenix Conference on Computers and Communications, Mar. 1991, Arizona, pp. 309-315.
D. Schmidt, “Systems Programming with C++ Wrappers”, C++ Report, vol. 4, No. 8, Oct. 1992, USA, pp. 50-54.
D. Schmidt, “A C++ Wrapper for UNIX I/O Multiplexing”, C++ Report, vol. 5, No. 7, Sep. 1993, USA, pp. 32, 37-43.
Hall, et al., “Window Sockets—An Open Interface for Network Programming under Microsoft® Windows™”, Version 1.1, Jan. 20, 1993, pp. 1-130.
Hall, Martin, “A Guide to Window Sockets”, Jun. 1993, pp. 1-17.
Birze Brigitte B.
Hager Delmar G.
Traughber Thomas J.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Maung Zarni
Sterling Software, Inc.
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