Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Multicomputer data transferring via shared memory
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-16
2001-12-25
Vu, Viet D. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Multicomputer data transferring via shared memory
C709S225000, C709S232000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06334144
ABSTRACT:
37 C.F.R. 1.71 AUTHORIZATION
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to systems and methods of retrieving information in a network environment, and specifically to systems and methods by which information can be efficiently retrieved while operating in a Customer Information Control System environment.
In conventional computer network systems, a user at a workstation is coupled to a mainframe computer through an emulator session. The mainframe computer has several layers of user environments which control the operation of the mainframe. One typical user environment is Customer Interface Communications System (“CICS”), developed by Internal Business Machines corporation (“IBM”). CICS is an operating system that interacts with the mainframe and allows a user to perform operations on the mainframe. A second user environment is the Multi-Variable Storage (“MVS”) operating system, also developed by IBM, which is the user environment that directly controls the mainframe. Thus, the CICS user environment must interact with the MVS user environment in order to perform mainframe operations.
The user is typically connected to the CICS region through an emulator session. An emulator session is a logical connection between the mainframe and the workstation. The connection is logical because e although the user is coupled to a “screen” that represents the mainframe, there is no physical terminal on the mainframe side. Communication between the emulator session and the workstation is regulated by a conventional High Level Language Application Program Interface (“HLLAPI”). HLLAPI specifies that the user interaction with the mainframe is limited to screen commands, despite the fact that there is no physical terminal present on the mainframe side. That is, the user interacts with the emulator by issuing commands that manipulate the emulator “screen.” Keystrokes typed by the user at the workstation are actually transmitted to the mainframe and executed as screen commands. For example, in a typical CICS environment, in order for data to be transferred, a screen command to transfer the data present on an emulator screen must be sent. To send the next screen of data, a second screen command must be sent. Thus, due to the screen command limitation, the data is literally scraped off the screen one screen at a time. This process is conventionally labeled “screen scraping,” and is an extremely slow method of retrieving data, as the data transfer rate is limited by the size of the user's emulator screen.
One solution to speed up the transfer of data between the user and the mainframe in a computer system operating in an OS/2 environment would be to use structured fields. Structured fields allow the user to download up to 3 kilobytes of data at a time through the communication subsystem of the emulator, therefore bypassing the screen and the restrictions of the screen size. However, this maximum rate is still very slow. Additionally, a popular operating system, Windows, does not support write structured fields at all. A Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) connection directly to the mainframe would provide a dramatically faster transfer rate, but conventional CICS environments do not support TCP/IP. CICS 3.3 and higher do support a TCP/IP connection, but it is a cost add on. CICS 3.2 and lower do not support it at all.
Therefore, it would be advantageous if an improved information retrieval system and process could provide efficient information retrieval for users working within the CICS region.
No known solution adequately addresses these needs in a simple, flexible, robust, and inexpensive manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, where there is a first user environment having a slow-speed data transfer facility, and a second user environment having a fast-speed data transfer facility, there is an information retrieval system that, upon receiving a request for a packet of data, retrieves the source information of the data using the slow-speed data transfer utility and then uses the source information to retrieve the data packet using the fast-speed data transfer facility.
The user begins the process by requesting the download of a data packet. The user interface sends a request for source information to the first user environment along its slow-speed data transfer facility. The response to the request consists of the source information of the data packet. The source information is received by the user interface, and is then sent to the second user environment having a fast-speed data transfer facility. The second user environment locates the data packet using the source information, and downloads the data packet to the user interface through the fast-speed data transfer facility.
In a further aspect of the invention, the first user environment operates in accordance with CICS protocols, and uses a HLLAPI interface in conjunction with a user interface, and the second user environment is a MVS platform, coupled to the user interface with a TCP/IP connection.
For example, the user requests the download of a data packet a block of source code, and the CICS region returns the program name, the date and time it was compiled, and the MVS dataset name containing the source program information. Since CICS runs on a layer on top of MVS, this MVS dataset is available to both operating systems. The source information is then sent to the workstation, restructured and then sent by the workstation through a TCP/IP connection to MVS. MVS receives the source information, locates the dataset, and begins to download the source code.
This process greatly simplifies and enhances file transfers for the user. By limiting the CICS download to the source information, the user is free to continue to work in the CICS region while the source code is downloading. By using a TCP/IP connection to download the code, the actual download time is dramatically shortened. As this process is an innovative use of existing system components, implementation of this method is cost-efficient.
The features and advantages described in the specification are not all-inclusive, and particularly, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims hereof. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter, resort to the claims being necessary to determine such inventive subject matter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6044403 (2000-03-01), Gerszberg et al.
Compuware Corporation
Fenwick & West LLP
Vu Viet D.
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