Patents Examined by Alvin Oberley
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Patent number: 6405263Abstract: A method and apparatus for subclassing System Object Model (SOM) class objects for a dynamic object-oriented language. A proxy class object is created using the dynamic language that points to the SOM class object. Next, a dynamic language subclass is created. This is followed by the creation of a SOM class object using the SOM interface, which causes certain SOM methods to be overridden by dynamic language redispatch stubs. The dynamic language overrides the SOM dispatch procedures and replaces the dispatcher with its own procedures. The new dispatch procedure will search for a method in the dynamic language class object method table first in response to a message, and if not found, redirects the message to the SOM environment.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 1995Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michael Haden Conner, Nurcan Coskun, Simon Christopher Nash, David Seager Renshaw
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Patent number: 6393492Abstract: An arrangement and method are disclosed herein for operating a mass memory storage peripheral computer device connected to a host computer. The host computer has system RAM associated with the host computer and is operated using an operating system and a system BIOS. The mass memory storage peripheral computer device is connected to the host computer using a peripheral bus in which relocatable expansion BIOS location addresses are allowed. The arrangement and method include a loadable device driver for controlling the operation of the mass memory storage peripheral computer device during the operation of the computer system. During the start-up of the computer system, the loadable device driver is loaded into the system RAM for use during the operation of the system.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1995Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Stephen R. Cornaby, Tracy D. Harmer
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Patent number: 6389483Abstract: A technique for enhancing the modifiability and reuse of telecommunications software systems is described. The problem domain is first partitioned into tasks that are assigned to distinct software program modules. In one embodiment, each of the software modules have multiple output ports. Each output port provides a mechanism to link the software module to a specific version of a different program module. The multiple output ports are used to selectively link the module to one of several versions of a different program module. The linking is performed as early as system design time or as late as run-time, or at any intermediate time between the two. The use of output ports makes software modules less dependent on each other and also simplifies the “hot-swapping” or dynamic replacement of one module by another at run-time. In an alternative embodiment, each of the software modules has a unitary output port where each output port comprises an array of linking records.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1997Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)Inventor: Tony Ingemar Larsson
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Patent number: 6363435Abstract: A single object functions as a centralized monitoring point for events fired in a hierarchical object model. Objects within the hierarchy register with the event monitoring object when they are created. These objects then route their events to the event monitoring object. A listening object also registers with the event monitoring object to receive notification upon the occurrence of certain events within the hierarchy. A property of the event monitoring object corresponding to a particular class of object is parameterized with an identifier that designates the events to be sourced to the listening object The event monitoring object couples the listening object to a filter object that sources only events designated by the parameterized property. The event monitoring creates the filter objects as needed. A filter object can report events to more than one listening object if the listening objects register to be notified of the same events.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1998Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Joseph P. Fernando, John M. Norwood
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Patent number: 6363433Abstract: A method and mechanism for handling the execution of extensions on a client machine, such as ISAPI applications written for a server. When a local browser is notified that an extension is local, the browser creates a moniker for interfacing with the extension. Although local, the moniker appears to the extension to be a server process, whereby the extension executes its function on user data and provides a result to the moniker. The moniker returns the result to the browser for display thereof. The method and mechanism enable extensions developed for remote servers to be locally executed in a client machine, while using the local browser as a user interface.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1997Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Satoshi Nakajima
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Patent number: 6360244Abstract: A system and method for multi-level memory domain protection. A user process for executing operating system code at a first protection level and user code at a second protection level. A domain process for executing the operating system code at the first protection level and domain code, executing at the second protection level. The operating system code protecting the domain code, executing at the second protection level, from the user code, executing at the second protection level, by context switching between the user process context and the domain process context.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1997Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Rajeev Bharadhwaj
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Patent number: 6360279Abstract: A software system to provide a true-parallel, client-server system comprises a server 52. The server 52 comprises any suitable system for using and supporting an operating system 54. The operating system 54 is operable to create and delete processes, as well as manage server resources. The operating system 54 is further operable to provide a well-known address 56 with an associated buffer 58. The operating system 54 is further operable to support the notification system 60 to notify a plurality of processes, in parallel, that information has arrived at the well-known address 56 and that the information has been stored in the buffer 58. The plurality of handler processes 62 are operable to accept and remove, in parallel, pending requests from the buffer 58. The spawner process 64 is operable to initialize the well-known address 56 and spawn handler processes 62. The server 52 communicates with the clients 50 via the network 66.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1997Date of Patent: March 19, 2002Assignee: Bea Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Herbert Woods, Jayson Ben Crisman
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Patent number: 6345312Abstract: A technique for selectively dummying a data pipe transparent to a writer application is provided. A writer application writes data to a local data pipe or a cross-system data pipe and one or more reader applications read data from the data pipe. The technique involves determining when a last reader application of the at least one or more reader applications closes the data pipe before the writer application has completed writing data to the data pipe. Upon determining this condition, further writing of data to the data pipe by the writer application is transparently prevented. While transparently preventing writing to a dummied data pipe, writing of data to a fitting, e.g., for a permanent record, can proceed.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1997Date of Patent: February 5, 2002Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Roman Anthony Bobak, Scott Brady Compton, Jon Kim Johnson, David Lee Meck, William Robert Richardson
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Patent number: 6343308Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products execute an application within a first version of a runtime system, wherein the application includes at least one call to an object class of a second version of the runtime system. An application, including object classes called by the application, is loaded into a first version of the runtime system. A class interface having at least one identifier for at least one respective object class of a second runtime system version called by the application is loaded into the first version of the runtime system. The application is then executed within the first version of the runtime system without causing an error condition by any of the calls to the second runtime system version object classes named in the class interface. Calls to object classes of the second runtime system version not identified within the downloaded class interface are not allowed.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 1997Date of Patent: January 29, 2002Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventor: Bradley T. Marchesseault
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Patent number: 6324589Abstract: A server for use in a client/server computing system for processing a transaction, the client/server computing system being of at least a three-tier process type, where a first tier process initiates the transaction and contacts a second tier process to further the transaction which in turn contacts a third tier process which contains local data to be updated in the transaction, the server, which runs the second tier process, has a means for receiving a transaction context from the first tier process requesting that the second tier process be registered in the transaction; and a means for passing on the transaction context to the third tier process informing the third tier process that it should register itself into the transaction directly with the first tier process without going through the second tier process. This greatly reduces the required number of cross-process flows.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 1998Date of Patent: November 27, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventor: Amanda Elizabeth Chessell
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Patent number: 6314470Abstract: A system for providing a graphics tool access to a computer graphics system to evaluate and control a graphics application executing on the computer graphics system. The system includes application program interface (API) event generators for performing predetermined operations relating to a graphics library function call and for generating a hook event containing results of the predetermined operations; dispatch table manger for selecting an active dispatch table from a normal operations dispatch table having function pointer to the graphics library finctions and a hooks dispatch table having pointer to the API event generators; and hook event manager for enabling and configuring selected ones of the API event generators in response to a graphics tool event request. The system further includes internal event generators, integrated along various locations of a graphics pipeline managed by the graphics library, for performing predetermined diagnostic operations in the graphics system.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1997Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Hewlett Packard CompanyInventors: Alan D. Ward, Rex A. Barzee, Kevin T. Lefebvre, Don W. Dyer, James G. Dugger
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Patent number: 6298389Abstract: The present invention includes a method and apparatus that allows languages to send, receive and manipulate structures defined by other languages. Structurally, the present invention includes a preprocessor and a runtime library. The preprocessor accepts, as input, source code written in a high-level language, such as C or C++. The preprocessor produces, as output, a series of Java classes. Each Java class describes a structure defined in the input source code. Java programs use the descriptions produced by the preprocessor to send, receive and manipulate structures the structures defined in the input source code.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1997Date of Patent: October 2, 2001Assignee: Compaq Computers, Inc.Inventor: Alan L. Gerhardt
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Patent number: 6272554Abstract: A method and apparatus for decomposing arbitrarily complex CORBA data types into a flat data buffer and recomposing the data type back from the buffer. CORBA TypeCode data is converted to/from stream form. A memory management function releases the memory used for the reconstructed form of the TypeCode data. An encoder interface routine receives inputted CORBA data. A two pass procedure is executed which allocates buffers and passes ownership information for the inputted CORBA data which is converted into a contiguous representation.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 1996Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: David Yu Chang, Scott Robert Hinkelman
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Patent number: 6272555Abstract: An object-oriented interprise computing manager provides coordination between application programs by having each server program controlling the client executable program. In this manner, each client program communicates from the client to the server using a predefined protocol.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1996Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.Inventor: Sheri L. Gish
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Patent number: 6256679Abstract: A computer software architecture for an embedded computer system. The architecture includes a hierarchy of software object classes. One classification includes a common information blackboard object. Data is written to the blackboard object by processes in a protected manner, and is otherwise globally readable by all processes. A run-time executive is provided to schedule and coordinate processes. Processes register with the run-time executive at start-up. One process can know the existence and generation of data by another process. The architecture is layered in increasing levels of system abstraction. In one embodiment, the embedded system is an airborne fuel gauging subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: July 3, 2001Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Edward Rhoads, II, Keith Patrick Darwin, Mark Robert Chaffee, Harold Frederick Clark, Jr.
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Patent number: 6091896Abstract: A software development system with improved facilities for debugging optimized code. Certain parts of the operations specified by source statements are categorized as "data change points". A compiler 102 identifies the correspondence between the machine instructions that perform data change point operations and the source statements from which these machine instructions were derived and stores this mapping data 110 for use by a debugger program 104. This source code/machine instruction mapping data is used by the debugger to permit users to specify machine instruction locations (such as for setting breakpoints) by identifying a source statement and specifying that the debugger use the data change point of that statement; as another example, the step command includes an option that permits a user to continue execution until the next data change point instruction is reached. The debugger's source code display (FIGS.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1995Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Hewlett-Packard CompanyInventors: Donald L. Curreri, Arun K. Iyengar, Russell A. Biesele, Michelle A. Ruscetta
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Patent number: 5956506Abstract: A system and process for enhancing procedural software using object oriented classes. Implementation classes are constructed that provide a defined object oriented interface to applications and are able to invoke the procedural software using defined procedural application program interfaces (APIs). New function is added to the software by adding classes that interface to the implementation classes or directly to the procedural API. The new function builds upon the procedural software without accessing the procedural software source code or modifying that source code.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1997Date of Patent: September 21, 1999Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Edward Ellis Cobb, Thomas James Freund, Simon Anthony James Holdsworth, Iain Stuart Caldwell Houston, Stanley Alan Smith
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Patent number: 5903754Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for dynamically building a protocol stack for use by a communication program to establish a data transfer protocol. The method of creating the protocol stack first establishes a set of protocol layer descriptions. One protocol layer description is used to establish an initial protocol layer that has a protocol interface. For each other protocol layer description, a current protocol layer having an interface is established using the protocol layer description, and the current protocol layer is connected to a previously established protocol layer using one of the interfaces from the previously established protocol layer. In this manner, the protocol layers are connected in pairs. These connected protocol layers make up a protocol stack. Finally, the method provides the interface from a protocol layer, e.g., the top layer, to the communication program.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1997Date of Patent: May 11, 1999Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Malcom E. Pearson
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Patent number: 5892946Abstract: A distributed object messaging system and method (10) are provided for a plurality of nodes (15-21, 25-32) distributed in multiple physically separate sites (12, 13). There are a plurality of processes (40-44) executing in each node. The processes register a plurality of objects in each node. The objects include client objects and server objects. The server objects may be registered for global service for service availability to client objects in a local node, local site and/or site global service for service availability for client object in remote sites. a server object database (46) is used in each node to store a server object description for each server object registered in the node and objects registered in remote nodes that are registered for global or site global service. a client-server interface (50) is accessible by client objects and receives requests for services therefrom.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 1995Date of Patent: April 6, 1999Assignee: Alcatel USA, Inc.Inventors: George W. Woster, Melissa A. Linares, Mahesh V. Shah
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Patent number: 5887169Abstract: A technique for enhancing a software layer while ensuring backwards compatibility is disclosed. In one implementation, the software layer is a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) that interfaces between hardware and an operating system of a computer system. The HAL can be enhanced with additional functionality without having to worry about crashing the operating system when the particular HAL in use with the computer system lacks the additional functionality. Hence, the inventive technique allows enhancements to the HAL to be made without causing any backwards compatible problems.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1996Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Compaq Computer CorporationInventor: John Steven Lacombe