Abstract: A system and method for providing a software module architecture specification language, and checking code for compliance. A module architecture specification can be structured into product-wide groundrules (applicable to all subsystems), and into subsystem-, layer- or even module-specific rules. The system parses the specifications automatically using the notion of rule specificness, and detects contradictory statements. This makes it easy to capture the intent of refactoring efforts and is an effective tool in ensuring that refactored code modules do not suffer from subsequent unnoticed dependency-creep.

Abstract: Provided is a method, system, and program for executing a workflow. A workflow class implement methods and objects to provide information on and control of workflows. A work list class implements methods and objects to provide information on and manipulate work items assigned to the workflows. A work item class implements methods and objects to provide information on and manipulate work items when executing one workflow.

Abstract: A method and system multi-threaded fragment patching. The method provides a link in a self-modifying multi-threaded computer system between a first and a second piece of compiled code where the first piece of compiled code includes a control transfer instruction to the second piece of compiled code. The link is formed by inserting a patch from the first piece of compiled code to the second piece of compiled code. The patch may be a direct reference or a reference to an outlier.

Abstract: A method (300) and system for controlling use of software programs on a client workstation; the programs (such as an operating system or a network stack) are started before completion of a bootstrap process. Each program requests (311) an execution authorization to a system agent of a licensing management system, which grants (318–324) the authorization according to a verification of a (simplified) local license certificate for the program stored on the client workstation before completion of the bootstrap. A full-function agent of the licensing management system revises (342–351) the granted authorization according to a verification of a license certificate stored on a server workstation after completion of the bootstrap. Preferably, an execution environment of the programs (such as a power of the CPU on the client workstation) is monitored (333) in order to revise (336,360–384) compliance of the conditions of use of the programs with the respective license certificates dynamically.

Abstract: A method comprising automatic installation of device drives in which an operating system or other device installation code obtains a unique identifier from a device, uses that unique identifier to locate a driver for the device, downloads the driver from that location, and completes the installation. Various methods of using the unique identifier to locate the driver are enumerated.

Abstract: A system method and apparatus are disclosed for testing software at a low level during its operation. The system comprises a registry, a test criteria store, a report generator and a tester. The system selects elements of software from a program under test, tests the elements against predetermined test criteria and reports the results.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for preparing program code for a first computer, wherein the systems and methods are implemented on a second computer. The systems include a relocating module that is adapted to relocate program code by modifying locations in the program code identified by location data. The modifications made by the relocating module are based on a memory address. The systems operate on program code for the first computer, where the program code is stored on the second computer. The relocating module is provided the memory address that identifies a memory location in the first computer. The memory address is suitable as a basis for modifying the program code. The relocating module is also provided with location data that identifies locations in the program code to be adjusted based on the memory address.

Abstract: A service element is defined and represented by a data structure. It includes one or more components and/or one or more other service elements. A service element providing a complete function is a service offering. Management of service elements and/or service offerings is facilitated by a Service Development Tool. In different aspects, the management includes various tasks associated with creating, modifying and deleting service elements, establishing relationships, error checking and optimization. In a further aspect, service elements are packaged and distributed to enable customers to deliver the service elements. Additionally, the hosting of software packages is facilitated.

Abstract: A system for run-time analysis of software programs using traces comprises a software program including two or more trace points, a trace control channel, a trace channel and a runtime tracer. The trace control channel includes an identification of one or more selected trace points of the two or more trace points. The runtime tracer is configured to concurrently execute a first and a second instance of the software program. Each instance of the first and second instances is configured to interact with the trace control channel to save trace information corresponding to the one or more selected trace points in the trace channel.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for upgrading a software on a customer system are provided. In one embodiment, a method for upgrading a software on a customer system comprises: receiving, by a supplier system, a software inventory from the customer system; verifying one or more business contracts for the software inventory utilizing one or more databases connected to the supplier system; and determining one or more software upgrade releases for the software inventory utilizing a product topology database connected to the supplier system.

Abstract: A method for debugging including the steps of receiving code having a software breakpoint function therein, running the code for the purpose of debugging, monitoring the code to detect the presence of the software breakpoint function, recognizing the software breakpoint function, determining an action to be performed based on the software breakpoint function, and implementing the action. The present invention also includes an apparatus for implementing the method for debugging and a medium embodying a program of instructions for execution by a device to perform the method for debugging.

Abstract: A process, architecture, and computer program product for using the inheritance features of an object-oriented system to enable multiple programmers to modify different behaviors of an object concurrently. A first method and a second method to be performed on the object are identified. The first method is developed in a first application having a first subclass of the object's class. A first application-specific object is an instantiation of the first subclass. The second method is concurrently developed in a second application having a second subclass of the object's class. A second application-specific object is an instantiation of the second subclass. Invoking the first method performs the first method on the first application-specific object, such that the object communicates as if the first method were performed on the object. Modifying the first method does not affect the second method, and vice versa.

Abstract: An architecture for integrating data between a plurality of software applications in a factory environment comprises a factory system and a domain application. The factory system comprises a domain object superclass and at least two first-level subclasses of the domain object superclass. An instantiation of one of the first-level subclasses corresponds to a domain object, which represents an item in a factory. The factory system also includes a service, which provides an operation related to the domain object. The service comprises at least one component, where each component is operable to perform the operation related to the domain object. The architecture also includes a domain application, which implements a component of the service of the factory system to perform the operation related to the domain object. The architecture can optionally include a system manager for managing hardware and software in the factory.

Abstract: A section of a computer program is used to ascertain a control flow description and a data flow description, and program elements are selected from the section of the computer program. For each selected program element, a stored fault description associated with a respective reference element is used to ascertain an element fault description which describes possible faults in the respective program element. The element fault descriptions are used to ascertain the overall fault description, taking into account the control flow description and the data flow description.

Abstract: A method and computer product is presented for mapping n-dimensional input patterns into an m-dimensional space so as to preserve relationships that may exist in the n-dimensional space. A subset of the input patterns is chosen and mapped into the m-dimensional space using an iterative nonlinear mapping process. A set of locally defined neural networks is created, then trained in accordance with the mapping produced by the iterative process. Additional input patterns not in the subset are mapped into the m-dimensional space by using one of the local neural networks. In an alternative embodiment, the local neural networks are only used after training and use of a global neural network. The global neural network is trained in accordance with the mapping produced by the iterative process. Input patterns are initially projected into the m-dimensional space using the global neural network. Local neural networks are then used to refine the results of the global network.

Abstract: Providing a contract between an application server and a resource adapter that allows the application server to manage the lifecycle of the resource adapter. When deploying a resource adapter (or during application server startup), an application server bootstraps a resource adapter instance in an appropriate address space. When a resource adapter is undeployed (or during application server shutdown), the application server notifies the resource adapter instance to stop functioning in order to allow safe unloading. The contract provides a mechanism for an application server to manage the lifecycle of a resource adapter instance, allowing an application server to bootstrap a resource adapter instance during resource adapter deployment or application server startup and to expose some of its useful facilities to the resource adapter instance. It also provides a mechanism to notify the resource adapter instance while it is undeployed or during an orderly shutdown of the application server.

Abstract: Methods and an apparatus for downloading an application over a distributed network are provided. One exemplary method includes a computer implemented method executed by a general purpose computer, where the computer implemented method is capable of downloading an executable program from a networked storage to the general purpose computer. The method initiates with downloading a core module where the core module includes classes necessary to run an engine of the executable program. Then, the core module is installed which in turn module provides instant user functionality. The installed core module includes code for, requesting a class not associated with the core module, searching non-core modules of the executable program for the requested class, and downloading to the general purpose computer a non-core module containing the requested class while the executable program provides the user functionality.

Abstract: An automated method is described for searching through sets of software patches to select a recommended set for installation on any given system. The patches are organized into patch chains each having a root. The method involves searching for a patch that corrects a particular defect or that has a particular property, examining additional patches sharing the same patch chain as the patch found and occupying a position on the shared patch chain between that patch and the root of the chain, and presenting as candidates for the recommended set patches that satisfy one or more specified conditions determined by the nature of each patch and by the identity of the patch recipient.

Abstract: A method and system for reverting a process in an in-line instrumented state to an uninstrumented state. In one embodiment, the present invention modifies selected text segment portions from the process to be uninstrumented. The present embodiment then unmaps instrumented code space such that the instrumented code space is inaccessible to the process. In this embodiment, the present invention also cleans a call stack of the process by unwinding the call stack and resetting the storage locations for return pointers from the instrumented code space to uninstrumented code space.

Abstract: Computer-based methods and systems for performing automated distribution of a software package to one or more target machines in one or more regions of a distributed network of target machines, comprises the following steps. First, a base software package is prepared for each of the one or more regions based on at least one of: (i) policy data indicating which of the one or more regions are candidates for receiving the software package, (ii) dependency information indicating requisites for a service provided by the software package, and (iii) configuration information for each of the candidate regions. The base software package is then distributed to each of the candidate regions of the distributed network.