Abstract: Methods, devices and an associated application programming interface are described that permits a user to register event tap routines (“ETRs”) with an application such as, for example, a window server application. Event tap routines permit events such as human interface device events to be processed at multiple points and in a manner not provided during normal window server operations. Event tap routines may effect passive or active event responses. Passive ETRs may merely record the occurrence of an event or the time between successive events without modifying or altering the event's processing sequence within a window server. Active ETRs, on the other hand, effect some programmatic response to an event. For example, active ETRs may modify the state of an event, delete the event, create one or more additional events or cause the event to be processed “out of sequence” by the window server application.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for automatically reassigning an interface card and devices associated with the interface card in a programmable logic controller system from a non-deterministic operating environment to a deterministic operating environment so that the change is performed essentially instantaneously to avoid disruption of operations of the PLC devices associated with the interface involved in the reassignment. All operating system registries and configurations are automatically performed. The move provides for an improved response time for devices associated with and controlled by the card.

Abstract: Techniques for developing and exchanging virtual machine implementations and/or support library implementations are described. In one embodiment, the virtual machine design specifies a set of functions for executing all or substantially all support library operations that are dependent on the implementation of the virtual machine. When a developer desires to substitute one virtual machine implementation for another, the developer is able to basically “plug-in” the second virtual machine implementation with minimal impact on the support libraries since both virtual machine implementations provide implementations for the set of specified functions that are dependent on the implementation of the respective virtual machine. Conversely, different support libraries may be utilized in conjunction with a particular virtual machine implementation.

Abstract: A general purposed operating system is modified to support hard real-time processing of hard real-time tasks. At least one processing unit in the operating system is designated as a hard real-time processing unit to process hard real-time tasks, and at least one processing unit in the operating system is designated as a non-hard real-time processing unit to process non-hard real-time tasks and designated non-deterministic processing steps. Hard real-time tasks assigned to the non-hard real-time processing unit may be transferred to the hard real-time processing unit, and tasks assigned to the hard real-time processing unit that are about to execute a non-deterministic processing step may be transferred to the non-hard real-time processing unit.

Abstract: A method and system to access native drivers in a computer using a generic application interface. An embodiment of the method may include providing the generic application interface to allow access to multiple peripheral devices, where the interface is independent of the device-specific features of the peripheral devices. The interface may include generic routines commonly shared by the peripheral devices. The method may further include using the interface to call the generic routines as a function of device-specific features of a particular device upon receipt of a request to access the particular device. The method provides a generic API that may be commonly used by a plurality of applications on a computer or a plurality of computers in a network to access a plurality of peripheral devices. As such, the developer or user may port applications based on the generic API between different computers without making modifications to the applications.

Abstract: Message translation systems and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a method for translating messages comprises reading a first sequence of one or more message elements from a first interface, wherein the message elements are structured based on a first protocol; converging on a message mapping node based on the first sequence of one or more message elements, wherein the message mapping node is defined by a protocol metadata schema; performing one or more conversion operations on the first sequence of one or more message elements to construct a second sequence of one or more message elements, wherein the one or more conversion operations are based on the message mapping node; and writing the second sequence of one or more message elements to a second interface.

Abstract: Hosting user interface controls in a window via an interface for controlling the window is disclosed. One aspect of the invention is a computerized system having an operating system and at least one program. The operating system provides for hosting controls of a predetermined type within windows of a predetermined type via an interface for controlling the windows. The programs utilize the interface to host one or more controls within one or more windows. Thus, with respect to versions of the MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system, a program may utilize the WIN32 API (i.e., interface) to host ACTIVEX-type controls within windows hosted by the program, also via the WIN32 API.

Abstract: An application object for a supervisory process control and manufacturing information system application distributable to a plurality of networked computer devices and having a layered architecture, the application object comprising a set of text entries listed in a first language, a dictionary within each object drafted to enable the set of text entries to be translated into a plurality of multiple languages, and a set of one or more translation fields for storing text in each of the plurality of languages corresponding to the set of text entries listed in the first language.

Abstract: System, method, and computer program product for automatically monitoring message flow in a message queuing system in an asynchronous messaging network. A message queuing application programming interface appends, in a message descriptor field for recording and monitoring message flow, unique application identification keys of applications that process the message, operation codes applied to the message, and time stamps of operations applied during message processing. The keys are generated by the start-up of the applications and are filled in by each PUT and GET function of the API. After processing of the message, the entries included in the message descriptor field are monitored, and any deviation from a predefined message flow is automatically detected and reported.

Abstract: A method for facilitating network communications from one or more independent execution threads by a dedicated worker thread. Because an operating system is not designed for use with a large number of threads, such a system requires the use of multiple computers for simulating a large number of virtual users. This increases complexity, as well as cost. The present invention reduces the number of threads needed, which reduces resource needs, and in turn increases the number of virtual users that can be simulated. According to the present invention, a worker thread uses non-blocking function calls to efficiently handle requests for network operations.

Abstract: Multiple, semi-independent virtual operating system (OS) environments coexist within a single (OS) such that a change made in one environment does not affect the main OS or any other environment. In this way each virtual OS environment appears to be an independent OS for the applications running within it. The file system and registry information for each environment is independent of the base OS and other environments. Each of the environments can contain a group of installed applications that will run independently of each other. Although the invention is described in terms of a Windows® environment, the approach is applicable to other operating systems through appropriate modification.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for sharing constrained resources between two or more processes running within a common operating environment. The system is implemented by establishing a communications interface to each process sharing the resource data. The method obtains the resource data to be shared from one or more resource sources. In communication with the processes, the communications interface receives resource data requests and processes the requests with the resource data. Finally, the method communicates the processed resource data request, via the communications link, to the requesting process.

Abstract: A distributed transaction processing system is disclosed in which a process automation application receives a transaction request from a requesting application. In response to the request, the process automation application obtains a transaction definition for the transaction requested by the requesting application. This transaction definition comprises a plurality of operation definitions, which indicate a plurality of operations constituting the requested transaction. For each of the operation definitions in the transaction definition, the process automation application produces an operation request. These operation requests are sent to one or more service applications, and one or more responses are received by the process automation application after the operations are performed by the service applications. Based on the responses, the process automation application produces a transaction response, which is sent to the requesting application. In this manner, the requested transaction is completed.

Abstract: An accounting method and multi-threaded processor include a mechanism for accounting for processor resource usage by threads within programs. Relative resource use is determined by detecting a particular cycle state of threads active within the processor. If instructions are dispatched for all threads or no threads, the processor cycle is accounted equally to all threads. Alternatively if no threads are in the particular cycle state, the accounting may be made using a prior state, or in conformity with ratios of the threads' priority levels. If only one thread is in the particular cycle state, that thread is accounted the entire processor cycle. If multiple threads are dispatching, but less than all threads are dispatching, the processor cycle is billed evenly across the dispatching threads.

Abstract: A method and system for exchanging at least one data value between a first device and at least one second device, including providing at least one data structure at the first device, the data structure including at least one descriptive field and an associated at least one data value field, the at least one data value field including the least one data value, the at least one descriptive field including a usage type field having usage type data to associate the at least one data value field with a data type, transmitting the at least one data structure from the first device to the at least one second device, and, based on at least the usage type data, at the at least one second device, extracting the at least one data value from the at least one data value field.

Abstract: This invention relates to handling of different service versions in a server that is connected to a communication network. The invention comprises means to load a desired version, two tables and additional data for handling different service versions. The first table contains service key and version information, and serialized service objects. The second table contains names of classes, version information and class files. The additional data is needed for loading the right class from among classes, with the same name, and mapping the right service object version to the right versions of classes.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using subqueues to enhance local message processing. Messages include queue IDs comprised of a parent portion and a suffix portion. The parent portion identifies a parent queue and the suffix portion identifies a subqueue of the parent queue. Message are logically moved between queues by changing suffix values, such as, for example, between subqueues, between the parent queue and a subqueue, and between a subqueue and the parent queue. Applications can examine messages and route messages to specified subqueues based on message content (including message bodies and headers). Suffix values can be changed in place (e.g., while the message remains physically stored in the queue) so as to preserve message sender identity and to avoid prematurely acknowledging delivery (i.e., no return ACK is generated).

Abstract: An apparatus in one example comprises a manager component that upon receipt of an indication of a need for a communication channel between a first software component and a second software component, instructs management support software of the first software component to set up the communication channel between the first software component and the second software component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for scheduling and servicing events using a calendar structure is described. In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a calendar structure is provided to implement work-conserving methods (for example, queuing, such as fair queuing, or, as one specific example, weighted fair queuing (WFQ)). Such a calendar structure preferably provides two slots per tier and uses a temporal pointer based on virtual time. In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a calendar structure is provided to implement shaping of flows of information. Such a calendar structure preferably provides one slot per tier and uses a temporal pointer based on real time. For scheduling, a preferred occurrence time at which an event is preferred to occur is calculated.

Abstract: An autonomic event parser configured for association with a message adapter. An autonomic event parser can include a store of parsing rules, the parsing rules having a strategically specified order. Additionally, a pattern analyzer can be programmed to identify patterns of received messages and to recommend the strategically specified order of the parsing rules. Finally, a parsing rules manager can be communicatively coupled both to the pattern analyzer and the store of parsing rules, the parsing rules manager having a configuration for ordering the parsing rules in the store based upon the recommended order of the pattern analyzer.