Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling multi-node services. There is described a process broker for controlling a process between two or more clients and service registry comprising; a plurality of process templates, each process template representing a process to co-ordinate a service on nodes and comprising one or more steps for coordinating such a service with each node; means for receiving a message from a first node; means for selecting a process template and participating node/s in response to the message; means for envoking the process steps as defined in the selected process template on the selected nodes; and means for responding to the first node with a response of the type defined in the selected process template and based on the response from the participating node/s.

Abstract: This invention relates to a computer simulated environment, such as a virtual world, and to the identification of a user entering the virtual world and user context in the virtual world model. An output of the virtual world model may be rendered using objects in the virtual world model. Previous versions of the rendered objects may then be located in associated user memory and specified differences between the rendered objects and the previous versions of the objects may be identified. A layer of the identified differences may then be rendered on the rendered output of the virtual world model.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, apparatus, computer program and computer program product for facilitating access by an application to a data structure comprising a plurality of objects. A request is received from the application which initiates the return of the data structure. A handle is assigned to each of at least some of the plurality of objects. Objects in the data structure are retrieved and the application is informed of assigned handles thereby enabling the application to access retrieved objects.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, apparatus, computer program and computer program product for facilitating access by an application to a data structure comprising a plurality of objects. A request is received from the application which initiates the return of the data structure. A handle is assigned to each of at least some of the plurality of objects. Objects in the data structure are retrieved and the application is informed of assigned handles thereby enabling the application to access retrieved objects.

Abstract: The invention relates to a message brokering system for connecting a client in a local publish/subscribe messaging system to a remote message broker. The system comprises a message broker in said local publish/subscribe messaging system and a metabroker application means representing said remote message broker. The local message broker comprises publish/subscribe means for proxying messages between the client and the metabroker application means. The metabroker application means comprises publish/subscribe means for proxying messages between the local broker and the remote broker.

Abstract: The present invention provides a web service gateway which enables a web client to access a target service which does not provide a transport mechanism with which the client can communicate. The gateway imports a target service document describing the target service interface, end point addresses and supported transport mechanisms, and then modifies it by adding end point addresses and transport mechanisms supported by the gateway. A client may then access the target service by obtaining the modified document and sending a request to a gateway provided end point address using the associated transport mechanism. The gateway then forwards the request to the target service by converting the request and forwarding it to an end point address and transport mechanism specified in the target service document.

Abstract: This invention relates to a computer simulated environment, such as a virtual world, and to the identification of a user entering the virtual world and user context in the virtual world model. An output of the virtual world model may be rendered using objects in the virtual world model. Previous versions of the rendered objects may then be located in associated user memory and specified differences between the rendered objects and the previous versions of the objects may be identified. A layer of the identified differences may then be rendered on the rendered output of the virtual world model.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, apparatus, computer program and computer program product for facilitating access by an application to a data structure comprising a plurality of objects. A request is received from the application which initiates the return of the data structure. A handle is assigned to each of at least some of the plurality of objects. Objects in the data structure are retrieved and the application is informed of assigned handles thereby enabling the application to access retrieved objects.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, apparatus and computer program product which enable a web service gateway which provides support for business services which are described using a particular document format, for example Web Service Definition Language (WSDL), to further provide support for business services which are described using a different document format, for example in a business to business (b2b) profile such as specified by RosettaNet. The business service provides its profile to the gateway which generates a document from the profile and then uses the generated document to enable a web client, which recognises the document format but not the profile format, to access the web service via the gateway.

Abstract: Provided are methods, apparatus and computer programs for generating messages, for transferring data between data processing system entities such as between application programs running on data processing systems within a network, and for providing file-oriented data processing system entities with access to data and access to messaging functions. A first method generates messages for transfer within a messaging network, by creating files within one or more monitored file system directories, and using a monitoring component to identify newly created files within the monitored directories. The method involves extracting the file contents and generating a message that includes the extracted file contents, and then passing the message to a messaging manager.

Abstract: The invention relates to a message brokering system for connecting a client in a local publish/subscribe messaging system to a remote message broker. The system comprises a message broker in said local publish/subscribe messaging system and a metabroker application means representing said remote message broker. The local message broker comprises publish/subscribe means for proxying messages between the client and the metabroker application means. The metabroker application means comprises publish/subscribe means for proxying messages between the local broker and the remote broker.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, apparatus, computer program and computer program product for facilitating access by an application to a data structure comprising a plurality of objects. A request is received from the application which initiates the return of the data structure. A handle is assigned to each of at least some of the plurality of objects. Objects in the data structure are retrieved and the application is informed of assigned handles thereby enabling the application to access retrieved objects.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and software is disclosed for managing a data processing process in the form of a workflow, where activities in the workflow can use services or sub-processes to complete their task. A policy is associated with such activities to indicate how the data processing process should manage the situation where an activity's performance is not acceptable. This includes a policy for replacing or substituting the service or sub-process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a message brokering system for connecting a client in a local publish/subscribe messaging system to a remote message broker. The system comprises a message broker in said local publish/subscribe messaging system and a metabroker application means representing said remote message broker. The local message broker comprises publish/subscribe means for proxying messages between the client and the metabroker application means. The metabroker application means comprises publish/subscribe means for proxying messages between the local broker and the remote broker.

Abstract: The invention relates to an application adapted to run on a client apparatus connectable with a server across a network. The server is adapted to simultaneously share information (ideas) maintained therein with a plurality of heterogeneous clients. The application is able to retrieve ideas from the server and to define new ideas in a manner dependent on the client apparatus platform. The newly defined ideas can then be transmitted to the server for maintenance in a platform-independent manner. At the client, the information is rendered appropriately for that client.

Abstract: A monitoring system using two or more cameras to monitor a space in 3 dimensions is disclosed. One or more virtual 3-D monitored volumes relating to dangerous or restricted areas, are constructed, preferably as CSG objects, within this space. By detecting an object moving within the view of the cameras, the system can determine if a moving object intersects any monitored volumes and take appropriate action.

Abstract: The present invention provides a web service gateway which enables a web client to access a target service which does not provide a transport mechanism with which the client can communicate. The gateway imports a target service document describing the target service interface, end point addresses and supported transport mechanisms, and then modifies it by adding end point addresses and transport mechanisms supported by the gateway. A client may then access the target service by obtaining the modified document and sending a request to a gateway provided end point address using the associated transport mechanism. The gateway then forwards the request to the target service by converting the request and forwarding it to an end point address and transport mechanism specified in the target service document.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling multi-node services. There is described a process broker for controlling a process between two or more clients and service registry comprising; a plurality of process templates, each process template representing a process to co-ordinate a service on nodes and comprising one or more steps for coordinating such a service with each node; means for receiving a message from a first node; means for selecting a process template and participating node/s in response to the message; means for envoking the process steps as defined in the selected process template on the selected nodes; and means for responding to the first node with a response of the type defined in the selected process template and based on the response from the participating node/s.

Abstract: Provided is a data transmission method, a communications network, a mobile receiving device and data processing methods for use in broadcast of geographic information to mobile devices. The invention overcomes the problem of lack of currency of static information distribution via CD-ROM, and the problem of the cost of lengthy connections to the Internet which is a requirement of some dynamic solutions. The geographic data which is relevant to a transmitter in the network is broadcast by the transmitter as a plurality of separate data elements which each relate to and include an identification of a specific map segment of a segmented map, such that the data elements can be transmitted independently of each other and the map segment identifier can be used by the receiving device to position the geographic information of each data element within the appropriate map segment.

Abstract: A monitoring system using two or more cameras to monitor a space in 3 dimensions is disclosed. One or more virtual 3-D monitored volumes relating to dangerous or restricted areas, are constructed, preferably as CSG objects, within this space. By detecting an object moving within the view of the cameras, the system can determine if a moving object intersects any monitored volumes and take appropriate action.