Abstract: A method and system for coordinating the simultaneous execution of computer programs on a computer system. A set of key events that describe certain states and conditions that can be generated during execution of the computer programs are stored in a database, along with a set of commands for each computer program that can be accepted and executed by that computer program in response to each of the key events. When a computer program generates a state or condition during execution that corresponds to a key event, the computer program sends a notification of the occurrence of the key event to a coordination module. The coordination module then retrieves from the database the commands to be executed by each of the computer programs, and sends the retrieved commands to the computer programs for execution.

Abstract: A program storage device having stored instructions to coordinate (in time) the control of multiple programs is described. The stored instructions include instructions for causing a programmable control device (a computer processor, for example) to obtain a command sequence having a plurality of commands, select a first command from the command sequence (the first command having an associated first target program and an first time value), issue the first command to the first target program at a time corresponding to the first time value, select a second command from the command sequence (the second command having an associated second target program and an second time value), and following issuance of the first command issue the second command to the second target program at a time corresponding to the second time value.

Abstract: A method, operating in an unattended mode, to coordinate (in time) the control of multiple programs includes obtaining a command sequence having a plurality of commands, selecting a first command from the command sequence (the first command having an associated first target program and an first time value), issuing the first command to the first target program at a time corresponding to the first time value, selecting a second command from the command sequence (the second command having an associated second target program and an second time value), and following issuance of the first command issuing the second command to the second target program at a time corresponding to the second time value.