Abstract: To provide data to a user front end while conserving processor resources and network bandwidth, a front end driver operates between the user front end and data processing and storage devices. When users access databases from the user front end, the front end driver maintains virtual objects containing control information associated with the windows and data items visible at the user front end. The user front end need only maintain data corresponding to the visible data items, while the front end driver provides updated versions of the visible data items to the user front end. The updated data items may be provided at refresh intervals, independent of the rate at which the front end driver downloads data from the storage devices. Thus, the system provides access to all database data in a manner that appears to the user as real time, while conserving resources at the user front end.

Abstract: A fault tolerant system for a highly scalable distributed processing system in which fault tolerant groups (hereafter referred to as “FT groups”) are formed based on the functionalities of applications. A given FT group includes instances of the same applications and also different applications that perform the same function. The instances within the FT group are ranked as a primary and mirrors, which descend in rank. When the primary instance in the FT group crashes, that is, fails or becomes otherwise unavailable, the system utilizes the next ranking available (running) instance in the FT group as the primary instance. The change over to the next ranking mirror application is performed quickly and without loss of functionality through an exchange of “FT messages” under the control of a central monitoring and change-over control sub-system.

Abstract: A system for dynamically integrating changes in the rules governing business operations into an application program that implements the rules in order to control business operations includes a dynamic business logic rule integrator (“DBLRI”) that essentially provides business logic rules to the application software as executable routines. The DBLRI presents to a user one or more graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”) through which the user writes functional-language expressions for the business logic rules. The respective GUIs correspond to various types of business logic rules, and provide to the user menus of associated functions, operators and parameters that are available for use. The set of parameters associated with a given GUI is dynamically updated, to correspond to changes in the underlying business logic rules. The user writes and/or edits the expressions for the respective business logic rules by selectively combining the available functions, operators and parameters.

Abstract: A system dynamically integrates into an application program that implements rules for controlling business operations changes in the parameters and parameter groupings that are used by or in conjunction with the rules. The system includes a dynamic business logic rule integrator that provides business logic rules to the application software as executable routines, and a dynamic parameter manager that organizes and manages the parameters. The manager integrates changes to the parameters, groups and/or links the parameters, and makes the parameters available to the rules through a dynamically configurable system database—using a set of static database tables and related dynamically configurable database tables, in which certain database fields or sub-fields correspond to parameters that are used in the rules. The respective database tables and the various fields and sub-fields are established and linked together in accordance with user-defined categories and sub-categories, or “instances.