Abstract: The present invention provides a communication infrastructure that allows application programs within a software system to dynamically use services, such as receiving and transmitting messages, through a common application program interface (API). The communication infrastructure allows the specific communication schemes that are being used to be isolated from the application programs such that the application programs are not dependent upon a particular communication scheme.

Abstract: A method includes transforming, based on a first transform, a first markup language document associated with a first version of a schema to generate a second markup language document associated with a second version of the schema. The second markup language document is representative of a third markup language document associated with the second version of the schema and the first transform represents a transform from the first version of the schema to the second version of the schema. The method further includes comparing the second markup language document to the third markup language document to identify whether at least one discrepancy exists between the second markup language document and the third markup language document. The method additionally includes determining a suitability of the first transform based on the comparison of the second markup language document to the third markup language document.

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 method, system and computer program product to isolate information related to performing a manufacturing process, called a configuration document, from the context in which the information is used. A context/configuration association can be independently established between a process context and a context-free configuration document including instructions for performing a manufacturing process. Because the context/configuration association is independent of both the process context and the context-free configuration document, the context/configuration association can be independently reviewed and approved without affecting other process contexts or configuration documents.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product to isolate information related to performing a manufacturing process, called a configuration document, from the context in which the information is used. A context/configuration association can be independently established between a process context and a context-free configuration document including instructions for performing a manufacturing process. Because the context/configuration association is independent of both the process context and the context-free configuration document, the context/configuration association can be independently reviewed and approved without affecting other process contexts or configuration documents.

Abstract: A system for facilitating the practicing or playing of golf may include, alone or in combination, a golf target subsystem, a detection subsystem, and a golf ball dispensing subsystem. The golf ball dispensing subsystem comprises a free standing device placed at the teeing area which may be configured to provide various functions, such as, for example, receiving and storing a quantity of golf balls, exposing non-illuminated golf balls to an illuminating source contained therein, and thereby illuminating the golf balls, and/or dispensing the illuminated golf balls to the golfer. The golf target subsystem is suitably configured to permit a golfer to locate and identify the target area while addressing the golf ball so that the golfer may attempt to land the golf ball within the target area. In addition, to facilitate the identification of the target during nighttime conditions, i.e., conditions without external lighting, the golf target is preferably illuminated.

Abstract: A messaging system includes a message bus and a first processing device. The message bus is adapted to transmit a first message. The first message includes a second message, and the second message includes at least a first command. The first processing device is coupled to the message bus. The first processing device includes a message interface adapted to receive the first message and extract the second message independent of the first command. An input queue is adapted to store the second message. A message interpreter is adapted to retrieve the second message from the message queue and decode the second message to identify the first command. A method for communicating messages includes transmitting a first message over a message bus. The first message includes a second message, and the second message includes at least a first command. The first message is received and the second message is extracted independent of the first command. The second message is stored in an input queue.

Abstract: A method for accessing a database is provided. The database includes an information table. The method includes providing an alias table. The alias table includes a plurality of variable names and a plurality of column names. Each column name is associated with one of the plurality of variable names. A message is received. The message includes at least a first variable name. The alias table is accessed based on the first variable name to identify a first column name associated with the first variable name. The information table is accessed based on the first column name.