Abstract: A method, device, and program product are provided for streaming a media file over a distributed information system to a client computer running a browser application. First, a server receives a request for a particular media file from the client computer. Then, the server dynamically generates a metafile, whereby said metafile contains information about the identification, location and format of the media file, and returns it back to the client computer. Advantageously, the server intercepts a download request for the actual media file and reinterprets the download request in into a request for receiving a corresponding metafile. Thus, instead of returning the requested media file, a metafile is returned that allows immediate streaming of the requested media file without the need of waiting for the download to be finished.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising improvements in transferring large data amounts e.g., large files associated with ‘new media’ like audio and video data which are streamed through the network. The present invention comprises basically to decouple the transfer and the rendering of data in a way that combines the strength, i.e., the advantages of the streaming paradigm with the flexibility and usability advantages of the store&forward paradigm. This is basically achieved by separating the application logic from the transport logic. The transfer/transport logic is covered by a novel transfer protocol whereas the player application logic can issue standard file access statements like fread, fseek in order to access and render the streamed data.

Abstract: An improved method and system is provided for providing the end-user of a mainframe application running a limited, character-oriented transfer protocol like the IBM3270 protocol with a combined rendering of non-character, i.e. new media data and traditional character data preferably on the same end-user computer. It is proposed to install an individually programmed program component (28), called Server Media Resolution Service (SMRS) on the application server (16) site and a matching program component (30), called Client Media Resolution Service (CMRS) which is a universal, standard component without any individual application specific features. The SMRS is told the client computer destination, searches the requested media address and feeds this meta information to the CMRS which in turn manages the start of a client site media renderer in order to render the new media data received from a datastore such as the File System (20).

Abstract: For browsing entity beans in a client-server environment using the Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) architecture a generic servlet is provided for receiving a service requests from a Web browser and for initiating an access to an entity bean directory to identify an entity bean home according to a bean name contained in the request. The identified entity bean home is asked for a specific entity bean instance using key information passed with the service request. The identified bean instance is introspected by using getBeanInfo( ) methods of the Java Bean Introspector. The information achieved by the introspection is used for retrieving entity bean properties from an EJB persistency store. On the basis of the retrieved information the generic servlet generates a response which provides a representation of the retrieved information. The generic servlet allows to avoid the development of customized servlets which comprise specific code for the browsing and editing of different entity bean classes.

Abstract: A method, device, and program product are provided for streaming a media file over a distributed information system to a client computer running a browser application. First, a server receives a request for a particular media file from the client computer. Then, the server dynamically generates a metafile, whereby said metafile contains information about the identification, location and format of the media file, and returns it back to the client computer. Advantageously, the server intercepts a download request for the actual media file and reinterprets the download request in a request for receiving a corresponding metafile. Thus, instead of returning the requested media file, a metafile is returned that allows immediate streaming of the requested media file without the need of waiting for the download to be finished.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing network routing using the network topology is described. The method includes a user sending a request for information to a server. The server receives this request and send to the user the requested information in addition to a client side program. The client program then reads and saves the local user time. The user then sends another request for information to the server. In this request is embedded the local user time saved by the client side program. A server side program residing on server then receives the request and the local user time. The server side program uses the local server time to determine the topological location of the user and the identity of the server that is best suited to handle the request by the user. Finally, the server forwards the request of the user to the identified server.

Abstract: A computer system and method including commands to permit interaction between a client and a component in a backend system. The command has an input object, for transformation by the backend system, and defines one or more output objects, representing the input object after transformation by the backend system. The command includes a connection specification, for identification of the backend system with which the client is to interact, and an interaction specification, for identification of the component in the backend system with which the client is to interact. The command also includes a communication object, for carrying out a connection between the client and the component of the backend system. The input object is supplied to the component of the backend system in accordance with the interaction specification and the connection specification.

Abstract: For browsing entity beans in a client-server environment using the Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) architecture a generic servlet is provided for receiving a service requests from a Web browser and for initiating an access to an entity bean directory to identify an entity bean home according to a bean name contained in the request. The identified entity bean home is asked for a specific entity bean instance using key information passed with the service request. The identified bean instance is introspected by using getBeanInfo( ) methods of the Java Bean Introspector. The information achieved by the introspection is used for retrieving entity bean properties from an EJB persistency store. On the basis of the retrieved information the generic servlet generates a response which provides a representation of the retrieved information. The generic servlet allows to avoid the development of customized servlets which comprise specific code for the browsing and editing of different entity bean classes.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a new method and system for streaming media data in a heterogeneous network environment. In addition to existing standard streaming products, e.g. standard Media Player and Stream Server, a Stream Server Portal which controls a set of Stream Servers is provided by the present invention. The Stream Server Portal offers a service called prepareStreaming to applications which returns the streaming meta data necessary to initiate streaming for given media instances.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method comprising improvements in transferring large data amounts e.g., large files associated with ‘new media’ like audio and video data which are streamed through the network. The present invention comprises basically to decouple the transfer and the rendering of data in a way that combines the strength, i.e., the advantages of the streaming paradigm with the flexibility and usability advantages of the store&forward paradigm. This is basically achieved by separating the application logic from the transport logic. The transfer/transport logic is covered by a novel transfer protocol whereas the player application logic can issue standard file access statements like fread, fseek in order to access and render the streamed data.

Abstract: An improved method and system is provided for providing the end-user of a mainframe application running a limited, character-oriented transfer protocol like the IBM3270 protocol with a combined rendering of non-character, i.e. new media data and traditional character data preferably on the same end-user computer. It is proposed to install an individually programmed program component (28), called Server Media Resolution Service (SMRS) on the application server (16) site and a matching program component (30), called Client Media Resolution Service (CMRS) which is a universal, standard component without any individual application specific features. The SMRS is told the client computer destination, searches the requested media address and feeds this meta information to the CMRS which in turn manages the start of a client site media renderer in order to render the new media data received from a datastore such as the File System (20).

Abstract: According to the basic principles of the present invention inventional transaction program means (20) is provided for cooperation with a conventional hierarchical file system (10) which provides it with transactional functionality. A file system (10) managed according to the inventional method can thus be seen as a file resource with which transaction processes, e.g., commit and rollback processes can be realized. This is advantageously achieved by implementing a transaction resource interface which acts as a wrapper program or a shell around the prior art file system and which can be accessed by a prior art transaction manager for achieving cooperation and data consistency between the file system (10) and any database (30), or between two or more file systems (10).

Abstract: The invention proposes a method of defining and generating cooperating object structures for accessing Business Applications (BAs) which were not built upon the principles of object orientation (OO) in an OO manner. One step of the method is targeted at the definition of true Business Object (BO) classes with a unique meaning as entities or concepts in terms of the underlying business as supported by the BA. As the BAs process the business relevant data, their spectrum of the input and output parameters serve to define the BO Attributes (BOAs) of the individual BO classes. A further step of the method is the encapsulation of the individual BAs within Transactional Object (TO) classes for controlling and executing the BAs. TO instances are able to autonomously extract BOA values from the BO instances to assemble the input parameters for BA execution. The TO instances are also endowed to process the output parameters as returned by the BA to materialize BOs, i.e.