Messaging system for computers

• US 20010047390A1
• Filed: 03/05/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDA Software Group Incorporated (RedPrairie Holding Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: McGann, Conor, Dunn, Craig L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,920,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention a messaging system utilizes a local queue manager to receive messages intended for other processes. Messages received by the queue manager are stored onto a local persistent storage device, and a process sending the message has completed the sending action. The local queue manager then sends the message to an appropriate recipient. When the message has been received and confirmed, the recipient removes the message from the persistent storage device. If a hardware or software failure occurs, the message is stored and can be re-sent after the failure is corrected.

Claims

1. A messaging system for a computer system, comprising:

a sending process, wherein the sending process generates a message to be sent;

a receiving process, wherein the message is to be sent to the receiving process;

a local queue manager in communication with the sending and receiving processes; and

a persistent storage device in communication with the local queue manager, and adapted to reliably store messages until they are removed;

wherein the local queue manager stores each message received from the sending process to the persistent storage device, and wherein the receiving process removes each message from the persistent storage device after each message is received.

2. The system of

claim 1

, further including a message writer in communication with the local queue manager and the receiving process, wherein the message writer removes each received message from the persistent storage device after sending it to the receiving process.

3. The system of

claim 1

, further comprising a message collector in communication with the sending process and the local queue manager, wherein the message collector receives a message from the sending process, and formats the message into a standard format for transport to the local queue manager and storage on the persistent storage device.

4. The system of

claim 3

, further comprising:

at least one process, associated with the receiving process, for converting received message back into their original format from the standard format.

5. A method for sending messages within a computer system, comprising the steps of:

generating a message within a sending process;

storing a copy of the message within a persistent storage device;

sending the message to a receiving process; and

removing the stored copy after the message has been received by the receiving process.

6. The method of

claim 5

, further comprising the step of:

after storing the copy of the message on the persistent storage device, sending an acknowledgement thereof to the sending process.

7. The method of

claim 5

, further comprising the steps of:

converting the message from an original format to a standard format prior to storing a copy onto the persistent storage device, wherein the stored copy is in the standard format; and

converting the message from the standard format into the original format just before providing it to the receiving process.