Method and system for protocol selection

• US 20020078211A1
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Borland Software Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Borland Software Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Natarajan, Vijaykumar, Scott, Goerge Mark, Kasaravalli, Vishwanath
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The bidding method for selecting a protocol involves generating a bid for each protocol and ranking the bids in a prescribed order such that the order of the bids reflects the order of preference among the protocols. Thereafter, the most preferred protocol is executed or processes to establish the intended communication. If for some reason the more preferred protocol is unsuccessful, the next best protocol according to the order of the bids is processed. The bids are generated according to system/user set configuration and target object constraints. Bids fall into ranges of bid values where each range indicates a certain priority and associated rules.

Claims

1. A method for selecting one protocol from among a plurality of protocols to establish communication between two computers, where the first computer has an object and the second computer has an object-handle associated with the object, and where the object-handle identifies the plurality of protocols, the method comprising the steps of:

a. generating bids for one or more protocols among the plurality of protocols identified by the object-handle;

b. arranging the bids in a sequence corresponding to the relative preference among the protocols; and

c. parsing the arranged bids in a prescribed manner to thereby select a protocol that is the highest preference according to the sequence and is effective in establishing the communication.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the generating step further comprises the steps of:

a. referencing a configuration predefined and associated with the second computer;

b. for each protocol among the plurality of protocols, determining whether the protocol qualifies according to the referenced configuration; and

c. when the protocol is determined to qualify, setting the bid equal to a value determined according to the referenced configuration.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the configuration includes a default value associated with a protocol, and the generating step further comprises the step of setting the bid for the protocol equal to the default value on the condition that no other value for the bid is determined.

4. The method as in claim 2, wherein the configuration includes one or more properties each relating to one or more protocols among the plurality of protocols, wherein each property has an enabled and disabled state, and wherein each property is associated with a bid value, the method further comprising the steps of:

a. referencing a property; and

b. setting the bid equal to the bid value associated with the referenced property when the property is in the enabled state.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein the one or more properties are set to the enabled or the disabled state by a user operating the second computer.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the arranging step is determined by the value of the bids such that the lowest value bid is the most preferred and the highest value bid is the least preferred.

7. The method as in claim 6, wherein the prescribed manner for parsing is ascending order according to the value of the bids.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein the generating step further comprises the steps of:

a. referencing a configuration predefined and associated with the second computer; and

b. setting the bid equal to a value within one of a plurality of prescribed ranges according to the referenced configuration.

9. The method as in claim 8, wherein the configuration includes a priority list, and the generating step further comprising the step of adjusting the value of the bids falling within a single range according to the priority list specified in the referenced configuration.

10. The method as in claim 8, wherein the prescribed manner for parsing is determined by one or more conditions associated with the plurality of prescribed ranges such that the bids falling within each of the plurality ranges are parsed when the associated conditions are satisfied.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the ranges include an exclusivity range with an associated condition that if there is at least one bid within the exclusivity range, the bids falling within ranges having lower preference than exclusivity range are not parsed.

12. The method as in claim 10, wherein the ranges include a critical range with an associated condition such that the bids falling within the critical range are parsed before the bids in any other range are parsed.