Method and system for passing objects in a distributed system using serializatin contexts
First Claim
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1. A method in a distributed system for passing a first object and a second object, wherein the first object and the second object are instances of a class, comprising the steps of:
- passing the first object from a sender to a recipient with a descriptor of the class and a handle corresponding to the descriptor;
storing the handle and the descriptor by the recipient;
passing the second object from the sender to the recipient with the handle; and
using the handle by the recipient to access the descriptor.
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Abstract
A system consistent with the present invention reduces the number of redundant class descriptors that are sent during remote method calls by using serialization contexts. “Serialization contexts” are dictionary objects that map a class descriptor to a corresponding integer handle. When possible, the integer handle, rather than the full class descriptor, is passed, saving processing time in RMI calls.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method in a distributed system for passing a first object and a second object, wherein the first object and the second object are instances of a class, comprising the steps of:
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passing the first object from a sender to a recipient with a descriptor of the class and a handle corresponding to the descriptor;
storing the handle and the descriptor by the recipient;
passing the second object from the sender to the recipient with the handle; and
using the handle by the recipient to access the descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method in a distributed system for passing a first object and a second object to a recipient, wherein the first object and the second object are instances of a class, comprising the steps of:
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passing the first object to the recipient with a descriptor of the class and a handle corresponding to the descriptor; and
passing the second object to the recipient with the handle, whereupon receipt by the recipient, the recipient uses the handle to access the descriptor of the class. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method in a distributed system for interpreting a first object and a second object, wherein the first object and the second object are instances of a class, comprising the steps of:
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receiving the first object with a descriptor of the class and a handle corresponding to the descriptor;
storing the handle and the descriptor;
receiving the second object with the handle; and
using the handle to access the descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method in a distributed system for passing an object from a sender to a recipient, comprising the steps of:
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creating a serialization context containing a class descriptor and a handle corresponding to the class descriptor, the class descriptor referring to a class of the object, wherein the creating step further comprises the substeps of;
storing the serialization context at the sender; and
storing the serialization context at the recipient;
handshaking between the sender and the recipient, wherein the handshaking step further comprises the substeps of;
transmitting from the sender to the recipient a request to use the serialization context during a communication session;
determining whether the serialization context is stored at the recipient;
when it has been determined that the serialization context is stored at the recipient, sending a response from the recipient to the sender indicating that the serialization context will be used during the communication session; and
passing the object from the sender to the recipient using the serialization context; and
when it has been determined that the serialization context is not stored at the recipient, creating a new serialization context for use during the communication session; and
passing the object from the sender to the recipient using the new serialization context; and
using the handle by the sender to obtain the class of the object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 13, 14)
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12. A method in a distributed system for interpreting an object, comprising the steps of:
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creating a handle corresponding to a class descriptor, wherein the class descriptor contains information that enables a recipient node in the distributed system to interpret the object;
determining whether the class descriptor is accessible to the recipient node;
sending the class descriptor and the handle to the recipient node, when it is determined that the class descriptor is not accessible by the recipient node; and
sending the handle to the node, when it has been determined that the class descriptor is accessible by the recipient node, wherein the recipient node uses the handle to obtain the class descriptor of the object.
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15. A distributed system comprising:
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a client computer, comprising;
a memory with a client program that sends an object of a class to a remote location, and with an outgoing serialization context that stores a descriptor of the class and a handle corresponding to the descriptor; and
a processor that runs the client program; and
a server computer, comprising;
a memory with an incoming serialization context that stores the descriptor of the class and the handle, and with a server program that receives the object from the client program and that uses the handle to access the descriptor of the class in the incoming serialization context; and
a processor that runs the server program.
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16. A computer-readable memory device encoded with a data structure, the data structure having a plurality of entries, each entry comprising:
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a class descriptor that provides interpretation information for a corresponding object; and
a handle that is used by a program upon receipt of the corresponding object from a remote location to access the class descriptor.
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17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the method for sending a first object and a second object from a source to a destination, wherein the first object and the second object are instances of a class, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending the first object from the source to the destination with a descriptor of the class and a handle corresponding to the descriptor;
storing the handle and the descriptor by the destination;
sending the second object from the source to the destination with the handle; and
using the handle by the destination to access the descriptor.
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18. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the method for interpreting an object in a distributed system, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a handle corresponding to a class descriptor, wherein the class descriptor contains information that enables a recipient node in the distributed system to interpret the object;
determining whether the class descriptor is accessible to the recipient node;
sending the class descriptor and the handle to the recipient node, when it is determined that the class descriptor is not accessible by the recipient node; and
sending the handle to the recipient node such that the recipient node uses the handle to obtain the class descriptor of the object when it has been determined that the class descriptor is accessible by the recipient node.
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Specification