Apparatus and method for inter-object communication

• US 20030177278A1
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeNatale, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/463 Naming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99957 Garbage collection

Abstract

An apparatus and method for managing inter-object communication are provided. With the apparatus and method, objects obtain licenses to interact with one another via a licensing framework. When an object wishes to enter into an interaction with another object, the first object sends its license to the second object. The second object then sends a request to the framework requesting that a partnership between the objects be generated. The partnership request includes an identification of the two objects'"'"' licenses. The objects'"'"' licenses are then validated and, assuming the licenses are valid, a partnership object is created. References to the partnership object are forwarded to the objects which then use the reference to the partnership object to communicate with the other object in the partnership rather than a direct reference to the other partner object. When one object of the partnership lapses, by failure of a module with which the object is associated, for example, a lapse event is posted to the licensing framework. In response to the lapse event, the licensing framework determines the partnerships of the lapsed object. The partner objects of the partnerships in which the lapsed object was active are identified and informed of the lapse of the object. The partnership objects are then torn down and resources reclaimed.

Claims

1. A method of managing interactions between objects in an object oriented computing environment, comprising:

receiving a request for a first object to interact with a second object;

generating a partnership object for managing the interaction between the first object and the second object; and

providing a reference to the partnership object to the first and second objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes an identifier of a first license associated with the first object and a second license associated with the second object, the method further comprising:

validating the first license and the second license, wherein the step of generating a partnership object is performed only if both the first license and the second license are valid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first object interacts with the second object by using the reference to the partnership object.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for a lapse in activity the first object or the second object; and

informing the other of the first object and the second object of a lapse in the event that a lapse in activity of the first object or the second object is identified.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein monitoring for a lapse in activity of the first object or the second object includes determining if a lapse event is posted to a licensing framework.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

tearing down the partnership object if a lapse in activity of one of the first object and the second object is identified.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

reclaiming system resources associated with the first object and second object if a lapse in one of the first object and the second object is identified.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from the second object in response to the second object receiving a request for an interaction from the first object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the request for interaction from the first object includes a license associated with the first object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first object is associated with a first module and the second object is associated with a second module different from the first module.

11. An apparatus for managing interactions between objects in an object oriented computing environment, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a first object to interact with a second object;

means for generating a partnership object for managing the interaction between the first object and the second object; and

means for providing a reference to the partnership object to the first and second objects.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request includes an identifier of a first license associated with the first object and a second license associated with the second object, the apparatus further comprising:

means for validating the first license and the second license, wherein the means for generating a partnership object operates only if both the first license and the second license are valid.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first object interacts with the second object by using the reference to the partnership object.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for monitoring for a lapse in activity the first object or the second object; and

means for informing the other of the first object and the second object of a lapse in the event that a lapse in activity of the first object or the second object is identified.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for monitoring for a lapse in activity of the first object or the second object includes means for determining if a lapse event is posted to a licensing framework.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for tearing down the partnership object if a lapse in activity of one of the first object and the second object is identified.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

means for reclaiming system resources associated with the first object and second object if a lapse in one of the first object and the second object is identified.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request is received from the second object in response to the second object receiving a request for an interaction from the first object.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the request for interaction from the first object includes a license associated with the first object.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first object is associated with a first module and the second object is associated with a second module different from the first module.

21. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for managing interactions between objects in an object oriented computing environment, comprising:

first instructions for receiving a request for a first object to interact with a second object;

second instructions for generating a partnership object for managing the interaction between the first object and the second object; and

third instructions for providing a reference to the partnership object to the first and second objects.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the request includes an identifier of a first license associated with the first object and a second license associated with the second object, the computer program product further comprising:

fourth instructions for validating the first license and the second license, wherein the second instructions for generating a partnership object are executed only if both the first license and the second license are valid.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the first object interacts with the second object by using the reference to the partnership object.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

fourth instructions for monitoring for a lapse in activity the first object or the second object; and

fifth instructions for informing the other of the first object and the second object of a lapse in the event that a lapse in activity of the first object or the second object is identified.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the fourth instructions for monitoring for a lapse in activity of the first object or the second object includes determining if a lapse event is posted to a licensing framework.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

sixth instructions for tearing down the partnership object if a lapse in activity of one of the first object and the second object is identified.

27. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising:

sixth instructions for reclaiming system resources associated with the first object and second object if a lapse in one of the first object and the second object is identified.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the request is received from the second object in response to the second object receiving a request for an interaction from the first object.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the request for interaction from the first object includes a license associated with the first object.

30. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the first object is associated with a first module and the second object is associated with a second module different from the first module.