Apparatus, system, and method for object clone event notification

• US 20070033594A1
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vidyarthi, Suraksha, Allen, Corville
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for object clone event notification. The apparatus is provided with a logic unit containing a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of detecting an event on a primary software object, referencing a set of clones of the primary software object, and notifying one or more clones in the set of clones of the event in response to the event. The event may include events occurring on the primary software object, or events occurring on a software object monitored by the primary software object. These modules in the described embodiments include a detection module, a reference module, and a notification module. Beneficially, such an apparatus, system, and method would notify object clones of changes within the software system without requiring resource intensive broadcasts or implementation of a separate notification manager.

Claims

1. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform an operation for object clone event notification, the operations comprising:

a detection operation configured to detect an event on a primary software object;

a reference operation configured to reference a set of clones of the primary software object; and

a notification operation initiated by the primary software object, the primary software object configured to notify one or more clones in the set of clones of the event in response to the event.

2. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the primary software object further comprises a primary listener for detecting events.

3. The signal bearing medium of claim 2, wherein the reference operation further comprises an operation to reference a set of listeners associated with the software object clones, each listener configured to listen exclusively for notifications from the primary software object.

4. The signal bearing medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to generate a clone of a primary software object, the operation comprising:

creating a new instance of the primary software object;

copying the attributes of the primary software object to the new instance of the primary software object;

generating a clone event listener associated with the new instance of the software object, wherein the new listener is distinct from the primary event listener; and

adding the clone event listener to the set of listeners referenced by the primary listener.

5. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the notification operation further comprises notifying a subsequent clone in a chain of clones, wherein each clone notifies a subsequent clone until each clone in the chain of clones has been notified of the event.

6. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the notification operation further comprises substantially simultaneously notifying clones associated with the primary software object of an event.

7. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the operations are performed independent of a separate event manager.

8. The signal bearing medium of claim 1, wherein the operations are carried out by a logic unit containing a plurality of modules comprising:

a detection module configured to detect an event on a primary software object;

a reference module configured to reference a set of clones associated with the primary software object; and

a notification module configured to notify a clone in the set of clones of the event.

9. A method for object clone event notification, the method comprising:

detecting an event of a monitored software object by a primary software object; and

communicating the event information from the primary software object to one or more clone software objects;

wherein the communication is carried out exclusive of a direct communication link between the monitored software object and the clone software object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the primary software object further comprises a primary listener for detecting events.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein referencing further comprises referencing a set of listeners associated with the software object clones, each listener configured to listen exclusively for notifications from the primary software object.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a clone of a primary software object, wherein generating comprises:

creating a new instance of the primary software object;

copying the attributes of the primary software object to the new instance of the primary software object;

generating a clone event listener associated with the new instance of the software object, wherein the new listener is distinct from the primary event listener; and

adding the clone event listener to the set of listeners referenced by the primary listener.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating further comprises notifying a subsequent clone in a chain of clones, wherein each clone notifies a subsequent clone until each clone in the chain of clones has been notified of the event.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating further comprises substantially simultaneously notifying clones associated with the primary software object of an event.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the change event is communicated directly to each clone independent of a separate event manager.

16. A system for object clone event notification, the system comprising:

an application server configured to load and operate an application comprising one or more primary software objects;

one or more software object interfaces configured to use the primary software object to perform a task; and

a primary software object configured to;

detect an event on the primary software object;

reference a set of clones of the primary software object; and

notify a clone in the set of clones of the event; and

one or more cloned software objects configured to listen for event notifications from the primary software object.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the primary software object further comprises a primary listener for detecting events.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the primary listener is further configured to reference a set of listeners associated with the software object clones, each listener configured to listen exclusively for notifications from the primary software object.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a clone generator configured to generate a clone of a primary software object, wherein generating comprises:

creating a new instance of the primary software object;

copying the attributes of the primary software object to the new instance of the primary software object;

generating a clone event listener associated with the new instance of the software object, wherein the new listener is distinct from the primary event listener; and

adding the clone event listener to the set of listeners referenced by the primary listener.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the primary software object handles notification to the associated clones independent of a separate event manager.