Processing application data

• US 20080222615A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moser, Michael, Duponchel, Yann, Fokoue-Nkoutche, Achille B., Bourges-Waldegg, Daniela, Graf, Marcel
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/548 Object oriented; Remote method invocation [RMI] non-remote method invocation G06F9/449

Abstract

Electronic devices and methods of processing and preparing processing application data are disclosed. Application data are operated on a first electronic device (2a) and a copy of said application data is operated on at least another electronic device (2b). A method call for modifying application data on the first device (2a) is translated into a more general description. The description is passed to the other device (2b). The application data on the first device (2a) is processed according to the method call. On the second device (2b), the received description of the method call is translated into a locally executable method call which is processed on the copy of application data.

Claims

1. An electronic device for executing an application, comprising

application data upon execution of said application,

a central control unit for processing said application data according to a locally generated method call,

an interface for transmitting messages to another electronic device,

a synchronization entity for generating a description of said method call and for passing said description to said interface.

5. An electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a register for storing descriptions of method calls that could not be transmitted to said other electronic device.

6. An electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein said synchronization entity is software implemented.

7. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said method call is generated in response to an input action.

8. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said application data represent a state of said application.

9. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said method call is an application readable instruction causing a change to said application data when being processed.

10. An electronic device according to claim 1,

comprising a log for storing said description, and

comprising a rollback entity for reading said log and for verifying said application data.

11. An electronic device according to claim 1, comprising a session clipboard for shared use.

2. An electronic device for executing an application, comprising

application data upon execution of said application,

an interface for receiving messages from another electronic device,

a synchronization entity receiving a description of a remotely generated and remotely executed method call from said interface, and for deriving a locally executable method call from said description, and

a central control unit for processing said application data according to said derived method call.

3. An electronic device for executing an application, comprising

application data upon execution of said application,

an interface for exchanging messages with another electronic device,

a synchronization entity

for receiving a description of a remotely generated method call from said interface and deriving a locally executable method call from said description, and

for generating a description of a locally generated method call and for passing said description to said interface,

a central control unit for processing said application data according to said derived method call and according to said locally generated method call.

4. An arrangement of electronic devices, comprising

a first electronic device for executing an application,

a second electronic device for executing an application,

said first electronic device comprising

application data upon execution of said application,

a central control unit for processing said application data according a locally generated method call,

an interface for transmitting messages to said second electronic device,

a synchronization entity for generating a description of said method call and for passing said description to said interface,

said second electronic device comprising

a copy of said application data,

an interface for receiving messages from said first electronic device,

a synchronization entity for receiving said description from said interface and for deriving a method call from said description being executable on said second electronic device, and

a central control unit for processing said copy of application data according to said derived method call.

12. A methods of processing application data in a device, comprising

generating locally a method call for processing application data,

generating a description of said method call,

transmitting said description to another device, and

processing said application data according to said method call.

21. A method according to claim 12, comprising storing descriptions that could not be transmitted to said other device.

22. A method according to claim 12, wherein said method call is generated in response to an input action.

23. A method according to claim 12, wherein said application data represent a state of said application.

24. A method according to claim 12, comprising logging said description and applying a rollback mechanism including reading said log and verifying said application data.

27. A computer program element comprising computer program code means which, when loaded in a processor unit of a device, configures the processor unit to perform a method as claimed in claim 12.

28. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of application data, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 12.

32. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of application data, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 12.

13. A method of processing application data in a device, comprising

receiving a description of a remotely generated and remotely executed method call,

deriving a locally executable method call from said description, and

processing said application data according to said derived method call.

29. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of application data, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 13.

33. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of application data, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 13.

14. A method of processing application data in a device, comprising:

generating locally a method call for processing said application data,

generating a description of said method call,

transmitting said description to another device,

processing said application data according to said locally generated method call,

receiving a description of a remotely generated method call from another device,

deriving a locally executable method call from said received description, and

processing said application data according to said derived method call.

30. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of application data, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 14.

34. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of application data, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 14.

15. A methods of processing a set of application data, comprising:

operating application data on a first device,

operating a copy of said application data on a second device on said first device,

generating a method call for processing said application data,

generating a description of said method call,

processing said application data according to said method call,

transmitting said description to said second device;

on said second device;

receiving said description,

deriving a method call from said received description being executable on said second device, and

processing said copy of application data according to said derived method call.

25. A method according to claim 15, wherein said application data is copied from said first device to said second device before operating said copy of said application data on said second device.

26. A method according to claim 15, wherein said copy of application data on said second device is generated by:

determining all method calls that were executed for obtaining said initial application data on said first device,

generating a list of descriptions of these method calls on said first device,

transmitting said list to said second device,

translating said description of method calls into method calls that are executable on said second device, and

executing said method calls on said second device starting from an empty application data state.

31. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of a set of application data, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 15.

35. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing processing of a set of application data, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 15.

16. A method of preparing processing application data in a device, comprising

receiving a method call from an application program interface,

generating a description of said method call,

causing said description to be passed to a device-to-device interface of said device, and

providing an application program interface with said method call for application data processing purposes.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein said method call that is to be passed to said application program interface is derived from said description of said method call.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein said method call that is to be passed to said application program interface is said received method call.

17. A method of preparing processing application data in a device, comprising

receiving a description of a remotely generated and remotely executed method call from a device-to-device interface of said device,

deriving a locally executable method call from said description, and

providing an application program interface with said derived method call for application data processing purposes.

18. A method of preparing processing application data in a device, comprising

receiving a method call from an application program interface,

generating a description of said method call,

causing said description to be passed to a device-to-device interface of said device,

providing an application program interface with said method call for application data processing purposes,

receiving a description of a remotely generated method call from said device-to-device interface,

deriving a locally executable method call from said received description, and

providing an application program interface with said derived method call for application data processing purposes