Apparatus and Method for Inter-Object Communication

• US 20090019454A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• 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 7,877,756 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

1-10. -10. (canceled)

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

means for receiving a request for forming a partnership for a first object to interact with a second object, wherein the request includes an identifier of a first license associated with the first object and a second license associated with the second object;

means, responsive to determining that both the first license and the second license are valid, for generating a partnership object for managing the interaction between the first object and the second object, wherein the partnership object represents a particular relationship between the first object and the second object;

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

means for determining whether a message directed to the partnership object is received;

responsive to determining that the message directed to the partnership object is received;

means for determining whether the message is received by the first object or the second object;

means, responsive to determining that the message is received by the first object, for forwarding the message to the second object by using the reference to the partnership object; and

means, responsive to determining that the message is received by the second object, for forwarding the message to the first object by using the reference to the partnership object;

responsive to determining that the message directed to the partnership object is not received;

means for determining whether a lapse event indicating a lapse in activity of one of the first object or the second object is received;

means, responsive to determining that the lapse event indicating a lapse in activity of one of the first object or the second object is received, for informing the other of the first object or the second object of the lapse event by using the reference to the partnership object;

means for tearing down the partnership object; and

means for the first object and the second object reclaiming system resources that were tied up by the partnership object.

12-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A computer program product, comprising:

a recordable-type computer readable medium storing instructions for managing interactions between objects in an object oriented computing environment, the computer program product comprising;

first instructions for receiving a request for forming a partnership for a first object to interact with a second object, wherein the request includes an identifier of a first license associated with the first object and a second license associated with the second object;

second instructions, responsive to determining that both the first license and the second license are valid, for generating a partnership object for managing the interaction between the first object and the second object, wherein the partnership object represents a particular relationship between the first object and the second object;

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

fourth instructions for determining whether a message directed to the partnership object is received;

responsive to determining that the message directed to the partnership object is received;

fifth instructions for determining whether the message is received by the first object or the second object;

sixth instructions, responsive to determining that the message is received by the first object, for forwarding the message to the second object by using the reference to the partnership object; and

seventh instructions, responsive to determining that the message is received by the second object, for forwarding the message to the first object by using the reference to the partnership object;

responsive to determining that the message directed to the partnership object is not received;

eighth instructions for determining whether a lapse event indicating a lapse in activity of one of the first object or the second object is received;

ninth instructions, responsive to determining that the lapse event indicating a lapse in activity of one of the first object or the second object is received, for informing the other of the first object or the second object of the lapse event by using the reference to the partnership object;

tenth instructions for tearing down the partnership object; and

eleventh instructions for the first object and the second object reclaiming system resources that were tied up by the partnership object.

22-30. -30. (canceled)