Funtionally structured distributed data processing system

• US 4,714,989 A
• Filed: 10/20/1986
• Issued: 12/22/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Academy of Science
• Original Assignee: Roger E. Billings
• Inventors: Billings, Roger E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US06/921,219
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

A functionally structured distributed data processing system includes a plurality of independently operating user station processors for servicing users, a data center for storing data to be processed by the user stations, and a communication network for coupling each user station to one or more data centers. The data center includes its own processor and mass storage devices for managing a data base of data for the user stations. Each user station executes application programs to which is linked a data base simulator which formulates requests or data operations to calls to the data base at the data center. Communications between the user stations and the data center are usually initiated only by the user stations.

Claims

1. A method of operating a distributed data processing system including a plurality of independent, not necessarily uniform, general purpose user computers to run respective user application programs to process user data and a data center computer to store, retrieve, and update user data, said user computers being selectively interconnected with said data center computer by respective data communication hardware over data communication network means, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) managing in a data center computer by means of a data base manager program a user data base of user data items to perform data operations of storing, updating, and retrieving said user data items in response to data base calls for such operations from a user computer;

(b) running a user application program in a general purpose user computer to process user data, said user application program indirectly issuing data base calls for data operations regarding user data items in response to requirements for said data operations by said user application program;

(c) in response to a data base call regarding a user data item from a user application program, initiating by said user computer only a data communication link with said data center computer over data communication network means;

(d) communicating said data base call from said user computer to said data center computer;

(e) performing by said data center computer said data operation regarding said user data item defined by said data base call; and

(f) communicating an appropriate response to said data base call from said data center computer to said user computer.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of:

(a) running a data access control program in said data center computer which includes said data base manager program, said data access control program allowing access to selected user data items only by selected user computers.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of:

(a) issuing said data base calls from said user computer by a data base simulator program running in said user computer in cooperation with said application program.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data center computer is a first data center computer and including the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of data center computers constructed and operating similar to the first data center computer;

(b) initiating a data communication link only by a user computer with one of said data center computers to issue a data base call thereto; and

(c) preventing data communication links between said plurality of data center computers.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of:

(a) providing said data center computer with a multiprocessor;

(b) running said data base manager program by operation of one portion of said multiprocessor; and

(c) running a data center application program by operation of another portion of said multiprocessor.

6. A method of operating a distributed data processing system including a plurality of independent, not necessarily uniform, general purpose user computers to run respective user application programs to process user data and a data center computer to store, retrieve, and update user data, said user computers being selectively interconnected with said data center computer by respective data communication hardware over data communication network means, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) managing in a data center computer by means of a data base manager program a user data base of user data items to perform data operations of storing, updating, and retrieving said user data items in response to data base calls for such operations from a user computer;

(b) running a user application program in a general purpose user computer to process user data;

(c) linking to said user application program a data base simulator program which issues data base calls for data operations regarding user data items in response to requirements for said data operations by said user application program;

(d) running a data access control program in said data center computer which includes said data base manager program, said data access control program allowing access to selected user data items only by selected user computers;

(e) in response to a data base call regarding a user data item from a user application program, initiating by said user computer only a data communication link with said data center computer over data communication network means;

(f) communicating said data base call from said user computer to said data center computer;

(g) in response to said data base call being received from one of said selected computers and being concerned with at least one of said selected data items, performing by said data center computer said data operations regarding said user data item defined by said data base call; and

(h) communicating an appropriate response to said data base call from said data center computer to said user computer.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said data center computer is a first data center computer and including the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of data center computers constructed and operating similar to the first data center computer;

(b) initiating a data communication link only by a user computer with one of said data center computers to issue a data base call thereto; and

(c) preventing data communication links between said plurality of data center computers.

8. A method as set forth in claim 6 including the steps of:

(a) providing said data center computer with a multiprocessor;

(b) running said data base manager program by operation of one portion of said multiprocessor; and

(c) running a data center application program by operation of another portion of said multiprocessor.

9. A functionally structured distributed data processing system comprising:

(a) a data center computer functioning to perform data operations of storing, retrieving, and updating user data items;

(b) a data base manager program running in said data center computer to manage a user data base of user data items by performing said data operations in response to data base calls thereto regarding user data items;

(c) a plurality of not necessarily uniform, general purpose user computers operating independently of said data center computer to process user data by running respective user application programs;

(d) each user application program indirectly issuing a data base call for a data operation regarding a selected data item in response to a requirement for said data operations by said user application program; and

(e) data communication network means interconnecting said user computers to said data center computer, said data communication network communicating data base calls from said user computers to said data center computer and communicating respective responses to said data base calls from said data center computer to said user computers.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9 including:

(a) a data access control program running in said data center computer, said data access control program including said data base manager program as a component and allowing access to selected user data items only to selected user computers.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

(a) said data access control program allows communications between said user computers and said data center computer to be initiated only by one of said user computers.

12. A system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said data center computer is a first data center computer and including:

(a) a plurality of data center computers constructed and operating similar to the first data center computer;

(b) each data center computer has running therein a data access control program which allows communications between said user computers and said data center computer to be initiated only by one of said user computers and which prevents data communication links from being established between said data center computers.

13. A system as set forth in claim 9 including:

(a) a data base simulator program running in each user computer in cooperation with the user application program running therein, said data base simulator program automatically passing said data base calls to the data center in response to said requirements by the associated user application program for said data operations regarding said user data items.

14. A system as set forth in claim 9 including:

(a) a multiprocessor in said data center computer;

(b) one portion of said multiprocessor operating to run said data base manager program; and

(c) another portion of said multiprocessor operating to run a data center application program.