Object-oriented locator system
First Claim
1. A method in a computer system comprised of a plurality of system entities including a memory and an object-oriented operating system resident in said memory, said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search, each entity, in turn, being comprised of a plurality of hardware or software components and each hardware or software component having predetermined properties, said method determining whether at least one component having properties supplied by a client exists in said computer system at any time while said client is active and supplying the client with the identity of said at least one component, comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving scope criteria from said client indicating a set of said plurality of system entities to be searched, said plurality of system entities comprising network entities, system entities, and application entities;
(b) receiving search criteria from said client indicating hardware or software component properties required by said client, and(b1) receiving search criteria from said client indicating system component properties;
(c) utilizing said scope criteria and said search criteria to query said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search to identify one or more hardware or software components that satisfy said scope criteria and said search criteria indicating hardware or software component properties, and(c1) using said scope criteria and said operating system to collect a set of system entities; and
(c2) examining each of said set of system entities collected in step (c1) to determine if any components having system component properties that satisfy said search criteria exist in said each system entity; and
(d) returning to said client identities of components identified in step (c) to enable said client to access one or more of said identified hardware or software components at any time while said client is active.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for adding components (documents, tools, fonts, libraries, etc.) to a computer system without running an installation program. A location framework is employed to locate components whose properties match those specified in a search criteria. The framework receives notification from the system when components whose properties match the search criteria are added to or removed from the system.
85 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method in a computer system comprised of a plurality of system entities including a memory and an object-oriented operating system resident in said memory, said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search, each entity, in turn, being comprised of a plurality of hardware or software components and each hardware or software component having predetermined properties, said method determining whether at least one component having properties supplied by a client exists in said computer system at any time while said client is active and supplying the client with the identity of said at least one component, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving scope criteria from said client indicating a set of said plurality of system entities to be searched, said plurality of system entities comprising network entities, system entities, and application entities; (b) receiving search criteria from said client indicating hardware or software component properties required by said client, and (b1) receiving search criteria from said client indicating system component properties; (c) utilizing said scope criteria and said search criteria to query said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search to identify one or more hardware or software components that satisfy said scope criteria and said search criteria indicating hardware or software component properties, and (c1) using said scope criteria and said operating system to collect a set of system entities; and (c2) examining each of said set of system entities collected in step (c1) to determine if any components having system component properties that satisfy said search criteria exist in said each system entity; and (d) returning to said client identities of components identified in step (c) to enable said client to access one or more of said identified hardware or software components at any time while said client is active. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus operable in a computer system comprised of a plurality of system entities including a memory and an operating system resident in said memory, said operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search, each entity, in turn, being comprised of a plurality of hardware or software components and each hardware or software component having predetermined properties, said apparatus determining whether at least one hardware or software component having properties supplied by a client exists in said computer system at any time while said client is active, comprising:
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(a) means for receiving scope criteria from said client indicating a set of said plurality of system entities to be searched, said plurality of system entities comprising network entities, system entities, and application entities; (b) means for receiving search criteria from said client indicating hardware or software component properties required by said client, and (b1) means for receiving search criteria from said client indicating system component properties; (c) means responsive to said scope criteria and said search criteria for creating a locator object comprising a method for querying said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search to identify one or more hardware or software components that satisfy said search criteria; (c1) means for using said scope criteria and said operating system to collect a set of system entities; and (c2) means for examining each of said set of system entities collected by said means for using said scope criteria to determine if any components having system component properties that satisfy said search criteria exist in said each system entity; and (d) means responsive to a location request received from said client for invoking said locator object to execute said method and retrieve component identities from said operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search; and (e) means responsive to retrieved hardware or software component identities for returning to said client said retrieved identities to enable said client to access said one or more hardware or software components at any time while said client is active. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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7. A method operable in a computer system comprised of a plurality of system entities including a memory and an object-oriented operating system resident in said memory, said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search, each entity, in turn, being comprised of a plurality of hardware or software components and each hardware or software component having predetermined properties, said method determining whether at least one hardware or software component having properties supplied by a client exists in said computer system at any time while said client is active, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving scope criteria from said client indicating a set of said plurality of system hardware or software entities to be searched, said plurality of system entities comprising network entities, system entities, and application entities; (b) receiving search criteria from said client indicating hardware or software component properties required by said client, and (b1) means for receiving search criteria from said client indicating system component properties; (c) utilizing said scope criteria and said search criteria to create a locator object comprising a method for querying said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search to identify one or more hardware or software components that satisfy said scope criteria and said search criteria, and (c1) means for using said scope criteria and said operating system to collect a set of system entities; and (c2) means for examining each of said set of system entities collected by said means for using said scope criteria to determine if any components having system component properties that satisfy said search criteria exist in said each system entity; and (d) invoking said locator object to execute said method and (e) returning to said client said identities of hardware or software components identified by said method to enable said client to access said one or more hardware or software components at any time while said client is active. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus operable in a computer system comprised of a plurality of system entities including a memory and an object-oriented operating system resident in said memory, said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search, each entity, in turn, being comprised of a plurality of hardware or software components and each hardware or software component having predetermined properties, said apparatus determining whether at least one component having properties supplied by a client exists in said computer system at any time while said client is active and comprising:
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(a) means for receiving scope criteria from said client indicating a set of said system entities to be searched, said plurality of system entities comprising network entities, system entities, and application entities; (b) means for receiving search criteria from said client indicating hardware or software component properties required by said client, and (b1) means for receiving search criteria from said client indicating system component properties; (c) means responsive to said scope criteria and said search criteria for querying said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search to retrieve said identities of one or more hardware or software components that satisfy said scope criteria and said search criteria from said object-oriented operating system augmented to accept a client initiated search, and (c1) means for using said scope criteria and said operating system to collect a set of system entities; and (c2) means for examining each of said set of system entities collected by said means for using said scope criteria to determine if any components having system component properties that satisfy said search criteria exist in said each system entity; and (d) means responsive to retrieved identities of one or more hardware or software components that satisfy said search criteria for returning to said client said retrieved identities to enable said client to access one or more of said identified hardware and software components at any time while said client is active. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification