Runtime loader

• US 5,459,865 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taligent, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Palevich, Jack H., Nakano, Russell T., Heninger, Andrew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US08/043,172
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 395/650, 395/700, 364/281.8, 364/230.3, 364/281.3
• US Class Current: 718/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an innovative object oriented framework system is disclosed. The system uses an innovative load architecture for a framework application by multiple users. The load architecture implements functions, static data and classes in a more flexible manner than prior operating systems.

Claims

1. An apparatus for running a task with an object-oriented operating system in a first address space in response to a run command generated in a second address space, said operating system including a first object class with a data structure for holding said run command and run command parameters and with member functions for initialization and synchronization of said task on a computer with an attached storage including said first and said second address spaces, said apparatus comprising:

(a) means responsive to said run command for creating a command object from said first object class for encapsulating initialization and synchronization information associated with said task in said second address space of said storage of said computer;

(b) means for transmitting said command object to said first address space by communicating with said object-oriented operating system in said storage of said computer; and

(c) means in said first address space and responsive to said run command contained in said command object for executing said member functions in said command object to create, initialize and run said task.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, including processing means for synchronizing said task with said object-oriented operating system.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, including means for notifying said object-oriented operating system with any exceptions occurring during task initialization.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, including means for masking distinctions between tasks initiated in said first address space and said second address space.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said executing means comprises means responsive to said run command and said run command parameters in said command object for locating an executable library having code for said task stored therein, means for loading code in said executable library into said first address space and means for obtaining a starting address for said task.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said executing means further comprises means responsive to said starting address for running said task.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the command object creating means comprises an active task in said second address space and the apparatus further includes means for suspending said active task until said task creation and initialization is completed and means for transmitting status information from said executing means to said active task when said initialization operation has finished so that said active task can resume operation.

8. A method for running a task with an object-oriented operating system in a first address space in response to a run command generated in a second address space, said operating system including a first object class with a data structure for holding said run command and run command parameters and with member functions for initialization and synchronization of said task on a computer with a storage including said first and said second address spaces, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a command object from said first object class for encapsulating initialization and synchronization information associated with said task in second address space of said storage;

(b) transmitting said command object to said first address space by communicating with said object-oriented operating system; and

(c) executing said member functions in said command object to create, initialize and run said task.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, including the step of synchronizing said task with said object-oriented operating system.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, including the step of notifying said object-oriented operating system with any exceptions occuring during task initialization.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, including the step of masking distinctions between tasks initiated in said first address space and said second address space.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein step (c) includes the steps of:

(c1) activating a loader task of said object-oriented operating system in response to said command object; and

(c2) using said loader task to execute said member functions in said command object to create and initialize said task.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein step (a) is performed by an active task in said second address space and the method includes the steps of:

(a) suspending said active task until said task creation and initialization is completed; and

(b) transmitting status information from said loader task to said active task when said initialization operation has finished so that said active task can resume operation.