Object based system comprising user interface permitting manipulation of objects by users
First Claim
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1. A distributed object based computer system, comprising:
- first and second storage domains;
a first host computer operatively coupled to said first storage domain and a second host computer operatively coupled to said second storage domain;
first and second input devices operatively coupled, respectively, to said first and second host computers, said input devices adapted for receiving input signals from users of said first and second computers;
first and second graphic display devices operatively coupled to said first and second host computers, respectively, for displaying representations of objects, said input devices and graphic display devices permitting manipulation of objects by said users;
a plurality of objects, said plurality of objects including first and second primary objects (P1, P2), first and second secondary objects (S1, S2), first and second window objects (P1W, P2W) for viewing said first and second primary objects, respectively, and third and fourth window objects (S1W, S2W) for viewing said first and second secondary objects, respectively, wherein each of said objects has its own data and associated processes and wherein said objects are discrete entities that may be individually movable, copyable, viewable and destroyable in response to signals from said input devices, and wherein said objects P1, S1, P1W, and S1W reside in said first storage domain and said objects P2, S2, P2W, and S2W reside in said second storage domain; and
linking means for sustaining the following object-object links;
a containership link between said first primary object (P1) and said first secondary object (S1), anda primary-secondary weak link between said first primary object and said second secondary object (P1 -S2),wherein each object P1,S2) in said weak link may exhibit different representations andwherein said weak link (P1 -S2) indicates that, if either one of P1 or S2 is moved, copied, viewed or destroyed in response to a signal from an input device, the effect on all objects weakly linked to the moved, copied, viewed or destroyed object will be in accordance with a predetermined set of rules whereinif P1 or S2 is moved, P1 will remain weakly linked to S2 ;
if P1 is destroyed, S2 will be unlinked; and
if S2 is destroyed, P1 will be unlinked.
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Abstract
A distributed object based system includes primary and secondary objects. Primary objects can sustain containership links to other objects in the same storage domain and weak links can exist between objects in different storage domains.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A distributed object based computer system, comprising:
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first and second storage domains; a first host computer operatively coupled to said first storage domain and a second host computer operatively coupled to said second storage domain; first and second input devices operatively coupled, respectively, to said first and second host computers, said input devices adapted for receiving input signals from users of said first and second computers; first and second graphic display devices operatively coupled to said first and second host computers, respectively, for displaying representations of objects, said input devices and graphic display devices permitting manipulation of objects by said users; a plurality of objects, said plurality of objects including first and second primary objects (P1, P2), first and second secondary objects (S1, S2), first and second window objects (P1W, P2W) for viewing said first and second primary objects, respectively, and third and fourth window objects (S1W, S2W) for viewing said first and second secondary objects, respectively, wherein each of said objects has its own data and associated processes and wherein said objects are discrete entities that may be individually movable, copyable, viewable and destroyable in response to signals from said input devices, and wherein said objects P1, S1, P1W, and S1W reside in said first storage domain and said objects P2, S2, P2W, and S2W reside in said second storage domain; and linking means for sustaining the following object-object links; a containership link between said first primary object (P1) and said first secondary object (S1), and a primary-secondary weak link between said first primary object and said second secondary object (P1 -S2), wherein each object P1,S2) in said weak link may exhibit different representations and wherein said weak link (P1 -S2) indicates that, if either one of P1 or S2 is moved, copied, viewed or destroyed in response to a signal from an input device, the effect on all objects weakly linked to the moved, copied, viewed or destroyed object will be in accordance with a predetermined set of rules wherein if P1 or S2 is moved, P1 will remain weakly linked to S2 ; if P1 is destroyed, S2 will be unlinked; and if S2 is destroyed, P1 will be unlinked. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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- 6. A distributed object based computer system as recited in claim 22, further comprising distributed storage means for storing a first link record for P1, a second link record for S1, a third link record for P2, and a fourth link record for S2, wherein said first link record indicates the identity of all objects to which P1 is linked and the nature of the link(s), said second link record indicates the identity of all objects to which S1 is linked and the nature of the link(s), said third link record indicates the identity of all objects to which P2 is linked and the nature of the link(s), and said fourth link record indicates the identity of all objects to which S2 is linked and the nature of the link(s).
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13. A distributed object based computer system, comprising:
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first and second storage domains; a first host computer operatively coupled to said first storage domain and a second host computer operatively coupled to said second storage domain; first and second input devices operatively coupled, respectively, to said first and second host computers, said input devices adapted for receiving input signals from users of said first and second computers; first and second graphic display devices operatively coupled to said first and second host computers, respectively, for displaying representations of objects, said input devices and graphic display devices permitting manipulation of objects by said users; a plurality of objects, said plurality of objects including first and second primary objects (P1, P2), first and second secondary objects (S1, S2), first and second window objects (P1W, P2W) for viewing said first and second primary objects, respectively, and third and fourth window objects (S1W, S2W) for viewing said first and second secondary objects, respectively, wherein each of said objects has its own data and associated processes and wherein said objects are discrete entities that may be individually movable, copyable, viewable and destroyable in response to signals from said input devices, and wherein said objects P1, S1, P1W, and S1W reside in said first storage domain and said objects P2, S2, P2W, and S2W reside in said second storage domain; and linking means for sustaining the following object-object links; a containership link between said first primary object (P1) and said first secondary object (S1), and a primary-secondary weak link between said first primary object and said second secondary object (P1 -S2), wherein said weak link (P1 -S2) indicates that, if either one of P1 or S2 is moved, copied, viewed or destroyed in response to a signal from an input device, the effect on all objects weakly linked to the moved, copied, viewed or destroyed object will be in accordance with a set of rules, wherein if P1 or S2 is moved, P1 will remain weakly linked to S2 ; if P1 is copied, the copy of P1 will not automatically be linked to S2 ; if S2 is copied, P1 will be automatically weakly linked to both S2 and the copy of S2 ; if P1 is destroyed, S2 will be unlinked; and if S2 is destroyed, P1 will be unlinked. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification