Interprocess communication apparatus interposed between application processes and the operating systems of hosting computers in a system of networked computers
First Claim
1. In a system of computers interconnected by a network, each computer hosting application processes, said application processes requiring message transport therebetween, each said computer having an operating system with an intracomputer communication mechanism for transporting said messages between application processes on said computer, said network including intercomputer communication mechanisms for transporting said messages between said computers, said system including means for assigning system addresses unique to each said computer, each said application process having a system name, each said application process having a process identification (PID) assigned by the operating system of the computer hosting said process, interprocess communication (IPC) apparatus on each said computer, said IPC being interposed between said application processes hosted on said each said computer and said operating system of said each said computer, said IPC apparatus on at least one of said computers comprising:
- an application process interface including a REGISTER function with which an application process registers for sending and receiving messages, said REGISTER function having registration tables, said application process providing its system name, said REGISTER function storing said system name and PID of the registering application process in said registration tables,said application process interface further including a SEND function responsive to a sending process desiring to send a message to a recipient process, said sending process providing the system name and system address of said recipient process to said SEND function, andfirst local/remote means coupled to said SEND function and responsive to said system address of said recipient process for determining if said recipient process is hosted locally on said at least one of said computers or remotely on another of said computers,if hosted locally, said first local/remote means being operative for accessing said registration tables for determining the PID of said recipient process and attaching said PID to said message and further operative for directing said message and PID to said intracomputer communication mechanism of said at least one of said computers for delivery to said recipient process,if hosted remotely, said first local/remote means being operative for directing said message to an intercomputer communication mechanism in accordance with said system address of said recipient process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a network of computers having different operating systems with different message transport mechanisms, an interprocess communication layer (IPC) is interposed between applications hosted on the computers and the operating systems thereof. IPC presents a consistent interface to the application processes for message transport therebetween while linking to the intracomputer and intercomputer message transport mechanisms of the operating systems and the network. A process desiring to send or receive messages registers through a REGISTER function passing its system name and process identification (PID) assigned by the operating system to the process. To send a message, a process calls a SEND function passing the system name and system address of the recipient process. IPC attaches the recipient process PID to a message to be delivered. A process receives a message by invoking a RECEIVE function to receive its messages from the intracomputer communication mechanism of the host computer identified by the PID of the recipient process.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a system of computers interconnected by a network, each computer hosting application processes, said application processes requiring message transport therebetween, each said computer having an operating system with an intracomputer communication mechanism for transporting said messages between application processes on said computer, said network including intercomputer communication mechanisms for transporting said messages between said computers, said system including means for assigning system addresses unique to each said computer, each said application process having a system name, each said application process having a process identification (PID) assigned by the operating system of the computer hosting said process, interprocess communication (IPC) apparatus on each said computer, said IPC being interposed between said application processes hosted on said each said computer and said operating system of said each said computer, said IPC apparatus on at least one of said computers comprising:
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an application process interface including a REGISTER function with which an application process registers for sending and receiving messages, said REGISTER function having registration tables, said application process providing its system name, said REGISTER function storing said system name and PID of the registering application process in said registration tables, said application process interface further including a SEND function responsive to a sending process desiring to send a message to a recipient process, said sending process providing the system name and system address of said recipient process to said SEND function, and first local/remote means coupled to said SEND function and responsive to said system address of said recipient process for determining if said recipient process is hosted locally on said at least one of said computers or remotely on another of said computers, if hosted locally, said first local/remote means being operative for accessing said registration tables for determining the PID of said recipient process and attaching said PID to said message and further operative for directing said message and PID to said intracomputer communication mechanism of said at least one of said computers for delivery to said recipient process, if hosted remotely, said first local/remote means being operative for directing said message to an intercomputer communication mechanism in accordance with said system address of said recipient process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification