Method of routing messages within a multi-processing software system

• US 5,710,924 A
• Filed: 04/24/1995
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fumarolo, Arthur L., Ayoub, Ramy P., Maher, John William
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seto, Jeffrey K.
• Application Number:
  US08/427,025
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 395/700, 395/200.03, 395/650, 395/683, 395/685, 395/200.31, 395/200.36
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

A multi-processing software system (200) has multiple operating processes (221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228) that communicate with each other using messages. Each process has a corresponding process class (410, 411, 412, 413). Each message is assigned a message type (450, 451, 452, 453), and messages types are mapped (400) to least one process class. A particular message is routed to processes having a process class corresponding to the one or more process classes mapped to the message type of the particular message.

Claims

1. In a multi-process software system having a plurality of client processes, each client process having a corresponding process class, a method of routing a message among at least some of the plurality of client processes, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a message type to the message;

mapping the message type to at least one process class; and

routing the message to each of the plurality of client processes having a process class that corresponds to the at least one process class.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mapping comprises the step of mapping the message type to a plurality of process classes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of routing comprises the steps of:

transmitting the message to a message router;

retrieving, by the message router, an identification for at least one process class corresponding to the message type of the message;

identifying, by the message router, at least one client process based on membership in the at least one process class; and

forwarding, by the message router, the message to the at least one client process.

4. In a multi-process software system having a plurality of client processes and a message router for transferring a particular message among the plurality of client processes, a method comprising the steps of:

assigning a process class to each of the plurality of client processes;

assigning a message type to the particular message;

mapping the message type to at least one process class;

transferring the message to the message router; and

routing, by the message router, the particular message to each of the plurality of client processes that has a process class mapped to the message type.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

a first database of message type to process class mapping in a data storage location accessible to the message router.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

forming a second database having client process identifiers associated with each process class in a data storage location accessible to the message router.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of routing comprises the step of:

searching the first database using the message type of the particular message to obtain a set of process classes;

searching the second database using the set of process classes to obtain a set of client process identifiers; and

transmitting the particular message to each client process identified by the set of client process identifiers.

8. A method of routing messages using a message router, comprising the step of:

registering a first client process as a member of a pre-determined process class in a process class to client process database;

sending, by a second client process, a message to the message router, the message having an associated message type;

at the message router;

accessing a message types to process class database to determine a set of process classes associated with the message type;

accessing the process class to client process database using the set of process classes to identify client processes associated with the set of process classes; and

distributing the message to each client process identified, including the first client process.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each client process is associated with only one process class in the process class to client process database, and at least one of the message types have a plurality of process classes associated therewith in the message types to process class database.

10. A message routing system, comprising:

a first database having a message type to process class mapping;

a second database having a process class to client processes mapping; and

a message router responsive to a received message with an associated message type to determine corresponding client processes from a combination of the first and second databases using the message type.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each client process is associated with only one process class in the second database, and at least one of the message types has a plurality of process classes associated therewith in the first database.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of client processes that register and de-register process class membership information with the message router.