System and method for instantiating a sharable, presistent parameterized collection class and real time process control system embodying the same

• US 5,752,249 A
• Filed: 11/14/1996
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Morphew, William H., Macon, Charles E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US08/749,315
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 395/614, 395/136, 395/137, 395/138, 364/468.01, 707/103, 707/1, 1/1
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4493 Object persistence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer system, a method of creating and allowing access to a parameterized collection class and a real time process control system. The computer system includes: (1) a memory containing an operating system capable of operating on one or more parameterized collection classes, or objects, (2) a persistent data store, associated with the memory, in which a parameterized collection class is memory-mapped and (3) a processor, associated with the memory and the persistent data store, that: (a) instantiates an occurrence of the parameterized collection class in the memory, the parameterized collection class thereby becoming persistent, and (b) provides direct access by at least one routine executing in the processor to the persistent parameterized collection class, the persistent parameterized collection class surviving termination of the routine.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a memory containing an operating system capable of operating on one or more parameterized collection classes;

a persistent data store, coupled to said memory, in which a parameterized collection class is memory-mapped; and

a processor, associated with said memory and said persistent data store, that instantiates an occurrence of said parameterized collection class in said memory, said parameterized collection class thereby becoming persistent, and provides direct access by at least one routine executing in said processor to said persistent parameterized collection class, said persistent parameterized collection class surviving termination of said at least one routine.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said operating system supports execution of separate execution threads in said processor, said processor instantiating an occurrence of said persistent parameterized collection class in each of said separate execution threads, thereby providing direct access by routines executing within each of said separate execution threads to said persistent parameterized collection class.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said persistent data store is a nonvolatile storage unit of a computer system.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said persistent parameterized collection class is an object repository.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one routine queries said persistent parameterized collection class to extract data therefrom.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said parameterized collection class includes access semantics selected from the group consisting of:

associative array access semantics, and

iterator access semantics.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said persistent parameterized collection class is divided into a plurality of pages and transferred from said persistent data store as a function of a demand for said plurality of pages.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said persistent parameterized collection class and said at least one routine are executed in a single processor.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said system is associated with a real time process control system, said persistent parameterized collection class being an object repository containing data relating to a controlled plant.

10. A method of operating a computer system to create and allow access to a parameterized collection class, comprising the steps of:

defining a structure of said parameterized collection class;

memory mapping said structure in a persistent data store;

instantiating an occurrence of said parameterized collection class in a memory, said parameterized collection class thereby becoming persistent; and

providing direct access by at least one routine to said persistent parameterized collection class, said persistent parameterized collection class surviving termination of said at least one routine.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

providing separate execution threads; and

instantiating an occurrence of said persistent parameterized collection class in each of said separate execution threads, thereby providing direct access by routines executing within each of said separate execution threads to said persistent parameterized collection class.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said persistent data store is a nonvolatile storage unit of a computer system.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said persistent parameterized collection class is an object repository.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said at least one routine queries said persistent parameterized collection class to extract data therefrom.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said parameterized collection class includes access semantics selected from the group consisting of:

associative array access semantics, and

iterator access semantics.

16. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

dividing said persistent parameterized collection class into a plurality of pages; and

transferring said pages from said persistent data store as a function of a demand for said plurality of pages.

17. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said persistent parameterized collection class and said at least one routine are executed in a single computer system.

18. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said method is performed in a real time process control system, said persistent parameterized collection class being an object repository containing data relating to a controlled plant.

19. A real time process control system, comprising:

a computer system having a memory and under control of an operating system capable of operating on parameterized collection classes, at least one of said parameterized collection classes defining a structure of an object repository containing data relating to a plant to be controlled by said real time process control system;

a plurality of sensors and controllable devices; and

a data bus associating said computer system to said plurality of sensors and controllable devices, said computer system including;

a persistent data store, coupled to said memory, in which said structure is memory-mapped, and

a processor, coupled to said memory and said persistent data store, that instantiates an occurrence of said object repository in said memory, said associative object repository thereby becoming persistent, and provides direct access by at least one routine executing in said processor to said persistent object repository, said persistent object repository surviving termination of said at least one routine.

20. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said operating system supports execution of separate execution threads in said processor, said processor instantiating an occurrence of said persistent object repository in each of said separate execution threads, thereby providing direct access by routines executing within each of said separate execution threads to said persistent object repository.

21. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said persistent data store is a nonvolatile storage unit of said computer system.

22. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein, during execution, said at least one routine detects whether said persistent object repository exists, and instantiates a new object repository only if said persistent associative object repository does not exist.

23. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said at least one routine queries said persistent object repository to extract data therefrom.

24. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said parameterized collection class includes access semantics selected from the group consisting of:

associative array access semantics, and

iterator access semantics.

25. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said persistent object repository is divided into a plurality of pages and transferred from said persistent data store as a function of a demand for said plurality of pages.

26. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said persistent object repository and said at least one routine are executed in a single processor.

27. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said parameterized collection class defines a plurality of object repositories.

28. The system as recited in claim 19 wherein said persistent object repository survives termination of said operating system.

29. A method of operating a real time process control system, comprising the steps of:

executing an operating system within a computer system of said real time plant control system, said computer system having a memory, said operating system capable of operating on parameterized collection classes, at least one of said parameterized collection classes defining a structure of an object repository containing data relating to a plant to be controlled by said real time process control system;

defining a structure of said object repository;

memory mapping said structure in a persistent data store;

instantiating an occurrence of said object repository in said memory, said object repository thereby becoming persistent;

communicating data among said persistent object repository and a plurality of sensors and controllable devices of said plant to be controlled; and

providing direct access by at least one routine to said persistent object repository, said persistent object repository surviving termination of said at least one routine.

30. The method as recited in claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

providing separate execution threads; and

instantiating an occurrence of said persistent object repository in each of said separate execution threads, thereby providing direct access by routines executing within each of said separate execution threads to said persistent object repository.

31. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said persistent data store is a nonvolatile storage unit of said computer system.

32. The method as recited in claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

detecting, during execution of said at least one routine, whether said persistent object repository exists; and

instantiating an object repository only if said persistent object repository does not exist.

33. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said at least one routine queries said persistent object repository to extract data therefrom.

34. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said parameterized collection class includes access semantics selected from the group consisting of:

associative array access semantics, and

iterator access semantics.

35. The method as recited in claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

dividing said persistent object repository into a plurality of pages; and

transferring said pages from said persistent data store as a function of a demand for said plurality of pages.

36. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said persistent object repository and said at least one routine are executed in a single computer system.

37. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said parameterized collection class defines a plurality of object repositories.

38. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said persistent object repository survives termination of said operating system.