Accessing a remote cad tool server

• US 5,815,683 A
• Filed: 11/05/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Vogler, Joe E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERTS, ANDREW S
• Application Number:
  US08/740,968
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.54, 395/200.55
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party

Abstract

An access facilitator is programmed to provide access service for facilitating remote client access to computer-aided design (CAD) tools. The access service includes services for accepting an access connection from a client, obtaining an internetworking address of the client, receiving an access request from the client, and routing the access request including the internetworking address to a CAD tool, resulting in the CAD tool directly responding to the client.

Claims

1. A method for remotely accessing computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the method comprising the steps of:

a) accepting an access connection from a client at an access agent;

b) obtaining an internetworking address of the client by the access agent;

c) receiving an access request from the client at the access agent; and

d) routing the access request along with the client'"'"'s internetworking address from the access agent to a CAD tool, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the client bypassing the access agent.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises monitoring the access connection for access requests.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the access request of step (c) results in design data being sent directly to the requesting client bypassing the access agent, as well as either new design data being created or existing design data being modified at the CAD tool;

and step (d) is performed in a read/write synchronized manner to ensure design data integrity.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

(e) accepting a preparatory connection by the client to the access agent; and

(f) providing the client with an access connect applet from the access agent for establishing the access connection with the access agent, and receiving design data from the CAD tool.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises step (e) setting up a display environment of the client by the access agent to enable access request prompting and to accept direct responses from the CAD tool.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of (e) servicing the client'"'"'s request at the CAD tool, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the client using the internetworking address.

7. A method for remotely accessing computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the method comprising the steps of:

a) monitoring for access requests from remote clients by an access agent; and

b) routing a detected access request of a remote client alone with ascertained location information of the remote client from the access agent to a CAD tool for execution, in a read/write synchronized manner to ensure design data integrity, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the remote client, bypassing the access agent.

8. An apparatus comprising

(a) a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions which, when executed by the apparatus, are operative to implement an access service facilitating remote access to computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the access service including services for accepting an access connection from a client, obtaining an internetworking address of the client, receiving an access request from the client for a CAD tool, and routing the access request along with the internetworking address of the client to the CAD tool, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the client bypassing the access service;

and

(b) an execution unit coupled to the storage medium for executing the plurality of programming instructions.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the access service further includes a monitor service for monitoring the access connection for access requests from the client.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the access service routes access requests to CAD tools in a read/write synchronized manner.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the programming instructions further implement a hypertext transfer protocol (http) server for accepting a preparatory connection to the access service, and providing the client with an access connect applet for establishing the access connection with the access service.

12. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions which, when executed, are operative to implement an access service facilitating remote access to computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the access service including a monitor service for monitoring access requests of remote clients to CAD tools, and a routing service for routing a detected access request of a remote client, along with ascertained location information of the remote client, from the access service to the CAD tool for execution, in a read/write synchronized manner to ensure design data integrity, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the remote client, bypassing the access service; and

(b) an execution unit coupled to the storage medium for executing the plurality of programming instructions.

13. A machine readable storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions which, when executed, are operative to implement an access service facilitating remote access of requesting clients to computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the access service including services for accepting an access connection from a client, obtaining an internetworking address of the client, receiving an access request to a CAD tool from the client, and routing the access request alone with the internetworking address from the access service to the CAD tool, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the client bypassing the access service.

14. The storage medium as set forth in claim 13, wherein the access service includes a monitor service for monitoring the access connection for access requests from the client.

15. The storage medium as set forth in claim 13, wherein the access service routes access requests to CAD tools in a read/write synchronized manner.

16. The storage medium set forth in claim 13, wherein the programming instructions further implement a hyprtext transfer protocol (http) server to accepting a preparatory connection ot an access server hosting the access service, and providing the client with an access connect applet establishing the access connection to the access server.

17. A machine readable storage medium having stored therein a pluraity of programming instructions which, when executed, are operative to implement an access service facilitating remote client accesses to computer-aided design (CAD) tools, the access service including a monitor service for monitoring access requests by remote clients, and a routing service for routing a detected access request of a remote client, along with ascertained location informationof the remote client, from the access service to a CAD tool for execution, in a read/write synchronized manner to ensure design data integrity, wherein the CAD tool responds directly to the remote client, bypassig the access agent.