Mechanism for dynamically associating a service dependent representation with objects at run time
First Claim
1. An association mechanism data structure for dynamically associating a service representation object with a servant object at run time in a distributed object computing system, said distributed object computing system incorporating a plurality of groups of object services, the association mechanism data structure being embodied in a computer-readable medium and comprising:
- at least one service representation class representing a single one of the groups of object services, the service representation class arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the groups of object services via an instantiated service representation object at runtime;
at last one servant base class arranged to be associated with servant objects that are created at run time; and
a linking mechanism arranged to form a run time link between the service representation object and a selected one of said servant objects at run time such that the servant object may use the functionality provided by said single one of the groups of object services by way of the service representation object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data structure for dynamically associating a service dependent representation with a servant object at run time is used in a distributed object computing system that incorporates subcontracts. Subcontracts supply different functionalities to objects. The data structure exists before run time, and is used at run time to perform the dynamic association. An arrangement also exists at run time. The structure comprises a service representation class representing a single subcontract, a servant base class associated with servant objects created at run time, and a linking mechanism to form a run time link between the server rep class and a servant object at run time. The server rep class provides functionality unique to a subcontract. At run time, servant objects are instantiated from the servant base class or a more derived class. The servant object uses the functionality provided by a subcontract by way of the linking mechanism. An arrangement exists at run time for dynamically linking a servant object to a subcontract. Included are a servant object, a server rep object, and a pointer from the servant object to the server rep object. Methods and apparatus allow a servant object itself to initiate calls to deactivate itself, to determine remaining references to itself, to revoke itself, and to get an object reference for itself. A method creates a servant object that includes the above data structures and ability to call these functions.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An association mechanism data structure for dynamically associating a service representation object with a servant object at run time in a distributed object computing system, said distributed object computing system incorporating a plurality of groups of object services, the association mechanism data structure being embodied in a computer-readable medium and comprising:
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at least one service representation class representing a single one of the groups of object services, the service representation class arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the groups of object services via an instantiated service representation object at runtime; at last one servant base class arranged to be associated with servant objects that are created at run time; and a linking mechanism arranged to form a run time link between the service representation object and a selected one of said servant objects at run time such that the servant object may use the functionality provided by said single one of the groups of object services by way of the service representation object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A rum-time arrangement data structure embodied in a computer-readable medium for use in a distributed object computing system, said distributed object computing system incorporating a plurality of groups of object services, the run-time arrangement comprising:
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a servant object that takes the form of an instance of a distributed object; a service representation object representing a single one of the groups of object services, the service representation object being arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the groups of object services by way of a service representation class; and a link between the service representation object and the servant object that permits the servant object to access the functionalities provided by the service representation class by way of the service representation object. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method of creating a distributed servant object for use in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising:
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receiving a servant class name and an object adaptor delegate identifying a single one of the groups of object services; instantiating a servant object corresponding to the received servant class name; calling a create method of the object adaptor delegate in order to produce a service representation object arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the groups of object services identified by said object adaptor delegate; and associating the produced service representation object with the servant object such that the servant object may use the functionality provided by said single one of the groups of object services available through the service representation object. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A computer-implemented method of revoking a distributed servant object in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising:
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calling a servant revoke method associated with the servant object, the servant revoke method being called by the servant object; identifying a service representation object associated with the servant object, the service representation object being associated with said servant object via a link and being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the groups of object services; calling a service representation revoke method associated with the service representation object via said link; and revoking the servant object by way of the called service representation revoke method in a manner consistent with the single one of the groups of object services.
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13. A computer-implemented method of creating an object reference of a servant object for use by a client in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising:
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receiving a get object reference request for a specified super class of a servant object, the request originating from the servant object; identifying a service representation object associated with the servant object, the service representation object being associated with said servant object via a link and being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the groups of object services; calling a get object reference method associated with the service representation object and implementing said get object reference method in a manner consistent with the single one of the groups of object services; creating a fat pointer to the servant object, the fat pointer being created by the get object reference method; and widening the fat pointer in order to associate it with the specified super class.
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14. A computer-implemented method of deactivating a distributed servant object in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising:
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calling a servant deactivate method associated with the servant object, the servant deactivate method being called by the servant object; identifying a service representation object associated with the servant object, the service representation object being associated with said servant object via a link and being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the groups of object services; calling a service representation deactivate method associated with the service representation object; and deactivating the servant object by way of the called service representation deactivate method in a manner consistent with the single one of the groups of object services. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A computer apparatus comprising:
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a processing unit; an input/output device coupled to said processing unit; and a storage device in communication with said processing unit, the storage device including an association mechanism data structure for dynamically associating a service representation with a servant object at run time in a distributed object computing system, said distributed object computing system incorporating a plurality of groups of object services, the association mechanism data structure being embodied in a computer-readable medium and comprising at least one service representation class representing a single one of the groups of object services, the service representation class arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the groups of object services via an instantiated service representation object at runtime, at least one servant base class arranged to be associated with servant objects that are created at run time, and a linking mechanism arranged to form a run time link between the service representation class and a selected one of said servant objects at run time such that the servant object may use the functionality provided by said single one of the groups of object services by way of the service representation object.
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18. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon for creating a distributed servant object for use in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, said computer program product comprising computer-readable program code for effecting the following within a computer system:
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receiving a servant class name and an object adaptor delegate identifying a single one of the groups of object services; instantiating a servant object corresponding to the received servant class name; calling a create method of the object adaptor delegate in order to produce a service representation object arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the groups of object services identified by said object adaptor delegate; and associating the produced service representation object with the servant object such that the servant object may use the functionality provided by said single one of the groups of object services available through the service representation object. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon for revoking a distributed servant object in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, said computer program product comprising computer-readable program code for effecting the following within a computer system:
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calling a servant revoke method associated with the servant object, the servant revoke method being called by the servant object; identifying a service representation object associated with the servant object, the service representation object being associated with said servant object via a link and being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the groups of object services; calling a service representation revoke method associated with the service representation object via said link; and revoking the servant object by way of the called service representation revoke method in a manner consistent with the single one of the groups of object services.
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22. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon for creating an object reference of a servant object for use by a client in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, said computer program product comprising computer-readable program code for effecting the following within a computer system:
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receiving a get object reference request for a specified super class of a servant object, the request originating from the servant object; identifying a service representation object associated with the servant object, the service representation object being associated with said servant object via a link and being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the groups of object services; calling a get object reference method associated with the service representation object and implementing said get object reference method in a manner consistent with the single one of the groups of object services; creating a fat pointer to the servant object, the fat pointer being created by the get object reference method; and widening the fat pointer in order to associate it with the specified super class.
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23. A computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon for deactivating a distributed servant object in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing groups of object services for use in managing distributed objects, said computer program product comprising computer-readable program code for effecting the following within a computer system:
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calling a servant deactivate method associated with the servant object, the servant deactivate method being called by the servant object; identifying a service representation object associated with the servant object, the service representation object being associated with said servant object via a link and being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the groups of object services; calling a service representation deactivate method associated with the service representation object; and deactivating the servant object by way of the called service representation deactivate method in a manner consistent with the single one of the groups of object services. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification