Method and system for resetting references to deleted software structures
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for managing references to software structures, comprising the steps of:
- creating a first software structure having a list of references to users of the first software structure;
creating a reference to the first software structure for a second software structure; and
adding a reference to the second software structure to the list of references to users of the first software structure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, computer program product, memory, and object-oriented system for resetting references to software structures after the software structures have been deleted. A software structure to be referenced or used by plural users in the same or different modules is created having an array or list of references to users, initialized to reflect no current users of the software structure. A user software structure is created having a reference pointer, or pointer variable, initialized to reflect no current referenced software structure. When the user software structure requests a reference to the referenced software structure, the reference pointer of the user software structure is assigned the value of the reference to the used software structure. The user software structure is registered with the used software structure by inserting a reference to the user software structure in the array, or list of users in the used software structure. When a user software structure relinquishes reference to the used software structure, the reference pointer of the user software structure is used to reference the used software structure. The array of users is accessed to delete the reference to the user software structure which is relinquishing reference to the used software structure, thereby unregistering the user software structure. The reference pointer of the user software structure is set to zero or null to reflect no current reference for the user software structure.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for managing references to software structures, comprising the steps of:
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creating a first software structure having a list of references to users of the first software structure; creating a reference to the first software structure for a second software structure; and adding a reference to the second software structure to the list of references to users of the first software structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for managing references to software structures for implementation by a computer, comprising:
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a storage means; means for creating a first software structure having a list of references to users of the first software structure; means for creating a reference to the first software structure for a second software structure; and means for adding a reference to the second software structure to the list of references to users of the first software structure. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer program product including a computer readable medium for managing references to software structures, comprising:
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means for creating a first software structure having a list of references to users of the first software structure; means for creating a reference to the first software structure for a second software structure; and means for adding a reference to the second software structure to the list of references to users of the first software structure. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A memory embodied in a computer for managing references to software structures comprising:
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a first software structure stored in the memory comprising; a list of references to users of the first software structure; and a second software structure stored in the memory comprising; a reference to the first software structure, wherein the list of references to users of the first software structure includes a reference to the second software structure. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An object-oriented system for managing references to software structures for implementation by a computer in an object-oriented framework, comprising:
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a memory; means for creating a first software structure in the memory having a list of references to users of the first software structure; means for creating a reference to the first software structure for a second software structure in the memory; and means for adding a reference to the second software structure to the list of references to users of the first software structure in the memory, wherein at least one of the means for creating a first software structure, the means for creating a reference, the means for adding a reference, the first software structure, and the second software structure includes a software object. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification