Distributed computing architecture

• US 6,112,304 A
• Filed: 08/27/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zipsoft Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zipsoft Incorporated
• Inventors: Clawson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/919,081
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/25, 395/683, 395/200.31, 395/200.32, 395/800.28, 713/156, 713/175, 713/181
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4875 with migration policy, e.g. auction, contract negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and system for utilizing resources according to a novel computing architecture are provided, including an operational environment for denizen processes and a way for denizens to travel between locations. A denizen process is capable of receiving instructions, evaluating different locations in the operational environment in view of the received instructions, selecting a location based on that evaluation, moving itself to the selected location, and executing at least a portion of the received instructions at the selected location. To avoid distributing viruses and to reduce bandwidth requirements, denizens can move by specifying information for building a denizen by using code stored in a library at a destination location. The denizen is also capable of reproducing and archiving itself, of detecting an error in itself, and of attempting to replace itself with an archived version of itself or attempting to rebuild itself from library components. In addition, the denizen is capable of modifying itself by dynamically loading and unloading code. Denizens can flexibly allocate processors because each denizen can individually decide where it should execute. Application areas for employing the novel architecture include database management and natural language translation.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing computer system resources according to a computing architecture, the computer system resources including at least two locations, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an operational environment for distributed computing processes here termed denizens, each denizen including a configuration portion, an origin portion, and an executable portion, each denizen performing at least one step on itself, the operational environment including at least the two locations and also including a means for denizens to travel between the locations;

providing at least one denizen that is a user denizen;

receiving instructions at the user denizen;

the denizen evaluating different locations in the operational environment in view of the received instructions;

the denizen selecting a location based on that evaluation;

the denizen moving itself to the selected location; and

the denizen executing at least a portion of the received instructions at the selected location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each location provides access to a processor for executing instructions and each location provides a memory accessible to the processor for storing instructions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable portion is primarily data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable portion is primarily instructions.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which reproduces and archives itself.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which detects an error in itself and attempts to replace itself with an archived version of itself.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which reproduces itself.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which detects an error in itself and attempts to rebuild itself.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which archives itself.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which modifies itself in response to the result of executing at least a portion of the received instructions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the modifying step uses a neural net learning method.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the modifying step uses back propagation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the modifying step uses an evolutionary algorithm.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the modifying step uses a genetic algorithm.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the modifying step uses dynamic recompilation.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which modifies itself in response to the result of a change in the operational environment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the modifying step occurs in response to a change in available bandwidth.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the modifying step occurs in response to a change in the availability of computers which support the operational environment.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which modifies itself to split processing of a query among additional denizens.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing step includes providing a user denizen which handles exceptions internally to limit the impact of execution errors.

21. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of supplying at least one administration denizen.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the supplying step includes supplying an administration denizen which gathers information about different locations in the operational environment and provides that information to a user denizen.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the supplying step includes supplying an administration denizen which controls access by user denizens to a particular location in the operational environment.

24. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of furnishing at least one pod denizen which tracks movement of the user denizen between locations in the operational environment.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the providing step includes providing a plurality of related user denizens, and the pod denizen tracks the locations used by the plurality of user denizens.

26. A computer system implementing an ecosystem computing architecture, the computer system comprising:

an operational environment for distributed computing processes here termed denizens, each denizen including a configuration portion an origin portion, and an executable portion, each denizen performing at least one step on itself, the operational environment including at least two locations, each location providing access to a processor for executing instructions and providing a memory accessible to the processor for storing instructions;

a transport means for denizens to travel between the locations; and

at least one denizen that is a user denizen which receives instructions, evaluates different locations in the operational environment in view of the received instructions, selects a location based on that evaluation, moves itself to the selected location, and executes at least a portion of the received instructions at the selected location.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least two of the locations are on different computers in a computer network.

28. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least two of the locations are on the same computer.

29. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the locations provides access to a Java virtual machine.

30. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least one denizen includes native executable code.

31. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least one denizen includes interpretable code.

32. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least one denizen includes platform-independent portable code.

33. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least one denizen includes source code.

34. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the transport means includes a TCP/IP connection.

35. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the transport means includes means for specifying information for building a denizen by using code stored in a library at a destination location.

36. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the information for building a denizen includes a class identifier.

37. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the information for building a denizen includes an extension to a class.

38. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the information for building a denizen includes class inheritance information.

39. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the configuration portion includes routing information.

40. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the origin portion includes at least one encrypted certificate.

41. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising an archive pod denizen.

42. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising a connection pod denizen.

43. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising an administration denizen.

44. The computer system of claim 43, wherein the administration denizen maintains a log of activities occurring in the operational environment.

45. The computer system of claim 43, wherein the administration denizen supports interactive management of denizens in the operational environment.

46. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising a set of templates which define denizen inheritance information and which can be used to build denizens.

47. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising extension information which can be used to build denizens.

48. The computer system of claim 26, wherein at least one denizen includes at least one executable portion.

49. The computer system of claim 48, wherein the executable portion contains data corresponding to a row of a relational database.

50. The computer system of claim 48, wherein the system contains a plurality of denizens, each denizen includes an executable portion which contains database data, and the data is divided among the denizens according to the value of a database key.

51. The computer system of claim 50, wherein the database key corresponds to a key field in a relational database.

52. The computer system of claim 48, wherein two executable portions in two denizens each reference the same location in memory.

53. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the executable portions each reference the same data.

54. The computer system of claim 52, wherein the executable portions each reference the same instructions.

55. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising means for spawning at least one denizen in response to a query.

56. The computer system of claim 55, further comprising means for gathering results from the at least one spawned denizen.

57. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising means for spawning at least one thread in response to a query.

58. The computer system of claim 57, further comprising means for gathering results from the at least one spawned thread.