System for exchanging software processes during execution using threads

• US 6,634,025 B1
• Filed: 05/05/1997
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Wasel, Josef, Hauptmann, Steffen
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US08/851,305
• Time in Patent Office: 2,353 Days
• Field of Search: 395/712, 395/200.51, 395/677, 395/678, 709/107, 709/108, 709/221, 717/168, 717/170, 717/172, 717/173, 717/174, 717/175, 717/178
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communication system and, method are therefor, are provided. The system includes a control circuit which includes a message-based operating system and application software. The system also includes a device and/or software for exchanging/replacing application software. When a portion of the application software is to be exchanged, an old software component to be exchanged carries out a state transfer, stops at a certain point, and directs available messages to a new software component. The software components include an application thread and an exchange thread. The old software component gathers its state after the application thread has stopped at an exchange point. The exchange thread then transmits the state through an exchange port to the new software component.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a control circuit including a message-based operating system;

application software including at least one software component, the software component including a process with an application thread, an exchange port, and an exchange thread; and

means for exchanging an old software component of the application software with a new software component,

wherein, when the old software component is to be replaced, said exchanging means causes the old software component to carry out a state transfer, to stop at a certain point and to direct available messages to the new software component,

wherein the old software component to be replaced is adapted for gathering its states after the application thread has stopped at the certain point, and

wherein the exchange thread of the old software component is used for transferring the states to the new software component through the exchange port.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application thread of the old software component includes a first partition for gathering at least the states of the old software component to be exchanged, the application thread of the old software component is used for delivering the gathered states to the exchange thread of the old software component and,

wherein the new software component includes an application thread including a second partition for taking over the gathered states from the exchange thread of the old software component and for reconstructing objects related to the gathered states.

3. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a replacement server as a further software component, which is used for loading and starting software components and for identifying whether a newly started software component is to replace the old software component.

4. A communication system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a maintenance device for delivering the new software component to the replacement server via a transmission medium.

5. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after loading and starting of the new software component, a jump is made to an exchange point that corresponds to the exchange point of the old software component.

6. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when a plurality of processes are to be exchanged, the processes are exchanged consecutively.

7. A computer system comprising:

a computer including a message-based operating system;

application software, executable by said computer, including at least one software component, the software component including a process with an application thread, an exchange port, and an exchange thread; and

means for exchanging an old software component of the application software with a new software component,

wherein, when the old software component is to be replaced, said exchanging means causes the old software component to carry out a state transfer, to stop at a certain point and to direct available messages to the new software component,

wherein the old software component to be replaced is adapted for gathering its states after the application thread has stopped at the certain point, and

wherein the exchange thread of the old software component is used for transferring the states to the new software component through the exchange port.

8. A computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the application thread of the old software component includes a first partition for gathering at least the states of the old software component to be exchanged, the application thread of the old software component is used for delivering the gathered states to the exchange thread of the old software component, and

wherein the new software component includes an application thread including a second partition for taking over the gathered states from the exchange thread of the old software component and for reconstructing objects related to the gathered states.

9. A computer system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a replacement server as a further software component, which is used for loading and starting software components and for identifying whether a newly started software component is to replace the old software component.

10. A computer system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a maintenance device for delivering the new software component to the replacement server via a transmission medium.

11. A computer system as claimed in claim 7, wherein, after loading and starting of the new software component, a jump is made to an exchange point that corresponds to the exchange point of the old software component.

12. A method for facilitating exchange of software components for a system comprising a message-based operating system and application software said method comprising the steps of:

determining that an old software component of the application software is to be exchanged with a new software component,

causing the old software component that is to be exchanged to perform the steps of;

stopping an application thread of the old software component at a certain point,

gathering its states after an application thread has stopped at the certain point,

using an exchange thread of the old software component to transfer the gathered states to the new software component through an exchange port of the old software component, and

directing available messages to the new software component.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said gathering step includes gathering the states of the old software component to be exchanged in a first partition of the application thread, and using the application thread of the old software component to deliver the gathered states to the exchange thread of the old software component, and

wherein the new software component includes performing the steps of:

using an application thread including a second partition to take over the gathered states from the exchange thread of the old software component, and

reconstructing objects related to the gathered states.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

loading and starting software components using a replacement server; and

identifying whether a newly started software component is to replace the old software component.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the steps of delivering the new software component to the replacement server via a transmission medium using a maintenance device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of, after loading and starting of the new software component, jumping to an exchange point that corresponds to the exchange point of the old software component.