SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING DYNAMIC LOADING OF “STUB” INFORMATION TO ENABLE A PROGRAM OPERATING IN ONE ADDRESS SPACE TO INVOKE PROCESSING OF A REMOTE METHOD OR PROCEDURE IN ANOTHER ADDRESS SPACE

• US 6,938,263 B2
• Filed: 04/23/1996
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Waldo, James H., Wollrath, Ann M., Riggs, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, SUE X
• Application Number:
  US08/636,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,416 Days
• Field of Search: 395/680, 395/681, 395/682, 395/683, 395/684, 709310-332, 709/203, 709/219, 719/330, 719/331, 719/332, 719/315, 719/316, 719/310, 719/328
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/548 Object oriented; Remote method invocation [RMI] non-remote method invocation G06F9/449

Abstract

A stub retrieval and loading subsystem is disclosed for use in connection with a remote method invocation system. The stub retrieval and loading subsystem controls the retrieval and loading of a stub for a remote method, into an execution environment, to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in the execution environment. The stub retrieval subsystem includes a stub retriever for initiating a retrieval of the stub and stub loader for, when the stub is received by the stub retriever, loading the stub into the execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in remote invocation of the remote method. In one embodiment, the stub retrieval and loading subsystem effects the retrieval and loading for a program operating in one address space provided by one computer, of stub class instances to effect the remote invocation of methods which are provided by objects operating in another address space, which may be provided by the same computer or a different computer.

Claims

1. For use in connection with a remote method invocation system, a stub retrieval and loading subsystem for controlling the retrieval and loading of a stub of a remote method into an execution environment to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in said execution environment, the stub retrieval subsystem comprising:

A. a stub retriever configured to initiate a retrieval of said stub from a server associated with processing of said remote method, said stub used to facilitate remote invocation of said remote method; and

B. a stub loader configured to, after said stub is received by said stub retriever from said server, load said stub into said execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in said remote invocation of said remote method.

2. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 1 further including a remote method reference detector configured to detect whether a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment, the stub retriever being further configured to initiate retrieval of said stub when the remote method reference detector detects that a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment.

3. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 1 further including a remote method invocation control configured to control invocation of said remote method, said stub retriever being further configured to initiate retrieval of said stub code when the remote method is invoked.

4. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 1, the remote method invocation system further including the server, the server being configured to process said remote method in response to a processing request therefore, the server further being configured to provide said stub in response to a retrieval request from said stub retriever.

5. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 4 in which server is configured to provide a separate address space for processing said remote method from an address space provided by said execution environment.

6. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 5 in which the address space provided by said server and the address space provided by said execution environment are provided by separate computers.

7. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 4, further comprising a remote server identifier configured to provide a server identification for identifying said server.

8. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 7 further including a remote method reference detector configured to detect whether a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment, the remote method reference including a remote method server identifier configured to use the remote method server identifier as the server identification.

9. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 7 further including a remote method invocation control configured to provide a remote method invocation identification for controlling invocation of said remote method, the remote method invocation providing a remote method server identifier, the remote server identifier using the remote method server identifier as the server identification.

10. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 7, the remote method invocation system further including a nameserver configured to provide a said server identification, said remote server identifier initiating communication with said nameserver to obtain the server identification for said remote method.

11. A stub retrieval and loading method for controlling the retrieval and loading of a stub of a remote method into an execution environment to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in said execution environment, the stub retrieval method comprising the steps of:

A. initiating a retrieval of said stub from a server associated with processing of said remote method, said stub used to facilitate remote invocation of said remote method; and

B. after said stub is received from said server, loading said stub into said execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in said remote invocation of said remote method.

12. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 11 further including the step of detecting whether a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment, and wherein the initiating step includes the step of initiating retrieval of said code when a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment.

13. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 11 further including the step of controlling invocation of said remote method, and wherein the initiating step includes the step of initiating retrieval of said stub when the remote method is invoked.

14. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 11, further including the steps of enabling the server to process said remote method in response to a processing request therefore, and enabling the server to provide said stub in response to a retrieval request from said stub retriever.

15. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 14 in which said server provides a separate address space for processing said remote method from an address space provided by said execution environment.

16. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 15 in which the address space provided by said server and the address space provided by said execution environment are provided by separate computers.

17. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 14, further including the step of providing a server identification for identifying said server.

18. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 17 further including the step of detecting whether a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment, the remote method reference including a remote method server identifier, the remote method server identifier being used as the server identification when detecting whether the remote method reference has been received.

19. A stub retrieval and loading method as defined in claim 17 further including the step of providing a remote method invocation identification for controlling invocation of said remote method, the remote method invocation providing a remote method server identifier, the remote method server identifier being used as the server identification when controlling invocation of said remote method.

20. A stub retrieval and loading subsystem as defined in claim 17, further including a nameserver for providing said server identification, said remote server identifier initiating communication with said nameserver to obtain the server identification for said remote method.

21. For use in connection with a remote method invocation method, a stub retrieval and loading computer program product for controlling a computer to, in turn, control the retrieval and loading of a stub of a remote method into an execution environment to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in said execution environment, the stub retrieval computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having encoded thereon:

A. stub retriever code configured to enable said computer to initiate a retrieval of said stub from a server associated with processing of said remote method, said stub used to facilitate remote invocation of said remote method; and

B. stub loader code configured to enable said computer to, after said stub is received from said server, load said stub into said execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in said remote invocation of said remote method.

22. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 21 further including remote method reference detector code configured to enable said computer to detect whether a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment, the stub retriever code being configured to enable said computer to initiate retrieval of said stub when the remote method reference detector code enables said computer to detect that a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment.

23. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 21 further including remote method invocation control code configured to enable said computer to control invocation of said remote method, said stub retriever code being configured to enable said computer to initiate retrieval of said stub when the remote method is invoked.

24. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 21, the remote method invocation system further including the server, the server being configured for processing said remote method in response to a processing request therefore, the server further configured to provide said stub in response to a retrieval request from said computer.

25. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 24 in which said server is configured to provide a separate address space for processing said remote method from an address space provided by said execution environment.

26. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 25 in which the address space provided by said server and the address space provided by said execution environment are provided by separate computers.

27. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 24, further comprising remote server identifier code configured to enable said computer to provide a server identification for identifying said server.

28. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 27 further including remote method reference detector code for enabling said computer to detect whether a remote method reference has been received in said execution environment, the remote method reference including a remote method server identifier, the remote server identifier code enabling said computer to use the remote method server identifier as the server identification.

29. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 27 further including remote method invocation control code configured to enable said computer to provide a remote method invocation identification for controlling invocation of said remote method, the remote method invocation providing a remote method server identifier, the remote server identifier code being configured to enable said computer to use the remote method server identifier as the server identification.

30. A stub retrieval and loading computer program product as defined in claim 27, the remote method invocation system further including a nameserver configured to provide a said server identification, said remote server identifier code being configured to enable said computer to initiate communication with said nameserver to obtain the server identification for said remote method.

31. For use in connection with a remote method invocation system, a stub retrieval and loading subsystem for controlling the retrieval and loading of a stub of a remote method into an execution environment to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in said execution environment, the stub retrieval subsystem comprising:

A. a computer; and

B. a control arrangement configured to control said computer, said control arrangement comprising;

i. a stub retrieval module configured to control said computer to initiate a retrieval of said stub from a server associated with processing of said remote method, said stub used to facilitate remote invocation of said remote method; and

ii. a stub loader module configured to control said computer to, after said stub is received from said server in response to said stub retrieval module, load said stub into said execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in said remote invocation of said remote method.

32. A control arrangement for use in connection with a computer to control the retrieval and loading of a stub of a remote method into an execution environment to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in said execution environment, said control arrangement comprising:

i. a stub retrieval module configured to control said computer to initiate a retrieval of said stub from a server associated with processing of said remote method, said stub used to facilitate remote invocation of said remote method; and

ii. a stub loader module configured to control said computer to, after said stub is received from said server in response to said stub retrieval module, load said stub into said execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in said remote invocation of said remote method.

33. A system for distributing code stored on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer, the code including a plurality of modules each configured to control the computer to facilitate the retrieval and loading of a stub of a remote method into an execution environment to facilitate invocation of the remote method by a program executing in said execution environment, said system comprising:

i. a stub retrieval module configured to control said computer to initiate a retrieval of said stub from a server associated with processing of said remote method, said stub used to facilitate remote invocation of said remote method; and

ii. a stub loader module configured to control said computer to, after said stub code is received from said server in response to said stub retrieval module, load said stub into said execution environment, thereby to make the stub available for use in said remote invocation of said remote method.