Intra-process message switch

• US 7,039,050 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloud Software Group
• Original Assignee: TIBCO Software Incorporated (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Mutreja, Girish K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/784,988
• Time in Patent Office: 1,902 Days
• Field of Search: 370/398, 370/299, 370/400, 370/401, 370/466, 370/467, 370/218, 370/303, 370/307, 370/357, 370/356, 370/422, 370/432, 370/469, 370/471, 370/473, 370/479, 370/535, 370/407, 370/425, 370/463, 370/389, 370/390, 370/426, 370/465
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus are provided to enable semi-intelligent switching-based communication between diverse message source types, the addition of new message source types to the switching framework with minimal start-up costs, and local content-based message switching to minimize traffic on the network. A switch and interface are provided that abstracts out the commonalities of interfacing with diverse message sources, provides the mechanics of switching messages between such sources and offers flexibility in the process of deciding the intended recipients.

Claims

1. A system for enabling message transfer comprising:

an intra-process messaging switch, coupled to a message transfer system, for communicating with the message transfer system in accordance with a protocol of the message transfer system and coupled to at least two message source links to enable the exchange of data between a message source and the message transfer system responsive to issuance of message source independent commands;

a command set of message source independent commands to be issued from the intra-process messaging switch that enables the intra-process messaging switch to issue configuration, control, command, and data processing directives to the at least two message source links, such command set usable by a system administrator of a message source to enable a switch to transfer data to a message source link without requiring the switch to be aware of any message source specific functionality; and

the at least two message source links coupled to message sources of different types and the intra-process messaging switch, wherein each message source link translates messages into formats compatible with the message source type of the message source to which the message source link is coupled in response to receiving message source independent commands.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two message source links issue message source independent commands to the intra-process messaging switch to transfer messages from message sources to other message sources in the system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the command set of message source independent commands to be issued from an intra-process messaging switch to a message source link is comprised of start message source link, stop message source link, process data, process command, get property value of a message source link, and set property value of a message source link.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein a command set of message source independent commands to be issued from a message source link to an intra-process messaging switch provides the intra-process messaging switch the ability to start execution of a message source link, stop execution of a message source link, have a message source process data, and have a message source process a command, and a system administrator of a sending message source is able to use the command set to enable a message source link to transfer data to other message sources without requiring the sending message source to be aware of any message source specific functionality.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the intra-process messaging switch provides routing functionality, the intra-process messaging switch further comprising:

a plurality of content inspector modules, each content inspector module designed to process a message for at least one routing decision.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the intra-process messaging switch controls content inspector modules using a content inspector independent command set to enable the intra-process messaging switch to route messages without being aware of content inspector specific functionality.

7. A system for transferring messages in a network comprising:

a plurality of message sources;

a plurality of message source links, each coupled to a message source;

an intra-process messaging switch, coupled to a subset of the plurality of message sources via the message source links; and

a message transfer system, coupled to the intra-process messaging switch, wherein the message transfer system transfers messages based on subscription lists maintained by the intra-process messaging switch, such subscription lists indicating which message sources have subscribed to a subject of a message, thereby enabling the message transfer system to transfer a single copy of a message to a subscribing message source regardless of whether multiple message sources coupled to the intra-process messaging switch have subscribed to the subject of the message.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the intra-process messaging switch further comprises a plurality of content inspector modules, for inspecting and routing messages to message source links based on characteristics of the messages other than a message address.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein each content inspector module is to recognize a protocol of a message and transform the message into a second protocol prior to transmission to a message source.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein each content inspector module is to inspect a list of intended recipients of the message and modify the list of intended recipients based on pre-defined criteria.