System for ensuring client access to messages from a server

• US 7,472,161 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2008
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yuan, Jack Chiu-Chiu, Kuo, Steve T., Morrison, Thomas Clarke, Davis, James Robert, Hughes, Gerald Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair; Douglas B
• Application Number:
  US12/055,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/223, 709/229, 709/248, 714/4
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention is a system for ensuring client access to paired and unpaired response messages. In the method, the server detects one or more unpaired message which are stored in a data structure on the server. The data structure may be created when the server is staffed or automatically when the first unpaired message is identified. The method then uses a communications protocol between the client and server which allows the client to request on or more of the stored unpaired messages. The system of the-present invention uses a request module configured to receive a client request and prepare the client request for a response generator. The response generator receives the client request from the request module and generates an appropriate response. Next, an unpaired message module analyzes the response message generated by the response generator and distinguishes a paired message from an unpaired message. Then, the unpaired message module stores paired messages in an unpaired response data structure. Finally, a response module communicates paired and unpaired messages to the client.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer useable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing a method for ensuring client access to unpaired messages from a database management system (DBMS) server, the computer useable medium operable as part of a memory device, the instructions performing the method comprising:

the DBMS server determining that a transaction response message is an unpaired message in response to a communication disruption between a client and the DBMS server, the DBMS server comprising a memory device and storing the unpaired message in an unpaired message queue, the unpaired message corresponding to a specific client, the transaction response message associated with a transaction request;

creating the unpaired message queue in the DBMS server separate from a paired message queue in response to determining a transaction response message is an unpaired message, the unpaired message queue configured to store a plurality of unpaired messages intended for a client, the unpaired message queue and paired message queue storing messages according to a First-In-First-Out protocol; and

communicating transaction requests and transaction responses using an Open Transaction Manager Access (OTMA) protocol which allows the client to request at least one unpaired message stored in the unpaired message queue.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprising the DBMS server dynamically creating the unpaired message queue in response to the DBMS server detecting at least one unpaired message.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises notifying the DBMS server of a client request to enable dynamic creation of the unpaired message queue.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein notifying the DBMS server occurs during establishment of communications between the client and the DBMS sever.

5. The computer program product claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the DBMS server notifying the client when the unpaired message queue contains an unpaired message.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a request message to be sent from the client to the DBMS server;

storing an indicator in the request message to enable the client to distinguish between unpaired messages.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein utilizing the protocol further comprises allowing the client to request automatic transmission of unpaired messages stored in the unpaired message queue.

8. A system for ensuring client access to unpaired messages from a database management system (DBMS) server comprising:

a DBMS server comprising a memory and a processor;

a client;

a request module configured to receive a client request;

a response generator which receives the client request from the request module and generates an appropriate transaction response message generated based on the client request, the transaction response message associated with a transaction request;

an unpaired message module that determines that the transaction response message is an unpaired message in response to a communication disruption between a client and the DBMS server and to store paired messages in a paired response data structure and unpaired messages in an unpaired response data structure in response to determining a transaction response message is an unpaired message, the at least one unpaired message comprising a communication response for a specific client, the unpaired response data structure and paired response data structure storing messages according to a First-In-First-Out protocol; and

a response module which communicates paired messages and unpaired messages to a client configure with simple communication logic that conforms to an Open Transaction Manager Access (OTMA) protocol such that the client constitutes a thin client.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the unpaired message module is further configured to dynamically create the unpaired response data structure in response to a first unpaired response message.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the response module is configured to automatically send all unpaired messages stored in the unpaired response data structure.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the response module is configured to send all unpaired messages stored in the unpaired response data structure in response to a request from the client.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is activated upon the DBMS server receiving an activation request from the client.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the response module notifies the client when the unpaired response data structure contains at least one unpaired message.