System and method for using an RMI activation system daemon with non-JAVA applications

• US 7,606,833 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Jos, Shawver, Matthew A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casanova; Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US11/102,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 717/114, 719/330, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/548 Object oriented; Remote method invocation [RMI] non-remote method invocation G06F9/449

Abstract

An RMI (Remote Method Invocation) service framework that enables a non-JAVA application to be managed by an RMI activation system daemon is disclosed. The present invention enables the non-JAVA application to communicate with other JAVA applications that make use of RMI following a registration process. Additionally, because the non-JAVA application is managed by the RMI activation system daemon, the non-JAVA application displays a high degree of persistence and/or reliability ordinarily associated with RMI services. As a result, non-JAVA applications may be used to perform distributed and parallel computing tasks in a more efficient manner than is possible with conventional methods.

Claims

1. In a network including a remote invocation service system supporting a first programming language, the remote invocation service system including a remote invocation service activation system daemon and a remote invocation service registry, a method comprising:

providing a configuration file that is processed by the remote invocation service activation system daemon, the remote invocation service activation system daemon providing persistence to a plurality of remote invocation services, the configuration file identifying at least one non-native application implemented in a second programming language, the second programming language being a programming language not supported by the remote invocation service system;

as part of a startup sequence executed by the identified non-native application when the identified non-native application is started, starting a virtual machine for the first programming language inside the identified non-native application;

configuring the identified non-native application so that incoming remote invocation service calls are delegated to the identified non-native application via a programming interface that enables code written in the first programming language running in the virtual machine to integrate with native applications; and

registering the identified non-native application in the remote invocation service registry with the remote invocation service activation system daemon as part of the startup sequence for the identified non-native application.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby the identified non-native application sets a property passed to the identified non-native application and reads from STDIN with a method written in the first programming language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote invocation service activation system daemon enables objects to be registered and activated in a virtual machine for the first programming language.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing at least one remote session performing a task for the identified non-native application, the remote session managed with the remote invocation service activation system daemon.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a break in the remote session; and

re-establishing the remote session at the point of the break using the remote invocation service activation system daemon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified non-native application communicates with other applications implemented in the first programming language using remote invocation service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second programming language is one of C and C++.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified non-native application is used in distributed technical computing.

9. A system in a network providing remote invocation services supporting a first programming language, the system comprising:

a remote invocation service activation system daemon, the remote invocation service activation system daemon providing persistence to a plurality of remote invocation services;

a non-native application implemented in a second programming language, the second programming language being a programming language not supported by the remote invocation services, the non-native application including a startup sequence that is executed by the non-native application when the non-native application is started;

a configuration file that is processed by the remote invocation service activation system daemon, the configuration file identifying the non-native application implemented in the second programming language;

a virtual machine for the first programming language, the virtual machine started as part of the startup sequence of the identified non-native application and executed inside the identified non-native application, the identified non-native application configured to accept remote invocation service calls via a programming interface that enables code written in the first programming language to integrate with native applications; and

a remote invocation service registry, the remote invocation service activation system daemon registering the identified non-native application in the remote invocation service registry as part of the startup sequence for the identified non-native application.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote invocation service activation system daemon detects a break in a remote session performing a task for the identified non-native application and reestablishes the remote session at the point of the break.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the remote invocation service activation system daemon enables objects to be registered and activated in a virtual machine for the first programming language.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the remote invocation service activation system daemon manages at least one remote session.

13. One or more computer-readable media holding computer-executable instructions for providing remote invocation services supporting a first programming language, the media holding one or more instructions for:

providing a configuration file that is processed by a remote invocation service activation system daemon, the remote invocation service activation system daemon providing persistence to a plurality of remote invocation services, the configuration file identifying at least one non-native application implemented in a second programming language, the second programming language being a programming language not supported by the remote invocation services;

as part of a startup sequence executed by the identified non-native application when the identified non-native application is started, starting a virtual machine for the first programming language inside the identified non-native application;

configuring the identified non-native application to accept remote invocation service calls via a programming interface that enables code written in the first programming language running in the virtual machine to integrate with native applications;

registering the identified non-native application in an remote invocation service registry with the remote invocation service activation system daemon as part of the startup sequence for the identified non-native application.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein the remote invocation service activation system daemon enables objects to be registered and activated in a virtual machine for the first programming language.

15. The media of claim 13, wherein the media holds one or more instructions for:

at least one remote session performing a task for the identified non-native application, the remote session managed with the remote invocation service activation system daemon.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the media holds one or more instructions for:

detecting a break in the remote session; and

establishing the remote session at the point of the break using the remote invocation service activation system daemon.

17. The media of claim 13, wherein the identified non-native application implemented in the second programming language communicates with other applications implemented in the first programming language using remote invocation service.

18. The media of claim 13, wherein the second programming language is one of C and C++.

19. The media of claim 13, wherein the identified non-native application is used in distributed technical computing.

20. In a network including remotely accessible services, a method comprising:

providing a framework for managing distributed server processes written in a first programming language;

providing a configuration file in a service registry that is processed by a system daemon that is part of the framework, the system daemon providing persistence to a plurality of services, the configuration file identifying a non-native application written in a second programming language, the second programming language different from the first programming language; and

integrating the non-native application into the framework using the system daemon to register the non-native application with the framework as part of a startup sequence executed by the non-native application.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

establishing at least one remote session performing a task for the non-native application, the remote session managed with the system daemon.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting a break in the remote session; and

re-establishing the remote session at the point of the break using the system daemon.