On-demand loading of types of software code of a program executing on a computing device

• US 8,806,468 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Meijer, Henricus Johannes Maria, Gogh, Jeffrey Van
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T
• Application Number:
  US13/350,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 941 Days
• Field of Search: 717162-167, 717171-173, 717176-178
• US Class Current: 717/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading

Abstract

A first computing device receives (over a network) from at least a second computing device a container that includes information relating to types of software code that are potentially invoked by a program executing on the first computing device. A determination is made according to an on-demand basis, during execution of the program, whether a particular type of software code is to be loaded from the at least second computing device to the first computing device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a first computing device over a network from a second computing device, a first request for a container that includes information relating to types of software code that are potentially invoked by a program executing on the second computing device;

generating the container;

sending the container to the second computing device in response to the first request;

receiving, from the second computing device, a second request identifying a particular type of software code, the second request indicating that a determination was made, according to an on-demand basis and during execution of the program on the second computing device, that the particular type of software code is to be loaded from the first computing device to the second computing device, the determination indicating that the particular type of software code was invoked by the program and that the particular type of software code is not loaded in the second computing device; and

transmitting, from the first computing device to the second computing device in response to receiving the second request, information relating to the particular type of software code, the information at least partly enabling the second computing device to at least partly fill the container with information relating to the particular type of software code in response to the particular type of software code being loaded into the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least another container from the first computing device over the network, the at least another container including information relating to further types of software code that are potentially invoked by the program, the information relating to further types of software code enabling the second computing device to determine additional types of software code that are to be loaded for the at least another container.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the at least another container includes transmitting placeholders of assemblies compiled from corresponding assemblies by the first computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular type is a set of software methods.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contain is configured to enable adding further content to the container as other types of software code are loaded in the second computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the first computing device to the second computing device, at least one additional type of software code in addition to the particular type, the at least one additional type of software code being transmitted in response to the second request for the particular type of software code.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, by the first computing device, unique identifiers of types of software code eligible for loading into the second computing device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising creating the unique identifiers for the types.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the types of software code are part of plural assemblies, the method further comprising:

uniquely identifying fields and methods in each assembly to enable cross-assembly access of the fields and methods.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing plural methods of a same name but having different signatures.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a transport mechanism in the second computing device to plug in the second computing device for loading types of software code from the first computing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the container refers to another container.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, from the first computing device to the second computing device in response to receiving the second request, unrequested information relating to an unrequested type of software code, the unrequested information at least partly enabling the second computing device to at least partly fill another container with information relating to the unrequested type of software code in response to the unrequested type of software code being loaded into the second computing device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an assembly placeholders by compiling an assembly.

15. A hardware computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed cause a first computing device perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by the first computing device over a network from a second computing device, a first request for a container that includes information relating to types of software code that are potentially invoked by a program executing on the second computing device;

generating the container;

sending the container to the second computing device in response to the first request;

receiving, from the second computing device, a second request identifying a particular type of software code, the second request indicating that a determination was made, according to an on-demand basis and during execution of the program on the second computing device, that the particular type of software code is to be loaded from the first computing device to the second computing device, the determination indicating that the particular type of software code was invoked by the program and that the particular type of software code is not loaded in the second computing device; and

transmitting, from the first computing device to the second computing device in response to receiving the second request, information relating to the particular type of software code, the information at least partly enabling the second computing device to at least partly fill the container with information relating to the particular type of software code in response to the particular type of software code being loaded into the second computing device.

16. The hardware computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises transmitting at least another container from the first computing device over the network, the at least another container including information relating to further types of software code that are potentially invoked by the program, the information relating to further types of software code enabling the second computing device to determine additional types of software code that are to be loaded for the at least another container.

17. The article of claim 15, wherein the container refers to another container.

18. A first computer comprising:

a network interface for communication over a network with at least a second computer; and

a processor operable with the network interface to;

receive from a second computer a first request for a container that includes information relating to types of software code that are potentially invoked by a program executing on the second computer;

generate the container;

send the container to the second computer in response to the first request;

receive, from the second computer, a second request identifying a particular type of software code, the second request indicating that a determination was made, according to an on-demand basis and during execution of the program on the second computer, that the particular type of software code is to be loaded from the first computer to the second computer, the determination indicating that the particular type of software code was invoked by the program and that the particular type of software code is not loaded in the second computer; and

transmit, to the second computer in response to receiving the second request, information relating to the particular type of software code, the information at least partly enabling the second computer to at least partly fill the container with information relating to the particular type of software code in response to the particular type of software code being loaded into the second computer.

19. The first computer of claim 18, wherein the container comprises a placeholder of an assembly compiled by the first computer from the assembly.

20. The first computer of claim 18, wherein the container refers to another container.