Extensible software development using asynchronous messaging

• US 20020095656A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Learnframe, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Learnframe, Inc.
• Inventors: Carpenter, David, Jones, Derek, Weir, Harold, Pease, Garrette, Clark, Lori
• Application Number:
  US09/952,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095656A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548

Abstract

A method and computer software architecture is presented for facilitating modification of execution of a software application without impacting the integrity of the original software. The present invention defines an inter-component messaging service which brokers or receives, evaluates and directs messages between components of the architecture. The architecture further integrates functionality into the individual components which re-directs a request back to the messaging service prior to completion of the functionality in the requested original component in order to determine the presence of any concerned extension components that have registered with the messaging service thereby making known their interest in having their functionality explored prior to completion of the execution of the requested component.

Claims

1. An extensible software system, comprising:

a. an inter-component messaging service for receiving a first component-to-inter-component-messaging-service message having a processing request therein from a request-initiating component;

b. an original request processing component determined by said inter-component messaging service as the owner of said processing request, said original request processing component for receiving a first inter-component-messaging-service-to-component message having said processing request therein, said original request processing component, in response to partial processing, generates a second component-to-inter-component-messaging-service message having a check processing request therein, said inter-component messaging service capable of receiving said check processing request; and

c. at least one request processing extension component identified by said inter-component messaging service as having registered with said inter-component messaging service as a listener having an issue with processing of said processing request by said original request processing component, said at least one request processing extension component receiving a second inter-component-messaging-service-to-component message having said check processing request therein, said at least one request processing extension component generating a third component-to-inter-component-messaging-service message having at least one reply from said at least one request processing extension component in response to processing of said check processing request, said original request processing component receiving said at least one reply in a third inter-component-messaging-service-to-component message and upon continuation of said partial processing at said original request processing component according to said at least one reply, said original request processing component generating a fourth component-to-inter-component-messaging-service message having a processing request status therein.

2. The extensible software system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said inter-component messaging service further comprises:

a. a list of owners of processing requests for determining said original request processing component as said owner of said processing request.

3. The extensible software system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said inter-component messaging service further comprises:

a. a list of said at least one request processing extension component corresponding to said processing request for providing extensible processing to said extensible system in response to said processing request.

4. The extensible software system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said inter-component messaging service generates said inter-component-messaging-service-to-component messages and receives said component-to-inter-component-messaging-service messages asynchronously.

5. The extensible software system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said original request processing component further includes a software means for:

a. partially processing said first inter-component messaging-service-to-component messaging having said processing request therein prior to generating said second component-to-inter-component-messaging-service message having a check processing request therein.

6. The extensible software system, as recited in claim 5, wherein said original request processing component comprises alternate processing request status processing responsive to said third inter-component-messaging-service-to-component message for said continuation of said partial processing of said original request when said at least one reply indicates termination of any additional processing at said original request processing component according to said at least one reply.

7. The extensible software system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said original request processing component and said at least one request processing extension component are located in a server and said processing request originates in a client.

8. A method for modifying an original software application comprised of original request processing components and an inter-component messaging service into a customized software application comprised of said original software application and request processing extension components, without altering said original software application, said method comprising the steps of:

a. registering at said inter-component messaging service at least one of said request processing extension components as a listener for at least one processing request directed to one of said original request processing components;

b. receiving a message having said processing request therein from a request-initiating component, said request-initiating component being one of said original request processing components;

c. said inter-component messaging service determining one of said original request processing components as the owner of said processing request;

d. said original request processing component receiving a message having said processing request therein, and said original request processing component generating a message having a check processing request therein, said inter-component messaging service receiving said check processing request;

e. identifying at said inter-component messaging service at least one of said request processing extension component registered with said inter-component messaging service as a listener having an issue with processing of said processing request by said original request processing component;

f. said at least one request processing extension component receiving a message having said check processing request therein and, in response to partial processing, generating a message having at least one reply from said at least one request processing extension component in response to processing of said check processing request;

g. said original request processing component receiving said at least one reply in a message and upon continuation of said partial processing at said original request processing component according to said at least one reply, said original request processing component generating a message having a processing request status therein which is further forwarded to said request initiating component.

9. The method, as recited in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

a. defining in said inter-component messaging service a list of owners of processing requests for determining said original request processing component as said owner of said processing request.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

a. defining in said inter-component messaging service a list of said at least one request processing extension component corresponding to said processing request for providing extensible processing to said extensible system in response to said processing request.

11. The method, as recited in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

a. generating and receiving said messages asynchronously.

12. The method, as recited in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises the step of:

a. partitioning request processing in said original request processing component into alternate processing request status processing responsive to said message for said continuation of said partial processing of said original request when said at least one reply indicates termination of any additional processing at said original request processing component according to said at least one reply.

14. The computer-readable medium, as recited in claim 13, having further computer-readable instructions for performing the step of:

a. defining in said inter-component messaging service a list of owners of processing requests for determining said original request processing component as said owner of said processing request.

15. The computer-readable medium, as recited in claim 13, having further computer-readable instructions for performing the step of:

a. defining in said inter-component messaging service a list of said at least one request processing extension component corresponding to said processing request for providing extensible processing to said extensible system in response to said processing request.

16. The computer-readable medium, as recited in claim 13, having further computer-readable instructions for performing the step of:

a. generating and receiving said messages asynchronously.

17. The computer-readable medium, as recited in claim 13, having further computer-readable instructions for performing the step of:

a. partitioning request processing in said original request processing component into alternate processing request status processing responsive to said message for said continuation of said partial processing of said original request when said at least one reply indicates termination of any additional processing at said original request processing component according to said at least one reply.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for a method for modifying an original software application comprised of original request processing components and an inter-component messaging service into a customized software application comprised of said original software application and request processing extension components, without altering said original software application, said computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

a. registering at said inter-component messaging service at least one of said request processing extension components as a listener for at least one processing request directed to one of said original request processing components;

b. receiving a message having said processing request therein from a request-initiating component, said request-initiating component being one of said original request processing components;

c. said inter-component messaging service determining one of said original request processing components as the owner of said processing request;

d. said original request processing component receiving a message having said processing request therein, and said original request processing component generating a message having a check processing request therein, said inter-component messaging service receiving said check processing request;

e. identifying at said inter-component messaging service at least one as of said request processing extension component registered with said inter-component messaging service as a listener having an issue with processing of said processing request by said original request processing component;

f. said at least one request processing extension component receiving a message having said check processing request therein and, in response to partial processing, generating a message having at least one reply from said at least one request processing extension component in response to processing of said check processing request;

g. said original request processing component receiving said at least one reply in a message and upon continuation of said partial processing at said original request processing component according to said at least one reply, said original request processing component generating a message having a processing request status therein which is further forwarded to said request initiating component.