Self configuring peer to peer inter process messaging system

• US 20020107932A1
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harry R. Haury
• Original Assignee: Harry R. Haury
• Inventors: Haury, Harry R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,604,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

The system provides remote program execution, data transport, message communication, status communication and relocation of computer resources by using an arbiter associated with each computer. An originating arbiter of a process resource sends messages between arbiters that are received by each arbiter and then sent to a destination arbiter, if required. If necessary, the message may be retransmitted by intermediate arbiters and eventually received by the destination arbiter which interpret, and executes the message. As a result, the arbiters provide actual communication between the resources. Each arbiter may be resident in each of a plurality of computers which are part of a network linked by a network. Each arbiter independently reviews and processes the messages so that the computers communicate directly with each other on a peer to peer basis without the need for a master controlling program or other gateway for controlling and processing the messages as the messages are transmitted between computers.

Claims

1. A network resource comprising:

a network interface operable to link to a communications network;

a scratch space; and

a message arbiter operable to;

monitor the scratch space;

detect a text file asynchronously copied into the scratch space by a remote message arbiter through the network interface, the text file comprising instructions;

determine whether the text file identifies the network resource;

if the text file identifies the network resource, execute the instructions; and

if the text file does not identify the network resource, determine a remote scratch space based on a destination network resource identified by the text file and copy the text file into the remote scratch space through the network interface.

2. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the message arbiter is further operable to determine whether the text file identifies the network resource based on a filename of the text file.

3. The network resource of claim 2, wherein the filename includes a name and an extension, wherein the name identifies the network resource, the extension comprises the instructions, and the text file includes data for use while executing the instructions.

4. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the text file comprises content that includes a source identifier, a destination identifier, a data set, and the instructions.

5. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the text file includes a reference pointer identifying a location of binary information, and wherein the message arbiter is further operable to copy the binary information from a first location to a second location in response to the instructions.

6. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the instructions include at least one of replicate message, launch process, erase file, and copy data.

7. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the network resource further comprises a process operable to generate a second text file in the scratch space.

8. The network resource of claim 7, wherein the message arbiter is further operable to:

detect the second text file;

determine a second remote scratch space based on a filename of the second text file; and

copy the second text file into the second remote scratch space through the network interface.

9. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the message arbiter is further operable to:

identify data required to execute the instructions;

generate a control file requesting the data; and

copy the control file into a second remote scratch space through the network interface.

10. The network resource of claim 1, wherein the message arbiter is further operable to:

determine that the text file has been encrypted; and

decrypt the text file.

11. A method for peer to peer messaging between network resources comprising:

monitoring a scratch space associated with a network resource;

detecting a text file asynchronously copied into the scratch space by a remote message arbiter through a network interface, the text file comprising instructions;

determining whether the text file identifies the network resource;

if the text file identifies the network resource, executing the instructions; and

if the text file does not identify the network resource, determining a remote scratch space based on a destination network resource identified by the text file and copying the text file into the remote scratch space through the network interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the text file identifies the network resource comprises comparing at least a portion of a filename of the text file with an identifier of the network resource.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the filename includes a name and an extension, wherein the name identifies the network resource, the extension comprises the instructions, and the text file includes data for use while executing the instructions.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the text file comprises content that includes a source identifier, a destination identifier, a data set, and the instructions.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the text file includes a reference pointer identifying a location of binary information, and wherein the method further comprises copying the binary information from a first location to a second location in response to the instructions.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the instructions include at least one of replicate message, launch process, erase file, and copy data.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a second text file created in the scratch space by a process running on the network resource;

determining a second remote scratch space based on a filename of the second text file; and

copying the second text file into the second remote scratch space through the network interface.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying data required to execute the instructions;

generating a control file requesting the data; and

copying the control file into a second remote scratch space through the network interface.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that the text file has been encrypted; and

decrypting the text file.

20. Software for peer to peer messaging between network resources, the software encoded in media and operable when executed to:

monitor a scratch space associated with a network resource;

detect a text file asynchronously copied into the scratch space by a remote message arbiter through a network interface, the text file comprising instructions;

determine whether the text file identifies the network resource;

if the text file identifies the network resource, execute the instructions; and

if the text file does not identify the network resource, determine a remote scratch space based on a destination network resource identified by the text file and copy the text file into the remote scratch space through the network interface.

21. The software of claim 20, further operable to determine whether the text file identifies the network resource by comparing at least a portion of a filename of the text file with an identifier of the network resource.

22. The software of claim 21, wherein the filename includes a name and an extension, wherein the name identifies the network resource, the extension comprises the instructions, and the text file includes data for use while executing the instructions.

23. The software of claim 20, wherein the text file comprises content that includes a source identifier, a destination identifier, a data set, and the instructions.

24. The software of claim 20, wherein the text file includes a reference pointer identifying a location of binary information, and wherein the software is further operable to copy the binary information from a first location to a second location in response to the instructions.

25. The software of claim 20, wherein the instructions include at least one of replicate message, launch process, erase file, and copy data.

26. The software of claim 20, further operable to:

detect a second text file created in the scratch space by a process running on the network resource;

determine a second remote scratch space based on a filename of the second text file; and

copy the second text file into the second remote scratch space through the network interface.

27. The software of claim 20, further operable to:

identify data required to execute the instructions;

generate a control file requesting the data; and

copy the control file into a second remote scratch space through the network interface.

28. The software of claim 20, further operable to:

determine that the text file has been encrypted; and

decrypt the text file.