Integration of data between typed objects by mutual, direct invocation between object managers corresponding to object types

• US 5,206,951 A
• Filed: 04/03/1991
• Issued: 04/27/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Wang Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Pham, Ly-Huong T., Stern, Laura O., Surprenant, Carolyn E., Khoyi, Dana, Soucie, Marc S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLIS, RICHARD L
• Application Number:
  US07/681,435
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 395/650
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/449 Object-oriented method invocation or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

An object based data processing system including an extensible set of object types and a corresponding set of "object managers" wherein each object manager is a program for operating with the data stored in a corresponding type of object. The object managers in general support at least a standard set of operations. Any program can effect performance of these standard operations on objects of any type by making an "invocation" request. In response to an invocation request, object management services (which are available to all object managers) identifies and invokes an object manager that is suitable for performing the requested operation on the specified type of data. A mechanism is provided for linking data from one object into another object. An object catalog includes both information about objects and about links between objects. Data interchange services are provided for communicating data between objects of different types, using a set of standard data interchange formats. A matchmaker facility permits two processes that are to cooperate in a data interchange operation identify each other and to identify data formats they have in common. A facility is provided for managing shared data "resources". Customized versions of resources can be created and co-exist with standard resources. A resource retrieval function determines whether a customized or a standard resource is to be returned in response to each request for a resource.

Claims

1. A data processing system in which data is represented as typed objects, the system comprising:

(A) a plurality of object managers for performing operations with respect to objects, each object manager including

(a) means for performing at least one operation with respect to at least one corresponding type of object,

the means for performing at least one operation being responsive to a request to perform an operation of the at least one operation with respect to an identified object of the corresponding type for performing the requested operation with respect to the identified object,

(b) means for identifying in a first, corresponding type of object a reference to a second object,

(c) means responsive to the identification of a reference to a second object for generating a request for an operation with respect to the second object,

each request including an identification of the second object and an operation to be performed with respect to the second object,

(B) means for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of a second object and an identification of an operation to be performed with respect to the second object,

(C) means for using the received object and operation identifications to identify an object manager that includes means for performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified second object, and

(D) means for invoking the identified object manager, and

(E) means for communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified second object,

wherein an object manager can both request invocation of other object managers and can itself be invoked by other object managers.

2. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of object managers includes object managers with means for performing each of a set of standard operations for each type of object.

3. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein there is defined for each type of object a default operation and wherein the plurality of object managers includes for each type of object at least one object manager with means for performing the corresponding default operation.

4. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein

(i) the means for receiving, means for identifying, and means for invoking and communicating comprises a manager process,

(ii) the receiving by the means for receiving includes the receipt of the manager process of an interprocess communication from the requesting object manager, and

(iii) the invoking by the means for invoking and communicating results in the manager process spawning an object manager process.

5. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the means for using the received object and operation identifications comprises means for accessing a data base that associates objects with object types, which access is used in identifying an object manager.

6. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the means for using the received object and operation identifications comprises means for accessing a data base that associates object types with object managers, which access is used in identifying an object manager.

7. The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the object identification provided by the requesting object manager comprises a link identifier.

8. In an object based data processing system having a plurality of object managers for performing operations with respect to typed objects, each object manager including means for performing at least one operation with respect to at least one corresponding type of object, the means for performing at least one operation being responsive to a request to perform an operation of the at least one operation with respect to an identified object of the corresponding type for performing the requested operation with respect to the identified object, each object manager including a means for identifying in a first, corresponding type of object a reference to a second object and means responsive to the identification of a reference to a second object for generating a request for an operation with respect to the second object, each request including an identification of the second object and an operation to be performed with respect to the second object, an application manager comprising:

(A) means for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of a second object and an identification of an operation to be performed with respect to the second object,

(B) means for using the received object and operation identification to identify an object manager that includes means for performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified second object, and

(C) means for invoking the identified object manager, and

(D) means for communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified second object,

wherein an object manager can through operation of the application manager both request invocation of other object managers and itself be invoked by other object managers.

9. A data processing system in which data is represented as typed objects, the system comprising:

(A) a plurality of object managers, each object manager including means for performing at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object,

(B) a system data base that

(a) associates objects with object types,

(b) associates link identifiers wit specific objects, and

(c) associates object types with object managers, and

(C) a management means, including

(a) a means for receiving from a requesting object manager a link identifier and an identification of an operation,

(b) a means for accessing the system data base to identify the object to which the link identifier refers,

(c) a means for accessing the system data base to determine the type of the identified object,

(d) a means for accessing the system data base to identify an object manager that includes means for performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and

(e) a means for invoking the identified object manager, and

(f) a means for communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.

10. A data processing system for manipulating typed objects having links to other objects, the system comprising:

(A) a plurality of object managers for performing operations with respect to objects, each object manager including

(a) a means for performing at least one operation with respect to at least one corresponding type of object,

the means for performing at least one operation being responsive to a request to perform an operation of the at least one operation with respect to an identified object of the corresponding type for performing the requested operation with respect to the identified object,

(b) means for identifying in a first, corresponding type of object a link to a second object,

(c) means responsive to the identification of a link to a second object for generating a request for an operation with respect to the second object,

each request including an identification of the link and an operation to be performed with respect to the second object,

(B) storage means for storing information identifying links between objects,

(C) access means for accessing the stored link information, the access means being available to provide link information to all of the plurality of object managers, and

(D) management means, including

(a) a means for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of a link and identification of an operations,

(b) a means for using the received link and operation identifications to identify an object manager that includes means for performing the identified operation on objects of the type indicated by the identified link,

(c) a means for invoking the identified object manager, and

(d) a means for communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified second object,

wherein an object manager can both request invocation of other object managers and can itself be invoked by other object managers.

11. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of object managers includes object managers with means for performing each of a set of standard operations for each type of object.

12. The data processing system of claim 10 wherein there is defined for each type of object a default operation and wherein the plurality of object managers includes for each type of object at least one object manager with means for performing the corresponding default operation.