Method for providing communication services over a computer network system

• US 6,332,163 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Bowman-Amuah, Michel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/387,642
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 709/102, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/230, 709/231, 709/238, 709/329
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for implementing communication services patterns. A fixed format stream-based communication system is provided and service is delivered via a globally addressable interface. Access is afforded to a legacy system. Service is delivered via a locally addressable interface. A null value is communicated and data is transmitted from a server to a client via pages. A naming service and a client are interfaced with the naming service allowing access to a plurality of different sets of services from a plurality of globally addressable interfaces. A stream-based communication system is provided and data is efficiently retrieved.

Claims

1. A method for implementing communication services patterns, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a fixed format stream-based communication system;

(b) delivering service via a globally addressable interface;

(c) affording access to a legacy system;

(d) delivering service via a locally addressable interface;

(e) communicating a null value;

(f) transmitting data from a server to a client via pages;

(g) interfacing a naming service and a client, the naming service allowing access to a plurality of different sets of services from a plurality of globally addressable interfaces;

(h) calling the naming service for receiving locations of the global addressable interfaces;

(i) generating proxies based on the received locations of the global addressable interfaces as a result of the calls;

(j) receiving the proxies in an allocation queue;

(k) allocating the proxies of the allocation queue in a proxy pool;

(l) allowing access to the proxies in the proxy pool for identifying the location of one of the global addressable interfaces in response to a request received from the client;

(m) providing a stream-based communication system; and

(n) efficiently retrieving data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing the fixed format stream-based communication system includes the steps of:

defining a sending fixed format contract on interface code for a sending system and a receiving fixed format contract on interface code for a receiving system;

translating a message to be sent from the sending system to the receiving system based on the sending fixed format contract;

sending the message from the sending system;

receiving the message by the receiving system; and

translating the message received by the receiving system based on the receiving fixed format contract.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of delivering service via a globally addressable interface includes the steps of:

providing a plurality of interfaces;

allowing access to a plurality of different sets of services from each of the interfaces, wherein each interface has a unique set of services associated therewith;

naming each of the interfaces with a name indicative of the unique set of services associated therewith; and

broadcasting the names of the interfaces to a plurality of systems requiring service.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of delivering service via a locally addressable interface includes the steps of:

providing a plurality of globally addressable interfaces and a plurality of locally addressable interfaces;

allowing access to a plurality of different sets of services from each of the globally addressable interfaces and the locally addressable interface, each interface having a unique set of services associated therewith;

registering the globally addressable interfaces in a naming service for facilitating access thereto; and

permitting use of the locally addressable interfaces only via the globally addressable interfaces or another locally addressable interface.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the stream based communication system is self-describing, wherein the step of providing the stream-based communication system includes:

sending messages including data between a sending system and a receiving system;

attaching meta-data to the messages being sent between the sending system and the receiving system; and

translating the data of the messages sent from the sending system to the receiving system based on the meta-data, wherein the meta-data includes a first section identifying a type of object associated with the data and a number of attribute descriptors in the data and a second section including a series of the attribute descriptors defining elements of the data.

6. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for implementing communication services patterns, comprising:

(a) a code segment that provides a fixed format stream-based communication system;

(b) a code service that delivers service via a globally addressable interface;

(c) a code segment that affords access to a legacy system;

(d) a code segment that delivers service via a locally addressable interface;

(e) a code segment that communicates a null value;

(f) a code segment that transmits data from a server to a client via pages;

(g) a code segment that interfaces a naming service and a client, the naming service allowing access to a plurality of different sets of services from a plurality of globally addressable interfaces;

(h) a code segment that calls the naming service for receiving locations of the global addressable interfaces;

(i) a code segment that generates proxies based on the received locations of the global addressable interfaces as a result of the calls;

(j) a code segment that receives the proxies in an allocation queue;

(k) a code segment that allocates the proxies of the allocation queue in a proxy pool;

(l) a code segment that allows access to the proxies in the proxy pool for identifying the location of one of the global addressable interfaces in response to a request received from the client;

(m) a code segment that provides a stream-based communication system; and

(n) a code segment that efficiently retrieves data.

7. A computer program as recited in claim 6, wherein the code segment that provides the fixed format stream-based communication system includes:

a code segment that defines a sending fixed format contract on interface code for a sending system and a receiving fixed format contract on interface code for a receiving system;

a code segment that translates a message to be sent from the sending system to the receiving system based on the sending fixed format contract;

a code segment that sends the message from the sending system;

a code segment that receives the message by the receiving system; and

a code segment that translates the message received by the receiving system based on the receiving fixed format contract.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 6, wherein the code segment that delivers service via a globally addressable interface includes:

a code segment that provides a plurality of interfaces;

a code segment that allows access to a plurality of different sets of services from each of the interfaces, wherein each interface has a unique set of services associated therewith;

a code segment that names each of the interfaces with a name indicative of the unique set of services associated therewith; and

a code segment that broadcasts the names of the interfaces to a plurality of systems requiring service.

9. A computer program as recited in claim 6, wherein the code segment that delivers service via a locally addressable interface includes:

a code segment that provides a plurality of globally addressable interfaces and a plurality of locally addressable interfaces;

a code segment that allows access to a plurality of different sets of services from each of the globally addressable interfaces and the locally addressable interface, each interface having a unique set of services associated therewith;

a code segment that registers the globally addressable interfaces in a naming service for facilitating access thereto; and

a code segment that permits use of the locally addressable interfaces only via the globally addressable interfaces or another locally addressable interface.

10. A computer program as recited in claim 6, wherein the stream based communication system is self-describing, wherein the code segment that provides the stream-based communication system includes:

a code segment that sends messages including data between a sending system and a receiving system;

a code segment that attaches meta-data to the messages being sent between the sending system and the receiving system; and

a code segment that translates the data of the messages sent from the sending system to the receiving system based on the meta-data, wherein the meta-data includes a first section identifying a type of object associated with the data and a number of attribute descriptors in the data and a second section including a series of the attribute descriptors defining elements of the data.

11. A system for implementing communication services patterns, comprising:

(a) logic that provides a fixed format stream-based communication system;

(b) logic that delivers service via a globally addressable interface;

(c) logic that affords access to a legacy system;

(d) logic that delivers service via a locally addressable interface;

(e) logic that communicates a null value;

(f) logic that transmits data from a server to a client via pages;

(g) logic that interfaces a naming service and a client, the naming service allowing access to a plurality of different sets of services from a plurality of globally addressable interfaces;

(h) logic that calls the naming service for receiving locations of the global addressable interfaces;

(i) logic that generates proxies based on the received locations of the global addressable interfaces as a result of the calls;

(j) logic that receives the proxies in an allocation queue;

(k) logic that allocates the proxies of the allocation queue in a proxy pool;

(l) logic that allows access to the proxies in the proxy pool for identifying the location of one of the global addressable interfaces in response to a request received from the client;

(m) logic that provides a stream-based communication system; and

(n) logic that efficiently retrieves data.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the logic that provides the fixed format stream-based communication system includes:

logic that defines a sending fixed format contract on interface code for a sending system and a receiving fixed format contract on interface code for a receiving system;

logic that translates a message to be sent from the sending system to the receiving system based on the sending fixed format contract;

logic that sends the message from the sending system;

logic that receives the message by the receiving system; and

logic that translates the message received by the receiving system based on the receiving fixed format contract.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the logic that delivers service via a globally addressable interface includes:

logic that provides a plurality of interfaces;

logic that allows access to a plurality of different sets of services from each of the interfaces, wherein each interface has a unique set of services associated therewith;

logic that names each of the interfaces with a name indicative of the unique set of services associated therewith; and

logic that broadcasts the names of the interfaces to a plurality of systems requiring service.

14. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the logic that delivers service via a locally addressable interface includes:

logic that provides a plurality of globally addressable interfaces and a plurality of locally addressable interfaces;

logic that allows access to a plurality of different sets of services from each of the globally addressable interfaces and the locally addressable interface, each interface having a unique set of services associated therewith;

logic that registers the globally addressable interfaces in a naming service for facilitating access thereto; and

logic that permits use of the locally addressable interfaces only via the globally addressable interfaces or another locally addressable interface.

15. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the stream based communication system is self-describing, wherein the logic that provides the stream-based communication system includes:

logic that sends messages including data between a sending system and a receiving system;

logic that attaches meta-data to the messages being sent between the sending system and the receiving system; and

logic that translates the data of the messages sent from the sending system to the receiving system based on the meta-data, wherein the meta-data includes a first section identifying a type of object associated with the data and a number of attribute descriptors in the data and a second section including a series of the attribute descriptors defining elements of the data.