System and method for asynchronous processing in COBOL

• US 7,421,705 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Laura, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Ai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seye; Abdou K
• Application Number:
  US10/697,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 719/318, 717/127
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method for enabling events in a COBOL program, including maintaining, in a COBOL program, a index including a process identifier and an event associated with a child process. The method includes placing the child process in a wait state and signaling, by the COBOL program, the child process to run using the process identifier and the event associated with the child process. A system for coordinating processing in COBOL programs is also provided. The system includes a first COBOL program having a first routine for processing, a second COBOL program having a second routine for processing, and a module callable by the first and second COBOL programs. The module maintains a state sharable between the first and second COBOL programs to coordinate the processing of the first and second routines.

Claims

1. A method for enabling events in a COBOL program, the method comprising:

maintaining, in a COBOL program, an index including a process identifier and an event associated with a child process;

initializing, by the COBOL program, the child process;

placing the child process in a wait state when the child process is initialized;

signaling, by the COBOL program, the child process to run using the process identifier and the event associated with the child process;

creating a system resource by the COBOL program;

designating the system resource to a process identification of the COBOL program;

giving the system resource from the COBOL program to the child process using the process identifier of the child process;

taking the system resource by the child process from the COBOL program; and

synchronizing such that the COBOL program completes giving the system resource prior to the child process taking the system resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the COBOL program signals a technical layer using the process identifier and event associated with the child process and further wherein the technical layer signals the child process to run.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the technical layer is further defined as a COBOL technical layer in communication with the COBOL program.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the technical layer is further defined as a COBOL library including at least one routine callable by the COBOL program.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the technical layer is integral to the COBOL program.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the technical layer is enabled by a COBOL compiler.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the technical layer is integral to a COBOL compiler.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the technical layer includes a coordination module operable.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the index maintained by the COBOL program maintains a plurality of identifiers and a plurality of events associated with a plurality of child processes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the child process is placed in the wait state by a technical layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the child process registers the process identifier of the child process with a technical layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the child process further registers the event associated with the child process with the technical layer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a plurality of child processes wherein the process identifiers and events associated with each of the plurality of child processes is maintained in the index of the COBOL program.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a COBOL technical layer having a coordination module operable to coordinate signaling the plurality of child processes;

registering, by the plurality of child processes, with the COBOL technical layer;

signaling, by the COBOL program, the COBOL technical layer to run one or more of the plurality of child processes using the process identifiers and events associated with the child processes; and

coordinating, by the coordination module of the COBOL technical layer, the signaling of the child processes.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the system resource is defined as a socket connection.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the system resource is defined as a pipe connection.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

placing the COBOL program in a wait state after giving the system resource to the child process; and

maintaining the COBOL program in the wait state until the child process takes the system resource.

18. A system for enabling events in COBOL programs, comprising:

a child process recorded on a computer-readable medium that performs a process;

a COBOL program recorded on a computer-readable medium having an index including a process identifier and an event associated with the child process, wherein the COBOL program initiates the child process, puts the child process in a wait state when initiated, and communicates the process identifier at an appropriate time, and wherein the COBOL program creates a system resource that is designated by a process identification of the COBOL program and gives the system resource to the child process using the process identifier of the child process; and

a technical layer recorded on a computer-readable medium having a register including the process identifier and the event associated with the child process, wherein the technical layer signals the child process to run upon receiving the process identifier,

wherein the child process takes the system resource from the COBOL program, and wherein the COBOL program gives and the child process takes the system resource synchronously such that the COBOL program completes giving the system resource prior to the child process taking the system resource.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the COBOL program obtains the process identifier and the event associated with the child process on initializing the child process.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the child process registers the process identifier and the event with the COBOL program or the technical layer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the COBOL program obtains the process identifier and the event associated with the child process from the technical layer subsequent to initializing the child process when the child process registers with the technical layer.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the technical layer associates the process identifier with the event using the register and then signals the child process to run based on the process identifier.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the COBOL program communicates the process identifier and the event, and wherein the technical layer signals the child process to run upon receiving the process identifier and the event.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the COBOL program puts the child process in the wait state through a request, and wherein the technical layer places the child process in the wait state upon receiving the request from the COBOL program.

25. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a plurality of child processes wherein the process identifiers and events associated with each of the plurality of child processes are maintained in the index of the COBOL program.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein each of the plurality of child processes registers with the technical layer, wherein the COBOL program signals the technical layer to run one or more of the plurality of child processes using the process identifiers and events associated with the one or more of the plurality of child processes, and wherein the technical layer coordinates signaling the one or more of the plurality of child processes to run.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the technical layer is further defined as one of a COBOL technical layer in communication with the COBOL program or a COBOL library including at least one routine callable by the COBOL program.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the technical layer is integral to the COBOL program or is integral to a COBOL compiler.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the technical layer is enabled by a COBOL compiler.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein the technical layer performs one or more calls to an operating system, wherein the technical layer defines a bit-level mapping of the one or more calls to interface with the operating system.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the child processes is one of a subtask, a subprogram, or a subroutine of the COBOL program.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein the child process operates as a thread.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein the system resource is defined as a socket connection.

34. The system of claim 18, wherein the system resource is defined as a pipe connection.

35. The system of claim 18, wherein the COBOL program is placed in a wait state after the COBOL program gives the system resource to the child process and the COBOL program is maintained in the wait state until the child process takes the system resource.