EP0817037A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Mechanism for dynamically associating a service dependent representation with objects at run time
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1997-06-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-06-13
Abstract
Abstract A data structure for dynamically associating a service dependent representation with a servant object at run time is used in a distributed object computing system that incorporates subcontracts. Subcontracts supply different functionalities to objects. The data structure exists before run time, and is used at run time to perform the dynamic association. An arrangement also exists at run time. The structure comprises a server rep class representing a single subcontract, a servant base class associated with servant objects created at run time, and a linking mechanism to form a run time link between the server rep class and a servant object at run time. The server rep class provides functionality unique to a subcontract. At run time, servant objects are instantiated from the servant base class or a more derived class. The servant object uses the functionality provided by a subcontract by way of the linking mechanism. An arrangement exists at run time for dynamically linking a servant object to a subcontract. Included are a servant object, a server rep object, and a pointer from the servant object to the server rep object. Methods and apparatus allow a servant object itself to initiate calls to deactivate itself, to determine remaining references to itself, to revoke itself, and to get an object reference for itself. A method creates a servant object that includes the above data structures and ability to call these functions.
Inventors
- 👤 Sanjay R. Radia
- 👤 Swee Boon Lim
- 👤 Peter B. Kessler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:54
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
An association mechanism data structure for dynamically associating a service
dependent representation with a servant object at run time in a distributed object computing
system that incorporates subcontracts, the association mechanism data structure being
embodied in a computer-readable medium and comprising: at least one server rep class representing a single one of the plurality of
subcontracts, the server rep class arranged to provide functionality unique to said single
one of the plurality of subcontracts; at least one servant base class arranged to be associated with servant objects that are
created at run time; and a linking mechanism arranged to form a run time link between the server rep class
and a selected one of said servant objects at run time such that the servant object may use
the functionality provided by said single one of the plurality of subcontracts.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
45 words
An association mechanism data structure as recited in claim 1 wherein at run time a
server rep object associated with the server rep class is created and the run time link
includes a location indicator from the selected servant object to the server rep object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
An association mechanism data structure as recited in any of claims 1-2 wherein the
server rep class includes methods suitable for at least one of deactivating a servant object,
revoking a servant object, and determining whether there are currently references to a
servant object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
An association mechanism data structure as recited in claim 3 wherein the server rep
class further includes a method suitable for getting an object reference for a servant object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
A run-time arrangement embodied in a computer-readable medium for use in a
distributed object computing system that incorporates a plurality of subcontracts, the run-time
arrangement comprising: a servant object that takes the form of an instance of a distributed object; a server rep object representing a single one of the plurality of subcontracts, the
server rep object being arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the
plurality of subcontracts by way of a server rep class, the server rep object being associated
with the servant object; and a link between the server rep object and the servant object that permits the servant
object to access the functionalities provided by the server rep object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An arrangement as recited in claim 5 wherein the link includes a location indicator
from the servant object to the server rep object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
An arrangement as recited in any of claims 5-6 wherein the server rep object
provides access to methods suitable for at least one of deactivating the servant object,
revoking the servant object, and determining whether there are currently references to the
servant object, said methods thereby being accessible by the servant object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
An arrangement as recited in claim 7 wherein the server rep object further provides
access to a method suitable for getting an object reference for the servant object that is
accessible by the servant object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
142 words
A computer-implemented method of creating a distributed servant object for use in a
distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing a
plurality of subcontracts for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising the
steps of: receiving a servant class name and an object adaptor delegate identifying a single
one of the plurality of subcontracts; instantiating a servant object corresponding to the received servant class name; calling a create method of the object adaptor delegate in order to produce a server
rep object arranged to provide functionality unique to said single one of the plurality of
subcontracts identified by said object adaptor delegate; and associating the produced server rep object with the servant object such that the
servant object may use the functionality provided by said single one of the plurality of
subcontracts available through the server rep object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the create method comprises the steps of: creating an object key that uniquely identifies the servant object within a process; storing the object key in a lookup table in association with a reference to the servant
object; and creating the server rep object that corresponds to said single one of the plurality of
subcontracts identified by the object adaptor delegate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the object adaptor delegate identifies a single
one of the plurality of subcontracts by reference to a received object key having a
subcontract identifier and the create method comprises the step of creating the server rep
object corresponding to said single one of the plurality of subcontracts identified by the
subcontract identifier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer-implemented method of revoking a distributed servant object in a
distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing a
plurality of subcontracts for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising the
steps of: calling a servant revoke method associated with the servant object, the servant
revoke method being called by the servant object; calling a server rep revoke method associated with the server rep object, the server
rep object being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the plurality of
subcontracts; and revoking the servant object by way of the called server rep revoke method.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
142 words
A computer-implemented method of creating an object reference of a servant object
for use by a client in a distributed object computing system, the distributed object
computing system providing a plurality of subcontracts for use in managing distributed
objects, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a get object reference request for a specified super class of a servant
object, the request originating from the servant object; identifying a server rep object associated with the servant object, the server rep
object being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the plurality of
subcontracts; calling a get object reference method associated with the server rep object; creating a fat pointer to the servant object, the fat pointer being created by the get
object reference method; and widening the fat pointer in order to associate it with the specified super class.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
A computer-implemented method of deactivating a distributed servant object in a
distributed object computing system, the distributed object computing system providing a
plurality of subcontracts for use in managing distributed objects, the method comprising the
steps of: calling a servant deactivate method associated with the servant object, the servant
deactivate method being called by the servant object; calling a server rep deactivate method associated with the server rep object, the
server rep object being arranged to provide functionality unique to a single one of the
plurality of subcontracts; and deactivating the servant object by way of the called server rep deactivate method.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
A computer-implemented method of deactivating a distributed servant object as
recited in claim 14 further comprising the steps of: creating a call back closure for the servant object; passing the call back closure to the server rep object together with the call to the
server rep deactivate method; determining whether the servant object may be deactivated; and when it is determined that the servant object may be deactivated, executing the call
back closure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A computer implemented method of deactivating a distributed servant object as
recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of calling a servant deactivate done method
associated with the servant object in order to deactivate the servant object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
168 words
A computer apparatus comprising: a processing unit; an input/output device coupled to said processing unit; and a storage device in communication with said processing unit, the storage device
including an association mechanism data structure for dynamically associating a service
dependent representation with a servant object at run time in a distributed object computing
system that incorporates subcontracts, the association mechanism data structure being
embodied in a computer-readable medium and comprising at least one server rep class representing a single one of the plurality of
subcontracts, the server rep class arranged to provide functionality unique to said single
one of the plurality of subcontracts, at least one servant base class arranged to be associated with servant objects
that are created at run time, and a linking mechanism arranged to form a run time link between the server rep
class and a selected one of said servant objects at run time such that the servant object may
use the functionality provided by said single one of the plurality of subcontracts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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