US5740362A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Management of network distributed agents in a distributed computing environment
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1995-11-06
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Granted: 1998-04-14
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Expires: 2015-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for providing a single access point for the resources of application programs distributed within a network. The single access point is provided via a master object comprising an application identification list and a plurality of application procedure interfaces. Each of the application programs has an associated agent for managing the resources of the associated application program. These agents manage the resources using a subset of the plurality of application procedure interfaces of the master object. The application identification list of the master object is used for storing the binding handle of the agent as well as the identification for the associated application. A client or user accesses the resources of a particular application program by specifying the identification of the application program and the required action to be taken by the application program to the master object. The master object uses this information to search the application identification list for a matching application identification, and after finding one, thereafter invoking the corresponding application procedure interface in the agent identified by the matching binding handle. Thus, invoking the required resource of the application program to perform the requested action.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry Lee Buickel
- 👤 Debbie Ann Godwin
- 👤 Howard Daniel Hamilton
- 👤 Kathryn Isobel Hansen
- 👤 Charlie Buddy Harvey, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of invoking the resources of application programs executing in a distributed computing environment, each one of said application programs having an agent and a principal name, each one of said agents being identified by an individual binding handle, said method comprising the steps of: storing said principal names and said binding handles together in a principal name list of a master object; locating, in said principal name list, one of said stored binding handles for an identified one of said application programs to execute a request; and executing said agent identified by said binding handle to invoke said identified application program to execute said request.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of invoking the resources of application programs executing in a distributed computing environment, each one of said application programs having an agent and a principal name, each one of said agents being identified by an individual binding handle, said method comprising the steps of: storing said principal names and said binding handles together in a principal name list of a master object; locating, in said principal name list, one of said stored binding handles for an identified one of said application programs to execute a request; and executing said agent identified by said binding handle to invoke said identified application program to execute said request.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: indexing said principal name list so that each one of said binding handles is located by using one of said principal names corresponding to said one of said binding handles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 2 wherein each one of said binding handles are stored in a directory server, and said step of storing said principal names and binding handles includes the steps of: registering each one of said agents in said principal name list; and retrieving from said directory server one of said binding handles for each one of said registered agents.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of: receiving, in said master object, a request from a client, said request identifying one of said principal names.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said step of locating includes the step of: locating, in said principal name list, one of said binding handles using said identified principal name.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said master object includes a plurality of application procedure interfaces, and said step of executing includes: executing one of said plurality of application procedure interfaces corresponding to said request to invoke an application procedure interface in said one of said agents, said invoked application procedure interface invoking said application to execute said request.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for invoking the resources of application programs executing in a distributed computing environment, each one of said application programs having an agent and a principal name, each one of said agents being identified by an individual binding handle, said apparatus comprising: means for storing said principal names and said binding handles together in a principal name list of a master object; means for locating, in said principal name list, one of said stored binding handles for an identified one of said application programs to execute a request; and means for executing said agent identified by said binding handle to invoke said identified application program to execute said request.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
110 words
An apparatus for invoking the resources of application programs executing in a distributed computing environment, each one of said application programs having an agent and a principal name, each one of said agents being identified by an individual binding handle, said apparatus comprising: means for storing said principal names and said binding handles together in a principal name list of a master object; means for locating, in said principal name list, one of said stored binding handles for an identified one of said application programs to execute a request; and means for executing said agent identified by said binding handle to invoke said identified application program to execute said request.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: means for indexing said principal name list so that each one of said binding handles is located by using one of said principal names corresponding to said one of said binding handles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each one of said binding handles are stored in a directory server, and said means for storing said principal names and binding handles includes: means for registering each one of said agents in said principal name list; and means for retrieving from said directory server one of said binding handles for each one of said registered agents.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: means for receiving, in said master object, a request from a client, said request identifying one of said principal names.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for locating includes: means for locating, in said principal name list, one of said binding handles using said identified principal name.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said master object includes a plurality of application procedure interfaces, and said means for executing includes: means for executing one of said plurality of application procedure interfaces corresponding to said request to invoke an application procedure interface in said one of said agents, said invoked application procedure interface invoking said application to execute said request.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
131 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for invoking the resources of application programs executing in a distributed computing environment, each one of said application programs having an agent and a principal name, each one of said agents being identified by an individual binding handle, said computer readable program code means including: means for storing said principal names and said binding handles together in a principal name list of a master object; means for locating, in said principal name list, one of said stored binding handles for an identified one of said application programs to execute a request; and means for executing said agent identified by said binding handle to invoke said identified application program to execute said request.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
131 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for invoking the resources of application programs executing in a distributed computing environment, each one of said application programs having an agent and a principal name, each one of said agents being identified by an individual binding handle, said computer readable program code means including: means for storing said principal names and said binding handles together in a principal name list of a master object; means for locating, in said principal name list, one of said stored binding handles for an identified one of said application programs to execute a request; and means for executing said agent identified by said binding handle to invoke said identified application program to execute said request.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said computer readable program code further comprises: means for indexing said principal name list so that each one of said binding handles is located by using one of said principal names corresponding to said one of said binding handles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
65 words
The computer program product of claim 14 wherein each one of said binding handles are stored in a directory server, and said means for storing said principal names and binding handles includes: means for registering each one of said agents in said principal name list; and means for retrieving from said directory server one of said binding handles for each one of said registered agents.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said computer readable program code means further comprises: means for receiving, in said master object, a request from a client, said request identifying one of said principal names.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said means for locating includes: means for locating, in said principal name list, one of said binding handles using said identified principal name.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said master object includes a plurality of application procedure interfaces, and said means for executing includes: means for executing one of said plurality of application procedure interfaces corresponding to said request to invoke an application procedure interface in said one of said agents, said invoked application procedure interface invoking said application to execute said request.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-13 | 2001-10-13 | 2002-04-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-13 | 2005-10-13 | 2006-04-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-13 | 2009-10-13 | 2010-04-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |