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US5951699A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-05-23
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Granted: 1999-09-14
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Expires: 2017-05-23
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Abstract

Abstract A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system. A central software failure map is stored which includes for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit. The corresponding in-flux bit is set in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures. Then updating of one of the predefined data structures is performed. The corresponding in-flux bit is reset in response to completing the update of the one of the predefined data structures. During recovery, the corresponding in-flux bits are checked to identify any unstable data structures.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark Fernando Diez
  • 👤 Chad Allen Olstad
  • 👤 Gary Ross Ricard

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 16:02
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/36; G06F11/3604

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 120 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system comprising the steps of: storing a central software failure map, said central software failure map including for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit; setting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures; performing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; resetting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to completing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; and during recovery, checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 120 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system comprising the steps of: storing a central software failure map, said central software failure map including for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit; setting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures; performing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; resetting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to completing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; and during recovery, checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of storing said central software failure map includes the step of storing said central software failure map in random access memory (RAM) in the computer system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of storing said central software failure map includes the step of storing a pointer to each of the predefined data structures within said central software failure map.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 1 includes the step of storing a pointer to said central software failure map within each of the predefined data structures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 72 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of during recovery, checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures includes the step of identifying an unstable data structure responsive to an identified set corresponding in-flux bit, said identified unstable data structure being associated with said identified set corresponding in-flux bit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 5 includes the step of performing recovery in the identified unstable data structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 55 words
A method for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of during recovery, checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures includes the step of checking an integrity indicator for said central software failure map.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 171 words
A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor unit for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in the computer system, the computer program product comprising: a recording medium; means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing a central software failure map, said central software failure map including for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit; means, recorded on the recording medium, for setting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures; means, recorded on the recording medium, for performing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; means, recorded on the recording medium, for resetting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to completing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; means, recorded on the recording medium, during recovery, for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 171 words
A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor unit for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in the computer system, the computer program product comprising: a recording medium; means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing a central software failure map, said central software failure map including for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit; means, recorded on the recording medium, for setting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures; means, recorded on the recording medium, for performing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; means, recorded on the recording medium, for resetting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to completing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; means, recorded on the recording medium, during recovery, for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 69 words
A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor unit for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in the computer system as recited in claim 8 wherein said means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing said central software failure map includes means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing said central software failure map in random access memory (RAM) in the computer system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 94 words
A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor unit for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in the computer system as recited in claim 8 wherein said means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing said central software failure map include means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing a pointer to each of the predefined data structures within said central software failure map and means, recorded on the recording medium, for storing a pointer to each of the predefined data structures within said central software failure map.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 77 words
A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor unit for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in the computer system as recited in claim 8 wherein said means, recorded on the recording medium, during recovery, for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures includes means, recorded on the recording medium, for checking an integrity indicator for said central software failure map.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 92 words
A computer program product for use in a computer system having a central processor unit for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in the computer system as recited in claim 8 wherein said means, recorded on the recording medium, for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures includes means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying an unstable data structure responsive to an identified set corresponding in-flux bit, said identified unstable data structure being associated with said identified set corresponding in-flux bit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 137 words
Apparatus for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system comprising: a central software failure map stored in a random access memory of the computer system, said central software failure map including for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit; control means for setting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures; control means for performing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; control means for resetting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to completing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; and during recovery, control means for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 137 words
Apparatus for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system comprising: a central software failure map stored in a random access memory of the computer system, said central software failure map including for each of the predefined data structures a corresponding in-flux bit; control means for setting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to a request to update one of the predefined data structures; control means for performing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; control means for resetting said corresponding in-flux bit in said central software failure map in response to completing the update of said one of the predefined data structures; and during recovery, control means for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 34 words
Apparatus for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 13 wherein said central software failure map includes a corresponding pointer for each of the predefined data structures.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 52 words
Apparatus for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 13 wherein each of the predefined data structures are stored in the random access memory of the computer system and wherein each of the predefined data structures includes a pointer to said central software failure map.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 52 words
Apparatus for verifying integrity of predefined data structures in a computer system as recited in claim 13 wherein said control means for checking said corresponding in-flux bits in said central software failure map to identify any unstable data structures include means for checking an integrity indicator for said central software failure map.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5293600A Cited
US5584007A Cited
US5579318A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-09-13 2003-03-15 2003-09-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-09-13 2007-03-15 2007-09-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-09-13 2011-03-15 2011-09-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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