EP0304071A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Data integration by object management
Assignee: Kodak Ltd
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Filing: 1988-08-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-08-19
Abstract
Abstract An object based data processing system including an extensible set of object types and a corresponding set of "object managers" (196) wherein each object manager is a program for operating with the data stored in a corresponding type of object. The object managers in general support at least a standard set of operations. Any program can effect performance of these standard operations on objects of any type by making an "invocation" request. In response to an invocation request, object management services (194, 218) (which are available to all object managers) identifies and invokes an object manager that is suitable for performing the requested operation on the specified type of data. A mechanism is provided for linking data from one object into another object. An object catalog (252) includes both information about objects and about links between objects. Data interchange services (812) are provided for communicating data between objects of different types, using a set of standard data interchange formats. A matchmaker facility (810) permits two processes that are to cooperate in a data interchange operation identify each other and to identify data formats they have in common. A facility (222) is provided for managing shared data "resources". Customized versions of resources can be created and co-exist with standard resources. A resource retrieval function determines whether a customized or a standard resource is to be returned in response to each request for a resource.
Inventors
- 👤 Dana Khoyi
- 👤 Marc San Soucie
- 👤 Carolyn E. Surprenant
- 👤 Laura O. Stern
- 👤 Ly-Huong Thi Pham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 11:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/448; G06F9/4488; G06F9/449; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/28; G06F16/289; G06F8/00; G06F8/70; G06F8/76; G06F9/46; G06F9/50; G06F9/54; G06F9/543
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A data processing system in which data is represented as typed objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object; (B) management means (194, 218) (C) for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of an object and an identification of an operation, (D) for identifying an object manager that is capable of performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and (E) for invoking the identified object manager and communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A data processing system in which data is represented as typed objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object; (B) management means (194, 218) (C) for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of an object and an identification of an operation, (D) for identifying an object manager that is capable of performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and (E) for invoking the identified object manager and communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
A data processing system comprising: (A) means (172, 250, 252) for storing data representing typed objects; (B) a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object; (C) management means (194, 218) to which any object manager can identify an object and an operation in response to which the management means invokes an appropriate object manager to perform the operation on the object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
A data processing system comprising: (A) means (172, 250, 252) for storing data representing typed objects; (B) a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object; (C) management means (194, 218) to which any object manager can identify an object and an operation in response to which the management means invokes an appropriate object manager to perform the operation on the object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
In an object based data processing system having a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object, an application manager (194) comprising: (A) means for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of an object and an identification of an operation, (B) means for identifying an object manager that is capable of performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and (C) means for invoking the identified object manager and communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
In an object based data processing system having a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object, an application manager (194) comprising: (A) means for receiving from a requesting object manager an identification of an object and an identification of an operation, (B) means for identifying an object manager that is capable of performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and (C) means for invoking the identified object manager and communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of object managers includes object managers capable of performing each of a set of standard operations for each type of object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The data processing system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of object managers includes object managers capable of performing each of a set of standard operations for each type of object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
The data processing system of claim 1 wherein there is defined for each type of object a default operation and wherein the plurality of object managers includes for each type of object at least one object manager capable of performing the corresponding default operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The data processing system of claim 2 wherein there is defined for each type of object a default operation and wherein the plurality of object managers includes for each type of object at least one object manager capable of performing the corresponding default operation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The data processing system of claim 1 wherein (i) the management means comprises a manager process, (ii) the receiving by the management means includes the receipt by the manager process of an interprocess communication from the requesting object manager, and (iii) the invoking by the management means results in the manager process spawning an object manager process.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the management means comprises means for accessing a data base (252) that associates objects with object types.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the management means comprises means for accessing a data base (250) that associates object types with object managers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The data processing system of claim 1 wherein the object identification provided by the requesting object manager comprises a link identifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
179 words
A data processing system in which data is represented as typed objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object; (B) a system data base (250) that (C) associates objects with object types, (D) associates link identifiers with specific objects, and (E) associates object types with object managers; (A) management means (194, 218) (B) for receiving from a requesting object manager a link identifier and an identification of an operation, (C) for accessing the system data base to identify the object to which the link identifier refers, (D) for accessing the system data base to determine the type of the identified object, (E) for accessing the system data base to identify an object manager that is capable of performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and (F) for invoking the identified object manager and communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
179 words
A data processing system in which data is represented as typed objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), each object manager being adapted to perform at least one operation with respect to at least one type of object; (B) a system data base (250) that (C) associates objects with object types, (D) associates link identifiers with specific objects, and (E) associates object types with object managers; (A) management means (194, 218) (B) for receiving from a requesting object manager a link identifier and an identification of an operation, (C) for accessing the system data base to identify the object to which the link identifier refers, (D) for accessing the system data base to determine the type of the identified object, (E) for accessing the system data base to identify an object manager that is capable of performing the identified operation on objects of the type of the identified object, and (F) for invoking the identified object manager and communicating to the identified object manager a request to perform the identified operation on the identified object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
67 words
A data processing system that includes linked objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), (B) a plurality of objects, (C) storage means (172, 262) for storing information identifying the objects associated with each link, (D) access means (190, 194, 218) for accessing the stored link information, the access means being available to provide link information to all of the plurality of object managers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
A data processing system that includes linked objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), (B) a plurality of objects, (C) storage means (172, 262) for storing information identifying the objects associated with each link, (D) access means (190, 194, 218) for accessing the stored link information, the access means being available to provide link information to all of the plurality of object managers.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the storage means includes for each link an indication of whether the link is a data link.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
75 words
The system of claim 13 wherein at least some of the links link data from a child object into a parent object, and wherein the storage means stores for each link an update state value, where each update state can indicate the link is to be updated (i) when the data linked from the child object is modified, (ii) when the parent object is opened, or (iii) only when a specific update request is made.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
109 words
A data processing system that includes linked objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), (B) a plurality of parent objects containing link markers, (C) means (172, 262) separate from the objects containing the link markers for storing information associating child objects with links, (D) link management means (190, 194, 218) available to each of the object managers (i) for receiving a request for an operation to be performed on a linked object, where the request identifies the linked object by identifying the link, and (ii) for accessing the stored link information to determine what object is the child of the link identified with the request.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
109 words
A data processing system that includes linked objects, the system comprising: (A) a plurality of object managers (196), (B) a plurality of parent objects containing link markers, (C) means (172, 262) separate from the objects containing the link markers for storing information associating child objects with links, (D) link management means (190, 194, 218) available to each of the object managers (i) for receiving a request for an operation to be performed on a linked object, where the request identifies the linked object by identifying the link, and (ii) for accessing the stored link information to determine what object is the child of the link identified with the request.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 16 wherein the link management means is responsive to a received request to invoke an object manager to perform the requested operation on the identified linked object.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 17 wherein one request to which the link management means is responsive is a link update request.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 16 wherein each link marker contains a link identifier that is unique within that object in which the link marker is stored, and wherein a link is identified by identifying the parent object and the link identifier of a corresponding link marker.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 13 further comprising linked data copy storage means for storing a copy of linked data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 20 wherein the linked data copy storage means includes storage in separate files corresponding to each object having a data link to another object.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a multiprocessing system in which some of a user's input is directed to a first process and other of the user's input is directed to a second process, a matchmaker (810) comprising: (A) means for receiving from any of a plurality of processes an indication of a data exchange role the indicating process is to play; (B) means for storing received role indications; (C) matching means for determining whether each received role indication matches a stored role indication; (D) notification means for notifying a process that a role indication received from that process has matched another received role indication.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a multiprocessing system in which some of a user's input is directed to a first process and other of the user's input is directed to a second process, a matchmaker (810) comprising: (A) means for receiving from any of a plurality of processes an indication of a data exchange role the indicating process is to play; (B) means for storing received role indications; (C) matching means for determining whether each received role indication matches a stored role indication; (D) notification means for notifying a process that a role indication received from that process has matched another received role indication.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The matchmaker of claim 22 further comprising means for arranging communication between processes having matching data exchange roles.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 22 wherein data exchange roles include copy, move, share, and place.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a multiprocessing system in which some of a user's input is directed to a first process and other of the user's input is directed to a second process, a method for a user-directed exchange of data between the first process and the second process with the aid of a matchmaker, the method comprising the steps of: (A) the user providing input to the first process specifying a role that the first process is to play in a data exchange operation; (B) the first process posting with the matchmaker an indication of the role that has been specified the for the first process; (C) the user providing input to the second process indicating a role that the second process is to play in a data exchange operation; (D) the second process posting with the matchmaker an indication of the role that has been specified the for the second process; (E) the matchmaker determining that the role specified for the second process matches with the role specified for the first process; (F) the matchmaker arranging for communication between the first and second processes.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a multiprocessing system in which some of a user's input is directed to a first process and other of the user's input is directed to a second process, a method for a user-directed exchange of data between the first process and the second process with the aid of a matchmaker, the method comprising the steps of: (A) the user providing input to the first process specifying a role that the first process is to play in a data exchange operation; (B) the first process posting with the matchmaker an indication of the role that has been specified the for the first process; (C) the user providing input to the second process indicating a role that the second process is to play in a data exchange operation; (D) the second process posting with the matchmaker an indication of the role that has been specified the for the second process; (E) the matchmaker determining that the role specified for the second process matches with the role specified for the first process; (F) the matchmaker arranging for communication between the first and second processes.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the step of arranging comprises notifying each process of the match determination and providing each process with a code that the process can use in communicating with the other process.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 25 wherein data exchange roles include copy, move, share, and place.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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