EP0369961A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interface device and method in a computer system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1989-10-31
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A linking system for use in a computer environment which supports interapplication messaging and interactive dialog. A link protocol comprised of a set of messages is provided and employed by a link service to interrelate information existing in single or multiple applications. This open protocol facilitates non-joint development of application programs for use in the system. The link service modules provide end user function permitting tasks executed dynamically at run time, of creating or saving links between two objects either of the same or different object types and with or without data exchange, the creation or saving of an application packet comprised of one or more links, refreshing by warm or hot links any linked object, and displaying and navigating links of a packet causing objects to be retrieved and/or refreshed. Function is provided for limited participation in the system by application programs preexisting prior to the protocol.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip Yen-Tang Chang
- 👤 Gerald Samuel Ronga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 00:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/54; G06F9/543; G06F9/465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
42 words
An interface for use in a computer system environment between one or more application programs comprising a link service code module means responsive to a set of open link protocol messages for interrelating objects or subobjects of said one or more programs.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
An interface for use in a computer system environment between one or more application programs comprising a link service code module means responsive to a set of open link protocol messages for interrelating objects or subobjects of said one or more programs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The interface of Claim 1 wherein said module means includes means for generating, in response to at least one message from said set of protocol messages, a reference link interrelating objects or subobjects defined by said one or more application programs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The interface of Claim 2 wherein said module means includes means for generating in response to at least one message from said set of messages a data link interrelating objects or subobjects defined by said one or more application programs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The interface of Claim 3 wherein said module means includes means for generating in response to at least one message from said set of messages, commands for storing said reference or said data links.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The interface of Claim 4 wherein said data links are warm or hot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The interface of Claim 1 wherein said application programs comprise first and second application programs each supporting respectively at least one information exchange format, and wherein said code module means further comprises format negotiating means for selecting, in response to open link protocol messages transferred between said code module and said first and second programs, a common one of said information exchange formats for information transfer between said first and second programs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interface of Claim 6 wherein at least one of said application programs is a non-link protocol application program.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The interface of Claim 7 wherein said transferred information is between link protocol applications.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The interface of Claim 8 wherein said code module means includes cache memory means for storing said packet or link data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The interface of Claim 9 wherein said code module means further includes database interface means for allocating and managing said cache of packet or link data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface of Claim 10 further including link message manager means for analyzing said packet or link data to provide graphical representation of said data.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for use in a computer system environment to interface one or more application programs comprising receiving in a link service code module at least one open link protocol messages from a first of said one or more application programs defining a link relationship between objects or subobjects of said one or more programs; and generating in said link service code module in response to said received at least one protocol messages a command corresponding to said link relationship between said objects or subobjects for storing said link relationship.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for use in a computer system environment to interface one or more application programs comprising receiving in a link service code module at least one open link protocol messages from a first of said one or more application programs defining a link relationship between objects or subobjects of said one or more programs; and generating in said link service code module in response to said received at least one protocol messages a command corresponding to said link relationship between said objects or subobjects for storing said link relationship.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of Claim 12 further including storing said link relationship in a persistent storage media in response to said command generated by said link service code module.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of Claim 13 further including generating in said link service code module a next command; and retrieving said stored link relationship from said persistent storage media in said link service code module in response to said next command.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of Claim 14 including generating in said link service code module, in response to said retrieved link relationship, protocol messages corresponding to said retrieved link relationship; and invoking a second of said one or more application programs with said protocol messages generated in response to said protocol messages generated in response to said retrieved link relationship.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of Claim 15 wherein said link relationship includes a reference link.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of Claim 16 wherein said link relationship further includes a data link.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of Claim 17 wherein said data link is warm or hot.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of Claim 18 further including generating a command in said link service code module for allocating memory space in said system for said one or more application programs.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of Claim 19 wherein said memory space is at least one shared memory segment shared by said one or more application programs.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of Claim 20 further including storing by said link service code module in said persistent storage media identifiers of respective different ones of said one or more programs associated with said objects or subobjects in functional correlation with said link relationship; and wherein said storing of said link relationship is automatic in response to said receipt of said at least one protocol message defining said link relationship.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method of Claim 21 wherein said first and second application programs each support a respective at least one information exchange format, and wherein said method further comprises selecting with said link service code module, in response to open link protocol messages transferred between said code module and said first and second programs, a common one of said information exchange formats for information transfer between said first and second programs.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
76 words
An open protocol interface, for use in a computer system environment supporting inter-application messaging and dialog services by application programs, to enable user interrelation of information corresponding to one or more application programs, comprising a link service module responsive to open link protocol messages for managing a plurality of link functions having a link packet manager; a link database interface; and a link message manager interconnected to said link packet manager and said link database interface.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
76 words
An open protocol interface, for use in a computer system environment supporting inter-application messaging and dialog services by application programs, to enable user interrelation of information corresponding to one or more application programs, comprising a link service module responsive to open link protocol messages for managing a plurality of link functions having a link packet manager; a link database interface; and a link message manager interconnected to said link packet manager and said link database interface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The interface of Claim 23 wherein said link packet manager includes means for graphical display of links or packets.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface of Claim 24 wherein said link packet manager includes means for user interaction with said graphical display means for accessing said link functions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The interface of Claim 25 wherein said link packet manager includes means for non-link protocol application link creation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
The interface of Claim 23 wherein said link message manager includes means for negotiating data formats between at least two of said application programs.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The interface of Claim 23 wherein said link message manager further includes means for routing data between said at least two application programs in said negotiated data format.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The interface of Claim 24 wherein said link message manager includes means for analyzing said links or packets for visual representation in said graphical display.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The interface of Claim 23 wherein said interface includes RAM cache means for caching packet data; and wherein said link database interface includes means for allocating buffer space in said RAM cache means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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