EP0371941A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Generic application programming interface system and method
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1989-11-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A support system and method for interfacing of computer application programs written in a plurality of languages to a software system such as a database manager or the like. A plurality of generic application program interfaces or entry points are defined having a corresponding plurality of parameters in a consistent form required by the system to execute functions. The parameters are transformations of like parameters associated with the application programs which call the APIs. Processor states corresponding to threads in the application programs are stored in a table shared by the generic APIs. Upon return from the call and execution of the system function, processor state is restored and control returned to the application program. Necessity for separate entry points for applications written in each different supported language is thereby avoided as well as associated increased development effort, maintenance, and support.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Howard Burger
- 👤 Domingo Segundo Hidalgo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:45
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/54; G06F8/00; G06F8/70; G06F8/76; G06F9/44; G06F9/448; G06F9/4482; G06F9/4484
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for interfacing a plurality of application programs each written in a different computer language to a computer software system comprising generating a plurality of generic application program interfaces each responsive to program calls from said application programs; generating a call from one of said application program interfaces in response to one of said program calls; and executing a function in said system in response to said call from said one of said application program interfaces.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for interfacing a plurality of application programs each written in a different computer language to a computer software system comprising generating a plurality of generic application program interfaces each responsive to program calls from said application programs; generating a call from one of said application program interfaces in response to one of said program calls; and executing a function in said system in response to said call from said one of said application program interfaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of Claim 1 including the step of transforming information functionally related to parameters associated with one of said application programs into a form compatible with said software system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of Claim 2 including the steps of storing a processor state corresponding to an asynchronous portion of said application program; calling a function of said software system with said transformed parameters; and executing a return from said function call whereby said processor is restored to said processor state and return code information and control is returned to said application program.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of Claim 3 wherein said parameter transformation step includes generating a stack frame with parameters of one of said application programs in a predetermined order.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of Claim 4 wherein said parameter transformation further includes constructing a next stack frame with parameters of a next one of said application programs in said predetermined order.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method if Claim 5 wherein said predetermined order comprises a plurality of value parameters non-interleafed with a plurality of reference parameters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of Claim 6 further including the step of generating a state preservation table comprised of processor state information entry groups each associated with a different thread of a corresponding one of said application programs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of Claim 7 wherein said table is accessible to said plurality of generic application program interfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of Claim 8 wherein said table is transparent to said calls from said application programs.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of Claim 9 wherein said table is transparent to said software system.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
83 words
A system for interfacing a plurality of application programs each written in a different computer language to a computer software system comprising means for generating a plurality of generic application program interfaces each responsive to program calls from said application programs; means for generating a call from one of said application program interfaces in response to one of said program calls; and means for executing a function in said system in response to said call from said one of said application program interfaces.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
83 words
A system for interfacing a plurality of application programs each written in a different computer language to a computer software system comprising means for generating a plurality of generic application program interfaces each responsive to program calls from said application programs; means for generating a call from one of said application program interfaces in response to one of said program calls; and means for executing a function in said system in response to said call from said one of said application program interfaces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of Claim 11 including means for transforming information functionally related to parameters associated with one of said application programs into a form compatible with said software system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system of Claim 12 including means for storing a processor state corresponding to an asynchronous portion of said application program; means for calling a function of said software system with said transformed parameters; and means for executing a return from said function call whereby said processor is restored to said processor state and return code information and control is returned to said application program.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of Claim 13 further including means for generating a stack frame with parameters of one of said application programs in a predetermined order.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of Claim 14 including means for constructing a next stack frame with parameters of a next one of said application programs in said predetermined order.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of Claim 15 further including means for generating a state preservation table comprised of processor state information entry groups each associated with a different thread of a corresponding one of said application programs.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for interfacing a plurality of application programs, each written in a different computer language, to a computer software system having a processor, comprising saving the state of said processor in a state preservation table; setting up stack and global data addressing; retrieving a caller thread identification; indexing into said state preservation table with said thread identification; removing a return address of said caller from said stack; calling an underlying function of said software system; storing a return code from said function on said stack; setting up global data addressing; returning said caller thread identification; returning said saved processor state from said state preservation table in response to said retrieved caller thread identification; restoring a processor state to said processor; storing a return address of said caller on said stack; and returning control to said caller.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for interfacing a plurality of application programs, each written in a different computer language, to a computer software system having a processor, comprising saving the state of said processor in a state preservation table; setting up stack and global data addressing; retrieving a caller thread identification; indexing into said state preservation table with said thread identification; removing a return address of said caller from said stack; calling an underlying function of said software system; storing a return code from said function on said stack; setting up global data addressing; returning said caller thread identification; returning said saved processor state from said state preservation table in response to said retrieved caller thread identification; restoring a processor state to said processor; storing a return address of said caller on said stack; and returning control to said caller.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of Claim 17 including detecting whether said underlying function has a stack frame substantially identical to said stack frame; and storing parameters in said stack transformed in an order predetermined by said underlying function in response to said detecting that said stack frame is not substantially identical.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of Claim 18 further including detecting whether process information has been read; and calling an operating system of said computer system to read said process information in response to said detecting step indicating said process information has not been read.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of Claim 19 further including storing said read process information for use in a next one of said calls.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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