EP0380211A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for information communication between concurrently operating computer programs
Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corp
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Filing: 1990-01-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-01-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of communication in a computer system is provided for transferring information between multiple, concurrently operating programs, each of which may have a respective window display. The user communicates with each of the application programs through the window display as well as through an input device, such as a mouse or keyboard. A list of information codes is registered with a dispatcher program for each of the application programs which requires data. One or more of the application programs generate templates which include data and a corresponding information code. The generated templates are transmitted to the dispatcher program. The dispatcher program then compares the information code in the received template to the registered list of information codes to find any matches and thereby identify the one or more application programs which have registered to receive the information in the received template. The dispatcher program then transmits the received template to each of the identified application programs. Information communication is therefore carried out between multiple operating programs without user direction for the steps of the communication process.
Inventors
- 👤 William E. Good
- 👤 Harold A. Hildebrand
- 👤 Cedric V. Snyder
- 👤 Joseph L. Stiles
- 👤 Kathleen M. Whitfield
- 👤 Marie S. Jansen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/12; G06F40/166; G06F40/186; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/54; G06F9/542
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of: registering with a dispatcher program to produce a list comprising one or more information codes and an application program identification for each of one or more application programs, each of said information codes representing a specific type or collection of said information, each application program identification in said list associated with at least one of said information codes, producing selected information and a corresponding information code by an application program, transmitting said selected information and corresponding information code to said dispatcher program, comparing said information code which corresponds to said selected information to the information codes in said list to find matches which identify one or more of said application programs which are registered in said list to receive the type or collection of information indicated by said information code which corresponds to said selected information, and transmitting at least said selected information to each of said one or more identified application programs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of: registering with a dispatcher program to produce a list comprising one or more information codes and an application program identification for each of one or more application programs, each of said information codes representing a specific type or collection of said information, each application program identification in said list associated with at least one of said information codes, producing selected information and a corresponding information code by an application program, transmitting said selected information and corresponding information code to said dispatcher program, comparing said information code which corresponds to said selected information to the information codes in said list to find matches which identify one or more of said application programs which are registered in said list to receive the type or collection of information indicated by said information code which corresponds to said selected information, and transmitting at least said selected information to each of said one or more identified application programs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said selected information is an indicator for accessing other information to be utilized by said one or more identified application programs and said one or more identified application programs retrieve said other information by use of said indicator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said selected information is information which is utilized directly by said one or more identified application programs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 1 wherein at least one of said steps of transmitting includes transmission across a network which interconnects a plurality of processors within said computer system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said registered information code corresponding to the transmitted selected information is temporary and the method including the step of deleting the registered information code corresponding to said selected information from said list for each of said identified application programs after said selected information has been transmitted to each of said identified application programs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 1 wherein said registered information code corresponding to the transmitted selected information is designated as permanent, and the steps of producing selected information, transmitting said selected information, comparing said information code and transmitting at least said selected information are sequentially repeated for multiple occurrences to convey additional information to the identified application programs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A digital computer having input and output devices, a memory, storage and a central processing unit, the computer programmed to operate in accordance with the methods set forth in any one of Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A network of interconnected digital computers each having input and output devices, a memory, storage and a central processing unit, the computers in the network programmed to operate in accordance with the methods set forth in any one of Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
228 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system which includes an input device and an output device for communicating with a user, the method comprising the steps of: producing a window display at said output device for each of a plurality of application programs, wherein the user communicates with the window application programs by use of the corresponding window display and said input device, registering with a dispatcher program to produce a list comprising one or more information codes and an application program identification for each of selected ones of said application programs, each of said information codes representing a specific type or collection of said information, each of said application program identifications associated with at least one of said information codes, producing a template by an application program wherein said template includes information and a corresponding one of said information codes, transmitting said produced template to said dispatcher program, comparing the information code in said produced template with the information codes in said list to find matches which identify through said application program identifications one or more of said application programs which are registered in said list to receive the type or collection of information indicated by the information code in said produced template, and transmitting at least the information in said produced template to each of said identified application programs.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
228 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system which includes an input device and an output device for communicating with a user, the method comprising the steps of: producing a window display at said output device for each of a plurality of application programs, wherein the user communicates with the window application programs by use of the corresponding window display and said input device, registering with a dispatcher program to produce a list comprising one or more information codes and an application program identification for each of selected ones of said application programs, each of said information codes representing a specific type or collection of said information, each of said application program identifications associated with at least one of said information codes, producing a template by an application program wherein said template includes information and a corresponding one of said information codes, transmitting said produced template to said dispatcher program, comparing the information code in said produced template with the information codes in said list to find matches which identify through said application program identifications one or more of said application programs which are registered in said list to receive the type or collection of information indicated by the information code in said produced template, and transmitting at least the information in said produced template to each of said identified application programs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 9 wherein said information in said template is an indicator for accessing other information to be utilized by said one or more identified application programs and said one or more identified application programs retrieve said other information by use of said indicator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 9 wherein the information in said template is utilized directly by said one or more identified application programs.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 9 wherein at least one of said steps of transmitting includes transmission across a network which interconnects a plurality of processors within said computer system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 9 wherein the registered information code in the transmitted template is designated as temporary, and the method of transferring information includes the step of deleting from said list the registered information code in said transmitted template for each of said identified application programs after said template has been transmitted to each of said identified application programs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method for transferring information between multiple programs operating concurrently in a computer system as recited in Claim 9 wherein said registered information code in the transmitted template is designated as permanent, and the steps of producing selected information, transmitting said selected information, comparing said information code and transmitting at least said selected, information are sequentially repeated for multiple occurrences to convey additional information to the identified application programs.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A digital computer having input and output devices, a memory, storage and a central processing unit, the computer programmed to operate in accordance with the methods set forth in any one of Claims 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A network of interconnected digital computers each having input and output devices, a memory, storage and a central processing unit, the computers in the network programmed to operate in accordance with the methods set forth in any one of Claims 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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