EP0387172A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Procedure call interface
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1990-02-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-02-02
Abstract
Abstract A system software interface is provided which is called by applications programs using a standard format. All calls to system library routines are made through this interface. When called, the interface determines the location and original language of a desired library procedure. The interface then sets up parameters and calls such procedure using the calling convention which it expects. The interface receives any results generated by the library procedure, converts them to the return convention used by the calling application, and returns the results to the calling application.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard T. Brandle
- 👤 Randy A. Robinette
- 👤 Don L. Goodliffe
- 👤 Robert C. Sizemore
- 👤 Donald E. Keith
- 👤 Garry J. Smithwick
- 👤 Anthony J. Zappavigna
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:02
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/70; G06F8/76; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/448; G06F9/4482; G06F9/4484
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A system for calling procedures in a digital computer comprising: an interface (10) callable by an application program (16) and capable of receiving a procedure identifier (42) and parameters therefrom (44, 48, 52, 56); and a plurality of procedures (22, 24, 26, 28) callable by said interface, wherein a called procedure corresponding to the procedure identifier is called by said interface using the parameters; wherein the called procedure returns a result to said interface, and wherein said interface returns the result to the application program.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A system for calling procedures in a digital computer comprising: an interface (10) callable by an application program (16) and capable of receiving a procedure identifier (42) and parameters therefrom (44, 48, 52, 56); and a plurality of procedures (22, 24, 26, 28) callable by said interface, wherein a called procedure corresponding to the procedure identifier is called by said interface using the parameters; wherein the called procedure returns a result to said interface, and wherein said interface returns the result to the application program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of Claim 1, wherein the application program calls said interface using a first calling convention, and wherein said interface calls the called procedure using a second calling convention.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of Claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of application programs, each containing a means for calling said interface and passing a procedure identifier and parameters thereto.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of Claim 3, wherein each of said application programs includes a procedure callable using a standard format, and wherein said included procedure calls said interface and passes a procedure identifier, parameters, and an identification of a procedure calling convention used by said application program to said interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of Claim 4, wherein the procedure calling convention used by at least one of said application programs is different from a procedure calling convention used by at least one of said callable procedures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of Claim 1, further comprising: a table (20) containing information needed by said interface when calling said callable procedures, wherein said interface receives the procedure identifier from an application program and accesses said table to determine the corresponding needed information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of Claim 6, wherein the needed information includes the location of the callable procedure, and the calling convention used by such callable procedure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of Claim 7, wherein the calling convention is identified by determining the programming language in which the callable procedure was written.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of Claim 6, wherein said interface includes a plurality of procedures callable internally within said interface, and wherein an internally callable procedure is called when such internally callable procedure corresponds to the received procedure identifier.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for calling a procedure in a computer system, comprising the steps of: calling an interface from an application using a first calling convention, and passing a called procedure identifier and parameters to the interface; and calling a called procedure from the interface using a second calling convention, and passing the parameters to the called procedure.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for calling a procedure in a computer system, comprising the steps of: calling an interface from an application using a first calling convention, and passing a called procedure identifier and parameters to the interface; and calling a called procedure from the interface using a second calling convention, and passing the parameters to the called procedure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of Claim 10, wherein the first calling convention differs from the second calling convention.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of: returning a result to the interface from the called procedure using the second calling convention; and returning the result to the application from the interface using the first calling convention.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of Claim 12, wherein the first calling convention differs from the second calling convention.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of: before calling the called procedure, accessing a table containing information about the called procedure; and if the first calling convention differs from the second calling convention, restructuring the parameters to conform to the second calling convention.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of Claim 10, further comprising the steps of: after said interface calling step, determining whether a called procedure can be executed internally to the interface; and if the called procedure can be so executed, executing the called procedure internally to the interface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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