EP0634719A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for distributed computation based upon the movement, execution, and interaction of processes in a network
Assignee: Ben Franklin Patent Holding LLC
•
Filing: 1994-07-08
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-07-08
Abstract
Abstract A distributed computing environment in which agent processes direct their own movement through a computer network. Place processes provide a computing context within which agent processes are interpreted. An agent process controls its movement from one place process to another within the network by using a ticket. An agent process which moves from one place process to another transports definitions of classes of which objects included in the agent process are members. An agent process which moves from one place process to a second place process avoids unnecessary transportation of objects included in the agent process by substituting equivalent objects which are found in the second place process. An agent process sends clones of the agent process to several place processes simultaneously. If two clones travel along paths which are coextensive for an initial portion thereof, a single clone is transported along the initial portion of the paths and other clones are formed from the single clone, thereby avoiding transferring redundant information along communications media. Two agent processes, which occupy a single place process, interact by exchanging references to one another. The single place process ensures that neither agent process receives a reference to the other agent process without simultaneously giving to the other agent process a reference to the former agent process. Unauthorized or inadvertent excessive use of network resources by an agent process, or a place process, is prevented by associating with each process a permit which defines various capabilities and resource allowances of the process.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. White
- 👤 Christopher S. Helgeson
- 👤 Douglas A. Steedman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/48; G06F9/4806; G06F9/4843; G06F9/485; G06F9/4856; G06F9/4862; G06F9/465; G06F9/54
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 128
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for implementing remote programming in a computer network comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of object-oriented classes including an agent class and a place class; forming instructions for a computer process, said instructions including said object-oriented classes, subclasses of said object-oriented classes, and a go operation; and interpreting said instructions on a processor in said computer network wherein, in response to said go operation, an agent process is transported to a place process and further wherein said agent process is a member of said agent class and said place process is a member of said place class.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 1 further comprising forming said go operation within said agent process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 1 further comprising: defining a class of class objects; forming a class object, wherein said class object (i) is a member of said class of class objects, and (ii) defines a first class which is a subclass of a selected one of said object-oriented classes; and forming an object, said object being a member of said first class; wherein said agent process owns said object; and transportation of said agent process to said place process comprises transporting said object and said class object to said place process.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for implementing remote programming in a computer network comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of object-oriented classes including an agent class and a place class; forming instructions for a computer process including said object-oriented classes, subclasses of said object-oriented classes, and a send operation; and interpreting said instructions on a processor in said computer network wherein, in response to said send operation, a clone of an agent process is transported to a place process and further wherein said clone and said agent process are each a member of said agent class and said place process is a member of said place class.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 4 further comprising forming said send operation within said agent process.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 1, 2, 4 or 5 further comprising forming a subplace of said place wherein said subplace is a member of said place class and said place is a superplace of said subplace.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
34 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in any one of Claims 1, 2 or 4 to 6 further comprising designating said agent process as an owner of an object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 7 wherein transportation of said clone comprises transporting a copy of said object to said place process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 7 or 8 further comprising forming within said object a digest.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 9 further comprising interchanging for said first-mentioned object a second object at said place process wherein said second object has a second digest equivalent to said first-mentioned digest and further wherein said first object is not transported to said place process.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 8 or 9 when appended to claim 4, 5 or 6 further comprising interchanging for said copy a second object, which is different from said first-mentioned object, at said place process wherein said second object has a second digest equivalent to said first-mentioned digest and further wherein said copy is not transported to said place process.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
29 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in any one of Claims 1 to 11 further comprising specifying said place process by a ticket means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 12 further comprising forming said ticket means within said agent process.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 12 or 13 further comprising forming within said ticket means an address of said place process.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 14 wherein said address is a teleaddress
Claim 16
Independent Claim
32 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in any one of Claims 12 to 15 further comprising forming within said ticket means a name of said place process.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 16 wherein said name is a telename.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 4 further wherein, in response to said send operation, a second clone of said agent process is transported to a second place process wherein said second clone is a member of said agent class and is distinct from said first-mentioned clone and further wherein said second place process is a member of said place class.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 18 further comprising: determining that transportation of said first clone to said first place process and of said second clone to said second place process requires transportation of said first and second clones to a single computer of a plurality of computers of said computer network; transporting said first clone to said single computer; and forming, in a single computer, said second clone from said first clone.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method for implementing remote programming in a computer network as in Claim 19 further comprising: transporting said first clone from said single computer to said first-mentioned place process; and transporting said second clone from said single computer to said second place process.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for interprocess communication in a computer comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of object-oriented classes including an agent class; forming instructions for a computer process including said object-oriented classes, subclasses of said object-oriented classes, and a meet operation; and interpreting said instructions on a processor in said computer network wherein, in response to said meet operation, a meeting place process provides a first agent process access to a second agent process and provides said second agent process access to said first agent process and further wherein said first and second agent processes are members of said agent class.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method for interprocess communication in a computer as in Claim 21 wherein said meeting place process is a member of a place class in said plurality of object-oriented classes and further wherein said first and second agent processes occupy said meeting place process.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method for interprocess communication in a computer as in Claim 22 further comprising forming a second place process wherein: said second place process is a member of said place class; said second place process is a subplace of said meeting place process; and said meeting place is a superplace of said second place.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for controlling movement of processes in a computer network, said method comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of object-oriented classes including an agent class, a place class, and a ticket class; forming a plurality of place processes in said computer network wherein each of said plurality of place process is a member of said place class; forming an agent process wherein said agent process is a member of said agent class and occupies a first place process in said plurality of place processes; and forming a ticket wherein said ticket is a member of said ticket class and defines a trip involving the movement of said agent process from said first place process to a second place process in said plurality of place processes.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for limiting capabilities of processes in a computer network, said method comprising: defining a plurality of object-oriented classes including a process class and a permit class; forming a process wherein said process is a member of said process class; and forming a permit wherein said permit is a member of said permit class and specifies one or more capabilities of said process.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as in Claim 25 further comprising: defining within said process class a go operation; and specifying within said permit whether said process is capable of performing said go operation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as in Claim 25 or 26 further comprising: defining within said process class a send operation; and specifying within said permit whether said process is capable of performing said send operation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as in Claim 25, 26 or 27 further comprising: defining within said process class a charge operation; and specifying within said permit whether said process is capable of performing said charge operation.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
36 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 28 further comprising: defining within said process class a terminate operation; and specifying within said permit whether said process is capable of performing said terminate operation.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
43 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 29 further comprising specifying within said permit whether said process is capable of creating a second process, different from said first-mentioned process, wherein said second process is a member of said process class.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
35 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 30 further comprising: defining an object-oriented place class; and specifying within said permit whether said process is capable to creating members of said place class.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
27 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 31 further comprising specifying within said permit whether said process is restarted upon failure of said process.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
27 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 32 further comprising specifying within said permit an amount of processing that is allotted to said process.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
25 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 33 further comprising specifying within said permit a time at which said process is terminated.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
118 words
The method as in any one of Claims 25 to 34 further comprising: defining within said process class a restrict operation; forming instructions for a computer process, said instructions including said classes, subclasses and of said classes, and said restrict operation; interpreting said instructions on a processor in said computer network wherein, in response to said restrict operation, a second permit, which is different from said first-mentioned permit, is formed and further wherein said second permit is a member of said permit class and specifies a group of one or more capabilities of said one or more capabilities of said process; and restricting said process to said group of one or more capabilities specified by said second permit.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
84 words
In a computer, a method of interpreting processes of various versions of an instruction set, said method comprising: defining a plurality of object-oriented classes including a class of classes and a class of citations; forming one or more class objects wherein said class objects are members of said class of classes; forming within a first of said class objects a citation wherein said citation specifies said first class object and specifies which of said class objects are backward compatible with said first class object.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
86 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, a communication process comprising: providing a plurality of place processes within said computer network wherein each place process is a locale in one of said computers for zero or more agent processes; specifying, by a ticket means, a trip for an agent process to a destination place process in said plurality of place processes; and transporting, in response to a send operation within said agent process, a clone of said agent process to said destination place process.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
50 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 further comprising specifying, by a second ticket means, a second trip, which is different from said first-mentioned trip, for said agent process to a second destination place process in said plurality of place processes.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 further comprising: determining that said first-mentioned clone, in taking said first trip, and a second clone, in taking said second trip, are both to be transported to a single computer of said computers; moving to said single computer said first clone; and forming within said single computer said second clone from said first clone.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 39 further comprising transporting said first clone to said first-mentioned destination place process.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 39 further comprising transporting said second clone to said second destination place process.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising transporting, in response to a go operation within said agent process, said agent process to said destination place process specified by said ticket means.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 further comprising specifying said destination place process by a name within said ticket means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 further comprising specifying said destination place process by an address within said ticket means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising specifying, within said ticket means, said destination place process by a citation of a class of which said destination place process is a member.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising specifying, within said ticket means, said destination place process by any combination of an address of said destination place process, a name of said destination place process, and a citation of a class of which said destination place process is a member.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 further comprising specifying, within said ticket means, a transportation means wherein said transportation means specifies a type of intercomputer communications means by which said clone is transported.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 further comprising controlling, with a destination permit contained in said ticket means, a deadline for said agent process at said destination place process.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising controlling, with a destination permit contained in said ticket means, operations that said agent process is allowed to perform at said destination place process.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising controlling, with a destination permit contained in said ticket means, resources that said agent process is allowed to consume at said destination place process.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising specifying, with a destination permit contained in said ticket means, a priority for said agent process at said destination place process relative to other processes at said destination place process.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37further comprising controlling, via a permit means, a capability that a process is allowed to have.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 52wherein said capability comprises a priority for said process relative to other processes.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
23 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 wherein said agent process owns an object.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
34 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 53 wherein said step of transporting a clone of said agent process comprises transporting a copy of said object.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
55 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 55 further comprising interchanging for said copy a second object at said destination place process wherein said second object has a digest equivalent to said first-mentioned digest and further wherein said copy is not transported to said destination place process.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
45 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 54 further comprising the step using an interchanged object for said object at said destination place process thereby eliminating the need to transport said object to said destination place process.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 wherein said transporting step further comprises a step of entering said destination place process.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 wherein said transporting step further comprises a step of exiting said source place process.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 37 wherein said destination place process is a meeting place process and said meeting place arranges a meeting between a requestor agent process and a petitioned agent process.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a computer, a communication process comprising: providing a first agent process and a second agent process; specifying a meeting between said first and second agent processes by a petition means; and arranging said meeting between said first and second agent processes as defined by said petition.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
21 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 61 further comprising forming said petition means within said first agent process.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
29 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 61 or 62 wherein said step of specifying a meeting comprises specifying within said petition means said second agent process.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 63 wherein said step of specifying said second agent process comprises specifying, within said petition means, said second agent by a name.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 63, wherein said step of specifying said second agent process comprises specifying, within said petition means, a class of which said second agent process is a member.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 63 wherein said step of specifying said second agent process comprises specifying, within said petition means, a citation of a class of which said second agent process is a member.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 61 wherein said step of specifying a meeting comprises specifying, within said petition means, a maximum time period for arranging said meeting.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 61 wherein said step of arranging said meeting comprises providing to said first agent process a reference to said second agent process.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 68 wherein said step of arranging said meeting further comprises providing to said second agent process a reference to said first agent process.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 81 further comprising causing, in response to an instruction within said first agent process, performance of an operation within said second agent process.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
20 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 70 wherein said first or second agent process owns an object.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 71 further comprising providing to said second or to said first agent process respectively a reference to said object, or a reference to a copy of said object.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
17 words
In a computer, the communication process as in Claim 72 wherein said reference is a protected reference.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, a communication system comprising: an agent means having a ticket means and a send operation; and a plurality of place means wherein each place means is operable in one of said plurality of computers; wherein said agent means is at a first place means in said plurality of place means; said ticket means specifies a trip to said agent means to a destination place means in said plurality of place means; and said send operation transports a clone of said agent means to said destination place means.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said agent means further comprises a second ticket means, different from said first-mentioned ticket means, that specifies a second trip to a second destination place means for said agent means.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
36 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein performance of said send operation transports a second clone of said agent means to said second destination place means.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
88 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 76 wherein: said first-mentioned trip and said second trip both include transportation to a single computer in said plurality of computer; and further wherein, in transporting said first-mentioned clone to said first-mentioned destination place means and said second clone to said second destination place means, performance of said send operation: (a) transports said first clone to said single computer and (b) forms said second clone from said first clone within said single computer.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
45 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said agent means further comprises a go operation wherein said go operation transports said agent means to a third destination place means specified by a third ticket means.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a name which identifies said destination place means.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
29 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises an address for said destination place means.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
29 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication process as in Claim 44 or the system as in Claim 80 wherein said address is a teleaddress.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
38 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a citation means which specifies a class of which said destination place means is a member.
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
61 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises any combination selecting from the group consisting of an address of said destination place means, a name of said destination place means, and a citation means which specifies a class of which said destination place means is a member.
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 or process of Claim 37 wherein said ticket means further comprises means for specifying a maximum time period for said trip.
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
38 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 or a process of Claim 37 wherein said ticket means further comprises means for specifying a desired time period for said trip.
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a way means for specifying a type of intercomputer communications means by which said trip is to be accomplished.
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
38 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a permit means for controlling a deadline for said agent means at said destination place means.
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a permit means for controlling operations that said agent means is allowed to perform at said destination place means.
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a permit means for controlling resources that said agent means is allowed to consume at said destination place means.
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said ticket means further comprises a permit means for specifying a priority for said agent means at said destination place means relative to other agent means at said destination place means.
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 further comprising a permit means for controlling a capability that an agent means is allowed to have.
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 or the process as in Claim 52 wherein said permit means is a native permit.
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 or the process as in Claim 52 wherein said permit means is a local permit.
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 or the process as in Claim 52 wherein said permit means is a temporary permit.
Claim 95
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 or the process as in Claim 52 wherein said capability comprises resources that said agent means of Claim 91 or said process of Claim 52 respectively can consume.
Claim 96
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 or the process as in Claim 52 wherein said capability comprises a deadline after which the agent means of Claim 91 or the process of Claim 52 respectively cannot proceed.
Claim 97
Dependent Claim
37 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 further comprising other agent means wherein said capability comprises a priority for said agent means relative to said other agent means.
Claim 98
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 91 or the process of Claim 52 wherein said capability comprises permission for said agent means or said process respectively to perform selected operations.
Claim 99
Dependent Claim
23 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said agent means owns an object.
Claim 100
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 99 or the process of Claim 54 wherein said object has a digest.
Claim 101
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 100 wherein a copy of said object is transported with said clone by performance of said send operation.
Claim 102
Dependent Claim
55 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 101 wherein a second object at said destination place means is interchanged for said copy; and further wherein said second object has a digest equivalent to said first-mentioned digest, thereby obviating transportation of said copy to said destination place means.
Claim 103
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 101 wherein said send operation uses an interchanged object for said copy at said destination place means thereby eliminating the need to transport said copy of said object to said destination place means.
Claim 104
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said place means further comprises means for entering said place means.
Claim 105
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said place means further comprises means for exiting said place means.
Claim 106
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a computer network having a plurality of computers, the communication system as in Claim 74 wherein said place means further comprises meeting place means wherein said meeting place means arranges a meeting between a requestor agent means and a responder agent means.
Claim 107
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a computer, a communication system comprising: meeting place means having a meet operation wherein said meeting place is a locale for a plurality of agent means; a petition means; a first agent means in said plurality of agent means; and a second agent means in said plurality of agent means wherein; said first and second agent means can meet with any of said plurality of agent means; said petition means specifies a meeting between said first and second agent means; and in response to said meet operation, said meeting place means arranges said meeting.
Claim 108
Dependent Claim
24 words
In a computer, the communication system as claimed in Claim 107 formed by a process according to any one of claims 61 to 73.
Claim 109
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 79 or 108 or the communication process as in Claim 43 or 64 wherein said name is a telename.
Claim 110
Dependent Claim
27 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 107 further wherein said meet operation provides to said first agent means a reference to said second agent.
Claim 111
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 110 further wherein said meet operation provides to said second agent means a reference to said first agent means.
Claim 112
Dependent Claim
27 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 107 further wherein said first agent means can cause performance of an operation within said second agent means.
Claim 113
Dependent Claim
27 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 112 wherein at least one of said first agent means or said second agent means owns an agent.
Claim 114
Dependent Claim
40 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 113 further wherein said first or second agent means can provide to said second or first agent means respectively a reference to said object or to a copy of said object.
Claim 115
Dependent Claim
17 words
In a computer, the communication system as in Claim 114 wherein said reference is a protected reference.
Claim 116
Dependent Claim
193 words
In a computer network having one or more computers, a method for transferring data from a first engine process to a second engine process, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing means for executing one or more agent processes wherein said executing means comprises said first and second engine processes and further wherein each said agent process comprises instructions from a computer instruction set and has an execution state; (b) providing within said computer instruction set a go instruction wherein said go instruction is contained within a first agent process executing within said first engine process and further wherein performance of said go instruction causes: (i) suspension of execution of said first agent process by said first engine process; (ii) representation of said first agent process such that said execution state of said first agent process is preserved; (iii) transfer of said representation of said first agent process from said first engine process to said second engine process; and (iv) resumption of execution of said first agent process by said second engine process; (c) causing execution of said agent process by said first engine process, thereby causing performance of said go instruction.
Claim 117
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of Claim 116 wherein said computer instruction set is object-oriented.
Claim 118
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of Claim 117 wherein said plurality of agent processes are objects of said object-oriented computer instruction set.
Claim 119
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of Claim 116 further comprising the step of adding data to said first agent process prior to causing performance of said go instruction; wherein said representation of said first agent process includes said data; and further wherein transfer of said representation of said first agent process to said second engine process includes transfer of said data.
Claim 120
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of Claim 116 wherein said first agent process comprises data representing a message to be transported from said first engine process to said second engine process; and further wherein transfer of said first agent process resulting from execution of said go instruction causes transfer of said data from said first engine process to said second engine process.
Claim 121
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of Claim 116 wherein said first engine process executes on a first computer and said second engine process executes on a second computer wherein said first and second computers are part of said computer network.
Claim 122
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for transferring data from a first engine process to one or more engine processes, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing means for executing a plurality of agent processes which comprise instructions from a computer instruction set wherein said agent process execution means comprises said first and one or more engine processes and further wherein each said agent process has an execution state; (b) providing within said computer instruction set a send instruction wherein said send instruction is contained within a first agent process in said plurality of agent processes and further wherein, execution of said send instruction, includes the steps of: (i) forming one or more copies of said first agent process wherein said copies preserve and include said execution state of said first agent process; (ii) transferring each of said copies of said first agent process from said first engine process to a respective one of said one or more engine processes; and (iii) effectuating execution of each of said copies of said first agent process by said respective one of said one or more engine processes so as to simulate the resumed execution of said first agent process.
Claim 123
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of Claim 122 wherein, upon a condition wherein two or more of said copies of said first agent process are to be transferred from said first engine process to a single second engine process, the transfer of said two or more copies of said first agent process comprises the steps of: transferring to said second engine process a single copy of said first agent process; and forming within said second engine process from said single copy said two or more copies of said first agent process.
Claim 124
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of transferring data from a first agent process which is executing within a computer system to a second agent process which is executing within said computer system wherein said first and second agent processes are occupants of a place process, said method comprising the steps of: causing, in response to a meet instruction issued by said first agent process, execution of a procedure by said second agent process wherein said procedure is a portion of said second agent process and comprises a collection of computer instructions contained within said second agent computer process; and providing to said first agent process, in response to a second instruction which is issued by said second agent process and which is part of said procedure, means for accessing said second agent process.
Claim 125
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of Claim 124 wherein said step of causing execution of a procedure by said second agent process comprises: causing, in response to said meet instruction issued by said first agent process, execution of a second procedure by said place process wherein execution of said second procedure by said place process issues an instruction which causes said second agent process to execute said first-mentioned procedure.
Claim 126
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of Claim 124 wherein said means for accessing said second agent process is provided to said first agent process by said place process.
Claim 127
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of Claim 126 wherein, at approximately the time said place process provides to said first agent process said means for accessing said second agent process, said place process provides to said second agent process means for accessing said first agent process.
Claim 128
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for transferring a first computer process from a first computer system to a second computer system, said first computer system comprising a first CPU and a first memory and said second computer system comprising a second CPU and a second memory, said method comprising: initiating execution of said first computer process within said first CPU wherein said computer process has an execution state; suspending execution of said first computer process within said first CPU; representing said first computer process as data in said first memory wherein said data includes said execution state of said first computer process at the time execution of said first computer process is suspended; transferring said data from said first memory to said second memory; forming a second computer process on said second computer system from said data wherein said second computer process has said state of execution represented in said data; and causing execution of said second computer process, thereby effectively simulating resumption of execution of said first computer process within said second CPU.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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