EP0677943A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A communications system for exchanging data between computers in a network

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp

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Filing: 1995-03-29

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Granted: —

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Expires: 2015-03-29

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Abstract

Abstract The present invention provides a communications system, and method of operation of such a system, for facilitating exchange of data between a first computer (10) and a second computer (20) connected in a network to operate in a client/server arrangement, the first computer employing a different operating system to the second computer, and the system having a basic communications application program interface (API). The system is characterised by: first logic means (50) for processing requests from a first application (40) running on the first computer (10) for connection with the second computer (20) to carry out one of a plurality of communication services; second logic means (90) for instructing a second application (100) on the second computer (20) to carry out the communications services and for returning data provided by the second application to the first computer; and a storage device (110) on each computer accessible by the respective logic means and storing a single object class for providing definitions for each of the plurality of communication services. The realisation that the various different communications services can be represented by a single Object Class has given rise to a number of significant improvements in client/server communications, and has enabled the communications domain (the services of the class and its derived classes) to be clearly defined.

Inventors

👤 Keith Thomas Holmes
👤 Philip Anthony Hewitt
👤 Jonathan O'connor
👤 J. Richard Thompson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —

Jurisdiction EP

Data Source google_patents

Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 11:10

CPC Classifications

H; H04; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/40

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9

Claim 1

Independent Claim 165 words

A communications system for facilitating exchange of data between a first computer (10) and a second computer (20) connected in a network to operate in a client/server arrangement, the first computer (10) employing a different operating system to the second computer (20), and the system having a basic communications application program interface (API), the system being characterised by: first logic means (50) for processing requests from a first application (40) running on the first computer (10) for connection with the second computer (20) to carry out one of a plurality of communication services; second logic means (90) for instructing a second application (100) on the second computer (20) to carry out the communications services and for returning data provided by the second application (100) to the first computer (10); and a storage device (60, 110) on each computer accessible by the respective logic means (50, 90), each storage device storing a single object class for providing definitions for each of the plurality of communication services.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 28 words

A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each storage device (60, 110) stores a cohesive framework of object classes (70, 120) derived from the single object class.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the communications services defined by the framework of object classes facilitate function calling, file manipulation, and data transfer.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 26 words

A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operating system employed by the first computer is the IBM OS/2 operating system.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

A system as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the operating system employed by the second computer is the IBM MVS operating system.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 15 words

A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the basic communications API is APPC.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 177 words

A method of operating a communication system to facilitate exchange of data between a first computer (10) and a second computer (20) connected in a network to operate in a client/server arrangement, the first computer (10) employing a different operating system to the second computer (20), and the system having a basic communications application program interface (API), the method being characterised by the steps of: employing a first logic means (50) to process requests from a first application (40) running on the first computer (10) for connection with the second computer (20) to carry out one of a plurality of communication services; employing a second logic means (90) to instruct a second application (100) on the second computer (20) to carry out the communications services; returning data provided by the second application (100) via the second logic means (90) to the first computer; and storing in each computer in a storage region (60, 110) accessible by the respective logic means (50, 90) a single object class for providing definitions for each of the plurality of communication services.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 30 words

A method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein a cohesive framework of object classes (70, 120) derived from the single object class is stored in each storage region (60, 110).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the communications services defined by the framework of object classes facilitate function calling, file manipulation, and data transfer.

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