Process creation and termination monitors for use in a distributed message-based operating system

Claim 2

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one anther by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is created on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of a second node; c) monitoring said second node for a monitored process being created on said second node; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said second node to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is created on said second node and prior to said process manager process of said second node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the creation of said monitored process; and e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process.

Claim 3

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request designates said monitored process having a particular name.

Claim 4

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request originates from a plurality of nodes, and wherein said notification message is transmitted to said plurality of nodes.

Claim 5

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request may be generated by any one or more of said plurality of processes in said system.

Claim 6

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 4, wherein said request may be canceled by any of said plurality of requesting processes in said system.

Claim 7

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request causes said process manager process of said second node to set a process creation trap, which trap is resolved when a process is created which satisfies the request.

Claim 8

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 6, wherein said process manager process is requested to cancel said process creation monitor.

Claim 9

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 6, wherein said request causes said process manager process to set a process creation monitor only upon the condition that a designated process does not already exist.

Claim 10

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 8, wherein said process creation monitor may be set regarding the entire system, one node, or a group of related processes.

Claim 11

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one another by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is terminated on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; p1 b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of a second node; c) monitoring said second node for a monitored process being terminated on said second node; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said second node to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is terminated on said second node and prior to said process manager process of said second node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the termination of said monitored process; and e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process.

Claim 12

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one another by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is terminated on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; p1 b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of a second node; c) monitoring said second node for a monitored process being terminated on said second node; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said second node to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is terminated on said second node and prior to said process manager process of said second node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the termination of said monitored process; and e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process.

Claim 13

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request designates a particular process.

Claim 14

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request originates from a plurality of nodes, and wherein said notification message is transmitted to said plurality of nodes.

Claim 15

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request may be generated by any one or more of said plurality of processes in said system.

Claim 16

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 13, wherein said request may be canceled by any of said plurality of requesting processes in said system.

Claim 17

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request causes said process manager process of said second node to set a process termination trap, which trap is resolved when a process is terminated on said second node.

Claim 18

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 15, wherein said process manager process is requested to cancel said process termination monitor.

Claim 19

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 15, wherein said process termination monitor may be set regarding one node or a group of related processes.

Claim 20

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request designates a process created within an identified group of processes on said second node.

Claim 21

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request is generated by a process on said first node, and wherein said notification message is transmitted to said requesting process within said first node.

Claim 22

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 1, wherein said request is generated by a process within the same identified group of processes as said created process, and wherein said notification message is transmitted to said requesting process within said identified group of processes.

Claim 23

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request designates a process terminated within an identified group of processes on said second node.

Claim 24

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request is generated by a process on said first node, and wherein said notification message is transmitted to said requesting process within said first node.

Claim 25

The method of providing a notification message recited in claim 10, wherein said request is generated by a process within the same identified group of processes as said terminated process, and wherein said notification message is transmitted to said requesting process within said identified group of processes.

Claim 26

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one another by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is created on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of each of a plurality of second nodes; c) monitoring said second nodes for a monitored process being created on any of said plurality of second nodes; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of a particular node of said plurality of second nodes to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is created on any of said plurality of second nodes and prior to said process manager process of said particular node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the creation of said monitored process; e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process; and f) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said process manager processes of each of said plurality of second nodes.

Claim 27

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one another by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is created on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of each of a plurality of second nodes; c) monitoring said second nodes for a monitored process being created on any of said plurality of second nodes; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of a particular node of said plurality of second nodes to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is created on any of said plurality of second nodes and prior to said process manager process of said particular node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the creation of said monitored process; e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process; and f) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said process manager processes of each of said plurality of second nodes.

Claim 28

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one another by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is terminated on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of each of a plurality of second nodes; c) monitoring said second nodes for a monitored process being terminated on any of said plurality of second nodes; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of a particular node of said plurality of second nodes to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is terminated on any of said plurality of second nodes and prior to said process manager process of said particular node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the termination of said monitored process; e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process; and f) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said process manager processes of each of said plurality of second nodes.

Claim 29

In a distributed data processing system comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes, said system comprising a plurality of processes, said processes communicating with one another by means of messages, a method of providing a notification message when a process is terminated on one of said plurality of interconnected nodes comprising the steps of: a) transmitting a request from a requesting process of a first node to a process manager process of said first node; b) transmitting said request from said process manager process of said first node to a process manager process of each of a plurality of second nodes; c) monitoring said second nodes for a monitored process being terminated on any of said plurality of second nodes; d) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of a particular node of said plurality of second nodes to said process manager process of said first node when said monitored process is terminated on any of said plurality of second nodes and prior to said process manager process of said particular node receiving a notice from said monitored process of the termination of said monitored process; e) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said requesting process; and f) transmitting a notification message from said process manager process of said first node to said process manager processes of each of said plurality of second nodes.