US5729682A — System for prompting parameters required by a net…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 145 words

In a computer network, a method of sharing network applications without use of a central repository of network application data, comprising the steps of: storing a data structure at each of a plurality of computers in the computer network, the data structure containing information on network applications residing remotely in the network; in response to a user selection of a network application at a local computer, prompting the user to enter one or more parameters required by the network application, and using in the data structure stored at the local computer to establish connections between the local computer and the computer where the network application resides and between the local computer and respective ones of the plurality of computers where network resources required by the network application reside; and having the local computer communicate over the connections as required to thereby run the network application.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 145 words

In a computer network, a method of sharing network applications without use of a central repository of network application data, comprising the steps of: storing a data structure at each of a plurality of computers in the computer network, the data structure containing information on network applications residing remotely in the network; in response to a user selection of a network application at a local computer, prompting the user to enter one or more parameters required by the network application, and using in the data structure stored at the local computer to establish connections between the local computer and the computer where the network application resides and between the local computer and respective ones of the plurality of computers where network resources required by the network application reside; and having the local computer communicate over the connections as required to thereby run the network application.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

In the computer network as described in claim 1 wherein the method includes the step of storing a connection status of the local computer prior to establishing the connections.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 30 words

In the computer network as described in claim 2 wherein the method further includes the step of disconnecting the local computer from the connections after the network application is run.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

In the computer network as described in claim 3 wherein the method further includes the step of returning the local computer to its connection status after the local computer is disconnected.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 190 words

In a peer-to-peer computer network, a method of sharing network applications without use of a centralized repository of network application data, comprising the steps of: storing a data structure at each of a plurality of computers in the computer network, the data structure containing information on network applications residing on other computers in the network; in response to a user selection of a network application at a local computer, prompting the user to enter one or more parameters required by the network application, storing any connection status of the local computer that conflicts with connections required to launch the network application, and using information in the data structure stored at the local computer to establish connections between the local computer and the computer where the selected network application resides and between the local computer and respective ones of the plurality of computers where network resources required by the network application reside; having the local computer communicate over the connections as required to thereby run the network application; disconnecting the local computer from the connections after the network application is run; and returning the local computer to its prior connection status.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 190 words

In a peer-to-peer computer network, a method of sharing network applications without use of a centralized repository of network application data, comprising the steps of: storing a data structure at each of a plurality of computers in the computer network, the data structure containing information on network applications residing on other computers in the network; in response to a user selection of a network application at a local computer, prompting the user to enter one or more parameters required by the network application, storing any connection status of the local computer that conflicts with connections required to launch the network application, and using information in the data structure stored at the local computer to establish connections between the local computer and the computer where the selected network application resides and between the local computer and respective ones of the plurality of computers where network resources required by the network application reside; having the local computer communicate over the connections as required to thereby run the network application; disconnecting the local computer from the connections after the network application is run; and returning the local computer to its prior connection status.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 63 words

In the peer-to-peer computer network as described in claim 5 wherein the step of storing a data structure includes the unordered steps of: entering working directory information from which the location of a particular network application is determined; entering command line information for use in starting the particular network application; and entering runtime information for use when the particular network application is started.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

In the peer-to-peer computer network as described in claim 6 wherein the command line information includes an alias.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

In the peer-to-peer computer network as described in claim 6 wherein the command line information includes a netname.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 179 words

A storage device readable by a computer system and encoding computer system executable instructions for handing events occurring in an environment in the computer system, the computer system connected as one of a plurality of computers in a peer-to-peer network environment, the storage device comprising: means for creating and storing in a local data structure a network application definition identifying a network application residing on another computer in the network environment and a connection path to that network application; and means, responsive to a user selection of the network application, for enabling the user to enter one or more parameters, if any, required by the network application, for saving a connection status of the computer system, and for using information in the data structure to establish connections between the computer system and the computer where the selected network application resides and between the computer system and respective ones of the plurality of computers where network resources required by the network application reside; wherein the means are activated when the storage device is connected and accessed by the computer system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 179 words

A storage device readable by a computer system and encoding computer system executable instructions for handing events occurring in an environment in the computer system, the computer system connected as one of a plurality of computers in a peer-to-peer network environment, the storage device comprising: means for creating and storing in a local data structure a network application definition identifying a network application residing on another computer in the network environment and a connection path to that network application; and means, responsive to a user selection of the network application, for enabling the user to enter one or more parameters, if any, required by the network application, for saving a connection status of the computer system, and for using information in the data structure to establish connections between the computer system and the computer where the selected network application resides and between the computer system and respective ones of the plurality of computers where network resources required by the network application reside; wherein the means are activated when the storage device is connected and accessed by the computer system.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 46 words

The storage device as described in claim 9 further including: means, responsive to execution of the network application, for disconnecting the computer system from the connections; and means, responsive to the disconnection of the computer system, for returning the computer system to its prior connection status.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 178 words

A computer system connected as one of a plurality of computers in a peer-to-peer network environment, the computer system comprising: a processor; storage means; a user interface; network application interface means for managing network applications without use of a centralized repository of network application data, the network application interface means comprising: means for creating and storing in the storage means a data structure containing information on network applications residing on other computers in the network; means, responsive to a user selection of a network application via the user interface, for enabling the user to enter one or more parameters required by the network application, and for using information in the data structure to establish connections between the computer system and one of the plurality of other computers in the computer network where the network application resides and between the computer system and respective ones of the plurality of other computers where network resources required by the network application resides; means for controlling communications over the connections as required to thereby run the network application from the computer system.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 178 words

A computer system connected as one of a plurality of computers in a peer-to-peer network environment, the computer system comprising: a processor; storage means; a user interface; network application interface means for managing network applications without use of a centralized repository of network application data, the network application interface means comprising: means for creating and storing in the storage means a data structure containing information on network applications residing on other computers in the network; means, responsive to a user selection of a network application via the user interface, for enabling the user to enter one or more parameters required by the network application, and for using information in the data structure to establish connections between the computer system and one of the plurality of other computers in the computer network where the network application resides and between the computer system and respective ones of the plurality of other computers where network resources required by the network application resides; means for controlling communications over the connections as required to thereby run the network application from the computer system.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 57 words

The computer system as described in claim 11 wherein the network application interface means further includes: means, responsive to a user selection of the network application, for saving any connection status of the computer system that conflicts with connections required to launch the network application prior to using information in the data structure to establish the connections.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 52 words

The computer system as described in claim 12 wherein the network application interface means further includes: means, responsive to termination of the network application, for disconnecting the computer system from the connections; and means, responsive to the disconnection of the computer system, for returning the computer system to its prior connection status.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

The computer system as described in claim 11 wherein the network application interface means is supported on a program storage device whose means are activated when the storage device is connected to and accessed by the processor of the computer system.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 147 words

A computer network, comprising: a first computer having network application interface means for creating and storing in a local data structure network application definitions identifying network applications and network application definitions identifying network applications and network resources required by the network applications; and a second computer connectable to the first computer and supporting a network application defined by the network application definitions stored in the local data structure of the first computer, whereby in response to a user selection of the network application at the first computer and entry of one or more parameters, if any, required by the network application, information in the local data structure is used to set up and maintain network connections between at least the first and second computers to allow the user to execute the network application from the first computer and using the network resources required by the network application.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 147 words

A computer network, comprising: a first computer having network application interface means for creating and storing in a local data structure network application definitions identifying network applications and network application definitions identifying network applications and network resources required by the network applications; and a second computer connectable to the first computer and supporting a network application defined by the network application definitions stored in the local data structure of the first computer, whereby in response to a user selection of the network application at the first computer and entry of one or more parameters, if any, required by the network application, information in the local data structure is used to set up and maintain network connections between at least the first and second computers to allow the user to execute the network application from the first computer and using the network resources required by the network application.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computer network as described in claim 15 wherein each of the first and second computers operates in a peer-to-peer manner and there is no central repository of network application data.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-03-16	2001-09-15	2002-03-17	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-03-16	2005-09-15	2006-03-17	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-03-16	2009-09-15	2010-03-17	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System for prompting parameters required by a network application and using data structure to establish connections between local computer, application and resources required by application

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