US5794038A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for notifiying clients using multicasting and for connecting objects using delayed binding
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1995-11-15
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Granted: 1998-08-11
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Expires: 2015-11-15
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for managing the connection of client components to an interface implemented by a server component. In a preferred embodiment, a user component provides an implementation of an interface and a description of the interface. A component manager aggregates the user component into itself to form a server component. When a client requests a connection to the interface, the component manager retrieves a reference to the interface from the user component and sends the reference to the client components. In a preferred embodiment, the component manager tracks the client components connected through an interface. A user component may also provide multiple interfaces to client components which the component manager also tracks.
Inventors
- 👤 David S. Stutz
- 👤 Chris T. Westin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/448; G06F9/4488; G06F9/449
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A method in a computer system for notifying a plurality of client components connected to a server component, each client component having a client component interface with a function member, the server component having a component manager and a user component, the component manager for connecting the client components to the server component, the component manager having a reference to the client component interface of each connected client component, the method comprising: under control of the component manager, creating a multicasting object having an implementation of the function member of the client component interface; under control of the user component, invoking the function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object; and under control of the invoked function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object, for each of the client components, retrieving the reference to the client component interface; and invoking the function member of the client component interface referenced by the retrieved reference.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A method in a computer system for notifying a plurality of client components connected to a server component, each client component having a client component interface with a function member, the server component having a component manager and a user component, the component manager for connecting the client components to the server component, the component manager having a reference to the client component interface of each connected client component, the method comprising: under control of the component manager, creating a multicasting object having an implementation of the function member of the client component interface; under control of the user component, invoking the function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object; and under control of the invoked function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object, for each of the client components, retrieving the reference to the client component interface; and invoking the function member of the client component interface referenced by the retrieved reference.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A computer readable memory device for controlling a computer in accordance with the method of claim 1.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
134 words
A method in a computer system for sending a message to a plurality of client components connected to a server component, each client component providing a client component interface, the client component interface having a function member, the server component having a reference to the client component interface of each client component, the method comprising: creating a multicasting object having an implementation of the function member of the client component interface; invoking the function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object; and under control of the invoked function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object, for each of the client components, retrieving the reference to the client component interface of the client component; and invoking the function member of the client component interface referenced by the retrieved reference.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
134 words
A method in a computer system for sending a message to a plurality of client components connected to a server component, each client component providing a client component interface, the client component interface having a function member, the server component having a reference to the client component interface of each client component, the method comprising: creating a multicasting object having an implementation of the function member of the client component interface; invoking the function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object; and under control of the invoked function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object, for each of the client components, retrieving the reference to the client component interface of the client component; and invoking the function member of the client component interface referenced by the retrieved reference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the server component has a component manager and a user component and including the step of under control of the user component, requesting the component manager to create the multicasting object and wherein the step of creating is performed by the component manager and the step of invoking the function member of the client component interface of the multicasting object is performed by the user component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the client component interface includes a plurality of function members and including selecting a function member of the client component interface through which to send the message to the client component such that the steps of invoking the function member of the client component interface invokes the selected function member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 including for each client component, creating a connector object and storing the reference to the client component interface in the created connector object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
124 words
A computer system for multicasting a message comprising: means for connecting a plurality of client components to a server component, each client component having a client component interface with a plurality of member functions; means for creating a multicasting object, the multicasting object having an implementation of each function member of the client component interface, each implementation for retrieving the references to each client component interface and invoking the function member referenced by each retrieved reference; means for selecting a function member of the client component interface; and means for invoking the selected function member of the client component interface of the created multicasting object, wherein the selected function member invokes the selected function member of the client component interface of each client component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 words
A computer system for multicasting a message comprising: means for connecting a plurality of client components to a server component, each client component having a client component interface with a plurality of member functions; means for creating a multicasting object, the multicasting object having an implementation of each function member of the client component interface, each implementation for retrieving the references to each client component interface and invoking the function member referenced by each retrieved reference; means for selecting a function member of the client component interface; and means for invoking the selected function member of the client component interface of the created multicasting object, wherein the selected function member invokes the selected function member of the client component interface of each client component.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
244 words
A method in a computer system for delayed binding to a first component interface of a first component, the first component being connected to a second component, the first component interface having a function member, the method comprising: creating a delayed binding object having an implementation of the function member of the first component interface; storing a reference to the delayed binding object; when the second component is to invoke the function member of the first component interface of the first component, retrieving the stored reference; when the retrieved reference refers to the delayed binding object, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the delayed binding object; and under control of the invoked function member of the delayed binding object, binding to the first component interface of the first component to generate a reference to the first component interface of the first component; replacing the stored reference to the delayed binding object with the generated reference to the first component interface of the first component; and invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component; and when the retrieved reference refers to the first component interface of the first component, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component whereby binding to the first component interface of the first component is delayed until a function member of the first component interface of the first component is to be invoked by the second component.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
244 words
A method in a computer system for delayed binding to a first component interface of a first component, the first component being connected to a second component, the first component interface having a function member, the method comprising: creating a delayed binding object having an implementation of the function member of the first component interface; storing a reference to the delayed binding object; when the second component is to invoke the function member of the first component interface of the first component, retrieving the stored reference; when the retrieved reference refers to the delayed binding object, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the delayed binding object; and under control of the invoked function member of the delayed binding object, binding to the first component interface of the first component to generate a reference to the first component interface of the first component; replacing the stored reference to the delayed binding object with the generated reference to the first component interface of the first component; and invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component; and when the retrieved reference refers to the first component interface of the first component, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component whereby binding to the first component interface of the first component is delayed until a function member of the first component interface of the first component is to be invoked by the second component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the second component includes a component manager and a user component, wherein the component manager creates the delayed binding object and passes the reference to the delayed binding object to the user component, and wherein the user component stores the passed reference, retrieves the stored reference, and invokes the function member of the interface referenced by the retrieved reference.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A computer readable memory device for controlling a computer in accordance with claim 9.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
297 words
A computer system for delayed binding to a first component interface of a first component, a second component being connected to the first component through the first component interface, the first component interface having a function member, comprising: means for creating a delayed binding object having an implementation of the function member of the first component interface, the implementation of the function member for binding to the first component interface of the first component to generate a reference to the first component interface of the first component, for replacing a reference to the first component interface of the delayed binding object with the reference to the first component interface of the first component, and for using the generated reference to invoke the function member of the first component interface of the first component; means for storing the reference to first component interface of the created delayed binding object; and means for retrieving the stored reference when invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component, wherein when the retrieved reference refers to the first component interface of the delayed binding object, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the delayed binding object to bind to the first component interface of the first component to generate the reference to the first component interface of the first component, to replace the reference to the first component interface of the delayed binding object with the reference to the first component interface of the first component, and to use the generated reference to invoke the function member of the first component interface of the first component; and when the retrieved reference refers to the first component interface of the first component, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
297 words
A computer system for delayed binding to a first component interface of a first component, a second component being connected to the first component through the first component interface, the first component interface having a function member, comprising: means for creating a delayed binding object having an implementation of the function member of the first component interface, the implementation of the function member for binding to the first component interface of the first component to generate a reference to the first component interface of the first component, for replacing a reference to the first component interface of the delayed binding object with the reference to the first component interface of the first component, and for using the generated reference to invoke the function member of the first component interface of the first component; means for storing the reference to first component interface of the created delayed binding object; and means for retrieving the stored reference when invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component, wherein when the retrieved reference refers to the first component interface of the delayed binding object, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the delayed binding object to bind to the first component interface of the first component to generate the reference to the first component interface of the first component, to replace the reference to the first component interface of the delayed binding object with the reference to the first component interface of the first component, and to use the generated reference to invoke the function member of the first component interface of the first component; and when the retrieved reference refers to the first component interface of the first component, invoking the function member of the first component interface of the first component.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
138 words
A method in a computer system for interconnecting two components, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: creating a first component having a first component interface; creating a second component; creating a first connector object having a pointer to the first component interface; creating a second connector object having a reference to a location in the second component; and connecting the first component to the second component by specifying the first connector object and the second connector object, by retrieving the pointer to the first component interface from the first connector object, by retrieving the reference to the location in the second component from the second connector object, and by storing the retrieved pointer in the referenced location, whereby the second component can access services of the first component interface through the pointer stored at the referenced location.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
138 words
A method in a computer system for interconnecting two components, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: creating a first component having a first component interface; creating a second component; creating a first connector object having a pointer to the first component interface; creating a second connector object having a reference to a location in the second component; and connecting the first component to the second component by specifying the first connector object and the second connector object, by retrieving the pointer to the first component interface from the first connector object, by retrieving the reference to the location in the second component from the second connector object, and by storing the retrieved pointer in the referenced location, whereby the second component can access services of the first component interface through the pointer stored at the referenced location.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
125 words
A method in a computer system for interconnecting two components, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: creating a first component having a first component interface; creating a second component having a location for storing a pointer to an interface of a component to which the second component is connected; generating a pointer to the first component interface; generating a reference to the location in the second component; and connecting the first component to the second component by specifying the pointer to the first component interface and the reference to the location in the second component and by storing the pointer in the referenced location, whereby the second component can access services of the first component interface through the pointer stored at the referenced location.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
125 words
A method in a computer system for interconnecting two components, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: creating a first component having a first component interface; creating a second component having a location for storing a pointer to an interface of a component to which the second component is connected; generating a pointer to the first component interface; generating a reference to the location in the second component; and connecting the first component to the second component by specifying the pointer to the first component interface and the reference to the location in the second component and by storing the pointer in the referenced location, whereby the second component can access services of the first component interface through the pointer stored at the referenced location.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
A computer readable memory device for controlling a computer in accordance with the method of claim 13.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
180 words
A method in a computer system for interconnecting a first component to a second component, the method comprising: creating the first component as a combination of a first instance of a component manager and a first user component, the component manager for managing the connecting of components, the first user component having a first user component interface; creating the second component as a combination of a second instance of the component manager with a second user component; under control of the first instance of the component manager, generating a pointer to the first user component interface; under the control of the second instance of the component manager, generating a reference to a location in the second user component; and connecting the first component to the second component by specifying the pointer to the first user component interface and the reference to the location in the second user component, and by storing the retrieved pointer in the referenced location whereby the second user component can access services of the first user component interface through the pointer stored at the referenced location.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
180 words
A method in a computer system for interconnecting a first component to a second component, the method comprising: creating the first component as a combination of a first instance of a component manager and a first user component, the component manager for managing the connecting of components, the first user component having a first user component interface; creating the second component as a combination of a second instance of the component manager with a second user component; under control of the first instance of the component manager, generating a pointer to the first user component interface; under the control of the second instance of the component manager, generating a reference to a location in the second user component; and connecting the first component to the second component by specifying the pointer to the first user component interface and the reference to the location in the second user component, and by storing the retrieved pointer in the referenced location whereby the second user component can access services of the first user component interface through the pointer stored at the referenced location.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the step of generating a pointer to the first user component interface includes the step of receiving the pointer to the first user component interface from the first user component.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 15 including: storing the generated pointer in a first connector object; storing the generated reference in the second connector object; and specifying the pointer and the reference includes specifying the first and second connector objects.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-10 | 2002-02-09 | 2002-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-02-09 | 2006-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-10 | 2010-02-09 | 2010-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |