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US6470494B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Class loader

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1999-11-29
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Granted: 2002-10-22
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Expires: 2019-11-29
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Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to the loading of classes in programming environments, and in particular, Java programming environments. This invention discloses a system and method that permits dynamic loading of classes during the execution of Java programs. This invention allows for classes to be loaded despite the fact that such classes may not reside in the current path or working directory within a Java programming environment. This invention also discloses a system and method for archiving files in an archive file that provides customized entry names for the archived files.

Inventors

  • 👤 Victor S. Chan
  • 👤 Shirley S. Chiang
  • 👤 David K. Stokes
  • 👤 Leonard W. Theivendra

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 07:16
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/445

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 90 words
A dynamic class loader computer product for providing a class in executable form in response to a request for said class, said dynamic class loader computer product comprising: a first structure comprising pointers for byte representations of classes in a memory; means for checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the first structure; conversion means for converting said class into executable form using the byte representation of said class pointed to by the pointer; and means for providing said class so converted in response to the request.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 90 words
A dynamic class loader computer product for providing a class in executable form in response to a request for said class, said dynamic class loader computer product comprising: a first structure comprising pointers for byte representations of classes in a memory; means for checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the first structure; conversion means for converting said class into executable form using the byte representation of said class pointed to by the pointer; and means for providing said class so converted in response to the request.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 47 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 1 further comprising an input means for receiving into the memory the byte representation of said class and a name of said class and for adding a pointer to the first structure for the byte representation of said class.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 1 further comprising a second structure containing a pointer to said class in executable form in memory.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 54 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 3 further comprising means for checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the second structure and if provided, instead of providing said class so converted, providing said class in executable form in memory pointed to by that pointer in response to the request.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 3 further comprising means for adding a pointer to the second structure for said class in executable form in memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 1 wherein said dynamic class loader computer product provides a means to invoke a different class loader computer product should said dynamic class loader computer product be unable to locate a pointer for said class in response to the request.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 3 wherein said first structure is a first hash table and said second structure is a second hash table.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
The dynamic class loader computer product of claim 1 wherein the classes are Java class files.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 77 words
A method for loading a class in executable form in response to a request for sad class comprising the steps of: providing a first structure comprising pointers for byte representations of classes in a memory; checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the first structure; converting said class into executable form using the byte representation of said class pointed to by the pointer; and providing said class so converted in response to the request.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 77 words
A method for loading a class in executable form in response to a request for sad class comprising the steps of: providing a first structure comprising pointers for byte representations of classes in a memory; checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the first structure; converting said class into executable form using the byte representation of said class pointed to by the pointer; and providing said class so converted in response to the request.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of receiving into the memory the byte representation of said class and a name of said class and adding pointer to the first structure for the byte representation of said class.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of providing a second structure containing a pointer to said class in executable form in memory.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the second structure and if provided, instead of providing said class so converted, providing said class in executable form in memory pointed to by that pointer in response to the request.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of adding a pointer to the second structure for said class in executable form in memory.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of invoking a default class loader if a pointer for said class cannot be located.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 55 words
A method for loading files, said method comprising the steps of: a) determining if said file resides in a memory as a byte representation of said file; b) if said file is located by step a) then loading said file for execution; else c) invoking a default class loader to said file into the memory.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 55 words
A method for loading files, said method comprising the steps of: a) determining if said file resides in a memory as a byte representation of said file; b) if said file is located by step a) then loading said file for execution; else c) invoking a default class loader to said file into the memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 104 words
A program storage device readable by a data processing system, tangibly embodying a program of instructions, executable by said data processing system to perform a method for loading a class in executable form in response to a request for said class, said method comprising the following steps: providing a first data structure comprising pointers for byte representations of classes in a memory; checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the first structure; converting said class into executable form using the byte representation of said class pointed to by the pointer; and providing said class so converted in response to the request.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 104 words
A program storage device readable by a data processing system, tangibly embodying a program of instructions, executable by said data processing system to perform a method for loading a class in executable form in response to a request for said class, said method comprising the following steps: providing a first data structure comprising pointers for byte representations of classes in a memory; checking if a pointer for said class is provided in the first structure; converting said class into executable form using the byte representation of said class pointed to by the pointer; and providing said class so converted in response to the request.

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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) 2005-10-21 2006-04-22 2006-10-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2009-10-21 2010-04-22 2010-10-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2013-10-21 2014-04-22 2014-10-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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