Michael J Renzullo

US Patent:

52806103, Jan 18, 1994

Filed:

Aug 14, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/567298

Inventors:

Robert L. Travis - Concord MA
Andrew P. Wilson - Burghfield Common, GB2
Neal F. Jacobson - Nashua NH
Michael J. Renzullo - Ashland MA
Alan N. Ewald - Ashby MA

Assignee:

Digital Equipment Corporation - Maynard MA

International Classification:

G06F 1540
G06F 1200

US Classification:

395600

Abstract:

The system for organizing communication among applications in a data processing network includes data bases and data base control means. The data bases include method entries, message entries, and class entries. Method entries refer to commands or other mechanisms used to invoke applications. Message entries each represent a type of operation which can be performed on instances in a class which correspond to that message and identify a method map which contains one or more references to method entries stored in the data base. Class entries, each of which is unique in a data base, contain information about classes consisting of instances which have common characteristics as well as identifying a corresponding group of message entries. The data base control means includes an invoker for identifying a method entry corresponding to the instance identifier and type of operation identified in a request for remote invocation of an application, and a dispatcher for transmitting the command identified in the method entry to the remote application. The system may include data bases in a data processing network comprised of one or more platforms or nodes and may be either global data bases accessible to the entire network or local data bases, each of which is accessible to only a part of the network.

US Patent:

54407443, Aug 8, 1995

Filed:

Nov 15, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/340019

Inventors:

Neal F. Jacobson - Nashua NH
Michael J. Renzullo - Ashland MA
Paul A. Reilly - Nashua NH

Assignee:

Digital Equipment Corporation - Maynard MA

International Classification:

G06F 944
G06F 1300

US Classification:

395650

Abstract:

In distributed heterogeneous data processing networks, dispatcher and control server software components execute the code of a single application or of many portions of the code of one or more applications in response to a method object received from a client application. The method object includes a reference to the code to be executed.

US Patent:

53414780, Aug 23, 1994

Filed:

Nov 3, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/148607

Inventors:

Robert L. Travis - Concord MA
Andrew P. Wilson - Burghfield Common, GB2
Neal F. Jacobson - Nashua NH
Michael J. Renzullo - Ashland MA

Assignee:

Digital Equipment Corporation - Maynard MA

International Classification:

G06F 944

US Classification:

395200

Abstract:

A method and apparatus providing for the interaction of processes in an object-oriented manner by which a system manages "classes" of data instances and applications rather than managing the data itself. The names of classes may be stored in a data base which also contains other information about the classes, such as certain con, non attributes of applications or instances which are supported by the classes. Applications can remotely invoke other applications by sending messages with parameters. Using the message names, as well as information about the classes of certain parameters and certain preference information, a reference to a specific method is selected from the data base. That method will perform the operation specified in the message. Other information in the data base is then used to locate and execute the actual code to implement the referenced method.

US Patent:

56197101, Apr 8, 1997

Filed:

Jun 22, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/263901

Inventors:

Robert L. Travis - Concord MA
Andrew P. Wilson - Commons Brink, GB2
Neal F. Jacobson - Nashua NH
Michael J. Renzullo - Ashland MA

Assignee:

Digital Equipment Corporation - Maynard MA

International Classification:

G06F 922
G06F 1208

US Classification:

395800

Abstract:

In response to a message requesting a method invocation from an application or user, a client application determines the proper method to be invoked by retrieving information from a class data base, comparing the retrieved information with user preferences, and selecting the proper method based upon the comparison. Server connection and start-up involves locating a platform capable of executing code associated with the selected method and, if necessary, executing a process to start an application associated with the selected method.