Object oriented network system for allocating ranges of globally unique ...

United States Patent [19]

Cuthbert et al.

in 11 mil inn inn 11 Hi: inn m in 1111; m;

US005522077A

5,522,077 May 28, 1996

[ii] Patent Number: [45] Date of Patent:

[54] OBJECT ORIENTED NETWORK SYSTEM

FOR ALLOCATING RANGES OF GLOBALLY
UNIQUE OBJECT IDENTIFIERS FROM A
SERVER PROCESS TO CLIENT PROCESSES
WHICH RELEASE UNUSED IDENTIFIERS

[75] Inventors: Winslow R. Cuthbert, Groton; Craig S. Harris, Acton; Craig R. Leckband, Bedford; Paul A. Martel, Fitchburg, all of Mass.

[73] Assignee: Ontos, Inc., Burlington, Mass.

[21] Appl. No.: 246,065

[22] Filed: May 19,1994

[51] Int. CI.6 G06F 15/16

[52] U.S. CI 395/700; 395/200.03; 395/600;

364/228.3; 364/282.2; 364/282.4; 364/284.4

[58] Field of Search 375/200, 275,

375/600, 650; 364/200, 900, 700

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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(List continued on next page.)

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0546683 6/1993 European Pat. Off. . 2253500 9/1992 United Kingdom . 9108543 6/1991 WIPO .

A system for generating globally unique identifiers for objects in a distributed object oriented database. In one embodiment the system comprises at least two processors connected by means of a network to a processor executing a server process which provides globally unique identifiers for objects throughout the network. Each processor on the network may execute one or more client processes, each of which may run transactions against the database. Each such client process transmits a request to the server process which provides the globally unique identifiers when that client process requires a globally unique object identifier for objects which the requesting client process is creating. In response to the request, the server which provides globally unique identifiers transmits a range of globally unique object identifiers to the requesting client process. The requesting client process then allocates object identifiers from this range of globally unique object identifiers to the objects it is creating. Upon completion of the allocation of the globally unique object identifiers to the objects which have been created, the requesting client process then returns any unused globally unique object identifiers to the server for use by other client processes.

14 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets

5,117,351 5/1992 Miller 395/650

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OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"Object-Oriented Computing", Computer IEEE, by D. C. Rine, et al., Oct. 1992.

"Dimensions of Object-Oriented Modeling", Computer IEEE, by P. Wegner, Oct. 1992.

"Object-Oriented And Conventional Analysis And Design Methodologies", Computer IEEE, by R. G. Richman, et al., Oct. 1992.

"Architechture Of An Open Object-Oriented Database Management System", Computer IEEE, by D. L. Wells, et al,. Oct. 1992.

"Object Identity", by S. N. Khoshafian, et al., Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation, pp. 37-46 (undated).

'The Object-Oriented Database System Manifesto", by M. Atkinson, et al., pp. 40-57 (undated).