System for changing software during computer operation

A computing system for dynamically binding a first software unit with a second software unit, said system comprising:

• means for creating a trader portion in said computing system;
• means for loading said first software unit into said computing system, said first software unit having a client interface;
• means for loading said second software unit into said computing system, said second software unit having a server interface compatible with said client interface;
• means for executing a linked procedure call in said first software unit, said linked procedure call specifying said client interface;
• means for accessing said trader portion with said specified client interface to identify said server interface;
• and
• means for substituting said identified server interface in place of said client interface, during execution of said first software unit, thereby dynamically binding said first and second software units.

A method of dynamically binding original and replacement software modules, wherein said original and replacement software modules are identified by the same function name and include a plurality of processes for operation of a real time computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

• creating a table containing said function name for said original and replacement software modules within said computer system;
• receiving a chain of events within said computer system, wherein each event includes a destination function name and an event direction parameter;
• filtering each event in said chain of events by its destination function name to send said event to said table if the destination function name for the event is the same as said table function name;
• and
• directing said filtered event using its event direction parameter to either said original software module or said replacement software module to effectuate dynamic runtime binding of the original and replacement software modules within said real time computer system.

A system for dynamically binding original and replacement software modules, wherein said original and replacement software modules are identified by the same function name and include a plurality of processes for operation of a real time computer system, said system comprising:

• means for creating a table containing said function name for said original and replacement software modules within said computer system;
• means for receiving a chain of events within said computer system, wherein each event includes a destination function name and an event direction parameter;
• means for filtering each event in said chain of events by its destination function name to send said event to said table if the destination function name for the event is the same as said table function name;
• and
• means for directing said filtered event using its event direction parameter to either said original software module or said replacement software module to effectuate dynamic runtime binding of the original and replacement software modules within said real time computer system.