Apparatus and method for message queuing in a database system

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to said processor;
• the memory having stored a queue using a table of a database system;
• and
• sequences of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to
• receive, queue and execute a message in the database system by causing the processor to perform the steps of:
• (a.) receiving to the queue at least one message comprising message meta-data and message user data, said message meta-data including a condition for executing said message;
• (b.) waiting until said condition is satisfied;
• (c.) executing said message by an application program;
• and
• (d.) retaining said message in said queue.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, said plurality of sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to perform the steps of:

• establishing a queue in a memory coupled to a processor using a table of a database system in said memory and executed by said processor;
• receiving to the queue at least one message comprising message meta-data and message user data, said message meta-data including a condition for executing said message;
• waiting until said condition is satisfied;
• executing said message by an application program in said memory and executed by said processor;
• and
• retaining said message in said queue.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to queue messages in a database system by performing the steps of:

• establishing a queue in a memory coupled to a processor using a table of said database system in said memory and executed by said processor;
• receiving to the queue at least one message comprising message meta-data and message user data, said message meta-data including a condition for executing said message;
• waiting until said condition is satisfied;
• executing said message by an application program in said memory and executed by said processor;
• and
• retaining said message in said queue.

A method for receiving, queuing and executing messages in a database system in a computer system including a memory, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a queue in the memory using a table of the database system;
• receiving to the queue at least one message comprising message meta-data and message user data, said message meta-data including a condition for executing said message;
• executing said message by an application program only when said condition is satisfied;
• and
• retaining said message in said queue.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of sequences of instructions, said plurality of sequences of instructions including sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause said processor to perform the steps of:

• establishing a queue in a memory coupled to a processor using a table of a database system in said memory and executed by said processor;
• receiving to the queue at least one message comprising message meta-data and message user data, said message meta-data including a condition for executing said message;
• executing said message by an application program in said memory and executed by said processor only when said condition is satisfied;
• and
• retaining said message in said queue.