US 6,151,638 AGranted

System and method for performing external procedure calls from a client program to a server program to a server program and back to the client program while both are running in a heterogenous computer

AssigneeUnisys Corporation

InventorsJ. Calvin Hale, Mark Joseph Rentmeesters, Norman Roy Smith

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Abstract

There is provided a method in a heterogeneous computer system having at least two CPU's accessing a common memory, which memory has stored therein at least two distinct operating systems. Client and Server Programs are also stored in the common memory. The Client Program is adapted for making function calls to the Server Program and the Server Program is adapted for returning results of the called function to the Client Program. Moreover, the Server Program is adapted for making function calls back to the Client Program and for receiving results therefrom. The Client Program includes procedures for invoking a Server Program function, for converting parameters and result data from a format compatible with the first operating system to one compatible with the second operating system and for passing data between the Client CPU and the Server CPU. The Server Program includes Procedures for invoking a Client Program function and for converting parameters and result data from a format compatible with the second operating system to one compatible with the first operating system.

Claims22

Dependent claims

In a heterogeneous computer system having at least two CPUs and a common memory completely accessible by at least one of said CPUs and being disposed for storing at least two operating systems that actively run simultaneously and concurrently control resources of said heterogeneous computer system, a method for performing function calls from a Client Program operating under control of a first of said operating systems to a Server Program operating under control of a second of said operating systems and back again to said Client Program, said method comprising the steps of:

a. said Client Program calling a first procedure for initializing said Server Program via a CPU-to-CPU signal bus between said at least two CPUs;
b. said Client Program calling via said CPU-to-CPU signal bus a second procedure representing a desired first external function to be executed by said Server Program;
c. said Client Program storing parameters in a Client program stack stored within a portion of said common memory;
d. said second procedure fetching said parameters directly from said Client program stack and causing said desired first external function to be executed by said Server Program;
e. said desired first external function then calling a third procedure representing a second desired external function to be executed by said Client Program;
f. said first desired external function storing any necessary parameters in a Server program stack within a portion of said common memory;
g. said third procedure fetching said parameters from said Server program stack;
h. said third procedure causing said desired second external function to be executed by said Client Program;
i. said second external function storing in said Server program stack any results via said third procedure;
j. said Server Program continuing to execute said first external function to completion and storing in said Client program stack any results, via said second procedure;
k. said Client program fetching said results.sub.-- from said Client program stack;
and,
l. said Client and Server Programs repeating steps b through k for each function called by said Client Program.

10 more elements

a. said Client Program calling via a CPU-to-CPU signal bus between said at least two CPUs a first protocol procedure for initializing said Server Program;
b. said Client Program calling a proxy procedure representing a first external function in said Server Program;
c. said Client Program storing parameters in a Client program stack stored within a portion of said common memory;
d. said proxy procedure fetching said parameters from said Client program stack and causing said desired first external function to be executed by said Server Program;
e. said desired first external function then calling a call-back proxy procedure representing a second desired external function to be executed by said Client Program;
f. said first desired external function storing any necessary parameters in a Server program stack within a portion of said common memory;
g. said call-back proxy procedure fetching said parameters from said Server program stack and causing said desired second external function to be executed by said Client Program;
h. said second external function storing any results in said Server program stack, via said call-back proxy procedure;
i. said Server Program continuing to execute said first external function to completion and storing any results in said Client program stack;
j. said Client and Server Programs repeating steps b through i for each function called by said Client Program;
and,
k. said Client Program calling via said CPU-to-CPU signal bus a second protocol procedure for terminating use of said Server Program.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.