Back to results
US 6,473,893 B1Granted
Information objects system, method, and computer program organization
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJeffrey Kay, David Rusnak, Mary Kao, Jeffrey Crigler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An information object allows arbitrary structured or unstructured information to be bundled with instructions for processing. The object is packed into a container with a well defined structure that is processed on a client computer system. The client computer system possesses a runtime environment that processes the information object and allows it to communicate with other applications. The information object is fundamentally different from a file system or other types of container systems in its assignment of context to entries. By applying a context identifier, the runtime system which processes the information object, retrieves selected entries for selected tasks.
Claims21
A system for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising:
- a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program and an external interface program;
- an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said at least one folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- said script interpreter program executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion in response to said second context identifier to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program though said external interface program.
A method for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising the steps of:
- storing a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program and an external interface program;
- inputting an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program.
An article of manufacture for use in a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising:
- a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for providing a method for delivering computer programs to the computer, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program and an external interface program;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- and
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to execute said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program though said external interface program.
2 more elements
A computer program product in a computer readable medium for delivering computer programs to the computer comprising:
- means for storing a runtime system in a memory, including a script interpreter program and an external interface program;
- means for inputting an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- and
- means for executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program.
1 more element
A system for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising:
- a runtime system stored in said memory, including a loader program, a script interpreter program, and an external interface program;
- an information object buffer in said runtime system, including a manifest buffer, and at least one folder buffer including an information entry buffer and a scripts buffer;
- an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- said loader program loading said manifest portion in said manifest buffer and using said description to identify said one folder portion;
- said loader program loading said information entry portion in said information entry buffer and said scripts portion in said scripts buffer and transferring control to said script interpreter program;
- said script interpreter program executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion in response to said second context identifier to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program.
3 more elements
A method for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising the steps of:
- storing a runtime system stored in said memory, including a loader program, a script interpreter program, and an external program;
- forming an information object buffer in said runtime system, including a manifest buffer, and at least one folder buffer including an information entry buffer and scripts buffer;
- inputting an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- loading said manifest portion with said loader program, in said manifest buffer and using said description to identify said at least one folder portion;
- loading said information entry portion with said loader program, in said information entry buffer and said scripts portion in said scripts buffer and transferring control to said script interpreter program;
- executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program.
3 more elements
An article of manufacture for use in a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising:
- a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for providing a method for delivering computer programs to the computer, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store a runtime system stored in said memory, including a loader program, a script interpreter program, and an external interface program;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to form an information object buffer in said runtime system, including a manifest buffer, and at least one folder buffer including an information entry buffer and a scripts buffer;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including a information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to load said manifest portions with said loader program, in said manifest buffer and use said description to identify said at least one folder portion;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to load said information entry portion with said loader program, in said information entry buffer and said scripts portion in said scripts buffer and transfer control to said script interpreter program;
- and
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to execute said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program.
5 more elements
A computer program product in a computer readable medium for delivering computer programs to the computer, comprising:
- means for storing a runtime system in a memory, including a loader program, a script interpreter program, and an external interface program;
- means for forming an information object buffer including an information entry buffer and a scripts buffer;
- means for inputting an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- means for loading said manifest portion with said loader program, in said manifest buffer and use said description to identify said one folder portion;
- means for loading said information entry portion with said loader program, in said information entry buffer and said scripts portion in said scripts buffer and transfer control to said script interpreter program;
- means for executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program.
3 more elements
A method for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, said memory including an application program stored therein, comprising the steps of:
- storing a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program and an external interface program;
- inputting an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said at least one folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program;
- and
- executing instruction code in said application program to operate on said data in said information entry portion of said information object.
2 more elements
A computer program product in a computer readable medium for delivering computer programs to the computer, comprising:
- means for storing a runtime system in a memory, including a script interpreter program and an external interface program;
- means for inputting an information object stored in said memory, including a manifest portion, and at least one folder portion including an information entry portion containing data to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said manifest portion having a description of said at least one folder portion, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- means for executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said data in said information entry portion in response to said first context identifier to interact with said application program through said external interface program, and
- means for executing instruction code in said application program to operate on said data in said information entry portion of said information object.
1 more element
A system for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, comprising:
- a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program;
- an information object stored in said memory, including an information entry portion containing content to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- said script interpreter program executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion in response to said second context identifier to identify and load entry points, attributes, extensions, and other scripts associated with the content in response to said first context identifier.
A method for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, comprising the steps of:
- storing a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program;
- inputting an information object stored in said memory, including an information entry portion containing content to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- executing said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to identify and load entry points, attributes, extensions, and other scripts associated with the content in response to said first context identifier.
An article of manufacture for use in a computer having a memory and a processor, comprising:
- a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for providing a method for delivering computer programs to the computer, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store a runtime system stored in said memory, including a script interpreter program;
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to input an information object stored in said memory, including an information entry portion containing content to be operated on and a scripts portion containing executable instruction code, said information entry portion having a context identifier and said scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- and
- computer readable program code means for causing a computer to execute said executable instruction code in said scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to identify and load entry points, attributes, extensions, and other scripts associated with the content in response to said first context identifier.
2 more elements
A method for providing computer programs to a computer having a memory and a processor, comprising:
- storing a runtime system in said memory, including a script interpreter program;
- storing an information object in said memory, including a first folder containing a first information entry portion including first content to be operated on and containing a first scripts portion including first executable instruction code, said first information entry portion having a first context identifier and said first scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- said information object further including a second folder containing a second information entry portion including second content to be operated on and containing a second scripts portion including second executable instruction code, said second information entry portion having said first context identifier and said second scripts portion having said second context identifier;
- executing said first executable instruction code in said first scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said first content in response to said first context identifier and to identify and load entry points for said second executable instruction code in said second scripts portion;
- and
- executing said second executable instruction code in said second scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said second content in response to said first context identifier.
3 more elements
A system for providing computer programs to a computer, comprising:
- a memory for storing a runtime system in said memory, including a script interpreter program;
- an information object stored in said memory, including a first folder containing a first information entry portion including first content to be operated on and containing a first scripts portion including first executable instruction code, said first information entry portion having a first context identifier and said first scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- said information object further including a second folder containing a second information entry portion including second content to be operated on and containing a second scripts portion including second executable instruction code, said second information entry portion having said first context identifier and said second scripts portion having said second context identifier;
- a processor coupled to said memory, for executing said first executable instruction code in said first scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said first content in response to said first context identifier and to identify and load entry points for said second executable instruction code in said second scripts portion;
- and
- said processor executing said second executable instruction code in said second scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said second content in response to said first context identifier.
3 more elements
An article of manufacture for use in a computer having a memory and a processor, comprising:
- a computer useable medium having computer readable program code therein for delivering computer programs to the computer, the computer readable program code comprising:
- computer readable program code for storing a runtime system in said memory, including a script interpreter program;
- computer readable program code for storing an information object in said memory, including a first folder containing a first information entry portion including first content to be operated on and containing a first scripts portion including first executable instruction code, said first information entry portion having a first context identifier and said first scripts portion having a second context identifier;
- said information object further including a second folder containing a second information entry portion including second content to be operated on and containing a second scripts portion including second executable instruction code, said second information entry portion having said first context identifier and said second scripts portion having said second context identifier;
- computer readable program code for executing said first executable instruction code in said first scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said first content in response to said first context identifier and to identify and load entry points for said second executable instruction code in said second scripts portion;
- and
- computer readable program code for executing said second executable instruction code in said second scripts portion with said script interpreter program in response to said second context identifier, to operate on said second content in response to said first context identifier.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.