System and apparatus for dynamically upgrading concentrated executable computer software code

A method of dynamically updating concentrated executable computer code with upgrade code in a computer system, the method comprising:

• creating indexed lists for the concentrated code and for the upgrade code, the indexed lists comprising a first indexed list for the concentrated code having a plurality of index references for code identifiers of first type code structures in the concentrated code, and a first indexed upgrade list for the upgrade code having a plurality of index references for identifiers of the first type code structures in the upgrade code, wherein each of the first indexed list and the first indexed upgrade list further has offset fields indicating offsets of corresponding first type code structures;
• setting an offset field of a particular first type code structure in the first indexed list to a value of an offset field of a corresponding first type code structure in the first indexed upgrade list in response to determining that the particular first type code structure in the first indexed list has been upgraded;
• integrating the concentrated code with the upgrade code to form an integrated code;
• and
• storing the indexed lists in a virtual table;
• wherein the virtual table contains an operable part referable by the integrated code such that when a code structure being executed originates from the concentrated code the indexed list for the concentrated code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table, and when a code structure being executed originates from the upgrade code the indexed list for the upgrade code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table.

A data storage medium including machine readable code for upgrading concentrated code with upgraded code, the machine readable code when executed causing a computer system to:

• create indexed lists for the concentrated code and for the upgrade code, the indexed list for the concentrated code having a plurality of index references for code identifiers of code structures in the concentrated code, and the indexed list for the upgrade code having a plurality of index references for identifiers of the code structures in the upgrade code;
• store the indexed lists in a virtual table;
• integrate the concentrated code with the upgrade code to form an integrated code;
• and
• execute the integrated code, wherein the virtual table contains an operable part referable by the integrated code such that when a code structure being executed originates from the concentrated code the indexed list for the concentrated code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table, and when a code structure being executed originates from the upgrade code the indexed list for the upgrade code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table.

A data processing system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• software executable on the at least one processor to upgrade concentrated code with upgrade code by:
• creating indexed lists for the concentrated code and for the upgrade code, the indexed lists comprising a first indexed list for the concentrated code having a plurality of index references for code identifiers of first type code structures in the concentrated code, and a first indexed upgrade list for the upgrade code having a plurality of index references for identifiers of the first type code structures in the upgrade code, wherein each of the first indexed list and the first indexed upgrade list further has offset fields indicating offsets of corresponding first type code structures;
• setting an offset field of a particular first type code structure in the first indexed list to a value of an offset field of a corresponding first type code structure in the first indexed upgrade list in response to determining that the particular first type code structure in the first indexed list has been upgraded;
• integrating the concentrated code with the upgrade code to form an integrated code;
• and
• storing the indexed lists in a virtual table;
• wherein the virtual table contains an operable part referable by the integrated code such that when a code structure being executed originates from the concentrated code the indexed list for the concentrated code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table, and when a code structure being executed originates from the upgrade code the indexed list for the upgrade code is stored in the operable part of the virtual table.