JPH02171931A - Transferring of application software and virtual interface system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain the transportability and the consistency of application programs across plural computer environments by including plural independent interface processes executed in the distributed processors of a target computer. CONSTITUTION: A virtual interface system is provided with a preprocessor 32 and a compiler 34 which generates an object code compatible with the operating system of the target computer. The system is provided also with a connecting/editing processor 35 which connects plural object code programs to generate a decomposed core image code EXEC CODE which can be executed by the operating system of the target computer, a blackboard switch logic 36, a division storage area 38, and plural independent processes 40a to 40n executed in the processor of the target computer. Thus, this system realizes the transportability and the consistency of application programs across plural computer environments.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention generally relates to computer systems, and in particular to
The present invention relates to a virtual interface architecture that allows application software compatible with a "source" computer to be migrated to a foreign or "target" computer.

[Background of the invention]

Computer systems with homogeneous hardware can interact and share data across a network. For example, a "local area network" connects two or more computers located in close physical proximity to allow users to access a shared database. Furthermore, it has traditionally been possible to exchange software between machines of the same type. On the other hand, many interactions between disparate machines are still mostly simple transfers of data files or the like.

Software applications written for one type of hardware or for one particular operating environment may, however, be migrated or ``transferred'' to systems with different physical characteristics without having to rewrite the entire system. "It is not possible.

Thus, while much progress has been made in developing techniques for exchanging data between incompatible machines, exchanging software between dissimilar computer systems has not been implemented.

Many solutions have been proposed to eliminate the "compatibility" problems associated with many arrangements of conventional computer systems having disparate types of mutually incompatible hardware and/or software.

One solution uses a single operating system along a continuum of hardware products from microcomputers to mainframes. Although this approach provides a satisfactory solution for individual manufacturer's products, it does not allow software applications to be transferred across environments of incompatible hardware and operating systems. Another solution uses standard industry wide protocols to create a common communication environment across distributed systems. Although some efforts have been made to generate standards for such protocols, this solution involves complex technical problems.

Therefore, there is a need for an interface system that provides portability and consistency of application programs across different computer environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to convert application software normally compatible with a "source" computer into a foreign or "
The goal is to provide an architecture for migration to a target computer.

It is an object of the present invention to create a "virtual" interface architecture that can mask differences in the hardware and software of a foreign machine by isolating the application software from the processing environment. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide portability and consistency of application programs across several different office automation, transaction processing, and non-procedural language based system architectures.

It is a further object of the present invention to enable existing application programs to function as a direct link to the hardware and operating system of a different type of computer system without the use of a transaction processing system.

The purpose of the invention is to use a procedural professional programming language (
For example rcJ, I C0BOL J or r ADA
Functional interconnection or procedural interconnection of programs written in 7'' programming languages and non-procedural programming languages (e.g. rLIsPJ or fl
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for facilitating interconnection with programs embedded in RPROLOG J).

A further object of the present invention is to develop an application program for migrating a microcomputer or minicomputer to a mainframe computer and vice versa. As a by-product, the present invention allows existing mainframe transaction processing system applications to run on microcomputers or Hamonico/PCs without modification or programming changes.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a virtual ink face 7 system that allows existing azolysis to be transferred to new and more advanced hardware environments created in the future.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a virtual infrastructure system for migrating application software to a foreign or "target" computer includes multiple systems running on one or more distributed processors of the data computer. Contains an independent interface process. The system uses one or more processes to perform at least one task required by the application software. The system also transforms the application software's program code into target code compatible with the target computer. According to a preferred embodiment, the program code of the application software identifies function calls therein and converts the function calls in the program code to the target computer's native The preprocessor is provided in the source computer or the hardware computer to generate the target code.

The object code corresponding to the preprocessed program code is then concatenated with the control code of the virtual interface system to produce code that is fully executable by the fourth rating system of the target computer. The system control code includes a plurality of so-called process management interface modules that communicate with the plurality of processes via partitioned storage and a virtual management interface that controls the plurality of process management interface modules.

Each of the virtual management interface and process management interface monologues is translated into target code prior to concatenation with the target code corresponding to the preprocessing program code.

According to one feature of the invention, the virtual interface system further includes blackboard switch logic for creating partitioned storage and coupling the plurality of processes to the process management interface module via the partitioned storage. For all communications to and from each process,
Go through blackboard switch logic to partitioned storage and vice versa.

In runtime mode, the executable code (combined preprocessing program code, virtual 'fl environment interface, and process management interface modules) is executed using the target computer's operating system. This operation allows the process management interface module to control each process through the blackboard switch logic and partitioned storage so that these processes can perform the tasks required by the application software.

According to another feature of the invention, the target computer includes:
It includes a plurality of partitioned storage areas, each generated and controlled by the computer's own blackboard switch logic. Each partitioned storage also contains its own multiple independent processes. In this architecture, twenty processes working with one partitioned storage communicate with processes working with another partitioned storage via blackboard switches.

In addition to routing data and control information between process management interface modules and processes through partitioned storage, each blackboard switch is configured to prevent or control access to one or more storage areas. Contains security and encoding/decoding algorithms.

〔Example〕

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the figures. Figure 1 shows the "source" computer user (10),! 1 is a simplified block diagram of a foreign or "target" computer (12). As used in this explanation, "foreign" means that the application program (14a) written to the source computer is
12) indicates that it cannot be executed. The reason is computers (10).

This is because (12) is incompatible at the hardware and/or software level. For example, the application program (10) on the source computer (10)
4a) Hr CJ “C0BOL j or “λDAJ
It consists of a set of procedural standard programs written in LISP, and a set of knowledge base programs written in LISP j. There is. Alternatively, the source computer (10) is IBM's ClC5
(Customer Information Control System), but the coupon computer (12) is equipped with non-IBM hardware for running an interrogator system or the like. In both of these cases the application program (14a) or the application program (14b) [respectively an incompatible computer (12) or a computer (1
0) cannot be transferred or “migrated”.

Each computer (10)*(12) includes one or more integrated or distributed processors (16a)-(16n) capable of receiving and manipulating data and producing output;
Operating system software (18), which controls the operation of the entire computer system, and memory (18), which stores data and application programs.
(20) and input/output devices (e.g., keyboards, printers, cathode ray tubes, etc.) (22) that allow users to interact with the system, and that provide data access and data storage. a database management system (24) for controlling, a communication system (26) for controlling communications to and from the computer system, for example via a network (29), and a glossary for storing and retrieving data from the glossary. It is equipped with a null system (28). Such elements are of course common in the art. As discussed below, the virtual interface architecture of the present invention allows an application 760 program (14a) (typically compatible with a source computer (10)) to be transferred to a target computer (14a) without modification or programming changes to such programs. 12) and vice versa. "Virtual" as used in this explanation refers to "transparent" things that do not appear to the user to exist, but actually exist and are "virtual". It is the opposite of "transparency" in the sense that it appears to the user that it exists, but it does not.

The objects of the invention are achieved by a novel virtual interface system (30) as shown in the simplified block diagram of FIG. As mentioned above, the virtual interface system (30) allows the applied telogram (14a) to be connected to the processor (16) of the target computer system (12).
), operating system (is), storage device (20), input/output device (22), data access system (24), communication system (26) or journal system (28), regardless of whether it is compatible with The invention thus provides complete independence of the application program from the hardware, operating system, language, database management system and network characteristics of a foreign computer system. The virtual interface system thus provides environment independence for software applications by masking differences in the physical and functional characteristics of source and target computers.

The virtual interface system (3011) has some functional elements, namely the preprocessor (32) and a controller that produces object code that is compatible with (but cannot be executed by) the operating system of the target computer (12) (34). and,
Completely disassembled core image code (EC
Concatenation/editing processor (35) that generates CODg)
, blackboard switch socket (36), partitioned storage area (38), and data computer (12)
and a plurality of independent processes (40a) to (40n) running on one or more processors (16).

Each process (40) comprises an independently schedulable unit of computation that cooperates with one or more other processes to perform one or more "tasks" required by the application program. Each task therefore consists of one or more independent processes.

According to the present invention, the blackboard switch control (36
) is controlled by the operating system (18) of the target computer (12) and has partitioned storage (38).
) In other words, the entire "black board" is generated. As will be described later, the blackboard switch Ronock (36) is a conduit for all communications to and from each process (40a) to (40n). All such communications follow the same path, either through the blackboard switch lock (36) to the partitioned storage area [38) or from the partitioned storage area through the blackboard switch logic.

Routing data and information through blackboard switch logic (36) and partitioned storage (38)
Executable code (EX
Controlled by ECC0DE) output. This executable code *, (al application fcr
gram preprocessed program code and the fbl so-called virtual management interface (VMI) (42);
fcl'e process management ink 7 ace monour (
44a) to (44n). Object code representing the VMI (42) and a plurality of gross management interface modules (44) is generated by a compiler (34).

According to the invention, the process management interface module (44) includes blackboard switch logic (36).
and partitioned storage (38). Each process and executable code can be executed on the target computer (12) but not on the source computer (10). Blackboard Switch Logic (3B)H also includes a secure encryption/decryption routine that prevents or restricts data access or retrieval from the partitioned storage, and a data compression routine that maintains storage available on the blackboard; routines for controlling inter-blackboard communications.

Next, the operation of the virtual interface system (30) shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Virtual interface systems generally allow application programs to be executed regardless of the hardware environment.

This allows the application program and operating system function calls (e.g. ADA, C, ClC5, C
ft written with 0BOLLISP, PROLOG, etc.
) can be done by masking. This masking is performed by the preprocessor (32) and gives both the user/programmer and the hardware what they each want to see, even though they are communicating in two different languages.

Especially application programs (14a) t7)
The source code is applied to the preprocessor (32) of the virtual interface system (30) in step (46).

The preprocessor (32) identifies function calls (i.e. tasks) in the program code and performs step (4)
8) to make these function calls on the target computer [
That is, it is converted into a function call of the original language of the compiler (34). For example, an application program (
If 14a) is a ClC8 application and the target computer is based on the C language, the preprocessor (32) serves to arrange data into the ClC5 function call "f, c word!" call in the source code. The output of the preprocessor (32) is converted into a controller (3).
4) In the U step (50), write the C code to the operating system (1) of the computer (12).
8) into target code that is compatible but cannot be fully executed by this system. Although not shown in detail in FIG. 3, the preprocessor (32) fd also masks hardware operating system function calls to the original application program. Steps (46)-(50) represent a "development" mode of operation and can be performed at any time on either the source or target computer.

In step (51), the preprocessing program code (32
) is connected to the (previously generated) object code of the ■I (42) and the process management interface module (46).

This concatenation is performed by a concatenation/edit processor (35) in a well known and conventional manner. Obtainable CC0D
B Try, virtual management interface (42) to perform the tasks required by the application program.
) (and thus the process management interface module). In step (52), the "execution time" mode of the operation is initialized. In this way, the blank board switch logic (36) with Stella 7' (54) K! II) Creating a partitioned memory (38) in the memory of the target computer (12). The blank board switch logic (36) also initializes the processes (4o) in step (56) and "creates tasks" for these processes in the partitioned storage (38)1. When used in this explanation, the term ``task generation'' for a process refers to the partitioned storage area (38) for each process (40).
) is the allocation of designated individual parts of Communication to and from each such process is therefore performed in step (56) by blank board switch logic (36).
) must be specified for the separate parts of the partitioned storage area (38). In this way, the blank board switch logic (36) is connected to the partitioned storage area (36).
38) uses so-called "reservation spot" communication for data access to and in the future.

In step (58), the target computer (12)
The user calls the socketware application for execution. This application, which is typically incompatible with the target computer (12), is preprocessed, translated, and concatenated with the interface modules to generate executable code, as described above. Step (6
0) with e Ni Black Votos/F Tsuchi Logic (36
) [Assign user to partitioned storage area (38). Next, test I-(61) is executed to determine whether or not use is permitted. This test uses a secret routine in the blank board switch logic (36). Once permission is granted, processing begins. In particular, the executable code (and thus the virtual management interface (42)) is executed in step (62) by the operating system (18) K of the target computer (12) and is configured to run one or more process management interfaces as required by the application software task. Call modules (44a) to (44n). Each process management interface module then communicates with one or more processes (40a)-(40n) to perform tasks via blank board switch logic (36) and blackboard (38).

Therefore, interface (3o)a, multiple machines independent "
It is clear that the "interface" process (40) le uses a "virtual" architecture to perform the program "tasks". Each process (40) interfaces to a plurality of process management interface modules via switchronock-generated partitioned storage. The process management interface module (44) does not perform the tasks itself, but merely acts as an interface to those processes that actually perform the tasks. Process management interface module (4) via blank board switch logic and black board
This separation of process (40) from 4) allows system (30) to achieve the objectives of the present invention by providing portability and consistency of application programs across different computer environments.

Executable He code and interface process (40)
It is only necessary to match the environment 1 of the target computer user (12). Furthermore, the processes themselves are located on one or more distributed processors (16a)-(16n) of the target computer (12) to facilitate the use of parallel processing techniques and fault-tolerant processing.

Another embodiment of the fourth factor Kn virtual interface/taface system is shown. In this example, the target computer (
12) Blank board switch logic (70a) to (70n) K corresponding to iL as described above.
Two or more partitioned storage areas (6
8a) to (68n).

In this architecture each blackboard (68) has its own set of processes (72), (73). The identity of processes within each set differs from one blackboard to the next.

That is, some specific processes are performed at a remote location of the target computer via inter-switch communication via the network (66).

According to another feature of the invention, data and control information is passed between partitioned storage areas via blank board switch logic. Such communications are controlled by blackboard-to-blackboard communication routines within the blankboard switch logic (36) associated with each blackboard. This operation is illustrated in FIG.

In particular, the process (73d) cooperates with the blackboard switch Ronoch (70n) shown in Figure 4, and the database (74)
) shall control data access from For example, if the process (72c) requires data from the database (74), the following steps are performed.

In step (76), the process (72c) forwards the message to the graphic board software logic (70a). The switch (70a) /li then sends this message to the network (66) via its blackboard-to-blackboard communication routine. In step (78), blackboard switch rj knock (70
n) Receive the iru message and send this message to a specific location on the blackboard (68n) that cooperates with the process (73d). Upon receipt of the message, a process (73d) (in this case step fc80) is carried out to retrieve data from the database (74). The required data is then appended to the message in all steps (82) and sent back to the blackboard switch socket (70n) by a process (73d). In step (84), the blackboard switch Ronoc (70n) uses its blackboard communication route-17 to send the message to the blackboard switch a sock (70n) via the network (66).
0a) K forward)) Return.

In the stenoa' (86), the blackboard switch ronock (70a) puts the message into the blackboard (68a) at a location that cooperates with the original process (72c). In step (88) the message is written on the blackboard (
Search from process (72c) K from 68a).

Also, as shown in Figure 2, multiple interface processes (
40) should include at least the following: i.e. one or more database interfaces (
DBI) A data access interface process (DAI) that manages data access to and from the database management system (24) through the database management system (24).
(40a); a converter interface (40b) for storing and examining data from the database management system (24); and input/output devices (40b) for the data base computer system.
22), a display interface process (PI) (40c) that controls the data display; 40(1) and the Task Storage Interface 70 Process (TSI) (tloe) that controls the management and storage of data across tasks.
and a storage interface process (SI) (40) that controls data between each task and data management within the data management.
f) and a task control interface process (TCI) that controls the initiation, delay, pending, or completion of tasks.
That is.

The processes described above are illustrative, but not limiting. Data access interface process (D
The AI) knows the symbolic (i.e. system) location of all data and physically accesses such data using one or more interface processes. Further, with the exception of the storage and task control interface processes, each process (40) cooperates with a corresponding process management interface module (44) in the manner described above. For example, the data access interface process (DAZ
) (40a) is 1, Virtual Management Interface (VMI)
) Data Access Process Management Interface (DAMI) controlled by (42)
4a). Similar display interface 0
Rocess (PI) (40c) is PMI Mosoyur (4
0c), and so on.

The storage interface process (4Of) and the task control ink interface process (40g) and the task control interface process (40g) are controlled by and communicate with the virtual management interface (42) through direct message exchange rather than a blackboard. This configuration allows the virtual information interface (42) to provide direct or "action-centric" control of the SI and TCI processes.

The preferred embodiment uses the following "send" and "receive" message formats to transfer data and/or control information (between each task and between process management interface modules and processes). between each distributed blackboard).

Send (data, length, command, bbid, iid)
Receive (data, length, command, bbidXiid) where data-information length = data length command = desired action or "subclass" bbid =
Blackboard identification iid = process identification or "class" (blackboard address) Although the present invention has been described in detail with respect to its embodiments, it is obvious that the present invention is susceptible to various modifications.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a source computer and a foreign or "database"computer; FIG. 2 is a virtual interface of the present invention that provides portability and consistency of application programs across the source and target computers of FIG. FIG. 3, a block diagram of one embodiment of the system, is a flowchart showing the basic operating steps f of the virtual interface system of FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a virtual interface system according to another embodiment of the present invention in which a target computer is provided with a distributed blackboard architecture with multiple partitioned storage areas, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a virtual interface system in which the virtual interface system of FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating operations for retrieving data from a remote database of a computer. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Source computer, 12... Target computer, 14a, 14b... Application program, 16a-16n... Distributed processor,
18...Operating system, 30...Virtual interface system,...Compiler, 35.
...m collection 1m collection-j' processor, 36...blackboard switch logic, 40a-40n...independent process, 38...partitioned storage area, 40...process, 4
2... Virtual management interface, 44a to 44n...
・Process Management Interface Procedure Amendment (Flag) Patent Office Engineering) Indication of Government Cases Special Revision Application No. 279530 of 1988 Name of Invention Method of Migration of Application Software and Virtual Interface System 3, Amendment to Person Case relationship

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a virtual interface system for migrating application software that is typically compatible with a source computer to a foreign target computer having one or more distributed processors and operating systems, at least A plurality of independent processes, including one or more processes that perform a single task, running on one or more distributed processors of a target computer, and a control that controls these processes through partitioned storage. processing means having means for processing program code of the application software into executable code executable by an operating system of the target computer; and a switch for interfacing the plurality of processes to the control means via a partitioned storage. means for executing the executable code on the target computer to cause the control means to control each of the processes via the switch means and partitioned storage so that the processes require the application software. a virtual interface system comprising an execution means capable of performing tasks; 2. A processing means for processing a program code of application software, a translation means for translating a control means into an objective code, an identification means for identifying a function call in the program code, and a means for translating a function call in the program code into a target computer. a conversion means for converting into function calls in a language specific to the target computer; a translation means for translating function calls in a language specific to the target computer to generate an object code; and a method for connecting the object code and program code of the control means. 2. A virtual interface system for migrating application software according to claim 1, further comprising a linking means for generating executable code. 3. The application software according to claim 1, wherein the executable code control means is constituted by a plurality of process management interface modules that serve as interfaces to processes, and a virtual management interface that controls these process management interface modules. Virtual interface system to be migrated. 4. A virtual interface system for migrating application software according to claim 3, wherein the executable code further includes program code processed by the application software. 5. The switch means includes: generation means for generating a partitioned storage area; allocation means for allocating each process to a unique address in the partitioned storage area; and task generation means for generating tasks for users and tasks in the partitioned storage area. A virtual interface system for migrating application software according to claim 1, comprising: a means for controlling data access and data retrieval from said partitioned storage area. 6. Performing at least one task required by the application software in a virtual interface system that typically migrates application software compatible with a source computer to a foreign target computer having one or more distributed processors and operating systems. a first and a second set of independent processes including one or more processes and executing on one or more distributed processors of the target computer; and a plurality of process management interface modules in communication with the plurality of processes. processing means for processing the program code of the application software into code executable by an operating system of the target computer; The first interface to the management interface module.
and a second blackboard switch means; executing the executable code on the target computer to cause the process management interface module to cause each of the processes to be connected to the first and second blackboard switch means and the first and second blackboard switch means. execution means for enabling each of said processes to perform tasks necessary for said application software by controlling said processes through a partitioned storage area of said application software. 7. A virtual interface system for migrating application software according to claim 6, wherein the executable code is also provided with a virtual management interface for controlling a process management interface module. 8. A processing means for processing a program code of application software, a translation means for translating a virtual management interface and a process management interface module into a target code, an identification means for identifying a function call in the program code, and a function call in the program code. a translation means for translating the calls into function calls in a language specific to the target computer; a translation means for translating the function calls in the language specific to the target computer to generate object code corresponding to the program code; and a purpose of the virtual management interface. 8. A virtual interface system for migrating application software according to claim 7, comprising a linking means for linking the code, the process management interface module, and the program code to generate an executable code. 9. Assignment means for assigning each blackboard switch means to a unique address of the cooperating partitioned storage area for each process of the set; and task generation means for generating a user and a task for the partitioned storage area; 7. A virtual interface system for migrating application software as claimed in claim 6, further comprising control means for controlling data access and data retrieval from a partitioned storage area. 10. The application according to claim 9, wherein each blackboard switch means further comprises means for controlling message exchange between the first and second blackboard switch means. A virtual interface system for migrating software. 11. In a method of migrating application software that is typically compatible with a source computer to a foreign target computer having one or more distributed processors and operating systems, one or more computers that perform at least one task required of the application software. an operating system of the target computer, including a plurality of processes, generating a plurality of independent processes executing on one or more distributed processors of the target computer, and having a plurality of process management interface modules communicating with the plurality of processes; processing said application software program code into executable code executable by a system; and providing partitioned storage within said target computer to interface said plurality of processes to said plurality of process management interface modules. generating and executing executable code on the target computer and controlling each of the processes with the process management interface module so that these processes can perform tasks required by the application software. A method for migrating application software, consisting of: 12. In processing the program code of the application software, the process management interface module is translated into the target code, the function calls in the program code are converted into function calls in the language specific to the target computer, and the function calls in the language specific to the target computer are translated. 12. Translating the function calls in a language to generate object code corresponding to the program code, and concatenating the object code and program code of the process management interface module to generate executable code. How to migrate application software as described.