Processing by use of synchronized tuple spaces and assertions

Abstract

A system for controlling and coordinating activities among entities in an information and process environment comprising a communications pathway for transmitting and receiving communications of the entities, and a shared memory connected to the communications pathway for maintaining a tuple space on which the entities post and receive messages synchronized to discrete time intervals.

1 . A system for controlling and coordinating activities among entities in an information and process environment comprising: 
 a) a communications pathway for transmitting and receiving communications of said entities; and    b) a shared memory connected to said communications pathway for maintaining a tuple space on which said entities post and receive messages, wherein said messages are in the form of tuples and anti-tuples, and wherein said entities include at least one entity that asserts a tuple on said tuple space signaling its intention to perform an action and asserts an anti-tuple on said tuple space for evaluating outcomes of said intention; and at least one further entity which asserts an anti-tuple for detecting said intentions.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said tuples include a duration parameter for limiting the duration thereof in said tuple space.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said duration parameter is a multiple of discrete time intervals.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said tuples are removed from said tuple space after said duration has elapsed.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said entities are hardware devices.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said communication pathway is a network or bus.  
     
     
         7 . A method for controlling and coordinating activities among entities in an information and process environment comprising the steps of 
 a) providing a communications pathway for transmitting and receiving communications of said entities;    b) providing a tuple space in a shared memory and connected to said communications pathway;    c) posting and receiving messages of said entities to and from said tuple space synchronized to discrete time intervals, wherein said messages are in the form of tuples and anti-tuples, and wherein said entities include at least one entity that asserts a tuple on said tuple space signaling its intention to perform an action and asserts an anti-tuple on said tuple space for evaluating outcomes of said intention; and at least at one further entity which asserts an anti-tuple for detecting said intentions.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said tuples include a duration parameter for limiting the duration thereof in said tuple space.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said duration parameter is a multiple of said discrete time intervals.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said tuples are removed from said tuple space after said duration has elapsed.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said entities are hardware devices.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said communication pathway is a network or bus.  
     
     
         13 . A method of call processing comprising the steps of 
 a) providing entities representative of call processing features;    b) providing a communications pathway for transmitting and receiving communications of said entities;    c) providing a tuple space in a shared memory connected to said communications pathway;    d) requesting advice by a first of said entities desirous of taking action in connection with a call processing feature, of other said entities before taking said action by posting messages communicated on said tuple space to said other entities through said pathway;    e) providing advice as desired by said other entities responsive to said messages by posting responding messages communicated on said tuple space to said first of said entities;    f) evaluating said responding messages, if any, by said first of said entities; and    g) taking advised action in connection with said call processing feature by said first of said entities after said evaluating said responding message.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said advised action ignores or overrides said responding messages.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said messages and said responding messages are in the form of tuples and anti-tuples.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said tuples include a duration parameter for limiting the duration thereof in said tuple space.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said tuple space is adapted for operation in discrete time intervals and said posting messages and posting responding messages are synchronized to said discrete time intervals.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said duration parameter is a multiple of said discrete time intervals.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said tuples are removed from said tuple space after said duration has elapsed.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said entities are software processes operating in memory under control of a processor.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said entities are represented by agents.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said communication pathway is a network or bus.  
     
     
         23 . A method for controlling and coordinating activities among entities in an information and process environment comprising: 
 a) providing a communications pathway for transmitting and receiving communications of said entities;    b) requesting advice by a first of said entities desirous of taking action of other said entities before taking said action by exchanging messages through said pathway;    c) providing advice as desired by said other entities responsive to said messages by exchanging responding messages through said pathway;    d) evaluating each said responding message; and    e) taking advised action by said first of said entities after said evaluating said responding message.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said messages are exchanged over a tuple space in shared memory.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said entities represent call processing features in a communication system.