Patent ID: 6571297
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A programming tool for a distributed processing system, allowing a client-based system to specify service interfaces to be utilized in the development and execution of software applications, comprising:a service interface definition database, including for a particular service a plurality of service interface definitions, each of said plurality of service interface definitions defining an input and output data format for said particular service; an access server, executed by a first computer, for storing and retrieving service interface definitions in said service interface definition database; a client process, executed by a second computer, for specifying a set of input and output data format requirements, and for sending a service interface request to said access server to retrieve a set of said service interface definitions for said particular service, for use in developing or executing a software application; a data access library, executed by a third computer, for mapping said service interface requests between said client process and said access server; and, an application programming model for identifying, within said plurality of service interface definitions, a particular service interface definition matching said input and output data format requirements, to be returned to said client process in response to said service interface request, wherein said input and output data formats are specified at the buffer level.