Patent ID: 6094656
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: G06K,G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
Data exchange system comprising multiple data processing units (4, 5) comprising multiple portable data processing units and multiple non-mobile data processing units, said portable data processing units being arranged to establish a temporary communication link (6) with at least one other data processing unit and said non-mobile are arranged to establish a permanent communication link (6), communications along said communication links being synchronous, each of said data processing units (4, 5) comprising data communication means (7, 14), processing means (8, 15) and memory means (9, 16), the latter comprising an executive program (12, 17), wherein the memory means (9, 16) of the totality of the processing units further comprises descriptions of the possible modes of communication between the data processing units as interaction contexts (11(1) . . . 11(m), 19(1) . . . 19(m)) in accordance with the following data structure:a. a set of basic distinct communication primitives (A(1) . . . ) which are distinct values and are accepted as commands upon receipt thereof by any of said data processing units (4, 5) during communications with at least one other of said data processing units (5, 4);b. a set of procedural descriptions (C(1) . . . ) defining procedures to be performed by any of said data processing units (4, 5) in response to accepted communication primitives (A(1) . . . );c. a set of data elements (H(1) . . . ) distributed over said multiple processing units (4, 5), which are either permanently stored or computed and which are available for use when the procedures as defined in the procedural descriptions (C(1) . . . ) are performed, the use of and the access to said data elements being controlled;d. a first set of references (r(1), r(2), r(3)) to said data elements (H(1) . . . ), said references of said first set (r(1), r(2), r(3)) being associated to the procedural descriptions (C(1) . . . ) such that said data elements are available for use when procedures as defined in the procedural descriptions (C(1) . . . ) are performed;e. a possible second set of references (r(4), r(5), r(6)) to said data elements (H(1) . . . ), said references of said second set (r(4), r(5), r(6)) being associated to procedural descriptions (C(4) . . . ) of possibly further interaction contexts, such that said data elements are available for use when procedures as defined in procedural descriptions (C(1) . . . ) of said possibly further interaction contexts are performed;f. a, possibly empty, first data list (B(1) . . . ) comprising a possibly ordered third set of references (u(1) . . . ) to said data elements (H(1) . . . ), said third set of references (u(1) . . . ) being available as targets for references of a fourth set of references (w(1) . . . ), said references of said fourth set (w(1) . . . ) being part of said communication primitives (A(1) . . . ), which data elements are to be used by the procedural descriptions (C(1) . . . ) associated with said communication primitives (A(1) . . . );g. a first set of access conditions associated to said data elements (H(1) . . . ), which conditions are consulted in association to said first set (r(1), r(2), r(3)) and second set (r(4), r(5), r(6)) of references to said data elements;h. a second set of access conditions associated to the third set of references (u(1) . . . ) in the first data list (B(1) . . . ).