Patent ID: 7503052

Claim:
A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for providing an asynchronous database Application Programming Interface (“API”) that allows a client application to open a database connection asynchronously, said API comprising: instructions for an initialization method that is configured to be invoked by a client thread to request a database operation, wherein upon invocation of said initialization method, said initialization method: initiates a return communication with said client thread without waiting for any external event, said return communication allowing said client thread to continue executing without waiting for a response from a database server associated with said database operation; validates input parameters for said database operation; sets up said database operation by generating database instructions based on data passed to said initialization method; and sends a request for said database operation to said database server; instructions for signaling said client thread when said database operation is complete; and instructions for a finalization method that is configured to be invoked by said client thread, in response to said signaling, to obtain any results of said database operation, wherein upon invocation of said finalization method, said finalization method: prepares database results for said client thread; and returns said database results to said client thread.