Methods and apparatus for a timer event service infrastructure
US7552446B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 31, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 23, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 18, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2209/543
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Complex software systems often require time-based processing, such as delayed or periodic timer event handling. A timer service provides an Application Programming Interface (API) for managing timers, and therefore provides a developer abstraction for representing time-based processing. In operation, the timer service infrastructure employs a plurality of timer events, each having a corresponding timer handler, in which each of the timer events is associated with a generic timer reference, employed by a timer interface. The generic reference, therefore, may refer to any of the plurality of timers. The timer service may disable, or passivate modules including subscribers having timer handlers without disrupting timer continuity and invocation. Upon timer expiration, the timer service enables modules having subscribers to the timer. The timer service therefore seamlessly enables inactive modules upon timer expiration. Further, the common generic timer reference avoids timer event specific stubs and references related to specific classes, which tend to complicate deployment.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.