Digital Equipment Corporation

William R Laurune

Robert L Travis

Martin L Jack

Nigel Norris

Michael B Haynie

An information object transport system for enabling nodes to transmit objects a digital data processing system. Each node includes an object store for storing a plurality of objects, at least one of the objects including at least one external reference identifying another object. An information object transport arrangement responsive to receipt of a command identifying an object in the object store performs a packing operation to generate a message comprising the identified object and other objects identified by an external reference of the identified object. After generating a message, the node transmits it to another node in the digital data processing system. Upon receiving a message, an external references resolution portion selects an object in a message and iteratively processes external references in the selected object to identify other objects in the message. The external reference resolution portion enables the object storing portion to store objects identified thereby.

Information object transport system

A data structure comprising a header portion and a content portion. The header portion includes an external references vector including at least one external reference item that identifies an external structure. The content portion includes data, and includes a pointer that identifies an external reference item in the external references vector, thereby referencing the inclusion of the external structure in the location of the pointer in the content portion. As a further refinement, the content portion further comprises a function pointer identifying a function external to the data structure, thereby referencing inclusion of the results of processing by the external function in the data structure at the location of the function pointer.

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Maple Valley, WA, United States of America

William R Laurune