Object oriented message passing system and method

Abstract

An object oriented message passing system for transferring messages between a client task and a server task comprises an object database, an object management unit, a message transaction unit, and a locking unit. The object management unit creates a port object and one or more associated message objects. The message transaction unit matches a send message request issued by a client task with an acceptance function or with a receive message request issued by a server task. In response to a send message request, the message transaction unit creates a send message control block. In response to a receive message request, the message transaction unit creates a delivery message control block if the receive message request matches the send message control block, or creates a receive message control block if the receive message request does not match the send message control block. The locking unit locks a message object such that send message requests directed to the message object are not eligible to be matched to receive message requests until the message object is unlocked. An object oriented message passing method comprises the steps of: creating a port object; creating a message object associated with the port object; generating a unique message ID in response to a message transaction initiated by a send message request; creating a send message control block; and matching the send message control block to a corresponding receive message request.