AN ECA OBJECT SERVICE TO SUPPORT ACTIVE DISTRIBUTED OBJECTS

Existing Object Management Group (OMG) standards (such as the Common O bject Request Broker Architecture specification) provide specific deta ils on how to model distributed objects through the use of an object r equest broker. However, the specification provided by OMG is not suffi cient. For example, it does not specify how active, distributed object s can perform certain functions in response to certain events. It also does not provide any details on how to implement an object service to support active, distributed objects. Such an object service can provi de facilities for applications to define events and rules. In view of this, this paper identifies, explores, and provides an approach to mod el applications as active, distributed objects. The research specifica lly involves the design, development, and experimental demonstration o f an object service based on an active, distributed object model. This object service allows applications to define events and rules. When a n event occurs, the object service locates the rule objects and trigge rs them. It also provides transparency for the objects which generate events. To provide a specific context for the approach, an object serv ice using the specifications provided by the OMG is designed and imple mented. The class of application environments for which this approach is suitable and useful includes time-dependent applications and system s that require some form of action such as medical and geographic info rmation systems, distributed work-flow management, distributed expert systems, and computer-integrated manufacturing. (C) Elsevier Science I nc. 1997.