System and method for efficiently exchanging data among processes

摘要

Disclosed are data communication techniques which facilitate data communication between multiple processes operable within a computing environment or environments and which may be implemented upon any of a plurality of operating systems without substantial modification or adaptation. The data communication techniques preferably provide communication between and among three or more processes simultaneously and processes may join and leave data communication conversations dynamically. A shared memory area is preferably defined into which data communicated between various processes is copied, thereby allowing a short pipe message to be communicated between processes while facilitating the transfer of large amounts of data without suspending operation of a transmitting and receiving processes for relatively long periods of time. Data communication is preferably arbitrated by an external arbitrator which may provide additional functionality such as process management such that when a process is unexpectedly terminated the process is automatically re-invoked and the communication channels re-established.