Method of and system for designing an N-tier software architecture for use in generating software components
First Claim
1. A method for designing a software architecture for utilizing software components in building N-tier software applications, the method comprising:
- a. specifying a set of software component rules for creating software components;
b. specifying a set of tier rules for creating an extensible set of tiers, the tier rules further comprising;
i. a set of association rules by which at least one software component created using the software component rules may be associated with or disassociated from at least one tier created with the set of tier rules;
ii. a set of tier framework rules to provide an architected context for software components associated with a tier; and
iii. a set of package rules to provide for logical grouping of interfaces within a framework defined by the tier framework rules to provide a set of specific behaviors for the tier; and
c. specifying a set of assembly rules, the assembly rules comprising association rules by which each tier may be associated with at least one other tier and linkage rules by which each tier may be linked to at least one other tier.
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Abstract
A system and method for designing a software architecture for utilizing software components in building extensible N-tier software applications is described, the method comprising specifying a set of software component rules for creating software components; specifying a set of tier rules for creating tiers; and specifying a set of assembly rules further comprising association rules by which each tier may be associated with at least one software component and linkage rules by which each tier may be linked to at least one other tier. The tier rules may further comprise a set of association rules by which each tier created with the set of tier rules may be associated with at least one software component created using the software component rules; a set of tier framework rules to provide an architected context for software components within a tier; and a set of package rules to provide for logical grouping of interfaces within a framework defined by the tier framework rules to provide a set of specific behaviors for the tier.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for designing a software architecture for utilizing software components in building N-tier software applications, the method comprising:
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a. specifying a set of software component rules for creating software components;
b. specifying a set of tier rules for creating an extensible set of tiers, the tier rules further comprising;
i. a set of association rules by which at least one software component created using the software component rules may be associated with or disassociated from at least one tier created with the set of tier rules;
ii. a set of tier framework rules to provide an architected context for software components associated with a tier; and
iii. a set of package rules to provide for logical grouping of interfaces within a framework defined by the tier framework rules to provide a set of specific behaviors for the tier; and
c. specifying a set of assembly rules, the assembly rules comprising association rules by which each tier may be associated with at least one other tier and linkage rules by which each tier may be linked to at least one other tier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31)
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18. A method for generating software components for use in an N-tier software application, the software components having a predetermined structure, the method comprising:
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a. providing a software component architecture comprising a plurality of tiers, wherein each tier may be associated with at least one of the software components, each tier further comprising a predetermined set of interfaces for that tier, the interfaces defining a set of functionality capable within that tier; and
b. for a selected one of the plurality of tiers, providing at least one of the software components to satisfy the functionality of the tier wherein the at least one of the software components provides a predetermined set of interfaces specified for the selected one of the plurality of tiers.
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23. A method of system design for an N-tier architecture, the architecture comprising software components and tiers, the method comprising:
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a. determining a set of application requirements;
b. determining a list of required models and software components to satisfy the application requirements;
c. logically grouping the software components into extensible tiers;
d. determining if each software component in each tier is available in an inventory of components;
e. using each software component found in the inventory if that software component is a required software component;
f. restructuring software components in the inventory to ensure conformance while retaining the original intent of the requirement, if possible;
g. adding additional software components if no existing software component in the inventory satisfies or can be restructured to satisfy a requirement;
h. associating at least one software component with each required tier; and
i. creating an application by defining and implementing linkages between the required tiers.
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29. A system for designing a software architecture for use in generating software components for building software applications, the system comprising:
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a. at least one processing unit;
b. at least one memory store operatively connected to the processing unit;
c. N-tier design software executable within the at least one processing unit;
d. software architecture specifications resident in the memory store for use by the N-tier design software, the software architecture specifications comprising specifications for a set of software component rules for creating software components, specifications of a set of tier rules for creating tiers, and specifications of a set of assembly rules;
e. an input device, operatively in communication with the processing unit, for permitting input of the software architecture specifications;
f. an output device, operatively in communication with the processing unit; and
g. a communications pathway operatively connected to the processing unit.
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32. A system for designing a software architecture for use in generating software components for building software applications, the system comprising:
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a. means for specifying a set of software component rules for creating software components;
b. means for specifying a set of tier rules for creating tiers, the tier rules further comprising;
i. a set of association rules by which each tier created with the set of tier rules may be associated with at least one software component created using the software component rules;
ii. a set of tier framework rules to provide an architected context for software components within a tier; and
iii. a set of package rules to provide for logical grouping of interfaces within a framework defined by the tier framework rules to provide a set of specific behaviors for the tier; and
c. means for specifying a set of assembly rules further comprising association rules by which each tier may be associated with at least one software component and linkage rules by which each tier may be linked to at least one other tier.
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33. A method for defining and implementing an N-tier software architecture for a system comprising at least one processing unit, at least one memory store operatively connected to the processing unit, N-tier designing software executable within the at least one processing unit, an input device operatively in communication with the processing unit for permitting input of the software architecture specifications, an output device operatively in communication with the processing unit, and a communications pathway operatively connected to the processing unit, the method comprising:
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a. loading the N-tier designing software into the memory store;
b. executing the N-tier designing software;
c. inputting a set of software component rules for creating software components into the memory store;
d. inputting a set of tier rules for creating tiers into the memory store, the tier rules further comprising;
i. a set of association rules by which each tier created with the set of tier rules may be associated with at least one software component created using the software component rules;
ii. a set of tier framework rules to provide an architected context for software components within a tier; and
iii. a set of package rules to provide for logical grouping of interfaces within a framework defined by the tier framework rules to provide a set of specific behaviors for the tier;
e. inputting a set of assembly rules into the memory store, the assembly rules further comprising association rules by which each tier may be associated with at least one software component and linkage rules by which each tier may be linked to at least one other tier; and
f. processing the software component rules, tier rules, and assembly rules using the N-tier designing software to create an N-tier software architecture.
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34. An N-tier software architecture stored in a storage media, the storage media comprising:
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a. a first plurality of binary values for creating software components using software component rules;
b. a second plurality of binary values for creating tiers using tier rules; and
c. a third plurality of binary values for assembling software applications from tiers and software components.
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Specification