Code generation for integrating devices into a middleware framework

• US 20040015809A1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Cheng, Doreen Yining
• Application Number:
  US09/861,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08

Abstract

A middleware code generation system generates program code for integrating a device into a network. A variety of tools and a user interface are provided to create databases that contain the information required to generate the middleware integration code. The code generation system is configured to facilitate user modifications to the generated code, and particularly modifications to the code for error handling. In a preferred embodiment, the code generation system also generates a sample test application that serves to illustrate how to use the generated integration code in an application.

Claims

1. A program generation system, comprising:

a specification database that is configured to contain middleware information, based on a middleware specification,

a middleware code generation engine, operably coupled to the specification database, that is configured to produce middleware integration code, based on the middleware information.

2. The program generation system of claim 1, further including

a template database that is configured to contain one or more templates, and

wherein

the middleware code generation engine is further configured to produce the middleware integration code via an instantiation of the one or more templates, using data from the middleware information.

3. The program generation system of claim 1, further including

a private link database that is configured to contain link information that is specific to a particular link-type,

the link information including a mapping between link-operation names used by the particular link-type and middleware-operation names contained in the middleware information, and

wherein

the middleware code generation engine is further configured to produce the middleware integration code based on the link information.

4. The program generation system of claim 1, wherein

the middleware code generation engine is also configured to produce sample test application code, based on the middleware information.

5. The program generation system of claim 1, further including

a code cache, operably coupled to the middleware code generation engine, that is configured to store at least a portion of the middleware integration code for subsequent reuse.

6. The program generation system of claim 1, wherein

the middleware code generation engine is also configured to produce guideline information that facilitates a user modification of at least a portion of the middleware integration code.

7. The program generation system of claim 1, wherein

the middleware code generation engine includes at least one of:

a module generator that is configured to generate code modules,

a methods generator that is configured to generate methods code, and

a code segment generator that is configured to generate code statements.

8. The program generation system of claim 7, wherein

at least one of the methods generator and the code segment generator are configured to generate the methods code and the code statements based on a method template and a code segment template, respectively.

9. The program generation system of claim 1, wherein

the middleware information includes interfacing information for interfacing an application to one or more functions of a device that is controlled via a network corresponding to the middleware information.

10. The program generation system of claim 1, further including

a user interface system that includes tools that facilitate creating the specification database.

11. A method of program generation, comprising:

accessing a specification database that is configured to contain middleware information, based on a middleware specification,

generating middleware integration code, based on the middleware information.

12. The method of claim 11, further including

accessing a template database that is configured to contain one or more templates, and

wherein

generating the middleware integration code further includes instantiating the one or more templates, using data from the middleware information.

13. The method of claim 11, further including

accessing a private link database that is configured to contain link information that is specific to a particular link-type,

the link information including a mapping between link-operation names used by the particular link-type and middleware-operation names contained in the middleware information, and

wherein

generating the middleware integration code further includes generating the middleware integration code based on the link information.

14. The method of claim 11, further including

generating sample test application code, based on the middleware information.

15. The method of claim 11, further including

storing at least a portion of the middleware integration code for subsequent reuse.

16. The method of claim 11, further including

providing guideline information that facilitates a user modification of at least a portion of the middleware integration code.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein

generating the middleware integration code includes:

generating code modules,

generating methods code, and

generating code statements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein

generating at least one of the methods code and the code statements includes accessing a corresponding method template and code segment template, respectively.

19. The method of claim 11, further including

providing interfacing information for interfacing an application to one or more functions of a device that is controlled via a network corresponding to the middleware information.

20. The method of claim 11, further including

providing tools that facilitate creating the specification database.