Context-sensitive attributes

• US 20040189685A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, Richard T., Hubbard, Mark W., Wong, Janette S. J., Vandergoot, Jacob T., Zhuang, Yi (Andy), Balakumaran, Balasingham
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

A mechanism to enable context-sensitive attributes which comprise an attribute value and a context value defining the applicability of the attribute value in a computer application. The mechanism is adapted to manipulate the context-sensitive attributes, for example to facilitate creation of attribute values with associated context values, retrieve attribute values associated with a specific context value and search based on attribute values within a context value.

Claims

1. A mechanism for enabling a context-sensitive attribute for use by a computer application said mechanism adapted to:

create an attribute value for the context-sensitive attribute; and

create a context value associated with the attribute value for defining the applicability of the attribute value.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is adapted to manipulate the context-sensitive attribute.

3. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is adapted to create a plurality of attribute values for said context-sensitive attribute and at least one said context value, each context value associated with at least one of the attribute values.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is an application programming interface (API).

5. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the context-sensitive attribute is a data object and the mechanism comprises methods for manipulating the data object.

6. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the context value is defined in accordance with a convention.

7. The mechanism of claim 5 wherein the convention defines a first portion of the context value in response to an identity of an application defining the context value and a second portion in response to a choice of the said application.

8. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is adapted to create a null context value to define a continual applicability of the associated attribute value.

9. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the context value is represented by a string.

10. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is adapted to manipulate the attribute value and context value for a plurality of applications sharing the context-sensitive attribute.

11. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the mechanism is adapted to communicate with a data repository configured for storing the attribute value and the said context value, said mechanism storing said context-sensitive attribute to and retrieving said context-sensitive attribute from said data repository.

12. A computer readable medium storing data and instructions for instructing a computer system to provide a mechanism for enabling a context-sensitive attribute for use by a computer application, said mechanism defined in accordance with any one of claims 1-11.

13. An attribute manager for enabling the use of an attribute by an application, said attribute manager comprising a mechanism for use by said application for manipulating a context-sensitive attribute comprising an attribute value and a context value associated with the attribute value for defining the applicability of the attribute value.

14. The attribute manager of claim 13 wherein the attribute manager is adapted to enable the use of an attribute for a plurality of applications and wherein said mechanism is for use by said plurality of applications.

15. The attribute manager of claim 13 wherein the attribute manager is adapted to store the context-sensitive attribute to a data repository.

16. The attribute manager of claim 13 wherein the context-sensitive attribute comprises a plurality of attribute values and at least one said context value, each context value associated with at least one of the attribute values and wherein the mechanism is adapted to manipulate the attribute values and their respective one or more context values.

17. The attribute manager of claim 13 wherein the mechanism is an application programming interface (API).

18. The attribute manager of claim 13 wherein the context value is defined in accordance with a convention.

19. A method of providing a context-sensitive attribute for use by a computer application comprising:

storing an attribute value;

storing a context value, said context value associated with the attribute value for defining the applicability of the attribute value; and

providing a mechanism for manipulating the attribute value and the context value.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the method is adapted to store a plurality of attribute values and at least one said context value, each context value associated with at least one of the attribute values and wherein the mechanism is adapted to manipulate the attribute values and their respective one or more context values.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the mechanism is an application programming interface (API).

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the attribute value and context value comprise a data object and the mechanism comprises methods for manipulating said data object.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the context value is defined in accordance with a convention.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the convention defines a first portion of the context value in response to an identity of an application defining the context value and second portion in response to a choice of the said application.

25. The method of claim 19 including storing a null context value to define a continual applicability of the associated attribute value.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the context value is represented by a string.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the mechanism is adapted to manipulate the attribute value and context value for a plurality of applications sharing the context value and attribute value.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein the mechanism is adapted to communicate with a data repository configured for said attribute value and said context value, said mechanism adapted for storing said attribute value and context value to and retrieving said attribute value and context value from said data repository.

29. The method of claim 22 including providing a definition mechanism for defining the context-sensitive attribute in the application.