Role-based object models
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions including:
- a first code segment for maintaining a plurality of software objects, including an object representing an abstraction of an entity and having a plurality of object attributes that characterize the object and the entity;
a second code segment for maintaining a plurality of roles, including a role having a plurality of role attributes derived from the object attributes based on requirements of a requesting application, and operable to provide a functionality to the requesting application to fulfill the requirements; and
a third code segment for receiving a request from the requesting application at the role and providing the functionality to the requesting application, using the role and independently of any interaction between the object and the application.
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Abstract
A data management system is described for managing software objects to provide services and functionality to users in an efficient manner. The system separates objects from roles associated with the objects, so that applications accessing the system interface only with the roles, rather than with the objects. The roles each provide a functionality to the applications that may be common to multiple ones of the objects. The roles may be tailored to specific accessing applications, without affecting the objects themselves. As a result, the applications may easily gain a desired functionality or behavior by accessing the appropriate role.
75 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions including:
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a first code segment for maintaining a plurality of software objects, including an object representing an abstraction of an entity and having a plurality of object attributes that characterize the object and the entity;
a second code segment for maintaining a plurality of roles, including a role having a plurality of role attributes derived from the object attributes based on requirements of a requesting application, and operable to provide a functionality to the requesting application to fulfill the requirements; and
a third code segment for receiving a request from the requesting application at the role and providing the functionality to the requesting application, using the role and independently of any interaction between the object and the application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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inputting an object representing an abstraction of an entity and having a plurality of object attributes characterizing the object and the entity;
defining a role by deriving role attributes from the object attributes, based on requirements of an application; and
providing a service to the application to fulfill the requirements, using the role and independently of any communication between the object and the application. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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an object modifier operable to modify object attributes of an object selected from among a plurality of objects that represent abstractions of entities; and
a role modifier operable to modify role attributes, wherein the role attributes partially define a role interface for interfacing with an application to provide a service to the application, independently of communications between the object and the application. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification