Requirement defining method, method for developing software, and method for changing requirement word, and newly defining method

• US 20060130002A1
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Catena Corp. (Systena Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Catena Corp. (Systena Corporation)
• Inventors: Negoro, Fumio, Hirayama, Sadahiro
• Application Number:
  US10/526,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

An output items to be finally obtained by computer software which is a development object are determinded, these items are prescribed using a data generation equation using interim data items, and all the interim data items are prescribed by separate data generation equations. This is continued until all new data items are prescribed by input data, and prescriptions of the data items, data generation equation, and data generation execution condition and the like obtained as the result constitute requirement definition. Furthermore, the requirement definition obtained in this manner is applied to a method of automatically finding a process order of data items based on the definition, or automatically establishing data in a correct order to automatically develop a program, and accordingly the software to be finally obtained is automatically developed. To change a requirement word group completed as requirement definition, other words that define a generation method of the word concerned before and after the change, and other words whose generation method is defined by the word concerned among the other words, and the definition for such words are extracted and provided, and necessity of the change for them is studied. If “necessary”, the change is performed and continued. If “not necessary”, the influence is interrupted there, and therefore the change of the word concerned ends. A problem that a range of the influence of the change is not limitable in a conventional method is solved.

Claims

1. A requirement definition method comprising:

(a) a step of extracting all output data items to be finally obtained by computer software which is a development object;

(b) a step of prescribing one of the extracted output data items by a data generation equation and a data generation equation execution condition;

(c) a step of prescribing all new data items by separate data generation equations and data generation equation execution conditions with respect to all the new data items that have appeared in order to prescribe the data generation equation and the data generation equation execution condition in said (b);

(d) a step of repeating the step (c) until the data generation equation is constituted only of an input data item; and

(e) a step of executing the steps (a) to (d) with respect to all the output data items to be finally obtained, and constituting requirement definition by the data generation equation and the data generation equation execution condition obtained as a result of such execution.

2. The requirement definition method according to claim 1, wherein the data items in the step (b) or (c) are also prescribed by an attribute definition of an input/output and explicit indication of a recording medium in which the data item exists in addition to the data generation equation and the data generation equation execution condition, and

wherein further prescription relating to the attribute definition of the input/output and indication of the recording medium in which the data item exists is also regarded as the requirement definition in addition to the data generation equation and the data generation equation execution condition in the step (e).

3. A method of automatically developing computer software, comprising:

(a) a step of obtaining requirement definition using the requirement definition method according to claim 1 or 2; and

(b) a step of applying such definition to a method of automatically finding a process order of data items or automatically establishing data in a correct order to automatically develop a program based on data items prescribed in the obtained requirement definition in the (a), thus obtaining desired software as a result of the application.

4. A method of changing a requirement word in changing requirement of a program automatically prepared by application of such following information to a method capable of automatically programming irrelevant to an order of arrangement of prescribed requirement words as requirement words (=data items) group prescribed as the requirement of software, the information being prescribed by:

a name of the word;

a data generation equation (including;

obtaining a value by an input) to obtain a value corresponding to the word;

a condition (data generation equation execution condition) on which the value corresponding to the word is established;

an attribute definition indicating whether the word is an input or an output; and

a recording medium in which the word exists,

wherein the method of changing the requirement word comprises;

(a) an operation of changing (changing including deleting and adding) prescription of the requirement word itself to be changed;

(b) an operation of extracting first link defining words and first link containing words before and after the change of the requirement word concerned as requirement words having a possibility that prescription change is required by an influence of the change of the prescription of the word of the above (a);

(c) an operation of studying whether or not the change of the prescription is required with respect to the individual extracted words; and

(d) an operation of repeating the operations of the (a) to (c) with respect to the word requiring the change.

5. A method of newly prescribing a requirement word in new development of a program automatically prepared by application of such information to a method capable of automatically programming irrelevant to an order of arrangement of prescribed requirement words as requirement words (=data items) group prescribed as the requirement of software, the information being prescribed by:

a name of the word;

a data generation equation (including;

obtaining a value by an input) to obtain a value corresponding to the word;

a condition (data generation equation execution condition) on which the value corresponding to the word is is established;

an attribute definition indicating whether the word is an input or an output; and

a recording medium in which the word exists,

wherein the method of newly prescribing the requirement word, in light of consideration that the new development requires both a new requirement prescription operation and its correction operation, new requirement prescription is therefore regarded as a change from nothing in the new development of the program, comprises;

(a) an operation of changing (changing including deleting and adding) prescription of the requirement word itself to be changed;

(b) an operation of extracting first link defining words and first link containing words before and after the change of the requirement word concerned as requirement words having a possibility that prescription change is required by an influence of the change of the prescription of the word of said (a);

(c) an operation of studying whether or not the change of the prescription is required with respect to the individual extracted words; and

(d) an operation of repeating the operations of said (a) to (c) with respect to the word requiring the change.