System and method for automatic design of component libraries

• US 20070100784A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Arthur, W. Brian, Polak, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/20 Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention introduce a novel recursive assembly process to automatically create a library of components. It starts with simple components used as building blocks and proceeds by repeatedly combining these randomly into more complex ones. The utility and quality of these random combinations of components are measured against a set of functional goals. Useful combinations then become new components in the library that can be used as building blocks for further random combination. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Claims

1. A system to support automatic component library design, comprising:

a plurality of components, wherein each of the plurality of components is operable to perform a certain function;

a component library operable to maintain the plurality of components; and

a component generation module operable to;

select a subset of the plurality of components in the component library;

generate a combination by randomly combining the subset of the plurality of components;

evaluate the combination against a plurality of goals; and

encapsulate the combination into a new component and add it into the component library if the combination meets one or more criteria.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of components can be one of;

a software component, a digital circuit, an electronic component, a process component, a mechanical component, an architectural design, and an artifact that can be composed hierarchically, represented and manipulated in a computer system.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein:

the software component can be one of;

a subprogram, an object, a module, and a package.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of components can be associated with a cost.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the goal can be specified by a user via a formal logical language.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the component generation module is further operable to initialize the component library with a plurality of primitive components.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the component generation module is further operable to replace a component in the plurality of components that either is subsumed by the combination or does not match the goal as well as the combination.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the component generation module is further operable to prefer certain component over another in the subset of the plurality of components when generating the combination.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the component generation module is further operable to designate an observable interface for the new component.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the combination can be more complex than any of the components in the subset of the plurality of components.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the one or more criteria can be one of;

the combination has a valid function;

the combination has a cheaper cost than any of the plurality of components; and

the combination relates to the goal better than any of the plurality of components.

12. A method to support automatic component library design, comprising:

maintaining a plurality of components in a component library, wherein each of the plurality of components is operable to perform a certain function;

selecting a subset of the plurality of components in the component library;

generating a combination by randomly combining the subset of the plurality of components;

evaluating the combination against a plurality of goals; and

encapsulating the combination into a new component and add it into the component library if the combination meets one or more criteria.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

specifying one or more goals by a user via a formal logical language.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

initializing the component library with a plurality of primitive components.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

replacing a component in the plurality of components that either is subsumed by the combination or does not match the goal as well as the combination.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

preferring certain component over another in the subset of the plurality of components when generating the combination.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

designating an observable interface for the new component.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

generating the combination to be more complex than any of the components in the subset of the plurality of components.

19. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a system to:

maintain a plurality of components in a component library, wherein each of the plurality of components is operable to perform a certain function;

select a subset of the plurality of components in the component library;

generate a combination by randomly combining the subset of the plurality of components;

evaluate the combination against a goal; and

encapsulate the combination into a new component and add it into the component library if the combination meets one or more criteria.

20. A system to support automatic component library design, comprising:

means for maintaining a plurality of components in a component library, wherein each of the plurality of components is operable to perform a certain function;

means for selecting a subset of the plurality of components in the component library;

means for generating a combination by randomly combining the subset of the plurality of components;

means for evaluating the combination against a goal; and

means for encapsulating the combination into a new component and add it into the component library if the combination meets one or more criteria.