Computer Method and System for Pattern Specification Using Meta-Model of a Target Domain

• US 20080127049A1
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Elaasar, Maged E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

Computer method and apparatus for providing pattern specification especially in computer software program modeling is disclosed. The invention method and apparatus defines patterns as a meta-class in a target domain. Each pattern has one or more pattern roles. The method and apparatus defines pattern roles as meta-properties and specifies one or more constraints between pattern roles in the context of the pattern meta-class. One or more connectors are used between meta-properties to represent relationships between pattern roles. One or more associations are used for representing high level relationships between pattern roles in a manner simplifying pattern specification.

Claims

1. A computer method for providing pattern specification, comprising the steps of:

in a target domain, defining patterns as a meta-class, each pattern having one or more pattern roles;

defining pattern roles as meta-properties; and

specifying constraints between pattern roles in context of the pattern meta-class.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the target domain is a computer programming model;

and

the pattern meta-class is a meta-class in an object-oriented model.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the step of defining pattern roles as meta-properties is instead of defining the pattern roles as meta-objects.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of defining relationships between pattern roles as connectors between the meta-properties.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of defining ports to the pattern meta-class in a manner enabling pattern re-use.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of defining pattern roles as meta-properties includes providing to pattern roles semantics of properties, and

further comprising the step of simplifying pattern specification by utilizing high level relationships specified between pattern roles.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the target domain is a UML2 structure.

8. Computer apparatus for specifying patterns in a target domain, comprising:

a meta-class defined for patterns, each pattern having one or more pattern roles;

a respective meta-property for each pattern role;

one or more connectors between meta-properties to represent relationships between pattern roles; and

one or more associations for representing high level relationships between pattern roles in a manner simplifying pattern specification.

9. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising constraints specified between pattern roles in the context of the pattern meta-class.

10. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the target domain is a computer programming model;

and

the pattern meta-class is a meta-class in an object-oriented model.

11. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising ports to the pattern meta-class enabling pattern re-use.

12. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the meta-properties provide to pattern roles semantics of properties.

13. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the target domain is a UML2 structure.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code for specifying patterns, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for defining patterns as a class in a meta-model of a target domain, each pattern having one or more roles;

computer usable program code for modeling pattern roles as properties of the class;

computer usable program code for modeling relationships between pattern roles, said modeling using connectors between respective properties; and

computer usable program code for specifying and attaching constraints to pattern roles, said specifying being in context of the class.

15. A computer program product as claimed in claim 14 further comprising

computer usable program code for representing high level relationships between pattern roles in a manner simplifying pattern specification.

16. A computer program product as claimed in claim 14 wherein the target domain is a computer programming model;

and

the pattern class is a meta-class in an object-oriented model.

17. A computer program product as claimed in claim 16 wherein the target domain is a UML2 structure.

18. A computer system for providing pattern specification, comprising:

means for defining patterns as a class in a meta-model of a target domain, each pattern having one or more roles;

means for modeling pattern roles as properties of the class; and

any combination of;

means for modeling relationships between pattern roles as connectors between respective properties;

means for specifying constraints to pattern roles, said specifying being in context of the class; and

means for representing high level relationships between pattern roles such that pattern specification is simplified.

19. A computer system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the target domain is a computer programming model;

and

the pattern class is a meta-class in an object-oriented model.

20. A computer system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the target domain is a UML2 structure.