Code translator

• US 20080155519A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Loughborough University Enterprises Limited (Loughborough University)
• Original Assignee: Loughborough University Enterprises Limited (Loughborough University)
• Inventors: Chouliaras, Vassilios, Mulvaney, David, Kumaraswamy, Ashwin, Kannan, Ramalingam
• Application Number:
  US11/825,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155519A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/31 Programming languages or programming paradigms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source

Abstract

A method of automatically translating modelling language code to hardware language code including: parsing the modelling language code to extract values associated with predetermined ones of a plurality of constructs; and populating, in a predetermined manner using the extracted values, empty fields of one or more predetermined templates wherein the or each template comprises code of the hardware language.

Claims

1. A method of automatically translating modelling language code to hardware language code comprising:

parsing the modelling language code to extract values associated with predetermined ones of a plurality of constructs; and

populating, in a predetermined manner using the extracted values, empty fields of one or more predetermined templates wherein the or each template comprises code of the hardware language.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein parsing comprises:

identifying a diagram definition within the modelling language code;

identifying predetermined constructs associated with the identified diagram definition; and

extracting values associated with the identified predetermined constructs.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a construct is a predetermined token sequence.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the identified predetermined constructs are a predetermined subset of the possible constructs of the identified diagram definition.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output of the parsing stage has a standard output format having a predetermined structure and order.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein parsing creates a data structure comprising the extracted values in a predetermined order, placed in predetermined positions relative to predetermined labels.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the predetermined order of extracted values includes identifier, name, attributes and method names

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the identifier and name values are preceded by a ‘

class’

label.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the attributes values are preceded by a ‘

attribute’

label.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method names values are preceded by a ‘

method’

label.

11. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the populating stage comprises:

identifying a first one of a plurality of predetermined labels;

loading a template comprising code of the hardware language with empty fields that is dependent on the identity of the first label; and

populating the fields of the loaded template in a predetermined manner using the labels of the data structure to locate an extracted value for populating a field.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the loaded template is a class template and the extracted values provide the class attributes and methods, as well as relationships to other classes, such as associations or inheritance.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extracted values relate at least to class names, attributes, methods, associations and abstractions.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein parsing additionally checks the syntax of the modelling language code.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modelling language code is object-oriented

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modelling language code is XMI.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modelling language is UML.

18. A code translator for automatically translating modelling language code to hardware language code the translator comprising:

a parsing block for parsing the modelling language code to extract values associated with predetermined ones of a plurality of constructs; and

a transformation block for populating, in a predetermined manner using the extracted values, empty fields of one or more predetermined templates wherein the or each template comprises code of the hardware language.

19. A code translator as claimed in claim 18, wherein the parsing block is arranged to:

identify a diagram definition within the modelling language code;

identify predetermined constructs associated with the identified diagram definition; and

extract values associated with the identified predetermined constructs.

20. A code translator as claimed in claim 18, wherein the transformation block is arranged to:

identify a first one of a plurality of predetermined labels;

load a template comprising code of the hardware language with empty fields that is dependent on the identity of the first label; and

populate the fields of the loaded template in a predetermined manner using the labels of the data structure to locate an extracted value for populating a field.

21. A record medium embodying a computer program having computer program instructions for:

parsing the modelling language code to extract values associated with predetermined ones of a plurality of constructs; and

populating, in a predetermined manner using the extracted values, empty fields of one or more predetermined templates wherein the or each template comprises code of the hardware language.