Accelerated Cached Object Retrieval

• US 20090089748A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bumgarner, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/449 Object-oriented method invocation or resolution

Abstract

Efficiency of cached objects such as singleton objects and other software constructs having a first-invocation cost is improved by replacing the software code for creating a method instance (the “creation code”) with the instance itself. Upon first invocation, the calling method causes the first version of the method to be performed, and also causes the first version to be replaced by the second version. Thus, the invention facilitates creation of singleton objects that run without any branch logic, so as to improve speed and efficiency. The need for locking and exception handling is reduced, resultant code is simplified, and potential for error is reduced.

Claims

1. In an object-oriented software programming environment, a method for creating and retrieving an object, comprising:

responsive to a call for a first invocation of a method of an object;

executing a first version of method code associated with the object; and

configuring the object to automatically execute a second version of the method code on subsequent invocation of the method of the object; and

responsive to a call for a subsequent invocation of the method;

executing the second version of the method code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises replacing the first version of the method code with the second version of the method code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises replacing all method code in the object with the second version of the method code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises deleting the first version of the method code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises tagging the first version of the method code as inaccessible.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises configuring the object to automatically execute the second version without performing any conditional evaluations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises modifying a pointer to reference the second version of the method code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the first version of method code comprises executing initialization code included in the first version of method code.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second versions of the method code are initially included in the object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a cached object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a singleton object.

12. In an object-oriented software programming environment, a system for creating and retrieving an object, comprising:

a software object, comprising;

a first version of method code; and

a second version of method code;

wherein, responsive to a call for a first invocation of a method of an object, the software object;

executes the first version of the method code and is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code on subsequent invocation of the method of the object; and

wherein, responsive to a call for a subsequent invocation of the method, the software object;

executes the second version of the method code.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code by replacing the first version of the method code with the second version of the method code.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code by replacing all method code in the object with the second version of the method code.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code by deleting the first version of the method code.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code by tagging the first version of the method code as inaccessible.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code without performing any conditional evaluations.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the object is configured to automatically execute the second version of the method code by modifying a pointer to reference the second version of the method code.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein executing the first version of method code comprises executing initialization code included in the first version of method code.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the object comprises a cached object.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the object comprises a singleton object.

22. A computer program product for creating and retrieving an object in an object-oriented software programming environment, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

responsive to a call for a first invocation of a method of an object;

executing a first version of method code associated with the object; and

configuring the object to automatically execute a second version of the method code on subsequent invocation of the method of the object; and

responsive to a call for a subsequent invocation of the method;

executing the second version of the method code.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the computer program code for configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code comprises computer program code for replacing the first version of the method code with the second version of the method code.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the computer program code for configuring the object to automatically execute the second version of the method code on subsequent invocation of the method of the object comprises computer program code for configuring the object to automatically execute the second version without performing any conditional evaluations.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the object comprises a cached object.