METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONSTRUCTING A SOFTWARE APPLICATION

• US 20090094272A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infonovus Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Infonovus Technologies LLC
• Inventors: SKRILETZ, RICHARD A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code

Abstract

A method and computer program product reads one or more specifications that define, at least in part, a software application. A data storage structure is generated for storing data of the software application. At least one unit of code is generated based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more specifications. A first application is generated from the at least one unit of code and data storage structure.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a software application comprising:

reading one or more specifications that define, at least in part, a software application;

generating a data storage structure for storing data of the software application;

generating at least one unit of code based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more specifications; and

constructing a first application from the at least one unit of code and data storage structure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more design elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a process definition that defines, at least in part, a process associated with the software application, wherein the process is one or more of;

a process of which the software application is a part; and

a process that is part of the software application;

a process action that defines, at least in part, an action associated with a process;

a data definition that defines, at least in part, data associated with the software application;

a data relationship that defines, at least in part, a relationship between the data;

a user interface definition that defines, at least in part, an interface to the software application; and

a rule that is applied to at least one of the one or more design elements.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating items selected from the group consisting of:

test cases for validating the first application; and

test data for validating the first application.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

reading one or more additional specifications that define, at least in part, the software application;

generating at least one additional data storage structure for storing data of the software application;

generating at least one additional unit of code based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more additional specifications; and

modifying the first application.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein modifying the first application includes at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:

constructing a second application including compiling the at least one additional units of code;

adding the at least one additional unit of code to the first application;

adding the at least one additional data storage structure to the first application; and

reconstructing, at least in part, the first application based on the additional specifications wherein reconstructing the first application comprises compiling the at least one additional units of code.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data storage structure is defined, at least in part, by the one or more design elements.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more design elements are selected from the group consisting of:

a data element;

a relationship between data elements; and

an order for organizing data elements and relationships.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one unit of code is defined, at least in part, by the one or more design elements.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more design elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a data validation rule;

a data derivation rule;

a data access rule;

a process action user interface element;

a process action control rule;

a process action entry condition;

a process action exit condition;

a process action data rule; and

a process action exception handling rule.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

generating an additional data storage structure for storing data of the first application.

11. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

modifying an existing data storage structure for storing data of the first application.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein constructing the first application includes one or more of:

identifying one or more process actions to be implemented in the first application;

identifying one or more units of code associated with the one or more process actions; and

creating at least one additional unit of code for the one or more process actions that invokes at least one of the one or more identified units of code.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

reading one or more modified specifications that modify, at least in part, the software application;

generating at least one additional unit of code based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more modified specifications; and

modifying the software application.

14. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations:

reading one or more specifications that define, at least in part, a software application;

generating a data storage structure for storing data of the software application;

generating at least one unit of code based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more specifications; and

constructing a first application from the at least one unit of code and data storage structure.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the one or more design elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a process definition that defines, at least in part, a process associated with the software application, wherein the process is one or more of;

a process of which the software application is a part; and

a process that is part of the software application;

a process action that defines, at least in part, an action associated with a process;

a data definition that defines, at least in part, data associated with the software application;

a data relationship that defines, at least in part, a relationship between the data;

a user interface definition that defines, at least in part, an interface to the software application; and

a rule that is applied to at least one of the one or more design elements.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the operations further comprise generating items selected from the group consisting of:

test cases for validating the first application; and

test data for validating the first application.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the operations further comprise:

reading one or more additional specifications that define, at least in part, the software application;

generating at least one additional data storage structure for storing data of the software application;

generating at least one additional unit of code based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more additional specifications; and

modifying the first application.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein modifying the first application includes at least one operation selected from the group consisting of:

constructing a second application including compiling the at least one additional units of code;

adding the at least one additional unit of code to the first application;

adding the at least one additional data storage structure to the first application; and

reconstructing, at least in part, the first application based on the additional specifications wherein reconstructing the first application comprises compiling the at least one additional units of code.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the data storage structure is defined, at least in part, by the one or more design elements.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the one or more design elements are selected from the group consisting of:

a data element;

a relationship between data elements; and

an order for organizing data elements and relationships.

21. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the at least one unit of code is defined, at least in part, by the one or more design elements.

22. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the one or more design elements is selected from the group consisting of:

a data validation rule;

a data derivation rule;

a data access rule;

a process action user interface element;

a process action control rule;

a process action entry condition;

a process action exit condition;

a process action data rule; and

a process action exception handling rule.

23. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the operations further comprise:

generating an additional data storage structure for storing data of the first application.

24. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the operations further comprise:

modifying an existing data storage structure for storing data of the first application.

25. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein constructing the first application includes one or more of:

identifying one or more process actions to be implemented in the first application;

identifying one or more units of code associated with the one or more process actions; and

creating at least one additional unit of code for the one or more process actions that invokes at least one of the one or more identified units of code.

26. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the operations further comprise:

reading one or more modified specifications that modify, at least in part, the software application;

generating at least one additional unit of code based, at least in part, upon one or more design elements within the one or more modified specifications; and

modifying the software application.