Typed-Data Translation for Platform Independence

• US 20110138370A1
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zellers, Steve, Albert, Eric, Kosut, Alexei Elias, Watson, Matthew George
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A method, computer program and device for the translation of typed data objects in a heterogeneous computational environment is described. The operating system (or installed shared code libraries) translates typed data objects from a first format (e.g., big-endian) to a second format (e.g., little-endian) if the application sending the object and the application receiving the object utilize different formats. By placing data object format translation capabilities into the operating system, the software development effort required to permit an application (e.g., a user-level application) to execute in a heterogeneous environment is significantly reduced.

Claims

1. A typed data object translation method, comprising:

obtaining, by an operating system component, a typed data object having a first format byte ordering from a first application and an indication of a second application, the second application associated with a second format byte ordering;

translating, by the operating system component, the typed data object from the first format to the second format if the first and second format are not the same; and

sending, by the operating system component, the translated typed data object to the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application and second application are user-level applications and the second application registers, with the operating system component, a translation routine to convert the typed data object from the first format to the second format.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application and second application are user-level applications and the first application registers, with the operating system component, a translation routine to convert the typed data object from the first format to the second format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating system component comprises an event manager component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating system component comprises one or more shared code libraries.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format comprises a big-endian format or a little-endian format.

18. A computer system, comprising:

non-volatile storage coupled to the central processing unit;

volatile storage coupled to the central processing unit;

user-level applications, stored on the non-volatile storage;

an operating system, stored on the non-volatile storage and comprising a plurality of functional components, wherein at least one of the plurality of components performs the method of claim 1 when executed; and

a central processor unit coupled to the volatile and non-volatile storage for executing the user-level applications and the operating system, including the at least one of the plurality of functional components.

19. A program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions stored on the program storage device for causing the programmable control device to perform the method of claim 1.

7. A typed data object translation method, comprising:

obtainnig a typed data object having a first format byte ordering from a first application;

creating a token in an operating system specified memory identifying the received type data object;

receiving a request for the typed data object in a second format byte ordering;

translating the received typed data object into the second format byte ordering;

updating the token to identify the translated typed data object so that the token identifies both the received typed data object and the translated typed data object wherein the received typed data object remains in the first format byte ordering and the translated typed data object is in the second format byte ordering; and

sending the translated typed data object to the second application wherein sending to the second application comprises sending the token.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application and second application are user-level applications and the second application registers, with an operating system component, a translation routine to convert the typed data object from the first format to the second format.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application and second application are user-level applications and the first application registers, with the operating system component, a translation routine to convert the typed data object from the first format to the second format.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the operating system component comprises an event manager component.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the operating system component comprises one or more shared code libraries.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the first format comprises a big-endian format or a little-endian format.

20. A computer system, comprising:

non-volatile storage coupled to the central processing unit;

volatile storage coupled to the central processing unit;

user-level applications, stored on the non-volatile storage;

an operating system, stored on the non-volatile storage and comprising a plurality of functional components, wherein at least one of the plurality of components performs the method of claim 7 when executed; and

a central processor unit coupled to the volatile and non-volatile storage for executing the user-level applications and the operating system, including the at least one of the plurality of functional components.

21. A program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions stored on the program storage device for causing the programmable control device to perform the method of claim 7.

13. A typed data object translation method, comprising:

receiving, by an operating system component, a request from a first application for a typed data object having a first format byte ordering;

obtaining, by the operating system component, the requested typed data object having been manipulated by a second application in a second format byte ordering;

translating, by the operating system component, the typed data object from the second format to the first format if the first and second format are not the same; and

sending, by the operating system component, the translated typed data object to the first application.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a request from a third application for the typed data object in a specified format; and

sending, to the third application, the typed data object if the specified format corresponds to the second format and the translated typed data object if the specified format corresponds to the first format.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first application and second application are user-level applications and the second application registers, with the operating system component, a translation routine to convert the typed data object from the second format to the first format.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first application and second application are user-level applications and the first application registers, with the operating system component, a translation routine to convert the typed data object from the second format to the first format.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the first format comprises a big-endian format or a little-endian format.

22. A computer system, comprising:

non-volatile storage coupled to the central processing unit;

volatile storage coupled to the central processing unit;

user-level applications, stored on the non-volatile storage;

an operating system, stored on the non-volatile storage and comprising a plurality of functional components, wherein at least one of the plurality of components performs the method of claim 13 when executed; and

a central processor unit coupled to the volatile and non-volatile storage for executing the user-level applications and the operating system, including the at least one of the plurality of functional components.

23. A program storage device, readable by a programmable control device, comprising instructions stored on the program storage device for causing the programmable control device to perform the method of claim 13.