Computer-aided software engineering facility

• US 5,295,222 A
• Filed: 05/18/1992
• Issued: 03/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seeq Technology, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Seeq Technology, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fischer, Michael, Hildebrand, Daniel, Ataie, Faraz, Lee, Douglas E., Fochler, Michael, Hayman, Craig B., Modi, Rajan S., Mosebach, Richard W., Olowu, Tayo, Aubrun, Vincent P., Hughes, James, Power, Elaine C., Shing, Norman, Moskowitz, Joel M., Lambert, Jeffrey L., Erlikh, Leonid, Lim, Nicholas R., Wadhwa, Vivek K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Dale M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shin, C.
• Application Number:
  US07/885,924
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 395/700, 395/1, 364/280.6, 364/274.1, 364/274.2, 364/274.3, 364/274.4, 364/274.5
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/919 Designing, planning, programming, CAD, CASE
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/922 Computer program preparation

Abstract

A computer-aided software engineering facility and method for creating computer source code and executable computer programs that are distributable across multiple hardware environments or platforms. An object oriented modeling system is linked with modules of a computer programming language and other system components to quickly and efficiently design computer source code and executable computer modules that have a high degree of reusability. The modules and models are stored in a centralized storage area and distributed to the various hardware elements that comprise the computer system.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data processor to generate and distribute a computer program in a computer system, the computer system comprising a plurality of hardware components coupled to form an interconnected computer network, the method comprising the steps of:

A. creating a set of entities, said set of entities comprising a subset of data entities and a subset of process entities;

B. creating a set of relationships, said set of relationships comprising a first predetermined subset and a second predetermined subset;

C. creating and storing a data entity model by performing the steps of

i. accepting as input to the data processor data relating to a task to be performed by the computer program, the input data characterized according to the sub-set of data entities, said data entities comprising pre-selected organizational categories;

ii. accepting as input to the data processor information to link the data entities according to the first pre-determined sub-set, said first predetermined subset comprising pre-selected identifying characteristics between data entities;

iii. operating the data processor to link the input data entities to each other according to the input first determined subset;

iv. operating the data processor to store the linked set of input data entities and input first predetermined subset in a storage area;

D. creating and storing a hierarchical process model by performing the steps of

i. accepting as input to the data processor information relating to a procedure for accomplishing the task to be performed by the computer program, the input information characterized according to the subset of process entities, said process entities comprising pre-selected process organizational categories;

ii. said input process entities forming a first part of the hierarchical process model, said hierarchical process model comprising a representation which divides the function of the computer program into discrete sub-tasks, said discrete sub-tasks comprising descriptions of the functions of pre-selected sections of the computer program and the processing requirements for implementing those functions, said descriptions forming said input process entities;

iii. accepting as input to the data processor information to link said input process entities to each other and to selected ones of the input data entities according to the second predetermined subset, said second predetermined subset forming a second part of said hierarchical process model and comprising descriptions to identify dependencies between the set of entities;

iv. operating the data processor to link the input set of entities identified by the input information of (D)(iii) according to the input second predetermined subset to create the hierarchical process module;

v. operating the data processor to store the linked entities, which form the hierarchical process model, in the storage area;

E. creating and storing a hardware configuration model by performing the steps of

i. accepting as input to the data processor information specifying connectivity data for the computer network and operational requirements for the operating environments of pre-selected ones of the hardware components;

ii. operating the data processor to store the connectivity data and operational requirement information in the storage area;

F. creating a link between the information contained in the hardware configuration model and the input process entities contained in the hierarchical process model, by performing the steps of

i. accepting as input to the data processor information to link the connectivity data and operational requirements information of the hardware components to pre-selected ones of the input process entities to specify an operating environment for execution of the preselected ones of the input process entities;

ii. operating the data processor to link the connectivity data and operational requirements information of the hardware components to the pre-selected ones of the input process entities;

G. creating and storing a logic module, the logic module containing a plurality of logic constructs, each of said plurality of logic constructs corresponding to a predetermined one of the input process entities, the creating and storing of said logic module accomplished by performing the steps of

i. accepting as input to the data processor information comprising logic constructs in a first programming language, each of said logic constructs comprising statements in the first computer programming language that will enable the computer hardware components to perform the discrete tasks specified in a pre-selected one of the input process entities, said logic constructs in the first programming language comprising statements that reference certain ones of the input entities;

ii. accepting as input to the data processor information that relates each logic construct to a pre-selected corresponding process entity, the logic construct being designed to perform the function specified by its corresponding process entity;

iii. operating the data processor to link each logic constant to a corresponding process entity according to the relating information;

iv. operating the data processor to store the linked logic constructs and the corresponding input which relates each logic construct to the corresponding process entity in the storage area;

H. operating the data processor to generate, for each logic construct, a computer program module, by utilizing the logic constructs, the corresponding input process entities, the linked set of entities and second predetermined subset the linked set of input data entities and first predetermined subset, and the input information that specifies the connectivity data of the hardware components linked to the preselected corresponding ones of the process entities, said computer program modules each comprising computer code that is supported by the operating environment of the hardware component linked to the corresponding pre-selected one of the process entities;

I. operating the data processor to scan the storage area to associate with each generated computer program module the linked ones of the hardware components; and

J. operating the data processor to distribute each generated computer program module to the linked ones of the hardware components.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each computer code module comprises a source code module.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising the further step of distributing each source code module to its corresponding hardware component.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising the further step of operating each hardware component to create an object code module for each source code module distributed to the hardware component by compiling the source code module.

5. The method of claim 2 comprising the further steps of:

a. operating the data processor to create object code modules for the computer program by compiling each source code module; and

b. distributing each object code module to its corresponding hardware component.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the source code comprises statements in a second high-level computer programming language.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the source code comprises statements in a third-generation programming language that is supported by the operating environment of a preselected hardware component.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the source code comprises statements in COBOL.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the source code comprises statements in C.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein each computer code module comprises an object code module.

11. The method of claim 2 comprising the further steps of:

a. operating a data processor to compile each said distributed generated computer program module and create a corresponding object code module that is executable in the operating environment of the corresponding pre-selected ones of the hardware components; and

b. operating a data processor to link each generated object code module to pre-selected other ones of the object code modules, according to the process relationships specified by the hierarchical process model.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

a. providing in a data processor a computer code component module that is configured to perform a preselected function and is capable of executing in the operating environments of preselected ones of the hardware components;

b. providing in the hierarchical process model preselected process entities which describe the functioning and operational requirements of the computer code component modules.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the computer code component module comprises object code statements, said object code statements capable of execution in an operating environment of a corresponding hardware component.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the computer code component module performs a graphic-based user interface function.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the computer code component module performs the transfer of data between two pre-selected object code modules.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the computer code component module performs the transfer of data between two pre-selected computer code modules designated to operate in the operating environments of two different hardware components.

17. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

a. accepting as input to the data processor security access input data comprising information concerning which users may access the computer program and which ones of the pre-selected hardware components have security clearance to execute the computer program; and

b. operating the data processor to limit the distribution of the computer code modules to the pre-selected hardware components according to the security access input.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising the further step of operating the data processor to permit the users access to the computer program according to the security access input.

19. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

`a. accepting as input to the data processor information to modify the first computer programming language statements of a logic construct;

b. operating the data processor to search the storage area and determine if the modification necessitates changes to linked entities in the hierarchical process model;

c. operating the data processor to generate new computer code by utilizing the modified logic constructs, the corresponding input process entities, the linked set of input data entities and first predetermined subset, and said input information specifying connectivity data of the hardware components linked to the pre-selected corresponding ones of the input process entities; and

d. operating the data processor to distribute the new computer code modules to the operating environments of corresponding ones of the preselected hardware components.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the new computer code modules are distributed to the hardware components according to security access input, said security access input comprising information concerning which users may access the computer program and which ones of the pre-selected hardware components have security clearance to execute the computer program.

21. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

a. accepting as input to the data processor information to modify data contained in pre-selected ones of the process entities or the second predetermined subset;

b. operating the data processor to search the storage area to determine if the modification information necessitates changes to linked logic constructs;

c. operating the data processor to execute modifications to the linked logic constructs necessitated by the changes to the pre-selected ones of the process entities and second predetermined subset;

d. operating the data processing to generate new computer code by utilizing the modified logic constructs, the corresponding input process entities, the linked set of entities and second predetermined subset, the linked set of input data entities and first predetermined subset, and said input information specifying connectivity data of the hardware components linked to the pre-selected corresponding ones of the input process entities; and

e. operating the data processor to distribute the new computer code modules to the operating environments of corresponding ones of the pre-selected hardware components.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising the further steps of:

a. operating the data processor to search the storage area to determine fi the modification information necessitates changes to the linked set of data entities and first predetermined subset; and

b. operating the data processor to execute modifications to the linked set of data entities and first predetermined subset that are necessitated by the changes to the pre-selected ones of the process entities.

23. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

a. accepting as input to the data processor information to modify the preselected organizational categories contained in preselected ones of the data entities or the first predetermined subset between two data entities;

b. searching the storage area to determine if the modification necessitates changes to linked logic constructs or the hierarchical process model;

c. operating the data processor to search the storage area to determine if the modification information necessitates changes to the linked set of process entities and second predetermined subset in the hierarchical process model;

d. operating the data processor to execute modifications to the linked set of process entities and second predetermined subset that are necessitated by the changes to the pre-selected ones of the linked set of data entities and first predetermined subset;

e. operating the data processor to execute modifications to the linked logic constructs necessitated by the changes to the pre-selected ones of the linked set of data entities and first predetermined subset;

f. operating the data processor to generate new computer code by utilizing the modified logic constructs, the corresponding input process entities, the linked set of entities and second predetermined subset, the linked set of input data entities and first predetermined subset, and said input information specifying connectivity data of the hardware components linked to the pre-selected corresponding ones of the input process entities; and

g. operating the data processor to distribute the new computer code modules to the operating environments of corresponding ones of the pre-selected hardware components;

24. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

a. accepting as input to the data processor additional information relating to the functioning of a second computer program;

b. operating the data processor to search the storage area for groups of previously existing process entities and second predetermined subsets in the storage area which describe process functions that are similar to the desired functioning of the second computer program; and

c. reusing the part of the hierarchical process model and the logic constructs and distributed computer code modules that describe functions that are similar to the desired functioning of the second computer program.

25. The method of claim 24 comprising the further steps of:

a. accepting as input to the data processor additional information relating to the function of the second computer program;

b. operating the data processor to add the additional information to the corresponding reused process entities of the hierarchical process model; and

c. operating the data processor to store the process entities containing the additional information relating to the functioning of the second computer program in the storage area.

26. The method of claim 24 comprising the further steps of:

a. accepting as input to the data processor additional information relating to the functioning of the second computer program, the information specified according to new ones of the pre-selected set of process entities;

b. accepting as input to the data process data to link each of the new ones of the process entities to one or more other new or existing process entities according to one of the second predetermined subset;

c. operating the data processor to link each of the new ones of the process entities to one or more other new or existing process entities according to one of the second predetermined subset to create a new hierarchical process model; and

d. storing the new hierarchical process model in the storage area.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising the further steps of:

a. specifying for each new logical construct an operating environment corresponding to one of the preselected hardware components;

b. operating the data processor to utilize the first programming language statements in each new logical construct, the corresponding input process entities, the linked set of entities and second predetermined subset, the linked set of input data entities and first predetermined subset, and the input information that specifies the connectivity data of the hardware components linked to the pre-selected corresponding ones of the input process entities; and

c. operating the data processor to distribute the new computer code modules to the operating environments of corresponding ones of the preselected hardware components.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the steps A-J are executed in one of the hardware components.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein each of the steps a-c are executed in one of the hardware components.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage area comprises a relational data base located in a pre-selected one of the hardware components.