System architecture for implementing modular diagnostics
First Claim
1. A diagnostic system operating on a processor the diagnostic system comprising:
- a base class operating on the processor the base class being a generic class that serves as a template for other classes;
a plurality of physical devices coupled to the processor;
a plurality of device classes derived from the base class, a device class of the plurality of device classes having a device class characteristic definition distinguishing the device class from other device classes; and
a plurality of diagnostic device objects, a diagnostic device object of the plurality of diagnostic device objects being derived from a base class and having an encapsulated device characteristic definition corresponding to physical characteristics of the physical device so that the diagnostic device object is associated with the device via a device class associated with the diagnostic device object of the plurality of device classes, the plurality of diagnostic device objects respectively corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of physical devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A software system and corresponding method of operation represents physical devices as software objects that are derived from a generic base class. A diagnostic system operating on a processor includes a base class operating on the processor, a physical device connected to the processor and a diagnostic device object derived from the base class and having an encapsulated device characteristic definition corresponding to physical characteristics of the physical device so that the diagnostic device object is associated with the device. The base class is a generic class that serves as a template for other classes. A method of performing a diagnostic operation relating to a physical device in a computing system includes the steps of creating a generic base class, deriving a software object from a generic base class and representing the physical device as the derived software object.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A diagnostic system operating on a processor the diagnostic system comprising:
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a base class operating on the processor the base class being a generic class that serves as a template for other classes; a plurality of physical devices coupled to the processor; a plurality of device classes derived from the base class, a device class of the plurality of device classes having a device class characteristic definition distinguishing the device class from other device classes; and a plurality of diagnostic device objects, a diagnostic device object of the plurality of diagnostic device objects being derived from a base class and having an encapsulated device characteristic definition corresponding to physical characteristics of the physical device so that the diagnostic device object is associated with the device via a device class associated with the diagnostic device object of the plurality of device classes, the plurality of diagnostic device objects respectively corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of physical devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A diagnostic system operating on a processor and having a storage, the diagnostic system comprising:
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a physical device coupled to the processor; a process operating on the processor including; a constructor for creating processes classes objects and pointers; a loader function for loading processes classes and objects from the storage; and an unloader function for unloading processes and objects from the storage; a diagnostic device object derived from creation by the process and having a device characteristic function corresponding to physical characteristics of the physical device so that the diagnostic device object is associated with the physical device; and a virtual function interface including; a first pointer created by the process and passed by the process to the diagnostic device object and designating a function to the diagnostic device object; and a second pointer created by the diagnostic device object and passed from the diagnostic device object to the process.
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13. A method of performing a diagnostic operation relating to a physical device in a computing system, the method comprising the steps of:
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creating a generic base class; deriving a software object from a generic base class; representing the physical device as the derived software object; detecting a physical device the detecting step including the substeps of; providing in the generic base class a plurality of device type support functions for each respective device class of a plurality of device classes, a device class supporting a specific type of physical device of a plurality of specific types of physical devices; in a generic base class function looping through the plurality of device type support functions; in the device type support functions detecting whether a physical device of the type supported by the device type support function is connected to the computing system; and responsive to detection of a supported device type, creating a software object for representing the detected physical device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein the code including a diagnostic system operating on a processor and having a storage the processor being coupled to a physical device, the diagnostic system including; a process operating on the processor including; a constructor for creating processes, classes, objects and pointers; a loader function for loading processes, classes and objects from the storage; and an unloader function for unloading processes and objects from the storage; a diagnostic device object derived from creation by the process and having a device characteristic function corresponding to physical characteristics of the physical device so that the diagnostic device object is associated with the physical device; and a virtual function interface including; a first pointer created by the process and passed by the process to the diagnostic device object and designating a function to the diagnostic device object; and a second pointer created by the diagnostic device object and passed from the diagnostic device object to the process.
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23. A computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein executing a diagnostic operation relating to a physical device in a computing system, the diagnostic operation including a plurality of routines performing the operations of; creating a generic base class; deriving a software object from a generic base class; representing the physical device as the derived software object; detecting a physical device, the detecting step including the substeps of; providing in the generic base class a plurality of device type support functions for each respective device class of a plurality of device classes, a device class supporting a specific type of physical device of a plurality of specific types of physical devices; in a generic base class function, looping through the plurality of device type support functions; in the device type support functions, detecting whether a physical device of the type supported by the device type support function is connected to the computing system; and responsive to detection of a supported device type, creating a software object for representing the detected physical device.
Specification