System and method of constructing dynamic objects for an application program

• US 5,995,753 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Walker, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen-Ba, Antony
• Application Number:
  US08/969,187
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 395/702, 707/102, 707/103
• US Class Current: 717/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4498 Finite state machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and system of constructing dynamic objects for an application software includes the steps of reading and parsing a main configuration file by a foreman object, obtaining an object ID for each dynamic object specified in the main configuration file, creating, by a factory object, an instance of each dynamic object specified in the main configuration file and obtain a physical address for each created object, storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created object instances in an object dictionary, calling the initializing method of each object stored in the object dictionary, and initializing each created object.

Claims

1. A method of constructing dynamic objects for an application software, comprising the steps of:

converting a state diagram representation of the software application into a main configuration file;

reading and parsing a main configuration file by a foreman object;

obtaining an object ID for each dynamic object specified in the main configuration file;

creating, by a factory object, an instance of each dynamic object specified in the main configuration file and obtain a physical address for each created instance;

storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created instances in an object dictionary;

calling an initializing method of each object stored in the object dictionary; and

controlling the initialization of each created instance.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

reading and parsing a hierarchy of additional configuration files specified in the main configuration file;

reading and parsing a hierarchy of additional dynamic objects specified in the main configuration file and additional configuration files;

obtaining an object ID for each additional dynamic object specified in the additional configuration files;

creating, by a factory object, an instance of each dynamic object specified in the additional configuration files and obtain a physical address for each created instance;

storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created instances in an object dictionary;

calling the initializing method of each object stored in the object dictionary; and

initializing each created instance.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the dynamic object creating step further comprises the steps of:

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object; and

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dynamic object creating step further comprises the steps of:

accessing the main configuration file;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object; and

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class.

5. The method, as set forth in claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

creating the particular factory object responsible for creating the instance of the object class; and

adding the factory object to the factory dictionary.

6. The method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the factory object creating step comprises the steps of:

creating a hierarchy of factory objects responsible for creating a hierarchy of object classes; and

adding the hierarchy of factory objects to the factory dictionary.

7. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dynamic object instance creating step comprises the step of creating the dynamic object instances from object classes specified in a high level compiled language.

8. A method of constructing dynamic objects for an application software, comprising the steps of:

reading and parsing a main configuration file by a foreman object;

obtaining an object ID for each dynamic object specified in the main configuration file;

creating, by a factory object, an instance of each dynamic object specified in the main configuration file and obtain a physical address for each created instance;

storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created object instances in an object dictionary;

calling an initializing method of each created instance stored in the object dictionary;

controlling the initialization of each created instance;

reading and parsing a hierarchy of additional configuration files specified in the main configuration file;

reading and parsing a hierarchy of additional dynamic objects specified in the main configuration file and additional configuration files;

obtaining an object ID for each additional dynamic object specified in the additional configuration files;

creating, by a factory object, an instance of each additional dynamic object specified in the additional configuration files and obtain a physical address for each created additional instance;

storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created additional object instances in an object dictionary;

calling the initializing method of each created additional instance stored in the object dictionary;

initializing each created instance;

wherein the dynamic object instance creating step includes;

creating an empty instance of each dynamic object; and

configuring the attributes of the created empty instance as specified in the main or additional configuration files.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the dynamic object instance creating step includes:

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object;

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class;

creating a state object.

10. The method, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the factory object locating step includes locating a state factory object.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the dynamic object instance creating step includes:

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object;

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class;

creating an event object.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the factory object locating step includes locating an event factory object.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the dynamic object instance creating step includes:

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object;

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class;

creating an entity object.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 13, wherein the factory object locating step includes locating an entity factory object.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the dynamic object instance creating step includes

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object;

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class;

creating a message object.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the factory object locating step includes locating a message factory object.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the dynamic object instance creating includes:

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object;

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class;

creating a queue object.

18. The method, as set forth in claim 17, wherein the factory object locating step includes locating a queue factory object.

19. The method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the dynamic object instance creating step includes:

accessing one of the additional configuration files;

obtaining a class of each dynamic object;

locating a particular factory object in a factory dictionary responsible for creating an instance of the object class;

creating a timer object.

20. The method, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the factory object locating step includes locating a timer factory object.

21. A system for dynamically implementing a software application, comprising:

a database including a state diagram representation of the software application, the database adapted to convert the state diagram representation into a set of configuration files organized hierarchically where higher level configuration files refer to lower level configuration files, the configuration files containing a specification of a set of hierarchically organized dynamic objects and attributes thereof for implementing the software application;

a foreman object adapted to reading and parsing the set of configuration files, the foreman object adapted to obtaining an object ID for each dynamic object;

a factory object adapted to creating an instance of a particular class of dynamic objects specified in the configuration files and obtaining a physical address for each created instance; and

an object dictionary adapted to storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created instances, the object dictionary adapted to initializing each created instance.

22. The system, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising a factory dictionary adapted to storing references to factory objects adapted to create instances of different classes of dynamic objects.

23. A system for dynamically implementing a software application, comprising:

a set of configuration files organized hierarchically where higher level configuration files refer to lower level configuration files, the configuration files containing a specification of a set of hierarchically organized dynamic objects and attributes thereof for implementing the software application;

a foreman object adapted to reading and parsing the set of configuration files, the foreman object adapted to obtaining an object ID for each dynamic object;

a factory object adapted to creating an instance of a particular class of dynamic objects specified in the configuration files and obtaining a physical address for each created instance;

an object dictionary adapted to storing the object IDs and physical addresses of the created instances, the object dictionary adapted to initializing each created object;

a factory dictionary adapted to storing references to factory objects adapted to create instances of different classes of dynamic objects;

a state factory object adapted to creating instances of state objects.

24. The system, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising an event factory object adapted to creating instances of event objects.

25. The system, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising an entity factory object adapted to creating instances of entity objects.

26. The system, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising a message factory object adapted to creating instances of message objects.

27. The system, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising a queue factory object adapted to creating instances of queue objects.

28. The system, as set forth in claim 23, further comprising a timer factory object adapted to creating instances of timer objects.