Application program and documentation generator system and method

• US 6,257,774 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Auerbach
• Original Assignee: Authorgenics, Inc.
• Inventors: Stack, Brian T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHEN, WEI Y
• Application Number:
  US09/162,425
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 395/705, 395/702
• US Class Current: 717/110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/33 Intelligent editors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/73 Program documentation

Abstract

Automatic generation of an application program is performed by a programmed system including a guided editor for establishing program, data and field definitions from a plurality of input event elements. A sequence generator, coupled to the guided editor, autonomously processes the program, data and field definitions into a plurality of functionally descriptive atomic sequences, each describing a unique characteristic such that a plurality of frames, each comprising zero or more functionally descriptive atomic sequences from each of the functionally descriptive sequences, respectfully describes the plurality of input event elements. A rule processor, including a program rule base conditionally describing the structure and operation of a predetermined application program, autonomously processes the program rule base in concert with the plurality of functionally descriptive atomic sequences proceeding generally sequentially over the plurality of frames conditionally unifying the plurality of functionally descriptive atomic sequences with the structure and operation of the predetermined application program. A syntax processor, including a syntax rule base defining the syntax of a predetermined programming language, then autonomously unifies the plurality of functionally descriptive atomic sequences with the syntax of the predetermined programming language to provide a coded representation of the structure and operation of the predetermined application program.

Claims

1. A computer system providing for the generation of application program code, said computer system comprising:

a) a segment store that provides storage for a plurality of first predetermined segments, each said first predetermined segment including respective data characterizing a predetermined image element, said segment store further providing storage for a predetermined skill;

b) a guided image editor that is responsive to user input, said guided image editor supporting entry of program, data, and field definitions defining said predetermined image element;

c) a sequence generator coupled to said guided image editor for processing said program, data and field definitions to provide said plurality of first predetermined segments; and

d) a specification resolver coupled to said segment store to access said plurality of first predetermined segments and said predetermined skill, said specification resolver operative based on said predetermined skill to evaluate said respective data characterizing said predetermined image element of said first predetermined segments and to resolve said plurality of first predetermined segments into one or more second predetermined segments, said specification resolver providing for the storage of said second predetermined segments in said segment store in replacement of said plurality of first predetermined image elements.

2. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a code generator coupled to said segment store to access said second predetermined segments, said code generator providing for the generation of application program code corresponding to each of said second predetermined segments, whereby the application program code generated is optimized in a manner determined by said predetermined skill relative to application program code generated in correspondence with said first predetermined segments.

3. The computer system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said specification resolver implements a directed pattern search over said first predetermined segments replacing occurrences of a first segment pattern with a set of one or more replacement segments to provide said second predetermined segments, said predetermined skill including one or more pattern segments determinative of said directed pattern search and said replacement segments.

4. The computer system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said predetermined skill includes a plurality of skill segments including a first skill segment subset defining a segment pattern and a second skill segment subset defining a replacement segment set, said specification resolver operating to substitute in and unify said replacement segment set with said first predetermined segments to provide said second predetermined segments.

5. In a computer system operable to generate application program code through use of a guided image editor to provide segments that store data characterizing image elements defined by the use of said guided image editor, wherein said segments are stored in a segment store, and wherein said segments are accessed from said segment store and processed through a code generator to provide said application program code, an improvement comprising:

a specification resolver coupled to said segment store to permit a predetermined set of segments to be accessed, modified, and restored to said segment store, said specification resolver operative to perform a predetermined directed pattern search of said predetermined set of segments to identify and replace a predetermined subset of said predetermined set of segments with a predetermined set of replacement segments,

whereby said application program code provided by said code generator is optimized in a predetermined manner corresponding to the difference between said predetermined subset of said predetermined set of segments and said predetermined set of replacement segments.

6. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said specification resolver is autonomously operative relative to use of said guided image editor.

7. The computer system of claim 5 wherein said improvement is operable as an autonomous function preparatory to the operation of said code generator.

8. The computer system of claim 6 or 7 wherein the function of said specification resolver is determined by a skill accessible by said specification resolver from said segment store.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said skill is stored by said segment store and wherein said skill includes said predetermined subset of said predetermined set of segments and said predetermined set of replacement segments.

10. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said skill is stored by said segment store as a plurality of skill segments and wherein said specification resolver is operative in response to said plurality of skill segments to determine said predetermined subset of said predetermined set of segments and said predetermined set of replacement segments.

11. A method of generating application program code through the execution of an application program by a programmable computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) inputting user information to define an image element;

b) generating first segments containing data characterizing said image element in accordance with a first correspondence with said user information;

c) processing said first segments to provide second segments containing data characterizing said image element in accordance with a second correspondence with said user information, wherein said second correspondence correlates to a material optimization of said application program code relative to application program code authored using said first segments as said program specification; and

d) authoring application program code using said second segments as a program specification.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of processing includes the step of evaluating a skill in conjunction with said first segments to produce said second segments.

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

a) storing said first segments to a segment store;

b) accessing said segment store to retrieve said first segments for use in said processing step and for storing said second segments to said segment store; and

c) accessing said segment store to retrieve said second segments for use in said authoring step.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said skill is embodied as third segments stored by said segment store and wherein said processing step further includes the step of accessing said segment store to retrieve said third segments for use in processing said first segments.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said material optimization consists of one or more improvements within the set of increased execution speed of said application program code, decreased size of said application program code, and increased conciseness in presentation of said image element through execution of said application program code.

16. A system for generating application program code through execution of an application program in a computer system, said system comprising:

a) an imaging editor permitting definition of predetermined features of an application program through manipulation of image elements;

b) a sequence generator interactively coupled with said imaging editor, said sequence generator providing for the generation of a predetermined set of segments representative of a predetermined image element;

c) a database providing for the storage of plural sequence sets, including said predetermined set, wherein each of the segments of said plural sequence sets include plural data fields, and wherein predetermined ones of said plural data fields store data defining predetermined relationships between the segments of the respective said plural sequence sets, said imaging editor being coupled to said database to permit manipulation of said plural sequence sets in correspondence with the manipulation of said image elements;

d) a resolver, coupled to said database, that operates to parse said plural sequence sets to identify a predetermined pattern in the data stored by said plural data fields, said resolver providing for the modification of said plural sequence sets in a manner corresponding to said predetermined pattern; and

e) a code generator, coupled to said database, that operates to parse said plural sequence sets to generate program code corresponding to each of said plural sequence sets as modified by said resolver.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said resolver provides for the modification of said predetermined sequence set by substitution of a feature sequence set for a segment of said predetermined sequence set as generated by said sequence generator.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said resolver provides for the modification of said predetermined sequence set by modification of a segment of said predetermined sequence set as generated by said sequence generator and by the inclusion of a feature sequence set.

19. The system of claim 17 or 18 wherein said resolver further provides for conforming the data stored in said plural data fields of said feature sequence set as appropriate to effectively maintain said predetermined relationships between the segments of said predetermined sequence set including the segments of said feature sequence set.

20. A software system executable by a general purpose computer that generates application programs corresponding to a predetermined business model, said software system comprising:

a) a guided image editor operative to capture first data corresponding a program structure and field definitions that describe a program corresponding to said predetermined business model, said guided image editor being further operative to capture second data descriptive of said program structure and field definitions in combination with the capture of said first data;

b) a sequence generator coupled to said guided image editor and responsive to said first data to provide a predetermined set of sequences corresponding to said first data, said predetermined set of sequences providing a structured representation of said program structure and said field definitions;

c) a processor coupled to receive said predetermined set of sequences, said processor providing for the selective evaluation of said predetermined set of sequences to selectably output a first sequence of codes executably implementing said program, said processor being further coupled to receive said second data and in combination with the selective evaluation of said predetermined set of sequences, selectably output a second sequence of codes documentatively describing the use and operation of said program.

21. The software system of claim 20 wherein said first sequence of codes is consistent with the syntax of a predetermined programming language and wherein said first sequence of codes is converted into said program in accordance with said predetermined programming language.

22. The software system of claim 21 wherein said second sequence of codes is consistent with the syntax of a predetermined documentary language.

23. The software system of claim 22 further comprising a data store coupled to said guided image editor, and wherein said guided image editor is operative to designate a predetermined set of field definitions and to transfer a corresponding portion of said first data to said data store, said guided image editor transferring a predetermined portion of said second data to said data store with said predetermined portion of first data.

24. The software system of claim 23 wherein said guided image editor includes a work area and wherein said guided image editor provides for the transfer of said predetermined portions of said first and second data between said work area and said data store as a data object.

25. The software system of claim 24 wherein said guided image editor enables the assignment of predetermined attributes to said predetermined set of field definitions within said work area and wherein said guided image editor provides for the inclusion of said predetermined attributes assigned to said set of field definitions to be transferred with said data object to said data store.

26. The software system of claim 25 wherein said predetermined attributes define operational characteristics of said predetermined set of field definitions, wherein said sequence generator includes said predetermined attributes in said predetermined set of sequences, and wherein said guided image editor transfers a portion of said predetermined set of sequences as said corresponding portion of said first data to said data store as part of said data object.