Process-driven tool interface for an object management system

• US 6,785,882 B1
• Filed: 05/24/1999
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, David R., Hartmann, Gerald E., Goiffon, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): INGBERG, TODD D
• Application Number:
  US09/317,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120, 700/200
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

A process-driven object management system for managing data and code modules is disclosed. The object management system includes a repository that stores objects, wherein ones of the objects referred to as “Asset elements” each describe a respective code or data module. The object management system includes a set of scripted tools for performing renovation, transformation, and code development tasks on the code and data modules. According to one aspect of the invention, the tool invocation constructs are stored as objects in the repository, such that some of the same object management tools and automated repository interface functions used to manage the Asset element can also be used to manage and veiw the tool objects.

Claims

1. For use in an object management system for managing software modules, the object management system having a repository memory for storing objects wherein ones of the objects are asset objects that are each descriptive of a respective one of the software modules, the object management system further including server memory coupled to the repository memory for storing interactive tools, each of the interactive tools having a respective tool interface, each of the interactive tools for performing one or more operations on the software modules, the object management system including a process-based interface for the interactive tools, comprising:

first memory means for storing protocols, each of said protocols being associated with a respective one of the operations performed by a respective one of the interactive tools, each of said protocols to specify how said respective one of the operations will be accomplished by said respective one of the interactive tools; and

second memory means coupled to said first memory means for storing processes, ones of said processes specifying the manner in which one or more associated ones of said protocols will be executed to accomplish a respective task.

2. The process-based interface of claim 1, and further including third memory means coupled to said second memory means for storing plans, each of said plans associating a respective process with one or more of the software modules, and whereby said plan defines said respective task executed against said one or more software modules.

3. The process-based interface of claim 2, and further including Element Inventory Schema (EIS) memory means for storing type definitions used to create each of said protocols, said processes, and said plans.

4. The process-based interface of claim 2, wherein said memory management means includes tool means for managing the asset objects, and wherein said tool means may also be used to manage said protocols, said processes, and said plans.

5. The process-based interface of claim 2, wherein said first memory means includes means for storing tool relationship indicators each for associating a respective one of said protocols to said respective one of the interactive tools.

6. The process-based interface of claim 5, wherein said second memory means includes means for storing protocol relationship indicators each for associating a respective one of said processes to a respective one of said one or more associated ones of said protocols.

7. The process-based interface of claim 5, wherein ones of said processes are associated with different ones of said processes that are sub-processes, wherein said sub-processes are executed to accomplish said respective task, and wherein said second memory means includes means for storing sub-process relationship indicators each for associating a respective one of said processes to a respective different one of said sub-processes.

8. The process-based interface of claim 7, wherein said third memory means includes the means for storing process relationship indicators each for associating a respective one of said plans to a respective one of said processes.

9. The process-based interface of claim 8, wherein said third memory means includes relationship means for storing asset relationship indicators each for associating a respective one of said plans to a respective one of said asset objects for mapping said respective one of said plans to the software module described by said respective one of said asset objects.

10. The process-based interface of claim 1, and further including plan creation means coupled to said third memory means for allowing a user of the object management system to interactively create ones of said plans by selecting for each said plan a respective one of said processes and for further selecting respective ones of the asset objects descriptive of selected ones of the software modules.

11. The process-based interface of claim 10, wherein said plan creation means includes user interface means for creating each of said plans by selecting said respective ones of said processes using natural language descriptions that are independent of any one of the tool interfaces.

12. The process-based interface of claim 11, and further including plan execution means for automatically executing a selectable one of said plans on said selected ones of the software modules as determined by said respective ones of said asset objects that are indicative of said selected ones of the software modules.

13. The process-based interface of claim 12, and further including plan hub means for creating plan execution records to record status regarding execution by said plan execution means of said selectable one of said plans.

14. The process-based interface of claim 1, wherein said second memory means includes means for storing in ones of said processes one or more conditional logic expressions, wherein evaluation of said one or more conditional logic expressions results in selective invocation of said associated ones of said protocols to accomplish said respective task.

15. For use in an object management system for managing code and data modules, the object management system having a repository memory for storing asset objects that are each descriptive of a respective one of the code and data module, the object management system further including tools each to perform functions on associated ones of the code and data modules, and wherein sequences of functions may be performed to accomplish a given operation on ones of the code and data modules, the process-based tool interface, comprising:

an Element Inventory (El) repository included in the repository memory having first memory circuits to store protocol objects each to automatically invoke an associated one of the tools to perform an associated one of the functions;

An Element Inventory Schema (EIS) repository coupled to said El repository having first EIS memory circuits to stored a respective object definition for a respective one of said protocol objects indicating the manner in which said respective one of said protocol objects invokes said associated tool.

16. The process-based tool interface of claim 15, wherein said El repository includes second memory circuits to store tool objects each descriptive of a respective one of the tools.

17. The process-based tool interface of claim 16, wherein said second memory circuits further include circuits to store protocol relationships each existing between a respective one of said protocol objects and the one of said tool objects that is descriptive of said associated tool invoked by said respective one of said protocol objects.

18. The process-based tool interface of claim 16, wherein said EIS repository further includes second EIS memory circuits to store a respective object definition for each of said tool objects indicating the manner in which said each tool object may be related to an associated one of said protocol objects.

19. The process-based tool interface of claim 15, wherein said El repository includes third memory circuits to store process objects each descriptive of a respective one of the operations accomplished by execution of one or more invoked ones of the functions.

20. The process-based tool interface of claim 19, wherein said third memory circuits further include circuits to store one or more first process relationships, each of said first process relationships existing between a respective one of said process objects and a respective one of said protocol objects that is associated with one of said one or more invoked ones of the functions.

21. The process-based tool interface of claim 20, wherein said EIS repository further includes third EIS memory circuits to store a respective object definition for each of said process objects, and further to store a relationship type for each of said first process relationships to define the manner in which each of said first process relationships interrelates a respective one of said process objects to a respective one of said protocols.

22. The process-based tool interface of claim 15, wherein said El repository further includes fourth memory circuits to store second process relationships, each of said second process relationships existing between a respective one of said process objects and a respective different one of said process objects, wherein said different one of said process objects is invoked as a sub-process associated with one of said one or more invoked ones of the functions.

23. The process-based tool interface of claim 22, wherein said EIS repository further includes fourth EIS memory circuits to store a relationship type for each of said second process relationships to define the manner in which each of said second process relationships interrelates a respective one of said process objects to a different respective one of said process objects.

24. The process-based tool interface of claim 15, wherein said El repository includes fifth memory circuits to store plan objects each descriptive of the manner in which a respective one of the operations as described by an associated one of said process objects is executed on a selectable set of the code and data modules.

25. The process-based tool interface of claim 24, wherein said fifth memory circuits further include circuits to store first plan relationships, each of said first plan relationships existing between a respective one of said plan objects and said associated one of said process objects.

26. The process-based tool interface of claim 25, wherein said fifth memory circuit include additional circuits to store second plan relationships, each of said second plan relationships existing between a respective one of said plan objects and a respective one of the asset objects wherein said respective one of the asset objects is descriptive of a respective one of said selectable set of the code and data modules.

27. The process-based tool interface of claim 26, wherein said EIS repository further includes fifth EIS memory circuits to store a relationship type for each of said first plan relationships to define the manner in which each of said first plan relationships interrelates a respective one of said plan objects to said associated one of said process objects.

28. The process-based tool interface of claim 24, further including plan creation means coupled to said El repository for allowing a user of the object management system to interactively create ones of said plan objects by selecting for each of said plan objects said associated one of said process objects and said selectable set of the code and data modules.

29. The process-based tool interface of claim 28, wherein said plan creation means includes user interface means whereby each of said plan objects is created by selecting process objects described using natural language descriptions that are independent of any one of the tool interfaces.

30. The process-based tool interface of claim 24, and further including plan execution means coupled to said El repository for executing a selectable one of said plans to automatically execute said respective task against said selectable set of the one or more software modules.

31. The process-based tool interface of claim 30, and further including plan hub means coupled to said plan execution means for creating a plan execution object stored in said El repository for recording execution status generated during the execution of said selectable one of said plan objects.

32. For use in an object management system for managing software modules, the object management system including a repository to store objects, ones of the objects being asset elements that are each descriptive of a respective software module, the object management system further including tools for performing functions on selectable ones of the software modules, a computer-implemented method of providing a process-based user interface for the object management system, comprising the steps of:

a.) storing in the repository a set of protocol type definitions, each of said protocol type definitions including a function invocation for invoking a respective one of the functions performed by an associated one of the tools;

b.) storing in the repository a set of process type definitions, ones of said process type definitions identifying one or more protocol type definitions for the purposes of describing a task accomplished by the functions performed by said identified one or more protocol type definitions; and

c.) defining as a plan object a description that may be used to perform a selectable task on a selectable group of the software modules, wherein said task is defined by identifying one or more of said process type definitions.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein step c) includes the steps of:

c1) creating at least one protocol object each to include a function invocation for use in invoking an associated one of the tools, each protocol object being created using a selectable one of said protocol type definitions;

c2) creating at least one process object using a selectable one of said process type definitions, said at least one process object each to identify said at least one protocol object, wherein the function invocation included in the identified protocol object is utilized to accomplish the task described by said selectable one of said process type definitions; and

c3) recording within said plan object an identifier identifying a selectable one of said at least one process object and identifiers identifying one or more selectable ones of said asset elements, wherein said task described by said selectable one of said at least one process object is to be executed on the software modules described by said one or more selectable ones of said asset elements.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein step c2) includes storing in each said process object a definition describing an executable script to be executed to accomplish said task.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein step c2) includes the step of polling the user to allow for interactive selection of said selectable ones of said asset elements.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said step c2) includes storing a relationship in the repository to associate a respective one of said at least one process object with a respective one of said at least one protocol object.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said step c3) includes the step of storing a relationship in the repository to associate said plan object with said selectable one of said at least one process object.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein step c3) includes the steps of:

c3-1) polling a user to allow for interactive selection of a process object;

c3-2) locating within the repository said at least one protocol object identified by said selected process object; and

c3-3) copying said function invocation from each located protocol object into said plan object.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein each said at least one protocol object identified in said at least one process object is identified by a respective relationship indicator, wherein said relationship indicator identifies a relationship existing between said at least one process object and a respective one of said at least one protocol object, and wherein step c3-2) includes the step of traversing each said relationship to locate within the repository said at least one protocol object.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein said step c1) includes creating a tool object in the repository to described each of the tools, and further storing a relationship in the repository to associate a respective one of said at least one protocol object with the tool object that describes said associated one of the tools.

44. The method of claim 33, wherein said step c3) further includes the step of storing a respective asset relationship in the repository for each of said selectable ones of said asset elements, each said asset relationship to associate a respective one of said selectable ones of said asset elements with said selectable one of said at least one process object.

45. The method of claim 32 wherein step a) includes the step of storing in the repository tool type definitions each describing a respective one of the tools, and for further storing in the repository for each of said protocol type definitions, a relationship type definition associating each of said protocol type definitions with a respective one of the tool type definitions.

46. The method of claim 32 wherein step b) includes the step of storing in the repository for ones of said process type definitions, a relationship type definition associating each of said ones of said process type definitions with a respective one of said one or more associated protocol type definitions.

40. The method of claim 40, and further including the step of:

d) automatically executing said description included in said plan object to perform said selectable task on said selectable group of the software modules.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein step d) includes the step of scheduling automatic execution of said description included in said plan object for one or more predetermined times and dates.

42. The method of claim 40, and further including the step of:

e) creating an object in the repository to store the execution status for the automatic execution of said description included in said plan object.