Method for self-organizing software

• US 6,957,415 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions Of Sandia LLC (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandia Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Osbourn, Gordon C., Bouchard, Ann M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/456,382
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 717/100, 717/104, 717106-107, 717/114, 717/120, 717/127, 717/162
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

A method for dynamically self-assembling and executing software is provided, containing machines that self-assemble execution sequences and data structures. In addition to ordered functions calls (found commonly in other software methods), mutual selective bonding between bonding sites of machines actuates one or more of the bonding machines. Two or more machines can be virtually isolated by a construct, called an encapsulant, containing a population of machines and potentially other encapsulants that can only bond with each other. A hierarchical software structure can be created using nested encapsulants. Multi-threading is implemented by populations of machines in different encapsulants that are interacting concurrently. Machines and encapsulants can move in and out of other encapsulants, thereby changing the functionality. Bonding between machines'"'"' sites can be deterministic or stochastic with bonding triggering a sequence of actions that can be implemented by each machine. A self-assembled execution sequence occurs as a sequence of stochastic binding between machines followed by their deterministic actuation. It is the sequence of bonding of machines that determines the execution sequence, so that the sequence of instructions need not be contiguous in memory.

Claims

1. A method for executing code using a software self-assembly system, comprising:

constructing at least one machine using computer software, said at least one machine comprising at least one bonding site and at least one submachine part, said submachine part consisting of a component selected from a data storage means, an actuating means containing executable code and a control means, wherein each of said at least one bonding site comprises an identifier key;

translating an external stimulus into a machine using an information manager, said machine comprising at least one bonding site and at least one submachine part, said submachine part consisting of a component selected from a data storage means, an actuating means and a control means, wherein each of said at least one bonding site comprises an identifier key;

identifying said bonding sites with a status selected from available and unavailable;

establishing matches between complementary identifier keys;

posting a make-bond event between said machines with complementary identifier keys, said complementary identifier keys associated with bonding sites with a status of available;

forming a bond between bonding sites associated with said matching complementary identifier keys; and

activating code execution in said actuating means.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one machine has more than one bonding site.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein more than one bond is formed prior to the step of activating code execution.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding site has a status of unavailable, further comprising the step of posting a break-bond event.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of breaking the formed bond at the unavailable bonding site.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of breaking the formed bond occurs after code execution.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of breaking the formed bond occurs after a predetermined time period.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the key identifier of at least one bonding site is changed during the step of breaking the bond.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of posting a make-bond event assigns an occurrence frequency to the make-bond event.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming a bond is contingent upon the formation of another bond.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating means can be active.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the actuating means can be inactive.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the control means can be active.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the control means can be passive.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the data storage means points to a block of memory.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of posting a make-bond event incorporates a time delay in said make-bond event.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the bonding sites are listed as available after the step of breaking the bond.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the key identifier of at least one bonding site is changed for a set period of time after the step of breaking the bond.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the implementing computer language is FORTH.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein at least two bonds are formed prior to actuating code execution.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the formation of the at least two bonds occurs between three machines.

22. A method of developing a hierarchical self-assembling software structure, comprising:

providing an encapsulated environment comprising at least two encapsulated machines formulated using computer software, each said machine comprising at least one bonding site and at least one submachine part, said submachine part consisting of a component selected from a data storage means, an actuating means and a control means, wherein each of said at least one bonding site comprises an identifier key; and

providing a surface machine formulated using computer software that controls access between any machine external to said encapsulated environment and any machine internal to encapsulated environment.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said encapsulated environment contains another nested encapsulated environment with at least one surface machine and at least one machine internal to said nested encapsulated environment.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein an external stimulus is translated into a machine with a bonding site, said bonding site having a key identifier complementary to said key identifier on said surface machine.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein said surface machine has a bonding site and associated key identifier.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein at least two encapsulated environments containing each at least one encapsulated machine are provided.