Extensible library for storing objects of different types

• US 7,518,611 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Boyd, Martin, Sheeler, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kimbinh T
• Application Number:
  US11/400,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20060214935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 345/440, 717/110, 703/3, 703/11, 706/50, 715/762
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented

Abstract

A library can store different types of multimedia objects, including effects (for example, behaviors, filters, fonts, and particle effects) and content (for example, audio clips, video clips, and still images). The library can store both pre-defined objects and objects that have been created by a user. The library is extensible, so that it can store objects of unknown type.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a program to create a multimedia object of an unknown class, comprising:

associating the unknown class with a set of instantiation instructions; and

storing the association in a data repository;

wherein executing the set of instantiation instructions creates a multimedia object of the unknown class, the unknown class inheriting from a known class.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of instantiation instructions comprises a factory.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the factory is associated with an abstract factory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the abstract factory is configured to create a multimedia object of a known class.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia object of the unknown class inherits from a multimedia object of a known class.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the unknown class with the set of instantiation instructions comprises associating a unique identifier of the unknown class with the set of instantiation instructions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data repository stores an association of a second class with a second set of instantiation instructions.

8. A process for executing a method of a multimedia object, the process comprising:

determining a class of the multimedia object;

determining a set of instantiation instructions associated with the class;

creating the multimedia object by using a processor to execute the set of instantiation instructions;

determining a method supported by the multimedia object; and

executing the method using the multimedia object.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the set of instantiation instructions comprises a factory.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the factory is associated with an abstract factory.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the abstract factory is configured to create a multimedia object of a known class.

12. The process of claim 8, wherein the multimedia object inherits from a multimedia object of a known class.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein determining the method supported by the multimedia object comprises determining a method supported by the multimedia object of the known class.

14. A method for creating a multimedia object, the method comprising:

creating a multimedia object of an unknown class;

determining a set of instantiation instructions that, when executed, create a multimedia object of the unknown class;

associating the set of instantiation instructions with the class; and

storing the association in a data repository.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the set of instantiation instructions comprises a factory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the factory is associated with an abstract factory.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the abstract factory is configured to create a multimedia object of a known class.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the multimedia object of the unknown class inherits from a multimedia object of a known class.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the data repository stores an association of a second class with a second set of instantiation instructions.