Model-to-model transformation by kind

• US 8,935,657 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2004
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Duong B., Ashraf, Mahboob, Cornell, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): COYER, RYAN D
• Application Number:
  US11/009,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,686 Days
• Field of Search: 717100-178, 707/101
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for the model-to-model transformation by element-kind of a source model are proposed. An element-kind model-to-model transformation can include one or more transform elements defining a traversal of a source model, an element-kind mapping and the conversion from source models to target models. The element-kind mapping can include a set of associations between element-kinds for the source model and corresponding transformation rules to produce target objects in a target model.

Claims

1. A method for performing element-kind model-to-model transformations, the method comprising the steps of:

traversing a source model hierarchy of a source model having a plurality of source objects according to a single ordered list within a element-kind transform that specifies a traversal order of the plurality of source objects;

identifying an element-kind for each of said source objects in the source model hierarchy, each element-kind comprising a model construct specific to the source model hierarchy;

mapping identified element-kinds for said source objects to corresponding transformation rules defined in a table, the mapping pre-specifying transformation logic to be applied when encountering a corresponding element-kind in the source model hierarchy; and

,

executing said corresponding transformation rules on said source objects to produce target objects in a target model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said traversing step comprises the step of sequentially processing a list of transform elements.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said processing step comprises the steps of:

loading content extractors among said transform elements; and

,

identifying other transform elements through said loaded content extractors in order to traverse said source model.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said mapping step comprises the step of mapping identified element-kinds for said source objects to corresponding transforms comprising transformation rules.

5. An element-kind model-to-model transformation system comprising:

a plurality of transform elements defining a traversal of a source model;

an element-kind mapping comprising a set of associations between element-kinds for said source model and corresponding transformation rules to produce target objects in a target model; and

,

element-kind transformation logic executing in memory of a computer, the element-kind transformation logic comprising program code enabled to traverse a source model hierarchy of the source model having a plurality of source objects according to a single ordered list within a element-kind transform that specifies a traversal order of the plurality of source objects, to identify an element-kind for each of said source objects in the source model hierarchy, each element-kind comprising a model construct specific to the source model hierarchy, to map identified element-kinds for said source objects to corresponding transformation rules defined in a table, the mapping pre-specifying transformation logic to be applied when encountering a corresponding element-kind in the source model hierarchy, and to execute executing said corresponding transformation rules on said source objects to produce target objects in said target model.

6. The element-kind model-to-model transformation system of claim 5, wherein said transform elements are contained in a transform.

7. The element-kind model-to-model transformation system of claim 5, wherein said transform elements are content extractors.

8. The element-kind model-to-model transformation system of claim 5, wherein said transformation rules are encapsulated in other transforms.

9. The element-kind model-to-model transformation system of claim 6, wherein said element-kind mapping is disposed in said transform.

10. The element-kind model-to-model transformation system of claim 5, further comprising at least one property referenced by the transformation.

11. The element-kind model-to-model transformation system of claim 5, further comprising at least one condition referenced by at least one of said transform elements.

12. A non-transitory machine readable storage device having stored thereon a computer program for performing element-kind model-to-model transformations, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform the steps of:

traversing a source model hierarchy of the source model having a plurality of source objects according to a to a single ordered list within a element-kind transform that specifies a traversal order of the plurality of source objects;

identifying an element-kind for each of said source objects in the source model hierarchy, each element-kind comprising a model construct specific to the source model hierarchy;

mapping identified element-kinds for said source objects to corresponding transformation rules defined in a table, the mapping pre-specifying transformation logic to be applied when encountering a corresponding element-kind in the source model hierarchy; and

,

executing said corresponding transformation rules on said source objects to produce target objects in a target model.

13. The non-transitory machine readable storage device of claim 12, wherein said traversing step comprises the step of sequentially processing a list of transform elements.

14. The non-transitory machine readable storage device of claim 12, wherein said sequentially processing step comprises the steps of:

loading content extractors among said transform elements; and

,

identifying other transform elements through said loaded content extractors in order to traverse said source model.

15. The non-transitory machine readable storage device of claim 12, wherein said mapping step comprises the step of mapping identified element-kinds for said source objects to corresponding transforms comprising transformation rules.