System and method for building a database defining a plurality of communication interfaces

• US 20020198887A1
• Filed: 03/22/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S2 Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: S2 Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Underseth, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/546 Xcast
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/547 Messaging middleware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for providing seamless communication with threads executing on an embedded computer. Using a DAT system, a programmer can test the communication interfaces of a thread via either a scripting program, any COM-compliant program, or a graphical test utility. The DAT system automatically formats a block of data that is transmitted between the embedded computer and a host computer and accounts for machine specific enumeration sizes, machine specific pointer sizes, machine specific structure alignment boundaries, machine specific integer sizes, and machine specific byte ordering.

Claims

1. A method of building a database, the method comprising:

reading an interface description file that defines at least one communication interface of an application thread;

extracting communication information from the communication interface, wherein extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises;

reading a unique identifier that is associated with the communication interface,

determining a size of a communication that is transmitted via the communication interface,

determining a name of each of the data fields in the communication,

determining a method of transmitting the memory that is associated with the communication interface,

identifying pointer data that is associated with the communication interface,

determining a management method of the communication interface, and

determining a type of the communication interface, whether it is message based or a function call;

storing the extracted interface information in a communication database;

storing at least one machine characteristic of an embedded device in the communication database, wherein the machine characteristic of the embedded computer is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering; and

storing at least one machine characteristic of a host computer in the communication database, wherein the machine characteristic of the host computer is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

2. A method of building a database, the method comprising:

reading an interface description file that defines at least one communication interface;

extracting communication information from the communication interface;

storing the extracted communication information in a communication database;

storing at least one machine characteristic of an embedded device in the communication database; and

storing at least one machine characteristic of a host computer in the communication database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises reading a name of the communication interface.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises reading a unique identifier that is associated with the communication interface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises determining a size of a communication that is transmitted via the communication interface.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises determining a name of each of the data fields in a communication that is transmitted via the communication interface.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the machine characteristic of the embedded computer is selected from the group comprising:

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the machine characteristic of the host computer is selected from the group comprising:

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

9. A system for building a database, the system comprising:

means for reading an interface description file that defines at least one communication interface of an application thread;

means for extracting communication information from the communication interface, wherein means for extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises;

means for reading a unique identifier that is associated with the communication interface,

means for determining a size of a communication that is transmitted via the communication interface, and

means for determining a name of each of the data fields in the communication;

means for storing the extracted interface information in a communication database;

means for storing at least one machine characteristic of an embedded device in the communication database, wherein the machine characteristic of the embedded computer is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering; and

means for storing at least one machine characteristic of a host computer in the communication database, wherein the machine characteristic of the host computer is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

10. A system for building a database, the system comprising:

means for reading an interface description file that defines at least one communication interface;

means for extracting communication information from the communication interface;

means for storing the extracted communication information in a communication database;

means for storing at least one machine characteristic of an embedded device in the communication database; and

means for storing at least one machine characteristic of a host computer in the communication database.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises means for reading a name of the communication.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises means for reading a unique identifier that is associated with the communication.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises means for determining a size of the communication.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for extracting communication information from the communication interface comprises means for determining a name of each of the data fields in the communication.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the machine characteristic of the embedded computer is selected from the group comprising:

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the machine characteristic of the host computer is selected from the group comprising:

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

18. The database of claim 17, additionally comprising an interface for accessing the interface information, the host computer machine information, and the embedded computer machine information.

17. A database, comprising:

interface information describing at least one characteristic of a communication interface of an application thread;

host computer information that describes at least one characteristic of a host computer, wherein the host computer information is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering; and

embedded computer machine information that describes at least one characteristic of an embedded computer, wherein the embedded computer machine information is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering.

19. A database, comprising:

interface information describing at least one characteristic of a communication interface of an application thread that is defined in an interface description file; and

a predefined interface for providing viewing and testing the communication interface using at least in part the interface information.

20. A system comprising:

a database, comprising;

interface information describing at least one characteristic of a communication interface of an application thread;

host computer information that describes at least one characteristic of a host computer, wherein the host computer information is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering; and

embedded computer machine information that describes at least one characteristic of an embedded computer, wherein the embedded computer machine information is selected from the group comprising;

an enumeration size, a pointer size, a structure alignment boundary, an integer size, and a byte ordering; and

a module providing a user interface for testing the communication interface.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface that allows a user to send data via the communication interface.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface that allows a user to view data that is received via the communication interface.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface that allows a user to view all of the communication interfaces that are stored in the database.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface that allows a user to view a communication format of the communication interface.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface that allows a user to view an identifier that is associated with the communication interface.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface for simulating the communication interface.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface for associating data with the communication interface.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface for logging tracing information to a file.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface for measuring a difference in time between two selected interfaces are invoked.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface includes an interface for communicating with a script.

31. A system for providing a communication interface that is accessible by a plurality of components, the system comprising:

a scripting program;

a COM-compliant object; and

at least one communication module which is configured to provide an application programming interface for the scripting program to communicate with the COM-compliant object.