Method for automation of programmable interfaces

• US 20050137850A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Odell, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US10/753,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137850A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

A file includes data and semantic context. The semantic context identifies limitations on the use of the data in the file. Semantic context may include, among other possibilities, source information about a parameter, acceptable values for a parameter, presentation information, a record of the use of the data, and information to synchronize the use of the data with another file.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a computer;

a file on the computer, the file including;

data; and

a semantic context applicable to the data; and

an enforcer on the computer to enforce that a use of the data complies with the semantic context.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data include a first function; and

the semantic context identifies a second function upon which the first function depends.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data include a parameter for a first function; and

the semantic context identifies a second function upon which the parameter depends.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data include a parameter for a first function; and

the semantic context includes a list of acceptable values for the parameter.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data include a parameter for a first function; and

the semantic context includes a range of acceptable values for the parameter.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the semantic context includes information to present the data in a user interface.

7. A system, comprising:

a first computer;

a file on the first computer, the file including data; and

a recorder to record an execution context for the file.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein:

the data include a call to a function; and

the recorder is operative to record in the execution context an instance number assigned to the call to the function.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein:

the system includes a second file on the first computer, the second file including second data including a result of the call to the function; and

the recorder is operative to record in a second execution context for the second file the instance number.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein:

the data include a call to a function; and

the recorder is operative to record a source for a parameter in the call to the function.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the source for the parameter includes at least one of the following:

a second call to a second function;

an instance number assigned to the second call to the second function;

a result of the second call to the second function; and

, a reference to a second parameter of the result of the second call to the second function.

12. A system according to claim 7, wherein:

the data include a call to a function; and

the recorder is operative to record an indicator that an execution of the data should wait for a result of the call to the function.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the indicator includes a source for the result.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the source for the result includes a server from which the result should originate.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the source for the result includes at least one of the following:

a second call to a second function;

an instance number assigned to the second call to the second function;

a second result of the second call to the second function; and

, a reference to a second parameter of the second result of the second call to the second function.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein the result includes a message.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the message includes an instance number.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein the recorder is operative to record the indicator in a second data.

19. A memory for storing data accessible by an application program being executed on a machine, comprising:

a file structure stored in the memory, the file structure including;

data; and

a context applicable to the data in the file structure.

20. A memory according to claim 19, wherein the context includes a semantic context applicable to the data in the file structure.

21. A memory according to claim 19, wherein the context includes an execution context applicable to the data in the file structure.

22. A method for using a semantic context of a file on a computer, comprising:

accessing data from the file;

accessing a semantic context applicable to the data; and

enforcing that a use of the data complies with the semantic context.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein:

accessing data includes identifying a parameter for a first function in the data;

accessing a semantic context includes determining a second function upon which the parameter depends; and

enforcing that a use of the data complies with the semantic context includes using the second function before using the parameter.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein:

accessing data includes identifying a parameter for a first function in the data;

accessing a semantic context includes determining a list of acceptable values for the parameter; and

enforcing that a use of the data complies with the semantic context includes enforcing that a value for the parameter of the data is within the list of acceptable values.

25. A method for annotating a file, comprising:

determining data in the file;

determining an execution context for the data; and

annotating the file with the execution context.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein:

determining data includes determining a parameter for a function in the data; and

determining an execution context includes determining a source for the parameter.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein determining a source includes determining the source for the parameter as at least one of the following:

a second call to a second function;

an instance number assigned to the second call to the second function;

a result of the second call to the second function; and

, a reference to a second parameter of the result of the second call to the second function.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein:

determining data includes determining a call to a function in the data; and

determining an execution context includes determining that an execution of the data should wait for a result of the call to the function.

29. An article comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a machine, result in;

accessing data from a file;

accessing a semantic context applicable to the data; and

enforcing that a use of the data complies with the semantic context.

30. An article according to claim 29, wherein:

accessing data includes identifying a first function in the data;

accessing a semantic context includes determining a second function upon which the first function depends; and

enforcing that a use of the data complies with the semantic context includes using the second function before using the first function.

31. An article according to claim 29, wherein:

accessing data includes identifying a parameter for a first function in the data;

accessing a semantic context includes determining a second function upon which the parameter depends; and

enforcing that a use of the data complies with the semantic context includes using the second function before using the parameter.

32. An article comprising:

a storage medium, said storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that, when executed by a machine, result in;

determining data in a file;

determining an execution context for the data; and

annotating the file with the execution context.

33. An article according to claim 32, wherein:

determining data includes determining a parameter for a function in the data; and

determining an execution context includes determining a source for the parameter.

34. An article according to claim 33, wherein determining a source includes determining the source for the parameter as at least one of the following:

a second call to a second function;

an instance number assigned to the second call to the second function;

a result of the second call to the second function; and

, a reference to a second parameter of the result of the second call to the second function.

35. An article according to claim 32, wherein:

determining data includes determining a call to a function in the data; and

determining an execution context includes determining that an execution of the data should wait for a result of the call to the function.