US5699310A — Method and apparatus for a fully inherited object…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 122 words

A computer system for generating source code comprising: (a) means for storing objects, wherein each of said objects comprises at least one method; (b) means for entering developer specifications by selecting an object, adding methods to the object, modifying methods within the object and deleting methods from the object; (c) means for storing the developer specifications as new objects; (d) means for entering code generation directions; (e) means for storing said code generation directions within objects; (f) obtaining means for obtaining code generation rules appropriate to a specific target environment through inheritance; (g) means for storing said code generation rules obtained by said obtaining means within objects; and (h) means for generating source code from the objects and said code generation rules.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 122 words

A computer system for generating source code comprising: (a) means for storing objects, wherein each of said objects comprises at least one method; (b) means for entering developer specifications by selecting an object, adding methods to the object, modifying methods within the object and deleting methods from the object; (c) means for storing the developer specifications as new objects; (d) means for entering code generation directions; (e) means for storing said code generation directions within objects; (f) obtaining means for obtaining code generation rules appropriate to a specific target environment through inheritance; (g) means for storing said code generation rules obtained by said obtaining means within objects; and (h) means for generating source code from the objects and said code generation rules.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

The computer system of claim 1, further comprising sub-objects, each sub-object being an object wholly-owned by another object.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The computer system of claim 2, wherein sub-objects are accessed by specifying the direct path of objects to the sub-objects.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 12 words

The computer system of claim 1, wherein each object comprises attribute sets.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The computer system of claim 1, further comprising means for more than one object to inherit from a same first object.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

The computer system of claim 1, further comprising means for one object to inherit methods from more than one other object.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

The computer system of claim 6, wherein instance identifications are used to uniquely identify each inheritance.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 14 words

The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least one object comprises a function.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 15 words

The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least one method comprises embedded source code.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

The computer system of claim 1, further comprising means for checking the integrity of the developer's specifications.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer system of claim 1, wherein each object is characterized as belonging to a class, further comprising means for changing the class of objects based upon the specific application for the source code to be generated.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

The computer system of claim 1, further comprising list process models, and means for objects to inherit from process models.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 18 words

The computer system of claim 12, wherein a single object can inherit from more than one process model.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The computer system of claim 1, wherein the means for generating source code comprises means for invoking methods connected to a target method.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 35 words

The computer system of claim 1, further comprising means for sending a message to a receiving object, such that the message is only sent if the receiving object is capable of responding to the message.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 83 words

A method for generating source code using a computer system having means for storing objects, methods and generation rules, and means for generating source code comprising: (a) entering developer specifications by selecting an object, adding methods to the object, modifying methods within the object and deleting methods from the object; (b) storing the developer specifications as new objects; (c) entering code generation directions; (d) storing the code generation directions within objects; and (e) generating source code from the objects and the generation rules.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 83 words

A method for generating source code using a computer system having means for storing objects, methods and generation rules, and means for generating source code comprising: (a) entering developer specifications by selecting an object, adding methods to the object, modifying methods within the object and deleting methods from the object; (b) storing the developer specifications as new objects; (c) entering code generation directions; (d) storing the code generation directions within objects; and (e) generating source code from the objects and the generation rules.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 16, wherein the computer system further comprises process models, and wherein developer specifications are entered by adding process models to the object, as well as by adding methods to the object, modifying methods within the object and deleting methods from the object.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 16, wherein each object is characterized as belonging to a class, further comprising changing the class of objects based upon the specific application for the source code to be generated.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 16, further comprising creating objects having a fully inherited view.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 16, further comprising inheriting generation rules appropriate to a target environment.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 16, wherein step (f) comprises creating intermediate modules comprising source code and collating instructions.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 21, wherein step (f) further comprises creating a source code module from at least one intermediate module.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of checking the integrity of the developer specifications.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 16, wherein at least one object comprises sub-objects.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 16, wherein each object comprises attribute sets, and step (b) further comprises filling in attribute value sets corresponding to the attribute sets.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 16, wherein more than one new object is created from a first object.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 16, further comprising inheriting methods from more than one other object.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 27, further comprising using instance identifications to uniquely identify each inheritance.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 16, further comprising sending a message to a receiving object only if the receiving object is capable of responding to the message.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 16, wherein at least one method comprises methods.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 16, further comprising generating program documentation describing the objects used and classes inherited from each object, and listing methods added to each object.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 16, wherein step (f) comprises generating source code by invoking methods connected to a target method.

Claim 35

Independent Claim 91 words

A method for generating source code using a computer system having means for storing objects, methods and generation rules, and means for generating source code comprising: (a) entering developer specifications in a developer's language and storing the developer specifications in objects; (b) entering code generation directions in a modeler's language and storing the code generation directions in objects; (c) creating objects having a fully inherited view; and (d) generating source code for a specific application, using objects containing the entered developer specifications and code generation directions, and using the generation rules.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 91 words

A method for generating source code using a computer system having means for storing objects, methods and generation rules, and means for generating source code comprising: (a) entering developer specifications in a developer's language and storing the developer specifications in objects; (b) entering code generation directions in a modeler's language and storing the code generation directions in objects; (c) creating objects having a fully inherited view; and (d) generating source code for a specific application, using objects containing the entered developer specifications and code generation directions, and using the generation rules.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 33, further comprising creating sub-objects within objects.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 33, wherein the computer system also comprises means for storing objects as classes, further comprising the step of creating a new object, said new object having inherited the characteristics of a class.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of changing the class of an object according to the specific application.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 35, further comprising the step of changing the class of an object according to a target code.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 35, wherein more than one new object is created from a first object.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 35, further comprising inheriting methods from more than one other object.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 39, further comprising using instance identifications to uniquely identify each inheritance.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 35, further comprising sending a message to a receiving object only if the receiving object is capable of responding to the message.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 35, wherein each object comprises at least one method.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 35, wherein at least one method comprises embedded source code.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 35, wherein each object comprises attribute sets, further comprising the step of filling in attribute value sets corresponding to the attribute sets.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 35, wherein at least one method comprises a function.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 35, wherein the computer system also comprises means for checking the integrity of the developer specifications, further comprising the step of checking the integrity of the developer specifications.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 35, wherein each object comprises a developer-controlled flag, that indicates whether the object is to be used as a class.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 35, wherein the computer system also comprises process models, and wherein each object comprises a list of process models that are appropriate for that object to use.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 35, wherein methods that are not relevant to an application are not visible.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 33, wherein step (c) comprises creating an inverted tree structure having nodes, the first node of the inverted tree structure being the object of which the fully inherited view is being constructed.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 33, wherein step (d) comprises generating source code by invoking methods connected to a target method.

Claim 55

Independent Claim 107 words

A method for generating source code using a computer system having means for storing classes, objects, methods, process models, functions and generation rules, and means for generating source code comprising: (a) selecting a class; (b) creating a new object from the selected class, said new object inheriting the characteristics of the class; (c) editing the new object by adding and deleting components of the object, said components being selected from sub-objects, methods, functions and process models; (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) to create additional new objects, as required by a specific application; (e) generating source code for the specific application, using the new objects and the generation rules.

Claim 56

Independent Claim 107 words

A method for generating source code using a computer system having means for storing classes, objects, methods, process models, functions and generation rules, and means for generating source code comprising: (a) selecting a class; (b) creating a new object from the selected class, said new object inheriting the characteristics of the class; (c) editing the new object by adding and deleting components of the object, said components being selected from sub-objects, methods, functions and process models; (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) to create additional new objects, as required by a specific application; (e) generating source code for the specific application, using the new objects and the generation rules.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 52, wherein the new object has an attribute set, and step (c) comprises filling in an attribute value set corresponding to the attribute set.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 52, wherein objects have integrity, further comprising the step of checking the integrity of the new objects.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 52, further comprising the step of creating a fully inherited view of at least one new object.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 55, wherein each object comprises at least one method.

Claim 61

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 56, wherein at least one method comprises a function.

Claim 62

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 56, wherein at least one method comprises embedded source code.

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 55, wherein at least one object comprises sub-objects.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 55, further comprising changing the class of the object according to the specific application.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 60, further comprising the step of creating a new object from a previously-created first object.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 61, further comprising the steps of creating more than one new object from a previously created first object.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 55, further comprising inheriting methods from more than one other object.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 63, further comprising using instance identifications to uniquely identify each inheritance.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 55, further comprising sending a message to a receiving object only if the receiving object is capable of responding to the message.

Claim 70

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 55, wherein step (e) comprises storing generated source code in intermediate modules.

Claim 71

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 66, further comprising converting an intermediate module into a source code module by assigning a file name to the intermediate module.

Claim 72

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 66, further comprising the process of including at least one intermediate module within another intermediate module.

Claim 73

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 55, wherein step (c) comprises selecting methods from more than one process model.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-12-15	2001-06-16	2001-12-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-12-15	2005-06-16	2005-12-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-12-15	2009-06-16	2009-12-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for a fully inherited object-oriented computer system for generating source code from user-entered specifications

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