Application programs constructed entirely from autonomous component objects
US6230318A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 8, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/38
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An application program is constructed entirely from a collection of individual reusable tools arranged in a tree structure. Each tool provides resources for other tools in the tree, located by a hierarchical search. A configuration file read into the root tool of the structure as a resource provides a persistent specification of the placement of other tools in the tree, user interface elements, and other state information. The interfaces used by the tools can also be stored as resources in the tools themselves. Each tool is a class in an object-oriented language having inheritance. A base class, subclassed by all tools, provides a number of widely useful functions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.