Software Interface for dynamic API mapping
US6253257A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 26, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/44521
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a software interface for dynamic API mapping. The method comprises the steps of identifying the libraries required by the API by determining which program environment the API is operating in, scanning to detect and select libraries available to the determined program environment, dynamically loading the selected libraries, dynamically loading the selected libraries into the application, and binding the selected libraries to the associated API function call. The present invention allows a single binary application to transparently work with different libraries that provide a common or overlapping API set. This is accomplished by linking the application with a separate library that provides a dynamic API mapping facility. A function in this library is invoked when the application begins execution. The application's system is scanned to determine which libraries are available. If more than one choice is available, the dynamic API mapping facility will heuristically determine which library or libraries to use. An environment variable can also be used to force the application to use a specific set of libraries when more than one choice…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.