Class casting support for run-time extensible items in an object oriented framework
US6405363B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/289
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In an object oriented computer system, a framework mechanism defines one or more run-time extensible items that may be dynamically reconfigured as required to support different interfaces at run-time. Each extensible item has one or more adapters that correspond to the extensions owned by the extensible item. The extensible item class defines a castTo( ) method. The castTo( ) method is invoked to logically cast an instance of the extensible item class to a desired class so that a selected method on that class can be called. When the castTo( ) method is invoked on an instance of the extensible item class, the extensible item object determines if any of its extensions have an adapter that supports the class specified in the castTo( ) method call. If an adapter does support the specified class, the adapter corresponding is returned, and the selected method is then invoked on the adapter. In this manner, class casting of run-time extensible items is achieved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.