Method for designing object-oriented table driven state machines
US6463565B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 4, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 8, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 4, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/44
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A finite state machine is implemented by encapsulating the portions of a state table, which are associated with each state in a state object. Each state object is instantiated when the associated state is entered and destroyed when the state is exited. Since memory is only allocated at runtime when an object is instantiated and in existence, the amount of memory required to implement the state table is minimized. The state class from which the state object is instantiated can be subclassed. In accordance with normal object-oriented class design, a subclass inherits the state table of its parent class. However, the subclass allows table rows to be added and table rows present in the parent class to be overwritten in the subclass. The state table in each state class includes methods that are called when the class is created and destroyed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.