System and method to ensure resource access safety with immutable object types
US9098269B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 4, 2013 |
| Grant date | Aug 4, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 12, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/437
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A language extension that advances safety in system programming in that an entire type may be declared to be immutable in the case in which all instances of that type are immutable. The immutable type declaration automatically causes any instances of that type to be treated as immutable, and automatically causes all directly or indirectly reachable members (e.g., fields, methods, properties) of the instance to also be treated as immutable. Furthermore, any construction time reference that allows for field assignment of the instance is not permitted to survive beyond the point at which the instance becomes accessible to its creator. Accordingly, this instance, and any other instance of that same type, will be immutable from the very time of construction. The ability to classify all such instances as immutable is beneficial as the immutable characteristic permits actions that normally would not be allowed due to resource access safety.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.