US5815415A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Computer system for portable persistent modeling
Assignee: Bentley Systems Inc
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Filing: 1996-03-06
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Granted: 1998-09-29
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Expires: 2016-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A computer system for modeling is disclosed, where the computer system has a storage device, first and second platforms, a portable persistent model, and first and second platform-dependent computerized modeling systems (CMS). Each platform is interfaced to the storage device and provides system-dependent services. The first platform has a first type of operating system and a first type of computer hardware including a first memory, and the second platform has a second type of operating system and a second type of computer hardware including a second memory. The model resides in the storage device in a platform-independent format and includes persistent component objects. The first CMS resides in the first platform memory and the second platform-dependent CMS resides in the second platform memory. Each CMS provides CMS services including retrieving the model from the storage device, manipulating the model, changing the model by adding and removing persistent objects, and persistently saving the model to the storage device. Each CMS includes a static kernel and a dynamic framework. The kernel executes on the platform and interfaces to the operating system and the computer hardware, and provides services necessary to load and execute CMS services and to interface to the platform services. The framework executes on the platform and interfaces to the kernel, provides a platform-independent visual interface between the CMS and a CMS user, and employs the services of the kernel.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith Bentley
- 👤 Samuel Wilson
- 👤 Earlin Lutz
- 👤 James Bartlett
- 👤 John Gooding
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/448; G06F9/4488; G06F9/4493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A computer system for modeling, the computer system comprising: a storage device; first and second platforms interfaced to the storage device, each platform for providing system-dependent services, the first platform having a first type of operating system and a first type of computer hardware including a first memory, the second platform having a second type of operating system and a second type of computer hardware including a second memory; a portable persistent model residing in the storage device in a platform-independent format, the model including persistent component objects; a first platform-dependent computerized modeling system (CMS) residing in the first memory of the first platform and a second platform-dependent CMS residing in the second memory of the second platform, each CMS for providing CMS services including retrieving the model from the storage device, manipulating the model, changing the model by adding and removing persistent objects, and persistently saving the model to the storage device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A computer system for modeling, the computer system comprising: a storage device; first and second platforms interfaced to the storage device, each platform for providing system-dependent services, the first platform having a first type of operating system and a first type of computer hardware including a first memory, the second platform having a second type of operating system and a second type of computer hardware including a second memory; a portable persistent model residing in the storage device in a platform-independent format, the model including persistent component objects; a first platform-dependent computerized modeling system (CMS) residing in the first memory of the first platform and a second platform-dependent CMS residing in the second memory of the second platform, each CMS for providing CMS services including retrieving the model from the storage device, manipulating the model, changing the model by adding and removing persistent objects, and persistently saving the model to the storage device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 1 wherein each CMS is an engineering modeling system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computer system of claim 2 wherein each CMS is a computer-aided drafting system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
82 words
The computer system of claim 1 wherein each CMS comprises: a static kernel executing on the platform and interfaced to the operating system and the computer hardware, the kernel for providing services necessary to load and execute CMS services and to interface to the platform services; and a dynamic framework executing on the platform and interfaced to the kernel, the framework for providing a platform-independent visual interface between the CMS and a CMS user, the framework employing the services of the kernel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 4 wherein each platform executes a particular type of native code and wherein each kernel is provided in the form of the respective native code.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the kernel exposes a function call-based application programmer interface having native code functions, the native code functions being accessible by direct calls from the framework.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the kernel includes a virtual machine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the virtual machine is platform-dependent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the virtual machine interprets platform-independent code.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the virtual machine translates platform-independent code into platform-dependent code.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 7 wherein the virtual machine has a hybrid architecture that implements registers as locations in a virtual machine stack.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the kernel includes an object/persistence manager responsible for allocation, references, and persistence of all objects in the model.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the framework is written in a platform-independent programming language and compiled.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 13 wherein the framework is written in a platform-independent object-oriented schema implementation programming language and compiled.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the schema is written in a platform-independent object-oriented schema implementation programming language and compiled into a platform-independent form.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 4 further comprising a system state object for holding system level state information for the framework, the system state object being created when the framework is initially executed and being a known point for queries to determine a current state of the framework.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 16 wherein the system state object holds a reference to an object representative of the model.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 16 wherein the system state object holds a reference to an event responder, the event responder being executed in response to an occurrence of a specific event triggered by the CMS user.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 16 wherein the system state object holds a reference to a window, the window being employed as an interactive interface between the CMS and the CMS user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the framework includes a command tool manager for accessing a set of command tools and for manipulating the model with the command tools.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 4 wherein a transaction is a series of modifications to objects in the model, the CMS further comprising a transaction manager for tracking each object involved in a transaction and for maintaining a copy of each such object prior to the transaction, the transaction manager also for undoing a transaction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 21 wherein the framework includes the transaction manager.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the framework includes a portable graphical user interface (GUI) tool kit having a set of GUI tools, the set of GUI tools being independent of the platform.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer system of claim 1 wherein the storage device includes a project database having at least one persistent store, each persistent object in the portable persistent model being instantiated from a schema and being stored in the at least one persistent store with the schema.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 24 wherein the schema is written in a platform-independent object-oriented schema implementation programming language and compiled into a platform-independent form.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 24 wherein the project database has a plurality of persistent stores, each persistent object in the portable persistent model being instantiated from one of a plurality of schemas and being stored in one of the persistent stores with the instantiated-from schema.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the schemas are selected from a group consisting of a project schema, a modeling schema, a drafting schema, a compatibility schema, and a discipline-specific schema.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-28 | 2002-03-30 | 2002-09-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-28 | 2006-03-30 | 2006-09-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-28 | 2010-03-30 | 2010-09-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |