US6532471B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interface repository browser and editor
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 2000-12-11
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Granted: 2003-03-11
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Expires: 2020-12-11
Abstract
Abstract A system, method and user interface for visually browsing and editing one more or CORBA Interface Repositories (“IR”) for program objects. A user selects an Interface Repository and an object within the Interface Repository. The IR Browser/Editor presents a three-pane view graphically depicting a containment tree, an object's interface definition language, and an inheritancy diagram of the selected object. The user may review the full interface definition language of the object, save the IDL or cut-and-paste it to another program such as a code editor for compiling. The user may also select a parent or child object within any of the three panes of the display, which causes the inheritance diagram, containment tree, and IDL panes to be updated to show the parent and child interfaces of the selected object, and the containment tree and IDL for the selected object, accordingly. The user may “browse” graphically through a containment tree, an IDL listing, or an inheritance diagram, interactively, but successively selecting objects shown in each view. Optionally, the user may control the level of detail shown in each pane, and may choose to filter the information presented according to user preferences. The user may edit an Interface Repository as he “browses” it by copying, adding, and deleting objects in the database.
Inventors
- 👤 William Hsiao-Yu Ku
- 👤 Joey Allen Perry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:19
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/20; G06F8/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for allowing a user to visually browse and edit interfaces and objects contained in Interface Repositories, said Interface Repositories comprising an on-line database accessible through a search and query protocol, said interface repositories being stored on one or more server computers and storing interface descriptions for program objects, said interface descriptions including containment, inheritance and interface definition language information, the method comprising the steps of: providing a containment view, an interface definition language view and a inheritance view for a selected object, each of said views containing a plurality of displayed items; allowing a user to re-select an item in a view; retrieving containment, interface definition language and inheritance information for the re-selected item from an Interface Repository through an Interface Repository search and query protocol; and updating the containment view, interface definition language view and the inheritance view according to the retrieved information.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for allowing a user to visually browse and edit interfaces and objects contained in Interface Repositories, said Interface Repositories comprising an on-line database accessible through a search and query protocol, said interface repositories being stored on one or more server computers and storing interface descriptions for program objects, said interface descriptions including containment, inheritance and interface definition language information, the method comprising the steps of: providing a containment view, an interface definition language view and a inheritance view for a selected object, each of said views containing a plurality of displayed items; allowing a user to re-select an item in a view; retrieving containment, interface definition language and inheritance information for the re-selected item from an Interface Repository through an Interface Repository search and query protocol; and updating the containment view, interface definition language view and the inheritance view according to the retrieved information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of retrieving information for a re-selected item comprises posting CORBA-compliant Interface Repository queries.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing hypertext listings within said interface definition language view such that upon selection by a user, a full interface definition can be viewed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a user-selectable interface definition language saving operation that, when selected, saves interface definition language to a computer-readable file for a selected item in a view.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
158 words
A computer-readable medium having program code stored therein for allowing a user to visually browse interfaces and objects contained in Interface Repositories, said Interface Repositories comprising an on-line database accessible through a search and query protocol, said interface repositories being stored on one or more server computers and storing interface descriptions for program objects, said interface descriptions including containment, inheritance and interface definition language information, said program code causing a workstation having a processor to perform the steps of: providing a containment view, an interface definition language view and a inheritance view for a selected object, each of said views containing a plurality of displayed items; allowing a user to re-select an item in a view; retrieving containment, interface definition language and inheritance information for the re-selected item from an Interface Repository through an Interface Repository search and query protocol; and updating the containment view, interface definition language view and the inheritance view according to the retrieved information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
158 words
A computer-readable medium having program code stored therein for allowing a user to visually browse interfaces and objects contained in Interface Repositories, said Interface Repositories comprising an on-line database accessible through a search and query protocol, said interface repositories being stored on one or more server computers and storing interface descriptions for program objects, said interface descriptions including containment, inheritance and interface definition language information, said program code causing a workstation having a processor to perform the steps of: providing a containment view, an interface definition language view and a inheritance view for a selected object, each of said views containing a plurality of displayed items; allowing a user to re-select an item in a view; retrieving containment, interface definition language and inheritance information for the re-selected item from an Interface Repository through an Interface Repository search and query protocol; and updating the containment view, interface definition language view and the inheritance view according to the retrieved information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 5 wherein the program code for retrieving information for a re-selected item comprises program code for posting CORBA-compliant Interface Repository queries.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 5 further comprising program code for providing hypertext listings within said interface definition language view such that upon selection by a user, a full interface definition can be viewed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer-readable medium as set forth in claim 5 further comprising program code for providing a user-selectable interface definition language saving operation that, when selected, saves interface definition language to a computer-readable file for a selected item in a view.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
126 words
An Interface Repository Browser in an object-oriented software development workstation for visually browsing interfaces contained in on-line Interface Repository databases, said Interface Repository Browser comprising: an Interface Repository search facility for retrieving object information including inheritance, containment and interface definition language from an on-line Interface Repository; an interactive, three-view display for displaying a containment hierarchy tree, an IDL listing and an inheritance view for a selected object based upon the object's information retrieved using said Interface Repository search facility; and a display update function responsive to user selection of an item in said three-view display for retrieving object information from an Interface Repository using said search facility and for updating said three-view display to represent the inheritance, containment hierarchy and IDL listing for the user-selected item.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
An Interface Repository Browser in an object-oriented software development workstation for visually browsing interfaces contained in on-line Interface Repository databases, said Interface Repository Browser comprising: an Interface Repository search facility for retrieving object information including inheritance, containment and interface definition language from an on-line Interface Repository; an interactive, three-view display for displaying a containment hierarchy tree, an IDL listing and an inheritance view for a selected object based upon the object's information retrieved using said Interface Repository search facility; and a display update function responsive to user selection of an item in said three-view display for retrieving object information from an Interface Repository using said search facility and for updating said three-view display to represent the inheritance, containment hierarchy and IDL listing for the user-selected item.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The Interface Repository Browser as set forth in claim 9 wherein said Interface Repository search facility is adapted to search and retrieve object information from Common Object Request Broker Architecture Interface Repositories.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The Interface Repository Browser as set forth in claim 9 wherein said interactive, three-view display comprises a hypertext interface definition language display for allow user activation of hyperlinked text to full interface definition language listings.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The Interface Repository Browser as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a interface definition language file creation function which, when selected by a user, saves interface definition language for a specified interface to a computer-readable file.
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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) | 2006-03-10 | 2006-09-09 | 2007-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-03-10 | 2010-09-09 | 2011-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-03-10 | 2014-09-09 | 2015-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |