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US6789254B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Java classes comprising an application program interface for platform integration derived from a common codebase

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 2001-06-21
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Granted: 2004-09-07
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Expires: 2021-06-21
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Abstract

Abstract A system and method are disclosed for a common set of Component Peer classes for the Java abstract windowing toolkit (AWT). The native methods employed by the various platform-specific versions of a Peer class are similar in operation, but contain differences in the source code of the C/C++ functions that implement them. Consequently, they represent distinct bodies of software, which must be supported and maintained separately. The present invention provides a basis for replacing the diverse versions of the Component Peers with a single set, employing a standardized set of native methods. This results in a unique codebase for the Component Peers, across all the supported operating systems, thereby reducing the effort required to maintain and upgrade the software.

Inventors

  • 👤 Scott J. Broussard

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 15:17
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/30; G06F8/38; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/54

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim 102 words
A computer system, comprising: an operating environment containing a processor and an operating system; a compiler adapted to compile source code into object code specific to the operating environment; a software interface between an application program and the operating environment, wherein the software interface is written in source code and is substantially independent of the operating environment, wherein the software interface is adapted to produce a body of object code when the software inferface is compiled by the compiler, and wherein the body of object code contains instructions executable by the processor for eliciting a set of actions from the operating environment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 102 words
A computer system, comprising: an operating environment containing a processor and an operating system; a compiler adapted to compile source code into object code specific to the operating environment; a software interface between an application program and the operating environment, wherein the software interface is written in source code and is substantially independent of the operating environment, wherein the software interface is adapted to produce a body of object code when the software inferface is compiled by the compiler, and wherein the body of object code contains instructions executable by the processor for eliciting a set of actions from the operating environment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 66 words
The computer system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a second compiler adapted to compile the source code into a second body of object code specific to a second operating environment, distinct from the first, and containing instructions executable by a second processor for eliciting substantially the same set of actions from the second operating environment as those elicited from the first operating environment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
The computer system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the application program further comprises a Java application running within the operating environment and adapted to utilize the instructions contained in the object code to elicit pre-defined actions from the operating environment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 38 words
The computer system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the software interface further comprises a plurality of software elements that associate desired actions elicited from the operating environment with at least some of the standard Java classes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 44 words
The computer system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the Java application program interacts with the operating system by employing standard Java classes with which desired actions on the part of the operating system have been associated by the plurality of software elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The computer system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the software interface comprises the abstract windowing toolkit (AWT).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
The computer system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the plurality of software elements comprises the Java AWT Component Peer classes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 22 words
The computer system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the operating system comprises a Windows, Unix or OS/2 computer operating system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
The computer system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the source code in which the software interface is written comprises instructions in the Java, C and C++ programming languages.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 90 words
A method for creating a common interface to any of a plurality of operating environments, wherein an operating environment comprises a processor and an operating system, the method comprising: defining a software interface between an application program and the operating environment by a body of source code substantially independent of any operating environment; and deriving a body of object code by compiling the body of source code that defines the software interface, such that the object code contains instructions for eliciting a set of actions from a particular operating environment.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 90 words
A method for creating a common interface to any of a plurality of operating environments, wherein an operating environment comprises a processor and an operating system, the method comprising: defining a software interface between an application program and the operating environment by a body of source code substantially independent of any operating environment; and deriving a body of object code by compiling the body of source code that defines the software interface, such that the object code contains instructions for eliciting a set of actions from a particular operating environment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the body of source code comprises instructions written in the Java programming language.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the body of source code further comprises instructions written in the C/C++ programming language.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 32 words
The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the application program further comprises a Java application running within the operating environment and initiating execution of instructions contained within the object code.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the body of object code comprises at least one of the Java AWT Component Peer classes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the operating environment further comprises a JVM.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 73 words
A computer-readable storage device, comprising: a software interface between a Java application program and an operating environment containing a processor and an operating system, wherein the software interface is written in source code and is substantially independent of any particular operating environment; and a body of object code, produced when the source code for the software interface is compiled, and containing instructions for eliciting a set of actions from a particular operating environment.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 73 words
A computer-readable storage device, comprising: a software interface between a Java application program and an operating environment containing a processor and an operating system, wherein the software interface is written in source code and is substantially independent of any particular operating environment; and a body of object code, produced when the source code for the software interface is compiled, and containing instructions for eliciting a set of actions from a particular operating environment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 25 words
The computer-readable storage device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the software interface comprises at least one of the Java AWT Component Peer classes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 14 words
The computer-readable storage device as recited in claim 16 , further comprising a JVM.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US6064382A Cited
US6029000A Cited
US6011916A Cited
US6083276A Cited
US6675371B1 Cited
US6634022B1 Cited
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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) 2007-09-07 2008-03-08 2008-09-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2011-09-07 2012-03-08 2012-09-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2015-09-07 2016-03-08 2016-09-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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