US 6,785,882 B1Granted

Process-driven tool interface for an object management system

AssigneeUnisys Corporation

InventorsDavid A. Goiffon, Gerald E. Hartmann, David R. Johnson

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Abstract

A process-driven object management system for managing data and code modules is disclosed. The object management system includes a repository that stores objects, wherein ones of the objects referred to as “Asset elements” each describe a respective code or data module. The object management system includes a set of scripted tools for performing renovation, transformation, and code development tasks on the code and data modules. According to one aspect of the invention, the tool invocation constructs are stored as objects in the repository, such that some of the same object management tools and automated repository interface functions used to manage the Asset element can also be used to manage and veiw the tool objects.

Claims46

Dependent claims

For use in an object management system for managing software modules, the object management system having a repository memory for storing objects wherein ones of the objects are asset objects that are each descriptive of a respective one of the software modules, the object management system further including server memory coupled to the repository memory for storing interactive tools, each of the interactive tools having a respective tool interface, each of the interactive tools for performing one or more operations on the software modules, the object management system including a process-based interface for the interactive tools, comprising:

first memory means for storing protocols, each of said protocols being associated with a respective one of the operations performed by a respective one of the interactive tools, each of said protocols to specify how said respective one of the operations will be accomplished by said respective one of the interactive tools;
and
second memory means coupled to said first memory means for storing processes, ones of said processes specifying the manner in which one or more associated ones of said protocols will be executed to accomplish a respective task.

For use in an object management system for managing software modules, the object management system including a repository to store objects, ones of the objects being asset elements that are each descriptive of a respective software module, the object management system further including tools for performing functions on selectable ones of the software modules, a computer-implemented method of providing a process-based user interface for the object management system, comprising the steps of:

a.) storing in the repository a set of protocol type definitions, each of said protocol type definitions including a function invocation for invoking a respective one of the functions performed by an associated one of the tools;
b.) storing in the repository a set of process type definitions, ones of said process type definitions identifying one or more protocol type definitions for the purposes of describing a task accomplished by the functions performed by said identified one or more protocol type definitions;
and
c.) defining as a plan object a description that may be used to perform a selectable task on a selectable group of the software modules, wherein said task is defined by identifying one or more of said process type definitions.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.