Model extension framework
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSebastian Carbajales, Vladimir Klicnik, Lok Tin Loi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for implicitly extending an object model, even those that do not provide an extension mechanism, in a manner that is transparent, independent, and non-disruptive to the model itself. An “extension” is preferably created for each object to be extended, and comprises a reference to the object and contains an “extension object” that specifies the particular extensions.
Claims6
A system for extending objects of an object model, comprising:
- a computer comprising a processor;
- and
- instructions which are executable, using the processor, to implement functions comprising:
- creating, for the object model, a corresponding extension model, wherein the extension model is distinct from the object model and initially comprises a root node that identifies the object model and an adapter method;
- creating, for each of the objects of the object model, a corresponding extension object that specifies at least one extension to that object of the object model and that provides a link to that object of the object model, wherein:
- the extension objects comprise a list of child objects of the root node;
- the adapter method accepts, as input, any selected one of the objects of the object model and returns, as output, the specified at least one extension from the extension object corresponding to the selected one of the objects;
- the object model defines no reference to the extension model;
- and
- the objects of the object model define no reference to the corresponding extension objects;
- and
- persisting the extension model and the object model separately.
A computer program product for extending objects of an object model, the computer program product embodied on one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media and comprising computer-readable program code for:
- creating, for the object model, a corresponding extension model, wherein the extension model is distinct from the object model and initially comprises a root node that identifies the object model and an adapter method;
- creating, for each of the objects of the object model, a corresponding extension object that specifies at least one extension to that object of the object model and that provides a link to that object of the object model, wherein:
- the extension objects comprise a list of child objects of the root node;
- the adapter method accepts, as input, any selected one of the objects of the object model and returns, as output, the specified at least one extension from the extension object corresponding to the selected one of the objects;
- the object model defines no reference to the extension model;
- and
- the objects of the object model define no reference to the corresponding extension objects;
- and
- persisting the extension model and the object model separately.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.