Quality Research Associates proposes developing a software tool to automatically generate interface code that integrates user applications with object-oriented (OO) modules from a library of software fault tolerance techniques. The approach involves generating high-level, OO code for inclusion in an application. The tool-produced code includes subclass specifications and shells, as well as code that describes the application scenario to the appropriate fault tolerance technique executive from the library. The approachÃs key innovations include automatically generating subclass shells, generating Ãinfrastructureà code to facilitate application integration, providing structured Ãhintsà within stub code comments to aid users, and designing the automated code generation tool to work in conjunction with a reusable code library and a Software Fault Tolerance Design Assistant (SWFTDA) tool for selecting fault tolerance techniques. By automating tedious integration coding, the proposed technology would remove a significant obstacle to using the library of software fault tolerance techniques, especially for legacy systems that are not designed around OO constructs. Automating integration code generation and combining it with existing library and design utilities creates a powerful, end-to-end system that speeds development, reduces coding errors and increases developer productivity.
Potential Commercial Applications:The technology assists system developers using software fault tolerance techniques for high-reliability computer systems, such as systems for commercial aircraft, plant control, medical device control, and transaction systems. Our approach provides an important part of an end-to-end development tool for fault-tolerant applicati
