Open framework for the definition of metadata

Abstract

A family of Java interfaces defines methods to provide common information about a property, such as data type and editing capabilities. The interfaces identify the methods used to get generic metadata. Implementers may extend these classes, as needed, to provide the metadata for their specific properties. The common metadata description interface of the present invention allows multiple metadata sources to be used interchangeably within the same software product without the software code being specifically written for each metadata source.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A computer implemented method for providing metadata about a set of properties, comprising: 
 creating a first object describing metadata for a plurality of data sources, wherein the first object maintains a related set of properties; and    creating a set of second objects describing metadata for respective properties of the data sources;    wherein metadata concerning a respective property is obtained by invoking a method in the first object to identify the respective property, and then invoking a method in a respective one of the second objects to dynamically obtain the metadata concerning the respective property.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first object and the set of second objects comprise interface objects.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each object in the set of second objects defines methods that describe a single property of a data source.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first object collects multiple associated property descriptions into a single description.  
   
   
       14 - 22 . (canceled)  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus embodied in a computer useable medium for defining metadata about a related set of properties, comprising: 
 a computer useable medium    a first object on the computer useable medium describing metadata for a plurality of data sources, wherein the first object maintains a related set of properties for the plurality of data sources; and    a set of second objects on the computer useable medium describing metadata for respective properties of the data sources that are maintained by the first object.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first object and the set of second objects comprise interface objects.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein each object in the set of second objects defines methods that describe a single property of a data source.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first object collects multiple associated property descriptions into a single description.  
   
   
       27 - 29 . (canceled)  
   
   
       30 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for providing metadata about a set of properties, said computer program product including:    computer usable program code for creating a first object describing metadata for a plurality of data sources, wherein the first object maintains a related set of properties; and    computer usable program code creating a set of second objects describing metadata for respective properties of the data sources, wherein metadata concerning a respective property is obtained by invoking a method in the first object to identify the respective property, and then invoking a method in a respective one of the second objects to dynamically obtain the metadata concerning the respective property.    
   
   
       31 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein the first object and the set of second objects comprise interface objects.  
   
   
       32 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein each object in the set of second objects defines methods that describe a single property of a data source.  
   
   
       33 . The computer program product of  claim 30 , wherein the first object collects multiple associated property descriptions into a single description.