Patent ID: 6651248
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer implemented method for invoking interface methods in an object oriented program, said computer implemented method comprising the steps of:providing a table of entries each corresponding to a set S of interface methods implemented by the program, wherein, for at least one given entry, the set S corresponding to the given entry belongs to one of a first type and a second type, the first type including a single interface virtual method implemented by the program and the second type including a plurality of interface methods implemented by the program, wherein: in the event that the set S corresponding to the given entry belongs to the first type, the given entry stores a pointer to the implementation of the single virtual method in the set S corresponding to the given entry; and in the event that the set S corresponding to the given entry belongs to the second type, the given entry stores a pointer to the implementation of a conflict resolution routine that operates at execution time to selectively identify one of the plurality of interface methods in the set S corresponding to the given entry, and transfer control from the conflict resolution routine to the implementation of the identified one interface method.