Patent ID: 8250535

Claim:
A software component, stored in a computer-readable memory, for maintaining one or more configuration data across one or more processes, threads, and applications, said software component comprising: a static initialization block that is executed when the software component is loaded; code for obtaining one or more values of said configuration data from a data store that is outside said software component, wherein said code is invoked by said static initialization block, thereby initializing said software component with said one or more obtained values of said configuration data; one or more public methods for accessing values of said configuration data; and a method that returns a singleton instance of said software component; wherein said code is inaccessible from outside of said software component; and wherein said code is the only way that said software component obtains a value of said configuration data; and wherein said software component has no public method for updating a value of said configuration data; and wherein said software component has no public constructor; and wherein said data store is outside the source code for said software component.