UNIVERSAL ADAPTER WITH CONTEXT-BOUND TRANSLATION FOR APPLICATION ADAPTATION LAYER

1 . A method performed by a networked device for translating information used in communicating with another device, the method comprising:

receiving a first object to be translated, wherein the first object has a first type;

obtaining a second object having a second type that is different from the first type;

identifying a first property of the first object, wherein the first property is associated with a first location within a hierarchy of the first object;

identifying a second property of the second object;

setting a value of the second property based on a value of the first property when:

a name of the first property matches a name of the second property, and

the first location matches a second location of the second property within a hierarchy of the second object; and

making the second object available to a receiving device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the receiving device includes another device in communication with the networked device,

the first type is a type used internally by a processor of the networked device, and

making the second object available comprises transmitting the second object to the other device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the receiving device includes a processor of the networked device, and

the second type is a type used internally by the processor.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein setting a value of the second property based on a value of the first property comprises:

identifying a first data type of the first property;

identifying a second data type of the second property; and

converting the value of the first property to the second data type when the first data type and the second data type do not match.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

obtaining the second object comprises obtaining a second object including a previous value for the second property, and

setting a value of the second property comprises overwriting the previous value.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a third property of the first object;

identifying a translation binding associated with the third property;

identifying, based on the translation binding, a fourth property of the second object, wherein the fourth property does not match the third property; and

setting a value of the fourth property based on a value of the third property.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein:

the translation binding identifies a transformation function, and

setting a value of the fourth property comprises using the transformation function to modify the value of the third property.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the transformation function accesses at least one property of the first object other than the third property.

9 . A networked device for translating information used in communicating with another device, the method comprising:

a network interface;

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory and the network interface, the processor being configured to:

receive a first object to be translated, wherein the first object has a first type;

obtain a second object having a second type that is different from the first type;

identify a first property of the first object, wherein the first property is associated with a first location within a hierarchy of the first object;

identify a second property of the second object;

set a value of the second property based on a value of the first property when:

a name of the first property matches a name of the second property, and

the first location matches a second location of the second property within a hierarchy of the second object; and

make the second object available to a receiving device.

10 . The networked device of claim 9 , wherein:

the receiving device includes another device in communication with the networked device,

the first type is a type used internally by the processor, and

in making the second object available, the processor is configured to transmit the second object to the other device via the network interface.

11 . The networked device of claim 9 , wherein:

the receiving device includes the processor,

the second type is a type used internally by the processor, and

in making the second object available, the processor is configured to make the second object available comprises placing the second object in the memory for continued use by the processor.

12 . The networked device of claim 9 , wherein, in setting a value of the second property based on a value of the first property, the processor is configured to:

identify a first data type of the first property

identify a second data type of the second property; and

convert the value of the first property to the second data type when the first data type and the second data type do not match.

13 . The networked device of claim 9 , wherein:

in obtaining the second object, the processor is configured to obtain a second object including a previous value for the second property, and

in setting a value of the second property, the processor is configured to overwrite the previous value.

14 . The networked device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a third property of the first object;

identify a translation binding associated with the third property;

identify, based on the translation binding, a fourth property of the second object, wherein the fourth property does not match the third property; and

set a value of the fourth property based on a value of the third property.

15 . The networked device of claim 14 , wherein:

the translation binding identifies a transformation function, and

in setting a value of the fourth property, the processor is configured to use the transformation function to modify the value of the third property.

16 . The networked device of claim 15 , wherein the transformation function accesses at least one property of the first object other than the third property.

17 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by a networked device for translating information used in communicating with another device, the medium comprising:

instructions for receiving a first object to be translated, wherein the first object has a first type;

instructions for obtaining a second object having a second type that is different from the first type;

instructions for identifying a first property of the first object, wherein the first property is associated with a first location within a hierarchy of the first object;

instructions for identifying a second property of the second object;

instructions for setting a value of the second property based on a value of the first property when:

a name of the first property matches a name of the second property, and

the first location matches a second location of the second property within a hierarchy of the second object; and

instructions for making the second object available to a receiving device.

18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions for setting a value of the second property based on a value of the first property comprise:

instructions for identifying a first data type of the first property

instructions for identifying a second data type of the second property; and

instructions for converting the value of the first property to the second data type when the first data type and the second data type do not match.

19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein:

the instructions for obtaining the second object comprise instructions for obtaining a second object including a previous value for the second property, and

the instructions for setting a value of the second property comprise instructions for overwriting the previous value.

20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising:

instructions for identifying a third property of the first object;

instructions for identifying a translation binding associated with the third property;

instructions for identifying, based on the translation binding, a fourth property of the second object, wherein the fourth property does not match the third property; and

instructions for setting a value of the fourth property based on a value of the third property.

21 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 20 , wherein:

the translation binding identifies a transformation function, and

the instructions for setting a value of the fourth property comprise instructions for using the transformation function to modify the value of the third property.

22 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the transformation function accesses at least one property of the first object other than the third property.