Objectsointments

Objectsointments is a coined term used in theoretical discussions and prototype systems to describe the assignment of object instances to scheduled moments or intervals within a system. The word combines objects and appointments to signal a modeling approach where interactions are defined as time-bound relationships between objects. The term is not part of a formal standard, but it appears in explanations of object-centric scheduling and workflow design.

Definition and structure: An objectsointment pairs an object reference with a time window and an operation or interaction that may occur during that window. A collection of objectsointments creates a schedule over the objects in a domain, potentially including priorities, constraints, and triggers. Each appointment may specify preconditions, allowed state transitions, and the responsible handler or observer that reacts when the window opens or closes.

Applications and examples: In a smart environment, a desk object may be appointed to an “occupied” state from 9:00 to 17:00, triggering related workflows such as lighting or access control. In manufacturing, a crane object could be appointed to move a load at a designated time, with the system enforcing safety constraints. In software design, objectsointments can model time-based interactions between services or components, aiding scheduling, resource management, and simulation.

Relation to other concepts: Objectsointments intersect with scheduling, resource allocation, event-driven design, and object-oriented modeling. They emphasize temporal coordination among objects and can be implemented in domains ranging from IoT to enterprise workflows. The concept remains largely exploratory, with no universal standard for representation or tooling.