Apparatus and method for generic data conversion
US6658625B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 14, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 2, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 14, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/258
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for generic data conversion. A generic data convertor interprets a data description that has configurable data definitions that can accommodate changes in the data. The data definitions can allow the data type, character set, location, and length of data elements in the data stream or file to be described and easily modified. The data convertor uses the data description to determine how to convert the data and, if necessary, where data elements are in the data. The data convertor is particularly useful for converting data that is sent to and/or received from a server. The data convertor and data description cooperate to support calling multiple releases of the server using the same data description. In addition, the data convertor may also call the server program with the correct, converted parameters in the correct order. The data convertor usually waits until a requesting application asks for particular data elements in the data before converting the data elements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.