Method and apparatus for aggregating and dispatching information in distributed systems

• US 20020147712A1
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: XML Cities Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Xmlcities
• Inventors: Huang, Evan S.
• Application Number:
  US10/118,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

Techniques for exchanging resource information in distributed systems are disclosed. To facilitate the information exchange, a subscription procedure is performed between an information aggregation system and an information dispatch system. During the subscription procedure, the information aggregation system provides/receives a guideline of information adaptation to/from the information dispatch system. The guideline ensures efficient information exchange between the systems. During the information aggregation phase, the aggregation system sends out query messages to each of its subscribed information dispatch systems. If the aggregation system receives a guideline from a particular dispatch system, it will adapt its local query into the dispatch system'"'"'s format before sending out the query to that system and it will also convert the query results into its local format. Otherwise, the information dispatch system is responsible for information format for the query messages and the query results.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging information, the method comprising:

creating a candidate list from an existing list upon receiving a query over a network;

sending the query to a selected number of data sources over the network according to the candidate list;

receiving respective responses from the data sources, wherein each of the respective responses is prepared at one of the data sources according to a data structure schema previously received in accordance with a data requirement;

formatting the respective responses according to a presentation requirement; and

responding to the query by displaying the combined respective responses.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the existing list includes all data sources contracted to provide information when requested, and wherein the candidate list is derived from the existing list in accordance with the query.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein each of the data sources maintains data source in a first markup language.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the data requirement is in accordance with the presentation requirement.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the respective responses is prepared in the first markup language.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the presentation requirement is a stylesheet in accordance with the first markup language, and wherein said formatting the respective responses comprises transforming the respective responses to a presentation source in a second markup language according to the stylesheet.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the second markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising sending a terminate request to the selected number of data sources when the query is meant to be cancelled.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the data sources is (i) an information dispatch system, (ii) a combination of an information dispatch system and an information aggregation system, or (iii) an information aggregation system.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said sending the query to a selected number of data sources comprises sending a request to each of the selected number of data sources query, wherein the request includes the query and a returning communication address for receiving a response to the query.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the returning communication address is different from a communication address from which the request is sent.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the existing list includes all data sources contracted to provide information when requested, and wherein the candidate list is derived from the existing list in accordance with the query.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the presentation requirement is a stylesheet in accordance with the second markup language.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the first markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the second markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the presentation requirement is a stylesheet in accordance with the second markup language.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the data source is (i) an information dispatch system, (ii) a combination of an information dispatch system and an information aggregation system, or (iii) an information aggregation system.

13. A method for exchanging information, the method comprising:

creating a candidate list from an existing list upon receiving a query, the candidate list including at least a data source providing relevant information pertaining to the query;

retrieving a data structure schema according to the data source in the candidate list, wherein the data source maintains the relevant information in a first markup language;

formatting the query into a message in the first markup language;

sending the message to the data source;

receiving a response from the data source, wherein the response is in the first markup language;

converting the response into a presentation source in a second markup language according to a presentation requirement; and

responding to the query by displaying the presentation source.

20. A system for exchanging information, the system comprises:

memory for storing executable code as a software module;

a processor, coupled to the memory, when instructed to execute the executable code, causing the software module to perform operations of;

creating a candidate list from an existing list upon receiving a query over a network;

sending the query to a selected number of data sources over the network according to the candidate list;

receiving respective responses from the data sources, wherein each of the respective responses is prepared at one of the data sources according to a data structure schema previously received in accordance with a data requirement;

formatting the respective responses according to a presentation requirement; and

responding to the query by displaying the combined respective responses.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the existing list includes all data sources contracted to provide information when requested, and wherein the candidate list is derived from the existing list in accordance with the query.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein each of the data sources maintains data source in a first markup language.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein the data requirement is in accordance with the presentation requirement.

24. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein each of the respective responses is prepared in the first markup language.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the presentation requirement is a stylesheet in accordance with the first markup language, and wherein said formatting the respective responses comprises transforming the respective responses to a presentation source in a second markup language according to the stylesheet.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the first markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the second markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

28. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein each of the data sources is (i) an information dispatch system, (ii) a combination of an information dispatch system and an information aggregation system, or (iii) an information aggregation system.

29. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein said sending the query to a selected number of data sources comprises sending a request to each of the selected number of data sources query, wherein the request includes the query and a returning communication address for receiving a response to the query.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the returning communication address is different from a communication address from which the request is sent.

31. A system for exchanging information, the system comprises:

memory for storing executable code as a software module;

a processor, coupled to the memory, when instructed to execute the executable code, causing the software module to perform operations of;

creating a candidate list from an existing list upon receiving a query, the candidate list including at least a data source providing relevant information pertaining to the query;

retrieving a data structure schema according to the data source in the candidate list, wherein the data source maintains the relevant information in a first markup language;

formatting the query into a message in the first markup language;

sending the message to the data source;

receiving a response from the data source, wherein the response is in the first markup language;

converting the response into a presentation source in a second markup language according to a presentation requirement; and

responding to the query by displaying the presentation source.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the existing list includes all data sources contracted to provide information when requested, and wherein the candidate list is derived from the existing list in accordance with the query.

33. The system as recited in claim 32, wherein the presentation requirement is a stylesheet in accordance with the second markup language.

34. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the first markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

35. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the second markup language is selected from a group consisting of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML).

36. The system as recited in claim 33, wherein the presentation requirement is a stylesheet in accordance with the second markup language.

37. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the data source is (i) an information dispatch system, (ii) a combination of an information dispatch system and an information aggregation system, or (iii) an information aggregation system.

38. A system for exchanging information, the system comprising:

a plurality of information dispatch systems, each coupled to a data network and maintaining relevant information in a first markup language;

an information aggregation system, coupled to the data network, keeping a plurality of data structure schemas, each of the schemas pertaining to the relevant information in one of the information dispatch systems, upon receiving a query, the information aggregation system configured to format the query into a message in the first markup language and send the message to one of the information dispatch systems, wherein requested information in the first markup language is retuned from the one of the information dispatch systems to the information aggregation system; and

wherein the information aggregation system converts the requested information into a presentation resource in a second markup language to respond to the query by displaying the presentation resource.