Message filtering

• US 20030115336A1
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Young, Neil George, Auerbach, Joshua S., Holdsworth, Simon Antony
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The invention relates to a communications manager, method and computer program for receiving publications and forwarding these on to parties who have subscribed to receive such publications. A subscription request of a first type is received and includes a filter expression having at least one attribute. It is possible to map at least part of such an attribute(s) to a generic format (generic format filter attribute(s)). It is also possible to receive a publication message of a second type and to compare the publication received with the subscription request to determine whether the publication is appropriate for forwarding onto the subscriber originating the request. To enable such a comparison, a generic format filter attribute(s) is identified and is mapped to a format corresponding to the second message type. Once a match is found, the publication can then be transmitted to the originating subscriber.

Claims

1. A communications manager for receiving publications and forwarding said publications on to parties who have subscribed to receive such publications, said communications manager comprising:

means for receiving a subscription request of a first type, said request including a filter expression having a least one attribute;

means for mapping at least part of an attribute to a generic format (generic format filter attribute);

means for receiving a publication message of a second type;

means for comparing the publication received with the subscription request to determine whether the publication is appropriate for forwarding onto the subscriber originating the request, said comparing means comprising;

means for identifying a generic format filter attribute; and

means for mapping the generic format filter attribute to a format corresponding to the second message type,

the communications manager further comprising;

means for transmitting said publication to the originating subscriber.

2. The communications manager of claim 1, further comprising:

means for preparing the publication for transmission to said originating subscriber.

3. The communications manager of claim 2, wherein said means for preparing the publication for transmission to said originating subscriber comprises:

means for creating a substantially empty message of said first type;

means for extracting information from the message of said second type; and

means for inputting said information into said substantially empty message.

4. The communications manager of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said means for mapping at least part of an attribute to a generic format comprises:

means for invoking a first component capable of understanding messages of said first type.

5. The communications manager of any preceding claim comprising:

means for storing said generic format filter attribute.

6. The communications manager of any preceding claim, wherein said means for mapping a generic format filter attribute to a format corresponding to the second message type comprises:

means for invoking a second component capable of understanding messages of said second type.

7. The communications manager of any preceding claim, wherein said format corresponding to the second message type is held in temporary storage until said comparison is complete.

8. A method for receiving publications and forwarding said publications on to parties who have subscribed to receive such publications, said method comprising:

receiving a subscription request of a first type, said request including a filter expression having a least one attribute;

mapping at least part of an attribute to a generic format (generic format filter attribute);

receiving a publication message of a second type;

comparing the publication received with the subscription request to determine whether the publication is appropriate for forwarding onto the subscriber originating the request, the step of comparing comprising;

identifying a generic format filter attribute; and

mapping the generic format filter attribute to a format corresponding to the second message type,

the method further comprising;

transmitting said publication to the originating subscriber.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

preparing the publication for transmission to said originating subscriber.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of preparing the publication for transmission to said originating subscriber comprises:

creating a substantially empty message of said first type;

extracting information from the message of said second type; and

inputting said information into said substantially empty message.

11. The method of claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the step of mapping at least part of an attribute to a generic format comprises:

invoking a first component capable of understanding messages of said first type.

12. The method of claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, comprising:

storing said generic format filter attribute.

13. The method of any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the step of mapping a generic format filter attribute to a format corresponding to the second message type comprises:

invoking a second component capable of understanding messages of said second type.

14. The method of any of claims 8 to 13, wherein said format corresponding to the second message type is held in temporary storage until said comparison is complete.

15. A computer program comprising program code adapted to perform the method of any of claims 8 to 14 when said program is run on a computer.