Extensible framework for parsing varying formats of print stream data

• US 20040252326A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Nash, Christopher R., Greene, Mark B., Rudolph, Craig A., Voss, Carl J., Bukowski, Mark A., Rogers, Steven B., Roberts, John J., Jirak, Joel A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,880,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of parsing print stream data including the steps of intercepting a data file from at least a portion of the print stream data, reading at least a portion of the data file and determining if said data file is of a format having subset formats.

Claims

1. A method of parsing print stream data, comprising the steps of:

intercepting a data file from at least a portion of the print stream data;

reading at least a portion of said data file; and

determining if said data file is of a format having subset formats.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if said data file is of a format having subset formats that said data file is defined as a data file that may be recognized.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining if the format of said data file is one of recognized and not recognized.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

issuing an answer of ‘

yes’

if said format is recognized;

issuing an answer of ‘

no’

if said format is not recognized; and

issuing an answer of ‘

maybe’

if said format may be recognized.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an inquiry as to the identity of said format of said data file.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of responding to said inquiry with the data type of said format.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a command to parse said data file;

parsing said data file; and

producing an extracted file.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of returning said extracted file.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said extracted file is in an XML format.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of spooling at least a portion of the print stream data to form said data file.

11. A method of handling data, comprising the steps of:

providing a data handler; and

receiving an inquiry by said data handler, said data handler responding to said inquiry by a responding method, said responding method including the substeps of;

if said inquiry is to request a data type assigned to said data handler, then returning said data type;

if said inquiry is a command to said data handler to parse a data file, then parsing said data file; and

if said inquiry is to determine a format of said data file, then returning at least one answer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one said answer reflects that said data handler may recognize said format.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one said answer reflects that said data handler has one of recognized and not recognized said format.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

issuing ‘

yes’

as said at least one answer if said format is recognized;

issuing ‘

no’

as said at least one answer if said format is not recognized; and

issuing ‘

maybe’

as said at least one answer if said format may be recognized.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of producing an extracted file.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of returning said extracted file.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said extracted file is in an XML format.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of spooling at least a portion of print stream data to form said data file.

19. A method of extracting a file, comprising the steps of:

intercepting a print job from a data stream;

spooling said print job to a data file;

inquiring of at least one of a plurality of data handlers as to whether said data file is of a format recognized by at least one of said plurality of data handlers; and

receiving at least one answer that indicates that at least one said data handler recognizes a broad format that includes said format as a subset format.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of associating at least one said data handler with said data file.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein if said data handler recognizes a broad format that includes said format as a subset format then said data file is defined as a data file that may be recognized.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of receiving an answer that indicates at least one said data handler one of does recognize said format and does not recognize said format.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one answer is a plurality of answers including a first answer from a first data handler and a second answer from a second data handler, said first answer being that said first data handler may recognize said format, said second answer being that said second data handler does recognize said format.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

prioritizing said plurality of answers by giving preference to said second data handler due to said second answer indicating said second data handler does recognize said format; and

selecting said second data handler to parse said data file.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

parsing said data file; and

returning an extracted file in an XML format.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one answer is a plurality of answers including a first answer from a first data handler and a second answer from a second data handler, said first answer being that said first data handler may recognize said format, said second answer being that said second data handler does not recognize said format.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

prioritizing said plurality of answers by giving preference to said first data handler over said second data handler due to said first answer indicating said first data handler may recognize said format and said second answer indicating that said second data handler does not recognize said format; and

selecting said first data handler to parse said data file.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

parsing said data file; and

returning an extracted file in an XML format.