Dynamic support of multiple message formats

• US 20070198742A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pak, Wai, Annadata, Anil, Kumar, Sanjeev, Wu, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method, system, computer system and computer program product to enable a single interface to be used to prepare and present messages in a variety of different formats. For example, the single interface can be used to prepare, receive or display messages in different languages, such as English or Japanese, which require different character sets. Furthermore, the single interface supports preparing, sending, and receiving messages in multiple text formats, such as plain text, rich text, and Multiple Internet Mail Extension (MIME) format. A message can be received in a native format, and a format for providing a response to the message can be dynamically selected. The response is provided in the dynamically-selected format.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a message comprising data in a native format;

converting the message data from the native format to an independent format;

storing the message in the independent format and an indicator of the native format;

storing a response to the message, wherein

the response comprises data in the independent format;

dynamically selecting a second format for providing the response to the message;

converting the response from the independent format to the second format; and

providing the response in the second format.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein

the providing the response is performed automatically.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

the native format corresponds to a character set;

and

the independent format is independent of any character set.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

the native format corresponds to a language;

and

the independent format is independent of any language.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein

the native format and the second format are the same.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

the native format and the second format are not the same;

and

the second format is a format used to prepare the response.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

including a pre-formulated content answer in the response, wherein

the pre-formulated content is responsive to a portion of the message data, and

the pre-formulated content is provided in the native format as part of the response.

28. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the response to the message, wherein

the generated response comprises data in a third format; and

converting the response data from the third format to the independent format.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said generating comprises:

using a message viewer to display the message in the third format.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

storing the message in the native format; and

using a message viewer to display the message in the native format.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein said dynamically selecting the second format comprises:

reading the stored indicator of the native format; and

in response to the stored indicator of the native format, setting the second format to be the native format.

8. A system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a message comprising data in a native format;

a first converting means for converting the message data from the native format to an independent format;

a first storing means for storing the message in the independent format and an indicator of the native format;

a second storing means for storing a response to the messages, wherein

the response comprises data in the independent format;

selecting means for dynamically selecting a second format for providing the response to the message;

a second converting means for converting the response from the independent format to the second format; and

providing means for providing the response in the second format.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein

the providing means provide the response automatically.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein

the native format corresponds to a character set;

and

the independent format is independent of any character set.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein

the native format corresponds to a language;

and

the independent format is independent of any language.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

including means for including a pre-formulated content in the response, wherein

the pre-formulated content is responsive to a portion of the message data, and

the pre-formulated content is provided in the native format as part of the response.

13. A system comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive a message comprising data in a native format;

a first converting module configured to convert the message data from the native format to an independent format;

a first storing module for storing the message in the independent format and an indicator of the native format;

a second storing module for storing a response to the message, wherein

the response comprises data in the independent format;

a selecting module to dynamically select a second format to provide the response to the messages;

a second converting module configured to convert the response from the independent format to the second format; and

a providing module to provide the response in the second format.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein

the providing module provides the response automatically.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein

the native format corresponds to a character set;

and

the independent format is independent of any character set.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein

the native format corresponds to a language;

and

the independent format is independent of any language.

17. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

an including module to include a pre-formulated content in the response, wherein

the pre-formulated content is responsive to a portion of the message data, and

the pre-formulated content is provided in the native format as part of the response.

18. A computer system comprising:

a processor to execute instructions;

a memory comprising the instructions, wherein the instructions comprise;

receiving instructions configured to receive a message comprising data in a native format;

a first set of converting instructions configured to convert the message data from the native format to an independent format;

a first set of storing instructions configured to store the message in the independent format and an indicator of the native format;

a second set of storing instructions configured to store a response to the message, wherein

the response comprises data in the independent format;

selecting instructions configured to dynamically select a second format to provide the response to the message;

a second set of converting instructions configured to convert the response from the independent format to the second format; and

providing instructions configured to provide the response in the second format.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein

the providing instructions provide the response automatically.

20. The computer system of claim 18 wherein

the native format corresponds to a character set;

and

the independent format is independent of any character set.

21. The computer system of claim 18 wherein

the native format corresponds to a language;

and

the independent format is independent of any language.

22. The computer system of claim 18 further comprising:

including instructions configured to include a pre-formulated content in the response, wherein

the pre-formulated content is responsive to a portion of the message data, and

the pre-formulated content is provided in the native format as part of the response.

23. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium to store instructions, wherein the instructions comprise;

receiving instructions to receive a message comprising data in a native format;

a first set of converting instructions to convert the message data from the native format to an independent format;

a first set of storing instructions to store the message in the independent format and an indicator of the native format;

a second set of storing instructions to store a response to the message, wherein

the response comprises data in the independent format;

selecting instructions to dynamically select a second format to provide the response to the message;

a second set of converting instructions to convert the response from the independent format to the second format; and

providing instructions to provide the response in the second format.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein

the providing instructions provide the response automatically.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein

the native format corresponds to a character set;

and

the independent format is independent of any character set.

26. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein

the native format corresponds to a language;

and

the independent format is independent of any language.

27. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the instructions further comprise:

including instructions to include a pre-formulated content in the response, wherein

the pre-formulated content is responsive to a portion of the message data, and

the pre-formulated content is provided in the native format as part of the response, and

the computer-readable medium further stores the including instructions.