Subchaining transcoders in a transcoding framework

• US 6,401,132 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rutkowski, Matthew Francis, Lita, Christian, Bellwood, Thomas Alexander, Walker, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/366,402
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/221, 709/223, 709/236, 709/247, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method for transcoding an input stream to a desired output format using a transcoder framework. In response to a given transcoder of the framework recognizing an external reference that it cannot transcode, the method calls a subseries of specialized transcoders to transcode the external reference. After the subseries of specialized transcoders generates a transcoded external reference, that reference is returned back to the given transcoder, where it is incorporated into the transcoder'"'"'s output. Transcoder sub-chains are used in this manner as modular, building blocks in the transcoder framework.

Claims

1. A method for transcoding an input stream to a desired output format using a transcoder framework, comprising the steps of:

responsive to a given transcoder of the framework recognizing an external reference that it cannot transcode, calling a subseries of specialized transcoders to transcode the external reference; and

having the subseries of specialized transcoders generate a transcoded external reference; and

returning the transcoded external reference back to the given transcoder.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further including the step of having the given transcoder incorporate the transcoded external reference in an output of the given transcoder.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the subseries of specialized transcoders transcodes the external reference into a format that the first transcoder can process.

4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the given transcoder performs a given transcoding function selected from the group of functions consisting essentially of a generator, an editor, a monitor, and an analyzer.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the subseries of specialized transcoders is reusable by any given transcoder in the transcoder framework.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further including the step of identifying the subseries of specialized transcoders responsive to a given transcoder of the framework recognizing an external reference that it cannot transcode.

7. The method as described in claim 6 wherein the step of identifying includes accessing a data structure associated with the given transcoder to identify the subseries of specialized transcoders.

8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein the data structure identifies one or more subseries of specialized transcoders that are accessible by transcoders in the transcoder framework.

9. A method for connecting a requesting process with a data source, comprising the steps of:

in response to a request from the requesting process, accessing the data source through a transcoding framework;

performing each of a set of transcoding steps in a respective one of a series of specialized transcoders;

responsive to a given transcoder recognizing an external reference that it cannot transcode, transcoding the external reference using a subseries of specialized transcoders;

providing a response to the request that includes a transcoded external reference generated by the subseries of specialized transcoders.

10. The method as described in claim 9 wherein the requesting process is a web application.

11. The method as described in claim 10 wherein the data source is hosted on a web server.

12. The method as described in claim 9 wherein the transcoding step includes the steps of:

having the subseries of specialized transcoders generate the transcoded external reference;

returning the transcoded external reference back to the given transcoder.

13. The method as described in claim 12 further including the step of having the given transcoder incorporate the transcoded external reference in an output of the given transcoder.

14. The method as described in claim 9 wherein the given transcoder performs a given transcoding function selected from the group of functions consisting essentially of a generator, an editor, a monitor, and an analyzer.

15. The method as described in claim 9 wherein the subseries of specialized transcoders is reusable by any given transcoder in the transcoder framework.

16. A transcoding framework, comprising:

a set of specialized transcoders for performing a set of transcoding steps; and

at least one sub-chain of specialized transcoders responsive to a given specialized transcoder recognizing an external reference that it cannot transcode for generating a transcoded external reference.

17. The transcoding framework as described in claim 16 wherein the given transcoder performs a given transcoding function selected from the group of functions consisting essentially of a generator, an editor, a monitor, and an analyzer.

18. The transcoding framework as described in claim 16 wherein the subseries of specialized transcoders is reusable by any given transcoder in the transcoder framework.

19. The transcoding framework as described in claim 16 wherein the given transcoder includes a data structure identifying the sub-chain of specialized transcoders.

20. A transcoder, comprising:

a transcoding function;

a data structure for identifying one or more sub-chains of specialized transcoders; and

a control routine responsive to recognition of an external reference that cannot be transcoded by the transcoding function (a) for locating a sub-chain of specialized transcoders in the data structure, (b) for calling the sub-chain of specialized transcoders, (c) for receiving a transcoded external reference provided by the sub-chain of specialized transcoders, and (d) for incorporating the transcoded external reference in an output of the transcoder.

21. A computer program product in a computer useable medium for use in a transcoder framework, comprising:

a transcoder; and

means responsive to recognition of an external reference that cannot be transcoded by the transcoder (a) for calling a sub-chain of specialized transcoders, (b) for receiving a transcoded external reference provided by the sub-chain of specialized transcoders, and (c) for incorporating the transcoded external reference in an output of the transcoder.

22. The computer program product as described in claim 21 wherein the transcoder performs a given transcoding function selected from the group of functions consisting essentially of a generator, an editor, a monitor, and an analyzer.

23. A method for processing an input stream to a desired output format using an intermediary framework, comprising the steps of:

responsive to a given occurrence at a given stream intermediary of the framework, calling a subseries of specialized intermediaries to take a given action required by the given stream intermediary; and

having the subseries of specialized intermediaries generate given data; and

returning the given data back to the given stream intermediary for further processing.

24. The method as described in claim 23 wherein the given stream intermediary is a transcoder.