Method for translating distilled filed for handling of large data files and programs by computing devices with limited processing capability

• US 6,453,329 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digital Assist Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Digital Assist Incorporated
• Inventors: Dodgen, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US09/634,423
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/246, 709/247, 709/328, 379/106.03, 370/466, 707/516
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

The technology of the present invention allows the creation of a single master document, called a script, to serve multiple functions by defining a set of data fields as well as a hierarchy of organization in terms of token-value pairs. By applying a “distillation” process the content of the script may be optimized, effectively compressing the script for various purposes such as user interface generation, data processing, or data transmission. The size of a set of data records, for example, may be greatly reduced by separating the content of the data from the meaning, permitting a computer with limited resources such as a hand-held unit to transmit a very large amount of data in a small data record along with a “meaning token”. The distilled data package may then be expanded by the receiving unit using the “meaning token” in the package, which contains the instructions for the expansion process. Additionally, the script allows automatic creation of complex user interfaces and database storage without human intervention.

Claims

1. A method for gathering, transferring, and processing data using an information retrieval computer and an information processing computer, such method comprising the steps of:

creating a computer-readable script document comprising;

sequential data fields modifiable by said information retrieval computer to reflect information input by a user of said information retrieval computer, and interpretable and translatable, once modified by said information retrieval computer, by said information processing computer to generate human perceptible information said data fields being sequenced in a predetermined order to respectively correspond to like-ordered elements of translation means useful by said data processing computer whereby said data fields, once modified by said information retrieval computer, is translatable by said data processing computer to reflect human perceptible information corresponding to information input by said user;

identifying means for uniquely identifying said script document to said data processing computer for enabling said information processing computer to apply said translation means to said data fields, once modified by said information retrieval computer, and generate said human perceptible information based thereon;

selecting first distillation means, said first distillation means for creating a first distilled computer file by carrying out a first distillation step by which said script document is modified to remove at least a portion of the content thereof which neither identifies said script document for later processing nor enables modification of said data fields by said information retrieval computer according to input by said user thereof to reflect gathered information;

actuating said first distillation means to generate said first distilled computer file;

transferring said first distilled computer file to said information retrieval computer;

through user input into said information retrieval computer, modifying said data fields of said first distilled computer file to reflect information corresponding respectively to each said data field;

transferring said first distilled computer file, as modified by said information retrieval computer, to a said information processing computer;

actuating said information processing computer to effect an expansion step whereby said information processing computer applies said identifying means to properly associate said translation means to said first distilled computer file, as modified by said information retrieval computer, and applies said translation means thereto for translating said first distilled computer file into human perceptible indicia.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first distilled computer file is configured by said first distillation means whereby each data field in said first distilled computer file occupies but one bit of data space while resident on said information retrieval computer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

creating a hierarchical user interface means for implementation by said information retrieval computer in selectively displaying or not displaying user-perceptible indicia for prompting input pursuant to which at least some of said data fields of said first distilled computer file are modified, said process of selectively displaying or not displaying at least some of said data fields being controlled by conditional parameters of said hierarchical user interface means which depend said selectively displaying or hiding at least some of said data fields upon the presence or manner or modification of other said data fields related by said conditional parameters; and

inputting said hierarchical user interface means into said information retrieval computer.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

creating a hierarchical user interface means for implementation by said information retrieval computer in selectively displaying or not displaying user-perceptible indicia for prompting input pursuant to which at least some of said data fields of said first distilled computer file are modified, said process of selectively displaying or not displaying at least some of said data fields being controlled by conditional parameters of said hierarchical user interface means which depend said selectively displaying or hiding at least some of said data fields upon the presence or manner or modification of other said data fields related by said conditional parameters; and

inputting said hierarchical user interface means into said information retrieval computer.