Providing clients with services that retrieve data from data sources that do not necessarily support the format required by the clients

• US 6,826,597 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Svensson, Johan, Svensson, Roland, Lonnroth, Magnus M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US09/454,515
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/223, 709/218, 709/207, 709/236, 455/405, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/102, 715/513
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method and system for allowing clients to retrieve data from data sources that do not necessarily support the same protocols and formats as the clients. The clients issue service requests. A pre-processor responds to the requests by generating XML-structured request objects with unresolved links to the data sources that have information required by the clients. An XML processor resolves the links by issuing requests through one or more gateways. The gateways convert the responses received from the data sources into XML, which the XML processor uses to create XML composite response documents. A post-processor filters the XML response documents, and applies XSL stylesheets to transform the XML composite response documents into client-specific responses that conform to the format required by the clients. The client-specific responses are then sent to the clients.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving information from one or more data sources, the method including the steps of:

receiving, from a particular type of client, a request for a service;

wherein said request for said service is received at a system located separately from said client;

wherein said request is sent by a particular user;

within said system generating, based on a first set of parameters, a request object;

wherein said first set of parameters includes identity of said service;

based on said request object, said system transmitting requests to one or more data sources;

at said system receiving responses to said requests from said one or more data sources in one or more formats other than a particular format;

at said system converting said responses into said particular format;

at said system generating, based on said responses, a composite response document in said particular format;

at said system transforming said composite response document into a client-formatted response based on a second set of parameters;

wherein said second set of parameters includes identity of said particular type of client; and

at said system transmitting said client-formatted response to said particular user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of

embedding within said request object one or more filtering criteria, and

filtering data from said composite response document based on said filtering criteria prior to transforming said composite response document.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein

one of said requests invokes a search mechanism at a data source based on a first set of search criteria;

and

the step of filtering data includes filtering data that originated from said data source based on a second set of search criteria.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first set of parameters for generating said request object includes identity of said particular user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the step of generating the request object includes generating filtering criteria; and

the method includes filtering data from the composite response document based on the filtering criteria before transforming the composite response document.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the step of receiving responses to said requests from said one or more data sources in one or more formats other than a particular format involves receiving responses to said requests from said one or more data sources in one or more formats other than XML;

the step of converting said responses into said particular format involves converting responses into XML;

the step of generating a composite response document in said particular format involves generating a composite response document in XML; and

the step of transforming said composite response document into a client-formatted response involves transforming said composite response document into a format other than XML.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of transforming includes:

identifying one or more XSL stylesheets based on said second set of parameters; and

applying said one or more XSL stylesheets to said composite response document.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said one or more data sources include

a first data source that supports a first protocol and is accessible through a first gateway, and

a second data source that supports a second protocol and is accessible through a second gateway; and

the step of converting said responses into said particular format includes

said first gateway converting a response from said first data source to said particular format; and

said second gateway converting a response from said second data source to said particular format.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said first data source and said second data source is a database system.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of said first data source and said second data source is an HTTP server.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the client-formatted response is an HTML document.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the step of generating a request object involves generating an XML request document that includes unresolved links; and

the step of transmitting requests involves resolving said unresolved links.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of generating said composite response document involves replacing said unresolved links in said XML request document with XML data generated based on said responses from said one or more data sources.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said particular type of client is a mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the method further comprises the steps of

receiving data that indicates user-specific customizations to services;

storing said data in a configuration database;

searching said configuration database for said user-specific customizations in response to receiving said request for said service;

said first set of parameters used to generate said request object includes said user-specific customizations.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said one or more data sources include

a first web site accessible through a gateway, and

a second web site accessible through said gateway; and

the step of converting said responses into said particular format includes

said gateway converting a first response from said first web site to said particular format; and

said gateway converting a second response from said second web site to said particular format.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said one or more data sources include a plurality of data sources; and

said composite response document reflects information from each of said plurality of data sources.

17. A system for transferring information between devices, the system comprising:

a request preprocessor, which is located separately from clients, configured to receive service requests from said clients,

generate request objects for said service requests, and

pass said request objects to a request processor, which is located separately from said clients;

said request processor operatively coupled to said request preprocessor and to one or more gateways, said request processor being configured to respond to said request objects by transmitting requests to data sources through said one or more gateways;

said one or more gateways operatively coupled between said request processor and said data sources, said one or more gateways being configured to translate between a particular format and one or more other formats,

convert said requests to said one or more other formats prior to issuing said requests to said data sources,

convert responses from said data sources to said particular format, and

pass said responses in said particular format to said request processor;

wherein said request processor is further configured to generate composite response documents in said particular format based on said responses, and to pass said composite response documents to a post processor;

said post processor operatively coupled to said request processor, said post processor being configured to

transform said composite response documents from said particular format to client-specific responses having formats required by clients, and

transmit said client-specific response documents to said clients.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said particular format is XML.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the request objects are XML documents.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the post processor includes an XSL engine that transforms said composite response documents by

selecting one or more XSL stylesheets based on a first set of parameters, said first set of parameters including type of the clients; and

applying said one or more XSL stylesheets.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the pre-processor generates the request objects based on a particular set of parameters, said particular set of parameters including identity of users that submit said service requests.

22. A computer-readable medium bearing instructions for retrieving information from one or more data sources, the computer-readable medium including instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving, from a particular type of client, a request for a service;

wherein said request for said service is received at a system located separately from said client;

wherein said request is sent by a particular user;

within said system generating, based on a first set of parameters, a request object;

wherein said first set of parameters includes identity of said service;

based on the request object, said system transmitting requests to one or more data sources;

at said system receiving responses to said requests from said one or more data sources in one or more formats other than a particular format;

at said system converting said responses into said particular format;

at said system generating, based on said responses, a composite response document in said particular format;

at said system transforming said composite response document into a client-formatted response based on a second set of parameters;

wherein said second set of parameters includes identity of said particular type of client; and

at said system transmitting said client-formatted response to said particular user.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein said first set of parameters for generating said request object includes identity of said particular user.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein:

the step of generating the request object includes generating filtering criteria;

the computer-readable medium includes instructions for filtering data from the composite response document based on the filtering criteria before transforming the composite response document.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein:

the step of receiving responses to said requests from said one or more data sources in one or more formats other than a particular format involves receiving responses to said requests from said one or more data sources in one or more formats other than XML;

the step of converting said responses into said particular format involves converting responses into XML;

the step of generating a composite response document in said particular format involves generating a composite response document in XML; and

the step of transforming said composite response document into a client-formatted response involves transforming said composite response document into a format other than XML.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the step of transforming includes:

identifying one or more XSL stylesheets based on said second set of parameters; and

applying said one or more XSL stylesheets to said composite response document.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein:

said one or more data sources include

a first data source that supports a first protocol and is accessible through a first gateway, and

a second data source that supports a second protocol and is accessible through a second gateway; and

the step of converting said responses into said particular format includes

said first gateway converting a response from said first data source to said particular format; and

said second gateway converting a response from said second data source to said particular format.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein at least one of said first data source and said second data source is a database system.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein at least one of said first data source and said second data source is an HTTP server.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the client-formatted response is an HTML document.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein:

the step of generating a request object involves generating an XML request document that includes unresolved links; and

the step of transmitting requests involves resolving said unresolved links.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the step of generating said composite response document involves replacing said unresolved links in said XML request document with XML data generated based on said responses from said one or more data sources.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein said particular type of client is a mobile phone.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein:

the computer-readable medium further comprises instructions for performing the steps of

receiving data that indicates user-specific customizations to services;

storing said data in a configuration database;

searching said configuration database for said user-specific customizations in response to receiving said request for said service;

said first set of parameters used to generate said request object includes said user-specific customizations.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein:

said one or more data sources include

a first web site accessible through a gateway, and

a second web site accessible through said gateway; and

the step of converting said responses into said particular format includes

said gateway converting a first response from said first web site to said particular format; and

said gateway converting a second response from said second web site to said particular format.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein:

said one or more data sources include a plurality of data sources; and

said composite response document reflects information from each of said plurality of data sources.