Message parser and formatter

• US 6,834,382 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Marso, Thomas, Hawkins, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVIS, JOHN Q
• Application Number:
  US09/895,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 717/143
• US Class Current: 717/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

The present invention relates to a utility for transforming messages from an external form to the internal representation of a given application and vice versa. The utility can handle messages relative to a variety of external systems and a variety of different formats without recompiling. In one embodiment, the invention is implemented in connection with a classified information processing and distribution system (100). Multiple input sources (102) provide information to the system (100) at various levels of classification and this information is reported over various communication channels (106, 108 and 110) and in different message formats. The system (100) sanitizes that data to the classification levels required for dissemination over lower level channels (112 and 114) to addressees (104), at least some of whom do not have clearance sufficient to receive all of the input information. A MAG module (118) transforms input data from the various external formats into the internal data representation of an ADS module. The MAG module (118) further receives sanitized information from the ADS module in the internal representation and transforms such information into the various external formats of the addressee systems. The module (118) is a table driven subsystem that can access multiple external format specifications stored in a table structure so as to implement the noted transformations.

Claims

1. A method for use in transforming content between an internal form associated with an internal system and an external form for use by an external system, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing a generic processing engine for performing a transformation process relative to an information stream associated with an external system, said generic processing engine being adaptable to handle content in multiple forms associated with multiple external systems;

first operating said generic processing engine to receive first content in one of said internal and external forms;

second operating said generic processing engine to access storage including at least first external specification information relating to a first form of a first external system and second external specification information relating to a second form of a second external source;

configuring said generic processing engine based on a selected one of said first and second external specification information; and

third operating said generic processing engine as configured using said selected one of said first and second external specification information to transform said message between said internal form and said external form.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving comprises obtaining said first content in said internal form of said internal system and said step of third operating comprises transforming said message into said external form associated with said internal system.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of receiving comprises obtaining said first content in said external form of said external system and said step of third operating comprises transforming said message into said internal form of said internal system.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of second operating comprises compiling said generic processing engine and, subsequent to said step of compiling, accessing said storage.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first external specification information is stored in one or more tables and said step of second operating comprises accessing said tables.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said one or more tables includes parameter information for use in defining said first external specification and identification information for associating said parameter information with said first external specification and said step of second operating comprises using said identification information to access said one or more tables.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of configuring comprises using parameter information defining said first external specification to define a transformation function of said generic processing engine.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of second operating comprises compiling said generic processing engine to provide a compiled processing engine and said step of configuring comprises operating said compiled processing engine to use said first external specification to define a first transformation function of said compiled processing engine, and said method further comprises operating said compiled processing engine to use said second external specification to define a second transformation function of said compiled processing engine, whereby said generic processing engine is reconfigured free from any intervening step of recompiling.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of third operating comprises iteratively dividing said message into multiple portions, transforming selected ones of said portions between said internal and external forms, and further dividing other ones of said portions.

10. A method for use in transforming content between an internal form associated with an internal system and a form for use by an external system, said method comprising the steps of:

A) establishing a processing module for processing a data stream, said processing module including a parsing engine and a processing engine;

B) operating said parsing engine to select a portion from said data stream and define said portion as a parent object;

C) operating said parsing engine to parse said parent object into multiple child objects wherein each of said child objects has a child content that is a subset of a parent content of said parent;

D) operating said processing engine to identify any one of said multiple child objects having a desired processing resolution and, with respect to any such identified child object, perform a predefined process related to transforming said message between said first and second forms;

E) redefining at least one of said multiple child objects as a parent object, said second one of said multiple child objects being the same as or different from said first one of said multiple objects; and

F) repeating said steps C and D with respect to said redefined object;

wherein said processing module is operative for recursively processing said information stream.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said step D involves performing said predefined process on a first one of said multiple objects and said step E involves redefining a second one of said multiple objects different than said first one.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said predefined process involves converting said identified object from a first format of said internal system to a second format of said external system.

13. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said predefined process involves performing a security screen on said identified child object.

14. A method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising iteratively repeating said steps C, D and E until said predefined process has been performed on a desired portion of said data stream.

15. A method for use in transliterating content from one input format into multiple output formats, comprising the steps of:

accessing first content reflecting a first input format;

making at least one copy of said first content;

accessing a first external format specification relating to a first one of the multiple output formats;

configuring a processing engine based on the first external format specification;

first operating said processing engine to access a first instance of said first content and transform said first content based on said first external format specification to provide a first transformed content;

accessing a second external format specification relating to a second one of said multiple output formats;

configuring said processing engine based on said second external format specification;

second operating said processing engine to access a second instance of said first content and transform said first content based on said second specification to provide a second transformed content; and

transmitting said first and second transformed content.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15, wherein said first external format specification is stored in one or more first tables and said second external format specification is stored in one or more second tables, and said processing engine is operative for successively accessing said first tables and second tables free from any intervening step of recompiling.

17. An apparatus for use in transforming a content between an internal form associated with an internal system and an external form for use by an external system, comprising:

storage structure for storing at least first external specification information relating to a first external form of a first external system and second external specification information relating to a second external form of a second external system;

a processor operative for compiling a generic processing engine for;

performing a transformation process relative to an information stream associated with an external system, said generic processing engine being adaptable to handle information in multiple forms associated with multiple external systems;

accessing said storage structure to obtain said first external specification information;

configuring said compiled generic processing engine based on said first external specification information; and

operating said generic processing engine as configured using said external specification information to transform said content between said first internal form and said first external form.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said processor is operative for obtaining said content in said internal form of said internal system and transforming said content into said first external form of said first external system.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said processor is operative for obtaining said content in said first external form of said first external system and transforming said content into said internal form of said internal system.