Method and apparatus for varying automated data processing

• US 6,868,193 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Corel Incorporated (Corel Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Simone, Kenneth D. Jr., Zurawski, John C., Gharbia, Nezar A., Knutson, Loren G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bali, Vikkram
• Application Number:
  US09/658,563
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 382/305, 382/307, 382/228, 382/156, 707/1, 707/2, 707/10, 715/513, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/506 Constraint
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups

Abstract

A number of items of data from a data source (12) can be processed, and then supplied to at least one data destination (16-17). The data can include image data, text data, numeric data or other types of data, or a combination of these types of data. The processing of the data is controlled by a project definition (14, 71, 101), which includes a plurality of modules selected from a variety of available modules (Tables 1-4). The modules have input and output ports which are interrelated by binding information. A subset of the available modules are branch modules, which can change a flow of execution through the modules that make up the project definition. One type of module effects branching by changing the flow of execution based on the state of data being processed by the project definition, whereas another type of branch module changes the flow of execution based on real-time interaction with a person.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

providing a set of predetermined function definitions which are different, one of said predetermined function definitions being a branching definition which is responsive to a condition parameter; and

preparing a project definition, said project definition including;

a plurality of function portions which each correspond to one of said function definitions in said set, and which each define at least one input port and at least one output port that are functionally related according to the corresponding function definition, said function portions including a branching portion which corresponds to said branching definition and which identifies a specified condition to serve as said condition parameter, said branching portion being operable in accord with said branching function and the current state of said specified condition to selectively effect and inhibit the application to one said output port thereof of data which is based on data received at one said input port thereof;

a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a data source and defining an output port through which data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port through which data can be supplied to the data destination; and

binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective said input port with one of said output ports.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of preparing said project definition includes the step of selecting said specified condition to be a function of input data received at one said input port of said branching portion.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said input data includes image data, and wherein said step of selecting said specified condition is carried out by causing said specified condition to be satisfied if the image data includes at least one color identified in a preselected color set.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said input data includes image data, and wherein said step of selecting said specified condition is carried out by causing said specified condition to be satisfied if the image data is in an image format identified in a preselected image format set.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said input data includes image data, and wherein said step of selecting said specified condition is carried out by causing said specified condition to be satisfied if the image data has one of a height dimension and a width dimension which satisfies a specified criteria.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein said input data includes image data, and wherein said step of selecting said specified condition is carried out by causing said specified condition to be satisfied if the image data is in a file having a size which satisfies a specified file size criteria.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein said input data includes image data, and wherein said step of selecting said specified condition is carried out by causing said specified condition to be satisfied if the image data is in a file having a filename which satisfies a specified name criteria.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of selecting said specified condition is carried out by causing said specified condition to be satisfied if a comparison of the input data with specified string data satisfies a specified comparison criteria.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said specified condition is defined to be dependent on user input, and including the steps of executing said project definition, pausing said executing of said project definition to request input from a user, and thereafter continuing said executing of said project definition while taking said user input into account when evaluating said specified condition.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said branching portion, in dependence on said specified condition, routes data received at said one input port thereof to a selected one of at least two said output ports thereof which include said one output port.

11. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which recognizes a set of predetermined function definitions that are different, one of said predetermined function definitions being a branching definition which is responsive to a condition parameter, said program being operable when executed to facilitate preparation of a project definition, said project definition including:

a plurality of function portions which each correspond to one of said function definitions in said set, and which each define at least one input port and at least one output port that are functionally related according to the corresponding function definition, said function portions including a branching portion which corresponds to said branching definition and which identifies a specified condition to serve as said condition parameter, said branching portion being operable in accord with said branching function and the current state of said specified condition to selectively effect and inhibit the application to one said output port thereof of data which is based on data received at one said input port thereof;

a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a data source and defining an output port through which data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port through which data can be supplied to the data destination; and

binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective said input port with one of said output ports.

12. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, said program being operable when executed to facilitate said preparation of said project definition by selecting said specified condition to be a function of input data received at one said input port of said branching portion.

13. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said input data includes image data, said program being operable when executed to effect said selection of said specified condition so that said specified condition is satisfied if the image data includes at least one color identified in a preselected color set.

14. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said input data includes image data, said program being operable when executed to effect said selection of said specified condition so that said specified condition is satisfied if the image data is in an image format identified in a preselected image format set.

15. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said input data includes image data, said program being operable when executed to effect said selection of said specified condition so that said specified condition is satisfied if the image data has one of a height dimension and a width dimension which satisfies a specified criteria.

16. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said input data includes image data, said program being operable when executed to effect said selection of said specified condition so that said specified condition is satisfied if the image data is in a file having a size which satisfies a specified file size criteria.

17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said input data includes image data, said program being operable when executed to effect said selection of said specified condition so that said specified condition is satisfied if the image data is in a file having a filename which satisfies a specified name criteria.

18. A computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein said program is operable when executed to effect said selection of said specified condition so that said specified condition is satisfied if a comparison of the input data with specified string data satisfies a specified comparison criteria.

19. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein said specified condition is defined to be dependent on user input, said program being operable when executed to effect execute said project definition, pause said execution of said project definition to request input from a user, and thereafter continue said execution of said project definition while taking said user input into account when evaluating said specified condition.

20. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, said program being operable when executed to cause said branching portion, in dependence on said specified condition, to route data received at said one input port thereof to a selected one of at least two said output ports thereof which include said one output port.

21. A method, comprising the steps of:

providing a set of predetermined function definitions which are different;

executing a project definition, said project definition including;

a plurality of function portions which each correspond to one of said function definitions in said set, and which each define at least one input port and at least one output port that are functionally related according to the corresponding function definition;

a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a data source and defining an output port through which data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port through which data can be supplied to the data destination; and

binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective said input port with one of said output ports;

wherein one of said function portions is operative according to the corresponding function definition to permit a user to interactively influence a selected operational characteristic thereof during said executing step; and

wherein said one of said function portions defines a first said output port and a second said output port; and

defining the function definition which corresponds to said one of said function portions in a manner so that said selected operational characteristic determines which of said first and second output ports is used to output data which is present within said one of said function portions.

22. A method according to claim 21, including the step of displaying for the user, during said interactive influencing, data which is currently present within said one of said function portions.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said displaying step is carried out using image data.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein said interactive influencing is carried out through a communications link with a user who is at a remote location.

25. A method according to claim 24, including the step of configuring said communications link to include a network.

26. A method according to claim 21, wherein said interactive influencing includes the step of permitting the user to selectively disable further said interactive influencing, said one of said function portions thereafter using a specified characteristic as said selected operational characteristic.

27. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which recognizes a set of predetermined function definitions that are different, said program being operable when executed to facilitate execution of a project definition which includes:

a plurality of function portions which each correspond to one of said function definitions in said set, and which each define at least one input port and at least one output port that are functionally related according to the corresponding function definition;

a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a data source and defining an output port through which data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port through which data can be supplied to the data destination; and

binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective said input port with one of said output ports;

wherein one of said function portions is operative according to the corresponding function definition to permit a user to interactively influence a selected operational characteristic thereof during said execution of said project definition;

wherein said one of said function portions defines a first said output port and a second said output port; and

wherein said program is operable when executing the function definition which corresponds to said one of said function portions to cause data present within said one of said function portions to be output therefrom through one of said first and second output ports which is selected as a function of said selected operational characteristic.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said program is operable when executed to display for the user, during said interactive influencing, data which is currently present within said one of said function portions.

29. A computer-readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said program is operable when executed to carry out said displaying step using image data.

30. A computer-readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said program is operable when executed to carry out said interactive influencing through a communications link with a user who is at a remote location.

31. A computer-readable medium according to claim 30, wherein said program is operable when executed to use as said communications link a communications link which includes a network.

32. A computer-readable medium according to claim 27, wherein said program is operable when executed to permit the user, during said interactive influencing, to selectively disable further said interactive influencing, said one of said function portions thereafter using a specified characteristic as said selected operational characteristic.