Method and apparatus for transferring data during automated data processing
First Claim
1. A method, comprising the steps of:
- providing a set of predetermined function definitions which are different, at least one of said predetermined function definitions defining a function for manipulating image data; and
preparing a project definition that is operable when executed to process said image data, 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 of said function portion and at least one output port of said function portion 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 of said source portion through which said image data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port of said destination portion through which said image data can be supplied to the data destination; and
binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective one of said input ports with one of said output ports, at least one of said binding portions being a conditional binding which is responsive to a specified condition for associating a respective one of said input ports with one of a plurality of different said output ports that form a set;
wherein preparing said project definition comprises;
displaying a project window that includes a graphical representation of said project definition; and
allowing a user to modify said project definition by interacting with said graphical representation using a pointing tool; and
wherein execution of said project definition operates at least in part to manipulate a graphical aspect of said image data.
22 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A number of items of data from a data source (12) can be processed, and then supplied to a data destination (16-17). The data can include image data, text data, numeric data or some other type 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. The modules have input and output ports, and the project definition includes binding information which relates input ports to output ports. The binding information can include a conditional binding (128), which supplies data to an input port from a selected one of two or more output ports, in dependence on a condition. A separate feature is that, if data obtained in a given format from an output port is being supplied to an input port which expects data in a different format, the data is automatically converted to the format expected by the input port.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method, comprising the steps of:
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providing a set of predetermined function definitions which are different, at least one of said predetermined function definitions defining a function for manipulating image data; and
preparing a project definition that is operable when executed to process said image data, 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 of said function portion and at least one output port of said function portion 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 of said source portion through which said image data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port of said destination portion through which said image data can be supplied to the data destination; and
binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective one of said input ports with one of said output ports, at least one of said binding portions being a conditional binding which is responsive to a specified condition for associating a respective one of said input ports with one of a plurality of different said output ports that form a set;
wherein preparing said project definition comprises;
displaying a project window that includes a graphical representation of said project definition; and
allowing a user to modify said project definition by interacting with said graphical representation using a pointing tool; and
wherein execution of said project definition operates at least in part to manipulate a graphical aspect of said image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 21)
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4. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which recognizes a set of predetermined function definitions that are different, at least one of said predetermined function definitions defining a function for manipulating image data, and which is operable when executed to facilitate preparation of a project definition that is operable when executed to process said image data, said project definition including:
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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 of said function portion and at least one output port of said function portion 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 of said source portion through which said image data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port of said destination portion through which said image data can be supplied to the data destination; and
binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective one of said input ports with one of said output ports, at least one of said binding portions being a conditional binding which is responsive to a specified condition for associating a respective one of said input ports with one of a plurality of different said output ports that form a set;
wherein facilitating preparation of said project definition comprises displaying a project window that includes a graphical representation of said project definition and allowing a user to modify said project definition by interacting with said graphical representation using a pointing tool; and
wherein execution of said project definition operates at least in part to manipulate a graphical aspect of said image data. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 22)
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7. A method, comprising the steps of:
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providing a set of predetermined function definitions which are different, at least one of said predetermined function definitions defining a function for manipulating image data; and
preparing a project definition that is operable when executed to process said image data, 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 of said function portion and at least one output port of said function portion that are functionally related according to the corresponding function definition, at least one of said function definitions being operative to automatically convert to a predetermined data type any data which is received at the input port thereof as a data type other than said predetermined data type;
a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a data source and defining an output port of said source portion through which said image data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port of said destination portion through which said image data can be supplied to the data destination; and
binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective one of said input ports with one of said output ports;
wherein preparing said project definition comprises;
displaying a project window that includes a graphical representation of said project definition; and
allowing a user to modify said project definition by interacting with said graphical representation using a pointing tool; and
wherein execution of said project definition operates at least in part to manipulate a graphical aspect of said image data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 23)
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14. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program which recognizes a set of predetermined function definitions that are different, at least one of said predetermined function definitions defining a function for manipulating image data, said program being operable when executed to facilitate preparation of a project definition that is operable when executed to process said image data and which includes:
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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 of said function portion and at least one output port of said function portion that are functionally related according to the corresponding function definition, at least one of said function definitions being operative to automatically convert to a predetermined data type any data which is received at the input port thereof as a data type other than said predetermined data type;
a further portion which includes a source portion identifying a data source and defining an output port of said source portion through which said image data from the data source can be produced, and which includes a destination portion identifying a data destination and defining an input port of said destination portion through which said image data can be supplied to the data destination; and
binding information which includes binding portions that each associate a respective one of said input ports with one of said output ports;
wherein facilitating preparation of said project definition comprises displaying a project window that includes a graphical representation of said project definition and allowing a user to modify said project definition by interacting with said graphical representation using a pointing tool; and
wherein execution of said project definition operates at least in part to manipulate a graphical aspect of said image data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24)
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Specification