System and method of communicating data

• US 7,327,756 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iWork Software LLC
• Original Assignee: iWork Software LLC
• Inventors: Hamlin, James K
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boakye; Alexander O.
• Application Number:
  US10/677,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20040170190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 370/466, 370/338, 370/397, 370/467, 370/408, 370/410, 370/465, 709/223, 709/230, 709/201, 714/800
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method is provided for communicating data between a source application process and one or more destination application processes. This system and method performs conversion and routing functions which require only a single conversion of all inbound and outbound transmissions regardless of the variety of destinations/sources. The functions also enable changes, additions, and deletions of source/destination application processes to be made without modification of the source/destination application processes and without taking a process off-line. These conversion and routing functions are performed by receiving data in a source format, converting the data to a standard format, identifying one or more destinations in a database using a transaction type, transmitting a copy of the data to each destination, and converting the data to a destination format.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data of a known data type from a first process to a second process on a single processing system, the method comprising:

defining a relationship between a second queue that is associated with the second process and at least one of the known data type and a first queue that is associated with the first process;

receiving the data in the first format from the first process;

converting the data from the first format to a standard format;

determining the second queue based upon the defined relationship after receiving the data in the first format from the first process;

routing the data in the standard format to the second queue;

receiving the data routed in the standard format at the second queue; and

routing the data in the second format to the second process.

2. A method of communicating data from a source process to a destination process, the method comprising:

receiving the data in a source format from the source process;

converting the data from the source format to a first format;

converting said data from the first format to a destination format;

transmitting the data in the destination format to the destination process;

generating an acknowledgment of receipt of the data when the data is received at the destination process; and

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of the acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication data is of a known data type.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a destination address based upon a source address associated with the source process after receiving the data in the source format from the source process.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting the data in the first format to a destination address that is associated with the destination process; and

receiving the data transmitted in the first format at the destination address.

6. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

converting said data from said source format to a first format;

determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process;

prior to said receiving of said data in said source format, defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said source format, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address, wherein said relationship is defined by accepting user input that defines said relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address;

said determining using said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relating said destination address to both said known data type and said source address.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, said method further comprising:

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

generating an acknowledgment of receipt of said data when said data transmitted in said destination format is received at said destination process; and

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of said acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein each of said source format, said first format, and said destination format are different.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein:

said source format and said destination format are identical; and

said source format and said destination format are different from said first format.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source address of said source process.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source format of said data.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said destination format of said data.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said known data type of said data.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said destination address transmitted with said data in said first format.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 6, said method further comprising:

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address.

16. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

converting said data from said source format to a first format;

determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process;

prior to said receiving of said data in said source format, defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said source format, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address, wherein said relationship is defined by accepting user input that defines said relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address;

said determining using said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relating said destination address to said source address without relating said destination address to said known data type.

17. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

converting said data from said source format to a first format;

determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process;

prior to said receiving of said data in said source format, defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said source format, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address, wherein said relationship is defined by accepting user input that defines said relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address;

said determining using said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relating said destination address to said known data type without relating said destination address to said source address.

18. A system for communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, the system comprising:

means for receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

means for converting said data from said source format to a first format;

means for determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

means for transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

means for receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

means for converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

means for transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process;

means for generating an acknowledgment of receipt of said data when said data transmitted by said destination transmitter is received at said destination process; and

means for notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of said acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each of said source format, said first format, and said destination format are different.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

said source format and said destination format are identical; and

said source format and said destination format are different from said first format.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address prior to said data in said source format being received by said source receiver.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for defining at least one of known data type accepts user input that defines said known data type of said data.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for defining at least one of known data type accepts user input that defines said source address of said source process.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for defining at least one of known data type accepts user input that defines said source format of said data.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for defining at least one of known data type accepts user input that defines said first format of said data.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for defining at least one of known data type accepts user input that defines said destination format of said data.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein said wherein said means for defining at least one of known data type accepts user input that defines said relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein:

said addressing mechanism uses said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relates said destination address to both said known data type and said source address.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein:

said means for determining a destination address uses said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relates said destination address to said source address without relating said destination address to said known data type.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein:

said means for determining a destination address uses said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relates said destination address to said known data type without relating said destination address to said source address.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for converting said data comprises means for selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said known data type of said data.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for converting said data comprises means for selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said destination address transmitted with said data in said first format.

33. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

converting said data from said source format to a first format;

determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process; and

prior to said receiving of said data in said source format, defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said source format, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address,

wherein said determining uses said relationship in determining said destination address, and said relationship relates said destination address to both said known data type and said source address.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, said method further comprising:

when said data transmitted in said destination format is received at said destination process, generating an acknowledgment of receipt of said data; and

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of said acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein each of said source format, said first format, and said destination format are different.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein:

said source format and said destination format are identical; and

said source format and said destination format are different from said first format.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said known data type of said data.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source address of said source process.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source format of said data.

40. The computer readable medium claim 33, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said first format of said data.

41. The computer readable medium claim 33, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said destination format of said data.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said known data type of said data.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said destination address transmitted with said data in said first format.

44. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

converting said data from said source format to a first format;

determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process; and

prior to said receiving of said data in said source format, defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said source format, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address,

wherein said determining uses said relationship in determining said destination address, and said relationship relates said destination address to said source address without relating said destination address to said known data type.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 44, said method further comprising:

generating an acknowledgment of receipt of said data when said data transmitted in said destination format is received at said destination process; and

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of said acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein each of said source format, said first format, and said destination format are different.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein:

said source format and said destination format are identical; and

said source format and said destination format are different from said first format.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said known data type of said data.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source address of said source process.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source format of said data.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said first format of said data.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said destination format of said data.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said known data type of said data.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 44, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said destination address transmitted with said data in said first format.

55. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

converting said data from said source format to a first format;

determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process; and

prior to said receiving of said data in said source format, defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said source format, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address,

wherein said determining uses said relationship in determining said destination address, and said relationship relates said destination address to said known data type without relating said destination address to said source address.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 55, said method further comprising:

when said data transmitted in said destination format is received at said destination process, generating an acknowledgment of receipt of said data; and

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of said acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein each of said source format, said first format, and said destination format are different.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein:

said source format and said destination format are identical; and

said source format and said destination format are different from said first format.

59. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said known data type of said data.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source address of said source process.

61. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said source format of said data.

62. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said first format of said data.

63. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said defining comprises accepting user input that defines said destination format of said data.

64. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said known data type of said data.

65. The computer readable medium of claim 55, wherein said converting of said data from said first format to said destination format comprises selecting said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said destination address transmitted with said data in said first format.

66. A system for communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, the system comprising:

means for receiving said data in a source format from said source process;

means for converting said data from said source format to a first format;

means for determining a destination address that is associated with said destination process based upon at least one of said known data type and a source address that is associated with said source process;

means for transmitting said data in said first format with said destination address;

means for receiving said data transmitted in said first format at said destination address;

means for converting said data in said first format to a destination format;

means for transmitting said data in said destination format to said destination process; and

means for defining at least one of said known data type, said source address, said first format, said destination format, and a relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address prior to said data in said source format being received by said source receiver.

67. The system of claim 66, further comprising:

means for generating an acknowledgment of receipt of said data when said data transmitted by said destination transmitter is received at said destination process; and

means for notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of said acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein each of said source format, said first format, and said destination format are different.

69. The system of claim 66, wherein:

said source format and said destination format are identical; and

said source format and said destination format are different from said first format.

70. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for defining data accepts user input that defines said known data type of said data.

71. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for defining data accepts user input that defines said source address of said source process.

72. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for defining data accepts user input that defines said source format of said data.

73. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for defining data accepts user input that defines said first format of said data.

74. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for defining data accepts user input that defines said destination format of said data.

75. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for defining data accepts user input that defines said relationship between said destination address and said at least one of said known data type and said source address.

76. The system of claim 66, wherein:

said means for determining said destination address uses said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relates said destination address to both said known data type and said source address.

77. The system of claim 66, wherein:

said means for determining said destination address uses said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relates said destination address to said source address without relating said destination address to said known data type.

78. The system of claim 66, wherein:

said means for determining said destination address uses said relationship in determining said destination address; and

said relationship relates said destination address to said known data type without relating said destination address to said source address.

79. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for converting comprises a selecting mechanism that selects said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said known data type of said data.

80. The system of claim 66, wherein said means for converting comprises a selecting mechanism that selects said destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon said destination address transmitted with said data in said first format.

81. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving the data in a source format from the source process;

converting the data from the source format to a first format;

transmitting the data in the first format to a destination address that is associated with the destination process;

receiving the data transmitted in the first format at the destination address;

converting said data from the first format to a destination format;

transmitting the data in the destination format to the destination process;

generating an acknowledgment of receipt of the data when the data is received at the destination process;

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of the acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period;

identifying the data type of the transmitted data after receiving the data in the source format from the source process; and

determining the destination address based upon the identified data type of the transmitted data,

wherein the communicated data is of a known data type.

82. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

receiving the data in a source format from the source process;

converting the data from the source format to a first format;

transmitting the data in the first format to a destination address that is associated with the destination process;

receiving the data transmitted in the first format at the destination address;

converting said data from the first format to a destination format;

transmitting the data in the destination format to the destination process;

generating an acknowledgment of receipt of the data when the data is received at the destination process;

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of the acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period;

identifying the data type of the transmitted data after receiving the data in the source format from the source process; and

determining the destination address based upon the identified data type of the transmitted data and a source address associated with the source process,

wherein the communicated data is of a known data type.

83. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data of a known data type from a source process to a destination process, said method comprising:

accepting user input that defines a relationship between a destination address that is associated with the destination process and at least one of the known data type and a source address that is associated with the source process;

receiving the data in a source format from the source process;

converting the data from the source format to a first format;

determining the destination address based upon the defined relationship after receiving the data in the source format from the source process;

transmitting the data in the first format to the destination address;

receiving the data transmitted in the first format at the destination address;

converting the data in the first format to a destination format; and

transmitting the data in the destination format to the destination process.

84. The computer readable medium of claim 83, said method further comprising:

defining the known data type, the source address, the source format, the first format, and the destination format, prior to receiving the data in the source format.

85. The computer readable medium of claim 84, wherein the step of defining comprises accepting user input that defines the known data type, the source address, the source format, the first format, and the destination format.

86. The computer readable medium of claim 83, wherein the step of converting the data from the first format to the destination format comprises selecting the destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based solely upon the known data type.

87. The computer readable medium of claim 83, wherein:

the data is transmitted in the first format with the destination address; and

the step of converting the data from the first format to the destination format includes selecting the destination format from a plurality of available destination formats based upon the destination address transmitted with the data in the first format.

88. A computer readable medium encoded with computer readable instructions for performing a method of communicating data from a source process to a destination, said method comprising:

receiving the data in a source format from the source process;

converting the data from the source format to a first format;

transmitting the data in the first format to a destination address that is associated with the destination process;

receiving the data transmitted in the first format at the destination address;

converting said data from the first format to a destination format;

transmitting the data in the destination format to the destination process;

generating an acknowledgment of receipt of the data when the data is received at the destination process; and

notifying a user of an error upon an occurrence of at least one of a specified number of other transmission attempts and an absence of the acknowledgment of receipt within a given time period.

89. The computer readable medium of claim 88, wherein the communication data is of a known data type.

90. The computer readable medium of claim 88, said method further comprising:

determining the destination address based upon a source address associated with the source process after receiving the data in the source format from the source process.