Customizable data translation method and system

• US 7,836,063 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Salazar, Fernando, Sorrows, Bryan B., Rathinagopal, Sankaranarayanan
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US10/734,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20050131970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/104.1, 707/102
• US Class Current: 707/756
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention provides a customizable and configurable data translation tool that transforms data from one learning format to another. The invention further provides a flexible handling of data sources by extracting source data, such as user and course data in an e-learning model, and transforming the data into a form that is compatible with a Learning Management System (LMS). The invention provides flexible data targets by transforming the data into a form that not only preserves all relevant information from the source for loading into the target LMS but also produces industry standard files including metadata that can be used to modify the course or produce a new course by using a course authoring tool. Course structure and progress data can be transferred to the new LMS by re-loading the content on the LMS and linking that content with the previous course and progress data. The present invention also generates new unique identifiers, and utilizes the capabilities of the user migration to link progress data, instructor information, and progress with previous identifiers.

Claims

1. A method of transforming user information and course information from a source database in an e-learning model to a target database in a learning management system, the method comprising:

converting the user and course information to a format compatible with the target database, the converted user and course information containing object identification information;

matching object identifiers with corresponding object identification information contained in the converted user and course information when there is an existing directory containing object identifiers related to the object identification information contained in the converted user and course information and loading the converted user and course information into the target database; and

,

storing unmatched object identifiers for manual handling, and,

creating a file containing the unmatched object identifiers having a format similar to the converted user information and course information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the source database to include the object identifiers contained in the existing directory if a match is found.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the object identification information and the object identifiers relate to names of users of the learning management system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising when more than one potential match is found, creating a file containing the potential matches and re-generating the matching process.

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which when executed performs a method of transforming user information and course information from a source database in an e-learning model to a target database in a learning management system the method comprising:

converting the user and course information to a format compatible with the target database, the converted user and course information containing object identification information;

matching object identifiers with corresponding object identification information contained in the converted user and course information when there is an existing directory containing object identifiers related to the object identification information contained in the converted user and course information, and loading the converted user and course information into the target database; and

,

storing unmatched object identifiers for manual handling; and

,

creating a file containing the unmatched object identifiers having a format similar to the converted user information and course information.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the method performed by the stored computer program when executed further includes updating the source database to include the object identifiers contained in the existing directory when a match is found.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the object identification information and the object identifiers relate to names of users of the learning management system.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising when more than one potential match is found, creating a file containing the potential matches and re-generating the matching process.

9. A computer system for transforming user information and course information from a source database in an e-learning model to a target database in a learning management system, the computer system comprising:

a computer comprising memory and a processor; and

,

storage medium containing a set of computer program instructions;

a data transformation utility, executing in the memory by the processor of the computer, the data transformation utility comprising the set of computer program instructions that when executed by the processor convert the user information and course information to a format compatible with the target database, the converted user information and course information containing object identification information;

a data matching utility, executing in memory by a processor of a general purpose computing system, the data matching utility comprising the set of computer program instructions that when executed by the processor determine when there is an existing directory containing object identifiers related to the object identification information contained in the converted user information and course information and to match the object identifiers with corresponding object identification information contained in the converted user information and course information and to store unmatched object identifiers for manual handling; and

,

a data loading utility , executing in memory by a processor of a general purpose computing system, the data matching utility comprising the set of computer program instructions that when executed by the processor load the converted user information and course information into the target database and,

a file containing the unmatched object identifiers having a format similar to the converted user information and course information.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the data matching utility is further adapted to update the source database to include the object identifiers contained in the existing directory if a match is found.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the object identification information and the object identifiers relate to names of users of the learning management system.

12. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising a file containing potential matches when more than one potential match is found.