System and method for creating target-specific data conversion templates using a master style template

• US 8,307,045 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Open TEXT SA (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Smrzlic, Pero, Shmulevich, Igor A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Haresh N
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDBERG, ANDREW C
• Application Number:
  US09/682,655
• Time in Patent Office: 4,053 Days
• Field of Search: 715/515, 715/516, 715/501.1, 715/513, 715/517, 709310-332
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

Methods for facilitating the creation of templates used to convert service data from a non-displayable format to alternate formats which are suited to be displayed on various client devices. In a preferred embodiment, the data corresponding to a selected service is examined to identify name-value pairs. A user is queried for a label corresponding to each pair. Formatting information for a plurality of client devices is contained in a master template. This information is used to generate a plurality of templates which are specific to the service data and the client devices and which are configured to convert the name-value pairs into formats adapted to be displayed on the corresponding devices.

Claims

1. A method for generating service/device-specific templates, the method comprising:

at a computer communicatively coupled to a storage device and a user interface, an application running on the computer performing a plurality of steps, in the following order;

the application receiving or retrieving unformatted data from the storage device, the unformatted data corresponding to a specific data service and contains no information on formatting the specific data service for presentation;

the application examining the unformatted data for the specific data service to identify name-value pairs which are present in the unformatted data, each name-value pair including a name of a data item and a value of the data item;

the application presenting the name-value pairs identified from the unformatted data for the specific data service to a user via the user interface;

the presenting further comprising;

presenting the user with a label for each of the set of the name-value pairs; and

allowing the user to accept or modify the label via the user interface;

the application retaining a set of the name-value pairs based on user input received via the user interface;

the application selecting, for each of the plurality of devices, individual template building blocks from a master template, the master template does not convert unformatted data into formatted data, the master template containing information defining a style for presentation of different types of data on a plurality of devices, the information being in the master template as a plurality of template building blocks, each of the plurality of template building blocks defining formatting for a single type of name-value pair for presentation on a single device type, and each of the individual template building blocks being selected based on a corresponding type of name-value pair in the set of the name-value pairs; and

the application assembling the individual template building blocks selected from the master template into one or more service/device-specific templates, each of the service/device-specific templates assembled by the application being specific to a corresponding device or a device type and to the specific data service associated with the unformatted data, the one or more service/device-specific templates being necessary to generate formatting for the set of name-value pairs such that data items associated with the specific service are suitable for presentation on the plurality of devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

utilizing the service/device-specific templates to create markup language files for corresponding devices.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

utilizing the markup language files to accommodate the specific data service on the corresponding devices.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the master template defines a predetermined style for displaying data on physical devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the master template is one of a plurality of master templates, each defining a different style for displaying data on physical devices.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

prompting the user to select one of the plurality of master templates according to which the service/device-specific templates are generated.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service/device-specific templates are generated automatically upon completion of the master template.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service/device-specific templates are generated as needed to accommodate the specific data service or a new data service.

9. A computer program product having at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions translatable by at least one processor to perform a plurality of steps, in the following order:

examining unformatted data received or retrieved from a storage device to identify name-value pairs which are present in the unformatted data, the unformatted data corresponding to a specific data service and contains no information on formatting the specific data service for presentation;

presenting the name-value pairs identified from the unformatted data for the specific data service to a user via a user interface;

the presenting further comprising;

presenting the user with a label for each of the set of the name-value pairs; and

allowing the user to accept or modify the label via the user interface;

retaining a set of the name-value pairs based on user input received via the user interface;

selecting, for each of the plurality of devices, individual template building blocks from a master template, the master template does not convert unformatted data into formatted data, the master template containing information defining a style for presentation of different types of data on a plurality of devices, the information being in the master template as a plurality of template building blocks, each of the plurality of template building blocks defining formatting for a single type of name-value pair for presentation on a single device type, each of the building blocks being selected based on a corresponding type of name-value pair in the set of the name-value pairs; and

assembling the individual template building blocks selected from the master template into one or more service/device-specific templates, each of the service/device-specific templates being specific to a corresponding device or a device type and to the specific data service associated with the unformatted data, the one or more service/device-specific templates being necessary to generate formatting for the set of name-value pairs such that data items associated with the specific service are suitable for presentation on the plurality of devices.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the master template is one of a plurality of master templates, each defining a different style for displaying data on physical devices, and wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

prompting the user to select one of the plurality of master templates according to which the service/device-specific templates are generated.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the service/device-specific templates are generated automatically upon completion of the master template.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the service/device-specific templates are generated as needed to accommodate the specific data service or a new data service.

13. A system for generating service/device-specific templates, comprising:

a user interface;

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions translatable by the at least one processor to execute an application which performs a plurality of steps, in the following order;

the application examining unformatted data for a specific data service received or retrieved from a storage device to identify name-value pairs which are present in the unformatted data, the unformatted data corresponding to a specific data service and contains no information on formatting the specific data service for presentation;

the application presenting the name-value pairs identified from the unformatted data for the specific data service to a user via a user interface;

the presenting further comprising;

presenting the user with a label for each of the set of the name-value pairs; and

allowing the user to accept or modify the label via the user interface;

the application retaining a set of the name-value pairs based on user input received via the user interface;

the application selecting, for each of the plurality of devices, individual template building blocks from a master template, the master template does not convert unformatted data into formatted data, the master template containing information defining a style for presentation of different types of data on a plurality of devices, the information being in the master template as a plurality of template building blocks, each of the plurality of template building blocks defining formatting for a single type of name-value pair for presentation on a single device type, and each of the individual template building blocks being selected based on a corresponding type of name-value pair in the set of the name-value pairs; and

the application assembling the individual template building blocks selected from the master template into one or more service/device-specific templates, each of the service/device-specific templates assembled by the application being specific to a corresponding device or a device type and to the specific data service associated with the unformatted data, the one or more service/device-specific templates being necessary to generate formatting for the set of name-value pairs such that data items associated with the specific service are suitable for presentation on the plurality of devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the master template is one of a plurality of master templates, each defining a different style for displaying data on physical devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further translatable by the at least one processor to perform:

prompting the user to select one of the plurality of master templates according to which the service/device-specific templates are generated.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the service/device-specific templates are generated automatically upon completion of the master template.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the service/device-specific templates are generated as needed to accommodate the specific data service or a new data service.