Automatic relevance filtering

• US 8,515,920 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Peyton, Eric S., Bumgarner, Tim W., Fernandez, Todd R., Soghoian, David H.
• Primary Examiner(s): MORRISON, JAY A
• Application Number:
  US13/559,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/687
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and an apparatus for use in a computing apparatus are disclosed. The method includes determining a context and a data requirement for a candidate action to be selected, the selection specifying an action in a workflow; and filtering the candidate actions for relevance in light of the context and the data requirement. The apparatus, in a first aspect, includes a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing device, performs the method. In a second aspect, the apparatus includes a computing apparatus programmed to perform the method.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining that a data type incompatibility exists in a workflow, the data type incompatibility including a difference between a data output format for an action and a data input format for a subsequent action; and

automatically generating a data conversion script to resolve the data type incompatibility, wherein generating the data conversion script includes;

searching for a first plurality of conversion actions having the data output format as an input and a second plurality of conversion actions having the data input format as an output when it is determined that a conversion action to directly convert the data output format into the data input format is unavailable;

selecting at least one of the first plurality of conversion actions and one of the second plurality of conversion actions; and

chaining the selected conversion actions in a specified calling order, wherein executing the selected conversion actions in the specified calling order transforms data in the data output format to the data input format.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data output format and the data input format are in a reverse Domain Name Service naming style.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the data conversion script includes presenting a notification of a conversion error when the data type incompatibility cannot be resolved.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data conversion script is generated and executed without the user'"'"'s knowledge.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium implemented method which, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform steps comprising:

determining that a data type incompatibility exists in a workflow, the data type incompatibility including a difference between a data output format for an action and a data input format for a subsequent action; and

automatically generating a data conversion script to resolve the data type incompatibility, wherein generating the data conversion script includes;

searching for a first plurality of conversion actions having the data output format as an input and a second plurality of conversion actions having the data input format as an output when it is determined that a conversion action to directly convert the data output format into the data input format is unavailable;

selecting at least one of the first plurality of conversion actions and one of the second plurality of conversion actions; and

chaining the selected conversion actions in a specified calling order, wherein executing the selected conversion actions in the specified calling order transforms data in the data output format to the data input format.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the data output format and the data input format are in a reverse Domain Name Service naming style.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein generating the data conversion script includes presenting a notification of a conversion error when the data type incompatibility cannot be resolved.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, the data conversion script is generated and executed without the user'"'"'s knowledge.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a workflow having output from an action received as input to another action;

identifying that a data type incompatibility exists between an output data type of the action and an input data type of the another action; and

automatically generating a background script configured to create a background action configured to convert data in the output data type to the input data type, wherein generating the background script includes;

searching for a first plurality of conversion actions having the output data type as an input and a second plurality of conversion actions having the input data type as an output when it is determined that a conversion action to directly convert the output data type into the input data type is unavailable;

selecting at least one of the first plurality of conversion actions and one of the second plurality of conversion actions; and

chaining the selected conversion actions in a specified calling order, wherein executing the selected conversion actions in the specified calling order transforms data in the output data type to the input data type.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the background action comprises one or more conversion actions configured to perform data type conversions.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the input data type and the output data type are in a reverse Domain Name Service naming style.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the background script is generated and executed without the user'"'"'s knowledge.

13. A system, comprising:

a computing device;

a storage communicating with the computing device; and

an application residing in the storage that, when invoked, automatically;

receives a workflow having output from an action received as input to another action;

identifies that a data type incompatibility between an output data type of the action and an input data type of the another action; and

automatically generates a background script configured to create a background action configured to convert data in the output data type to the input data type, wherein generating the background script includes;

searching for a first plurality of conversion actions having the output data type as an input and a second plurality of conversion actions having the input data type as an output when it is determined that a conversion action to directly convert the output data type into the input data type is unavailable;

selecting at least one of the first plurality of conversion actions and one of the second plurality of conversion actions; and

chaining the selected conversion actions in a specified calling order, wherein executing the selected conversion actions in the specified calling order transforms data in the output data type to the input data type.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the background action comprises one or more conversion actions configured to perform data type conversions.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the input data type and the output data type are in a reverse Domain Name Service naming style.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the background script is generated and executed without the user'"'"'s knowledge.