Schema framework and method and apparatus for normalizing schema

• US 8,688,747 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WTVIII, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WTVIII, Inc.
• Inventors: Vincent, Winchel Todd III
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/930,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20080052325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 707/792, 707/955, 707803-805, 707808-811, 707/999.101, 707/999.103, 707/999.104, 707/999.105, 707/999.106, 707/237, 715/234, 715/235, 715/236, 715/239, 715/240
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/80 of semi-structured data, e.g. markup language structured data such as SGML, XML or HTML content-based retrieval of web data G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/226 Validation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The schema framework of the present invention is a set of rules and best practices that a user follows when creating schema in accordance with the present invention. By following these rules, schema are produced that can be used, reused, and managed in a distributed computing environment, thus reducing the time and effort associated with creating instance documents. Certain rules govern the content and format of the schema namespaces. Each schema namespace includes a category identifier that identifies a category to which the schema associated with the namespace relates. Once an instance document has been published by storing it in a schema repository, the schema and the namespace associated with that schema are “frozen” and cannot be changed. By freezing the schema and namespace, the schema and namespace become standardized, which facilitates instance document generation, validation, and use across a distributed system.

Claims

1. A markup language schema framework for developing markup language schemas, comprising:

a plurality of markup language schemas, wherein each of the plurality of markup language schemas includes a unique markup language schema namespace associated therewith;

a plurality of rules of construction, wherein a first rule of construction requires the markup language schema namespaces to convey a description of markup language elements provided by the markup language schema, and wherein the plurality of rules of construction applies to the plurality of markup language schemas; and

wherein the markup language schema framework is embodied on a computer system.

2. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein a second rule of construction requires that once an instance document associated with a markup language schema is published, the markup language schema can no longer be changed.

3. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the markup language namespace includes a uniform resource identifier (URI) and a category identifier, wherein the category identifier identifies a genre to which the markup language schema associated with the markup language namespace relates.

4. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the plurality of markup language schemas is stored in a schema repository communicatively coupled to the computer system.

5. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the rules of construction apply to a plurality of markup language schemas that define message formats.

6. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the rules of construction apply to a plurality of markup language schemas that define forms formats.

7. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the rules of construction apply to a plurality of markup language schemas that define document formats.

8. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the rules of construction apply to a plurality of markup language schemas stored in a primary schema repository.

9. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein the rules of construction apply to a plurality of markup language schemas stored in a secondary schema repository.

10. The schema framework of claim 1, wherein if a determination if made that an existing (non-normalized) mark up language schema does not follow the rules of construction, the existing (non-normalized) schema is transformed into a (normalized) mark up language schema that does follow the rules of construction.

11. The schema framework of claim 1, further comprising a code generator and wherein one or more of the rules of construction apply to a plurality of schemas that are used for code generation.

12. The schema framework of claim 11, wherein the resulting code from the code generator produces mark-up language instances that are valid against the input (normalized) schema.

13. The schema framework of claim 11, wherein the resulting code from the code generator consumes mark-up language instances that are valid against the input (normalized) schema.

14. The schema framework of claim 11, wherein code documentation is generated for generated code based on an input (normalized) mark-up language schema.

15. The schema framework of claim 11, wherein one or more of the rules of construction apply to a plurality of schemas that are used to generate a wizard data entry user interface.

16. The schema framework of claim 11, wherein one or more of the rules of construction apply to a plurality of schemas that are used to generate an editor data entry user interface.

17. The schema framework of claim 11, wherein one or more of the rules of construction apply to a plurality of schemas that are used to generate a viewer and search user interface.