Information distribution system, service-providing method for an information distribution system, and a program for the same

• US 9,262,387 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hideo, Ono, Shoji, Furuhata, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, SHAHID K
• Application Number:
  US13/848,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/84 Mapping; Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation

Abstract

An information distribution system reduces the effort required to change an application in conjunction with changes in process content and changes in the receiver type or specifications while also accommodating broadcast processes. A style sheet database stores a plurality of output style sheets, which are information conversion rules including conditional expressions related to information distribution. An integrated device control service acquires output data and receiver information specifying the address of the receiver and the output style sheet corresponding to said receiver. When the output data satisfies the conditional expression contained in the output style sheet, the integrated device control service distributes converted output data, which is the output data converted based on the output style sheet, to the address of the receiver.

Claims

1. An information distribution system comprising:

a computer that sends output data and receiver information;

a server connected to the computer;

a first device connected to the server; and

a second device connected to the server;

wherein

the server further comprising;

a storage unit that stores a first output style sheet for the first device and a second output style sheet for the second device, which are information conversion rules including a conditional expression related to information distribution;

an output data acquisition unit that acquires output data from the computer;

a receiver information acquisition unit that acquires receiver information specifying a first address of the first device and a second address of the second device and specifying the first output style sheet and the second output style sheet;

a condition evaluation unit that determines whether or not at least a portion of the output data satisfies the conditional expression contained in the first output style sheet; and

a distribution unit that distributes converted output data, which is the portion of the output data satisfying the conditional expression contained in the first output style sheet converted based on the first output style sheet, to the first address when the portion of the output data satisfies the conditional expression in the first output style sheet;

wherein the first output style sheet and the second output style sheet include different conditional expressions, and the receiver information has a hierarchical structure indicating an order priority of receivers for distributing converted output data.

2. The information distribution system described in claim 1 wherein

when a second portion of the output data different from the portion of the output data does not satisfy the conditional expression contained in the first output style sheet, the distribution unit does not distribute the second portion of output data to the first address.

3. The information distribution system described in claim 2 wherein

when the second portion of the output data satisfies a second conditional expression contained in the second output style sheet, the distribution unit distributes second converted output data, which is the second portion of the output data converted based on the second output style sheet, to the second address.

4. The information distribution system described in claim 1, wherein

the receiver information specifies an input style sheet of information conversion rules corresponding to the computer,

the server distributes converted input data, which is input data from the first device converted based on the input style sheet, to the computer, and

the computer requires the converted input data.

5. The information distribution system described in claim 4, wherein

the output data, the converted output data, the input data, and the converted input data are markup documents.

6. The information distribution system described in claim 4, wherein:

the server combines the converted input data and second converted input data, which is second input data from the second device converted based on the input style sheet, and

the server distributes combined input data to the computer.

7. The information distribution system described in claim 1, wherein:

the output data acquisition unit can acquire output data from a plurality of transmitters; and

the storage unit stores a plurality of input style sheets corresponding to the plural transmitters.

8. The information distribution server described in claim 1, wherein:

the first output style sheet and the second output style sheet convert the output data to converted output data in different description languages; and

the first device and the second device interpret different description languages.

9. The information distribution system described in claim 1, wherein:

when the portion of the output data does not satisfy the conditional expression in the first output style sheet, the portion of the output data is not converted based on the first output style sheet.

10. A service-providing method comprising:

acquiring output data from a computer and receiver information from the transmitter specifying a first address of a first receiver and a second address of a second receiver and specifying a first output style sheet corresponding to the first receiver and a second output style sheet corresponding to the second receiver;

determining whether or not at least portion of the output data satisfies a conditional expression contained in the first output style sheet; and

distributing converted output data, which is the portion of the output data converted based on the first output style sheet, to the first address when the portion of the output data satisfies the conditional expression in the first output style sheet;

wherein the first output style sheet and the second output style sheet include different expressions and the receiver information has a hierarchical structure indicating an order of priority of receivers for distributing converted output data.

11. The service-providing method described in claim 10, wherein

when a second portion of the output data different from the portion of the output data does not satisfy the conditional expression contained in the first output style sheet, the distribution unit does not distribute the second portion of output data to the first address.

12. The service-providing method described in claim 11, wherein

when the second portion of the output data satisfy a second conditional expression contained in the second output style sheet, the distribution unit distributes second converted output data, which is the second portion of the output data converted based on the second output style sheet, to the second address.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program stored thereon that causes a computer to execute the service-providing method described in claim 10.