Method of markup language accessing of host systems and data using a constructed intermediary

• US 6,209,124 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Touchnet Info Sys Incorporated (Global Payments Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Touchnet Info Sys Incorporated (Global Payments Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vermeire, Dean R., Murphy, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Application Number:
  US09/385,903
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/2, 717/5, 717/7, 717/8, 707/513, 707/100, 707/101, 707/522, 707/523, 707/524, 703/23, 703/27
• US Class Current: 717/114
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

A method of operating and communicating with a host computer system is provided using mark-up language inputs and outputs directed by an intermediary which has been previously constructed by formulation of the host data and program structures and host machine characteristics into a system of metadata which allows the reconstruction of requests and results into and out of mark-up languages binary data streams.

Claims

1. A method of providing mark-up language interaction with a host computer system having a host computer system architecture and a software application executing thereon the software application utilizing host computer system data records and host computer system information processing commands and the mark-up language operating in its native format the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting information transfer codes into the host system software application to direct information transfers between the host and an intermediary,

b) generating metadata for use by said intermediary, said metadata containing an information set of the host computer system architecture and an information set associating the host binary data stream with the mark-up language format to allow said intermediary to select a portion of a mark-up language request and allocate said portion to form a binary data result compatible with said host computer system, and

c) operating said intermediary on a mark-up language request to generate a result for use by the host system, said result communicating information contained in said mark-up language request.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 where in said step of generating metadata comprises the step of identifying data elements contained in the host software application.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising the step of plotting the location of said identified data elements within a data input format of the host software application to form a data elements input location plot.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising the step of associating said data elements input location plot with the mark-up language format.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 where in said step of operating said intermediary comprises the steps of:

a) presenting, to said intermediary, a mark-up language request for a result,

b) restructuring said mark-up language request with said intermediary by applying said metadata to said request to provide an inquiry processable by the host software application,

c) sending said inquiry from said intermediary to the host system,

d) receiving said inquiry by the host system as directed by said transfer codes, and

e) conducting operations of the host software application in response to said inquiry to generate a result by the host system responsive to said request.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 where in said step of restructuring said mark-up language request with said intermediary comprises applying a data elements input location plot and associating said data elements input location plot with the mark-up language format of said request to provide an inquiry processable by the host system application.

7. A method of providing mark-up language interaction with a host computer system having a host computer system architecture and a software application executing thereon the software application utilizing host computer system data records and host computer system information processing commands and the mark-up language operating in its native format the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting information transfer codes into the host system software application to direct information transfers between the host and an intermediary,

b) generating metadata for use by said intermediary, said metadata coding comprising;

i) identifying data elements contained in the host software application,

ii) plotting the location of said identified data elements within a data input format of the host software application to form a data elements input location plot, and

iii) associating said data elements input location plot with the mark-up language format, and

c) operating said intermediary on a mark-up language request to generate a result for use by host system, said result communicating information contained in said mark-up language request.

8. A method of providing mark-up language interaction with a host computer system having a host computer system architecture and a software application executing thereon the software application utilizing host computer system data records and host computer system information processing commands and the mark-up language operating in its native format the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting information transfer codes into the host system software application to direct information transfers between the host and an intermediary,

b) generating metadata for use by an intermediary, said metadata containing an information set of the host computer system architecture and an information set associating the host binary data stream to a mark-up language format to allow intermediary to select a portion of the host binary data stream and allocate said portion to form a mark-up language result,

c) operating said intermediary on a mark-up language request comprising the steps of;

i) presenting, to said intermediary, a mark-up language request for a result,

ii) restructuring said mark-up language request with said intermediary by applying said metadata to said request to provide an inquiry processable by the host system application,

iii) sending said inquiry from said intermediary to the host system,

iv) receiving said inquiry by the host system as directed by said transfer codes, and

v) conducting operations of the host software application in response to said inquiry to generate a result by the host system responsive to said request.

9. A method of providing mark-up language interaction with a host computer system having a host computer system architecture and a software application executing thereon the software application utilizing host computer system data records and host computer system information processing commands and the mark-up language operating in its native format the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting information transfer codes into the host system software application to direct information transfers between the host and an intermediary,

b) generating metadata for use by said intermediary, said metadata coding comprising;

i) identifying data elements contained in the host software application,

ii) plotting the location of said identified data elements within a data input format of the host software application to form a data elements input location plot, and

iii) associating said data elements input location plot with the mark-up language format,

c) operating said intermediary on a mark-up language request comprising the steps of;

i) presenting, to said intermediary, a mark-up language request for a result,

ii) restructuring, by said intermediary, said mark-up language request by applying said data elements association and said data elements input location plot to said request to provide an inquiry processable by the host system application,

iii) sending said inquiry from said intermediary to the host system,

iv) receiving said inquiry by the host system as directed by said transfer codes, and

v) conducting operations of the host system application in response to said inquiry to generate a result by the host system responsive to said request.

10. A method of providing mark-up language interaction with a host computer system having a host computer system architecture and a software application executing thereon the software application utilizing host computer system data records and host computer system information processing commands and the mark-up language operating in its native format the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting information transfer codes into the host system software application to direct information transfers between the host and an intermediary,

b) generating metadata for use by said intermediary, said metadata coding comprising;

i) identifying data elements contained in the host software application,

ii) plotting the location of said identified data elements within a data input format and within a data output format of the host software application to form a data elements input location plot and a data elements output location plot,

iii) associating said data elements input location plot with the mark-up language format and associating said data elements output location plot with the mark-up language format,

c) operating said intermediary on a mark-up language request comprising the steps of;

i) presenting, to said intermediary, a mark-up language request for a result,

ii) restructuring, by said intermediary, said mark-up language request by applying said data elements input association and said data elements input location plot to said request to provide an inquiry processable by the host system application,

iii) sending said inquiry from said intermediary to the host system,

iv) receiving said inquiry by the host system as directed by said transfer codes,

v) conducting operations of the host system application in response to said inquiry to generate a result by the host system responsive to said request.

vi) transferring said result from the host system to said intermediary system as directed by said transfer codes,

vii) processing said result by said intermediary by applying said data elements output association and said data elements output location plot to said result to extract user request-responsive data elements from said result and to form a mark-up language format result from said user request-responsive data elements,

viii) sending said mark-up language format result to the user, and

ix) repeating steps i through viii as needed to obtain information.

11. A method of providing mark-up language interaction with a host computer system having a host computer system architecture and a software application executing thereon the software application utilizing host computer system data records and host computer system information processing commands and the mark-up language operating in its native format the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting information transfer codes into the host system software application to direct information transfers between the host and an intermediary,

b) generating metadata for use by said intermediary, said metadata containing an information set of the host computer system architecture and an information set associating the host binary data stream with the mark-up language format to allow said intermediary to select a portion of the host binary data stream and allocate said portion to form a mark-up language result compatible with the mark-up language format, and

c) operating said intermediary on a host system software application request to generate a result for restructuring by said intermediary into the mark-up language format.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 where in said step of generating metadata comprises the step of identifying data elements contained in the host software application.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of plotting the location of said identified data elements within a data output format of the host software application to form a data elements output location plot.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the step of associating said data elements output location plot with the mark-up language format.