Dynamic conversion of byte ordering for use on different processor platforms

• US 6,351,750 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gemstar Ebook Group Limited
• Original Assignee: SoftBook Press, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Duga, Brady, Conboy, Garth, Marder, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/174,072
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/102, 707/101, 712/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4013 with data re-ordering, e.g. Endian conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

The invention is a method for dynamically converting the byte-ordering of a data structure of a resource type from a first format to a second format, the first format being incompatible with the second format. The method comprises the following steps: (a) creating a template which corresponds to the data structure of the resource type, the template having a structure in a third format which is compatible with the first and second formats; (b) linking the template to the resource type; and (c) converting automatically the byte-ordering of the data structure of the resource type from the first format to the second format using the template.

Claims

1. A method for providing a dynamically converted, byte-ordered data structure of a resource type to a device, the data structure being converted from a first format to a second format, the first format being incompatible with the second format, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a template corresponding to the data structure of the resource type, the template having a structure in a third format, the third format being compatible with the first and second formats;

(b) linking the template to the resource type; and

(c) converting automatically the byte-ordering of the data structure of the resource type from the first format to the second format using the template; and

(d) sending the converted data structure of the resource type to the device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the template is expandable.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the template structure comprises one-byte values.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first format is a big endian format and the second format is a little endian format.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the template includes a value representing a byte.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the template includes a value representing one selected from the list of a byte, a short integer, a long integer, a short align indicator, a long align indicator, a null terminated string, a short counted string, a byte counted string, a short point, a long point, an indefinite list, a start of a short counted list, a start of a long counted list, and an end of a counted list.

7. A system for dynamically converting byte-ordering of a data structure of a resource type from a first format to a second format, the first format being incompatible with the second format, the system comprising:

(a) a server including;

a resource file system having a database for storing the resource type, the resource type being stored in a first format, the resource file system creating a template corresponding to the data structure of the resource type, the template having a template structure in a third format, the third format being compatible with the first and second formats, the resource file system linking the template to the resource type; and

(b) a device in electrical communication with the server, the device requesting the resource type in the second format;

wherein the resource file system automatically converts the byte-ordering of the data structure of the resource type from the first format to the second format using the template.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the device is an electronic book.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the server is a virtual bookstore.