Schema framework and a method and apparatus for normalizing schema

• US 7,366,729 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WTVIII, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WTVIII, Inc.
• Inventors: Vincent, III, Winchel Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US10/865,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/205, 707/200, 707/10, 707/102, 707/103.X, 707/103.Y, 707/103.Z, 707/103.R, 707/101, 715/513
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 mark up language schema stored in a directory tree memory structure, the mark up language schema having a mark up language schema namespace associated therewith, the mark up language schema namespace including a category identifier that identifies a category to which the mark up language schema relates, and wherein the category identifier provides information about where the mark up language schema associated with the mark up language schema namespace is stored in the directory tree memory structure, wherein the mark up language schema namespace is constructed based on a predefined set of rules of construction and is normalized to determine whether the mark up language schema namespace complies with the predefined set of rules of construction.

2. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the category identifier identifies a genre to which the schema associated with the mark up language schema namespace relates.

3. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the category identifier identifies a geographical location.

4. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the category identifier identifies a genre to which the mark up language schema associated with the mark up language schema namespace relates and a geographical location.

5. The mark up language schema of claim 4, wherein the category identifier identifies at least a legal jurisdiction.

6. The mark up language schema of claim 4, wherein the category identifier identifies at least an organization.

7. The mark up language schema of claim 4, wherein the category identifier identifies at least a type of document or form.

8. The mark up language schema of claim 4, wherein the category identifier identifies at least a person.

9. The mark up language schema of claim 4, wherein the category identifier identifies at least an address.

10. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein if an instance document associated with the mark up language schema'"'"'s namespace is published, the category identifier used as the mark up language schema namespace and the associated mark up language schema will be frozen.

11. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the mark up language schema namespace further includes a content type identifier that identifies a type of content associated with the mark up language schema.

12. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the mark up language schema namespace further includes a version identifier that identifies a version to which the mark up language schema corresponds.

13. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the mark up language schema namespace further includes a uniform resource identifier (URI) that identifies a web resource associated with the mark up language schema.

14. The mark up language schema of claim 1, wherein the markup language schema namespace is unique within a schema framework and identifies a unique schema within the schema framework.