Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data modifying
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-21
2001-08-28
Luu, Le Hien (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data modifying
C709S231000, C709S236000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282576
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods of transferring multiple types of heterogeneous data from a first computer to a second computer such that the multiple data types have meaningful interrelationships and are in respective formats that are native to the first computer but are foreign to the second computer.
In the prior art, many different models of digital computers have been designed and sold by dozens of corporations without any common standards on the computer's internal operation. Consequently, a computer from any one corporation usually is completely incompatible with the computers from all other corporations.
For example, the X86 personal computers from Intel Corporation and the A-Series computers from Unisys Corporation execute respective sets of object code instructions which are totally different from each other. Thus any program which is a compilation of A-Series object code instructions cannot be executed directly by an X86 computer; and, any program which is a compilation of X86 object code instructions cannot be executed directly by an A-Series computer.
Similarly, the X86 personal computers and the A-Series computers operate on respective types of heterogeneous data which have formats that are native to one computer but completely foreign to the other computer. For example, the X86 “word integer,” and the X86 “packed decimal” numbers, and the X86 “single precision” numbers have respective formats which are not recognized by the A-Series computers.
Due to the above differences, a major problem of incompatibility arises when a computer which is designed by one corporation attempts to send multiple types of heterogeneous data, with meaningful interrelationships, over a communication channel to a computer which is designed by another corporation. For example, if an X86 computer sends a series of X86 alphabetic characters and X86 decimal digits to an A-Series computer, those characters and digits will not even be recognized by the A-Series computer. Further, no universal mechanism exists whereby the X86 computer can attach various meaningful interrelationships between the characters and the digits that it sends to be A-Series computer.
What is needed, and what is lacking in the prior art, is a universal method of transferring multiple types of heterogeneous data from one computer to any other incompatible computer such that the receiving computer can recognize each of the different data types and can also recognize various meaningful relationships between the data types. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel method which fulfills the above need.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the present invention, a method of transferring heterogeneous data from a first computer to a second computer is provided such that a) the data can include multiple data types in respective formats that are native to the first computer but are foreign to the second computer, and b) meaningful interrelationships among the multiple data types can be conveyed. This method includes the steps of: 1) generating, in the first computer, encoded subitems from the heterogeneous data where each subitem has a predetermined code; 2) combining, in the first computer, all of the subitems into a high level tree-shaped structure which has branches and tag fields that indicate various relationships between the subitems; 3) sending the high level structure from the first computer to the second computer; 4) parsing, in the second computer, the encoded subitems from the high level structure; and, 5) translating, in the second computer, each encoded subitem to a different format that is native to the second computer, based on the predetermined code.
In one embodiment, the high level tree-shaped structure is comprised of a single message which has branches to a selectable number of items, and each item has branches to a selectable number of the encoded subitems. Preferably, the single message includes a message-header that is followed by a concatenation of all of the items to which the message has branches; each particular item includes a respective item-header that is followed by all of the encoded subitems to which that particular item has branches; and each encoded subitem includes a respective subitem-header that contains the predetermined code and is followed by a portion of the heterogeneous data. Also preferably, the message-header includes a tag field in which said first computer can insert information regarding the meaning of the message as a whole; each item-header includes a tag field in which the first computer can insert information regarding the meaning of the corresponding items; and each subitem-header includes a tag field in which the first computer can insert information regarding the meaning of the subitem.
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Fassbender Charles J.
Luu Le Hien
Prieto Beatriz
Rode Lise A.
Starr Mark T.
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