Method of validating a label translation configuration by parsing a real expression describing the translation configuration

Claim 2

In a label translator, a method of validating a label translation configuration (TC) comprising the steps of: (a) defining a regular expression (RE) which specifies valid labels in a target language, (b) parsing the TC and converting the RE into a state machine; (c) analyzing the TC through the state machine; (d) determining the validity of the TC based upon the analysis of step (c), and providing an indication that the TC is invalid if the state machine remains in an undefined state as a result of the analysis of step (c); and, (e) automatically generating a set of test labels (test set) for testing the state machine; the TC defining a set of digit characters and an escape character, the escape character being valid anywhere in a target language label, and characters in a source language label which are determined to be illegal in the target language being converted into an escape sequence comprising the escape character followed by at least one of the digit characters.

Claim 3

Method according to claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises the steps of: (i) determining a set of valid escape characters for the target language; (ii) determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is valid; (iii) determining a set of valid digit characters; and (iv) determining whether the digit characters defined by the TC are valid.

Claim 4

Method according to claim 2 wherein step (ii) comprises determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is one of the valid escape characters determined in step (i).

Claim 5

Method according to claim 2 wherein step (iv) comprises determining whether the set of digit characters defined by the TC is verifiable according to a first simplified method, and, if so, determining the validity of the digit characters according to the first simplified method, but otherwise determining the validity of each combination of character and state machine state and, in the event that a particular combination of character and state machine state is determined not to be valid, verifying the validity of an escape sequence expansion of said character at said state.

Claim 6

Method according to claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises generating a test case label for each transition of the state machine from one state to a next state, and for each state machine state, wherein each of said test case labels causes one of the state machine state and associated transition, and illegal input character combination to be exercised.

Claim 7

In a label translator, a method of validating a label translation configuration (TC) having a regular expression (RE) comprising the steps of: (a) parsing the TC and converting the RE into a state machine, the state machine being for translating a label from a source language to a target language; (b) analyzing the TC through the state machine; and, (c) determining the validity of the TC based upon the result of step (b) and providing an indication of the result; (d) automatically generating a set of test labels (test set) for testing a label translator implementation; wherein step (b) results in the state machine being placed in one of a defined or undefined state; and step (c) comprises providing an indication that the TC is invalid when, as a result of performing step (b), the state machine is placed in an undefined state, and further comprises: (i) determining a set of valid escape characters for the target language; (ii) determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is valid; (iii) determining a set of valid digit characters; and (iv) determining whether the digit characters defined by the TC are valid.

Claim 8

In a label translator, a method of validating a label translation configuration (TC) having a regular expression (RE) comprising the steps of: (a) parsing the TC and converting the RE into a state machine, the state machine being for translating a label from a source language to a target language; (b) analyzing the TC through the state machine; and, (c) determining the validity of the TC based upon the result of step (b) and providing an indication of the result; (d) automatically generating a set of test labels (test set) for testing a label translator implementation; wherein step (b) results in the state machine being placed in one of a defined or undefined state; and step (c) comprises providing an indication that the TC is invalid when, as a result of performing step (b), the state machine is placed in an undefined state, and further comprises: (i) determining a set of valid escape characters for the target language; (ii) determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is valid; (iii) determining a set of valid digit characters; and (iv) determining whether the digit characters defined by the TC are valid.

Claim 9

Method according to claim 6 wherein the TC defines a set of digit characters and an escape character.

Claim 10

Method according to claim 7 wherein the escape character is valid anywhere in a target language label and wherein characters in a source language label that are determined to be illegal in the target language are converted into an escape sequence comprising the escape character followed by at least one of the digit characters.

Claim 11

Method according to claim 6 wherein step (ii) comprises determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is one of the valid escape characters determined in step (i).

Claim 12

Method according to claim 6 wherein step (iv) comprises determining whether the digit characters defined by the TC are members of the valid digit characters determined in step (iii).

Claim 13

Method according to claim 6 wherein step (iv) comprises determining whether the digit characters defined by the TC are verifiable according to a first simplified method, and, if so, determining the validity of the digit characters according to the first simplified method, but otherwise determining the validity of each combination of character and state machine state and, in the event that a particular combination of character and state machine state is determined not to be valid, verifying the validity of an escape sequence expansion of said character at said state.

Claim 14

Method according to claim 6 wherein the step of automatically generating a test set comprises the step of generating a test case label for each transition of the state machine from one state to a next state, and for each state machine state, wherein each of said test case labels causes one of the state machine state and associated transition, and illegal input character combination to be exercised.

Claim 15

In a label translator, a method of validating a label translation configuration (TC), the TC defining a set of digit characters and an escape character and a regular expression (RE) describing valid labels in a target language, the method comprising the steps of: (a) parsing the TC and converting the RE into the state machine; (b) analyzing the TC through the state machine according to the following steps: (i) determining a set of valid escape characters for the target language; (ii) determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is valid; (iii) determining a set of valid digit characters; and, (iv) determining whether the validity of the digit characters defined by the TC is verifiable according to a first simplified method, and, if so, determining the validity of the digit characters according to the first simplified method, but otherwise determining the validity of each combination of character and state machine state and, in the event that a particular combination of character and state machine state is determined not to be valid, verifying the validity of an escape sequence expansion of said character at said state; (c) determining whether the TC is valid based upon the result of step (b), the TC being determined to be invalid when the state machine remains in an undefined state as a result of performing step (b), and providing an indication of the result of the determination; and, (d) automatically generating a set of test labels (test set) for testing the state machine, the test set comprising a test case label for each transition of the state machine from one state to a next state, and for each state machine state, wherein each of said test case labels causes one of the state machine state and associated transition, and illegal input character combination to be exercised; the escape character defined by the TC being valid anywhere in a target language label, and characters in a source language label that are determined to be illegal in the target language being converted into an escape sequence comprising the escape character followed by at least one of the digit characters.

Claim 16

In a label translator, a method of validating a label translation configuration (TC), the TC defining a set of digit characters and an escape character and a regular expression (RE) describing valid labels in a target language, the method comprising the steps of: (a) parsing the TC and converting the RE into the state machine; (b) analyzing the TC through the state machine according to the following steps: (i) determining a set of valid escape characters for the target language; (ii) determining whether the escape character defined by the TC is valid; (iii) determining a set of valid digit characters; and, (iv) determining whether the validity of the digit characters defined by the TC is verifiable according to a first simplified method, and, if so, determining the validity of the digit characters according to the first simplified method, but otherwise determining the validity of each combination of character and state machine state and, in the event that a particular combination of character and state machine state is determined not to be valid, verifying the validity of an escape sequence expansion of said character at said state; (c) determining whether the TC is valid based upon the result of step (b), the TC being determined to be invalid when the state machine remains in an undefined state as a result of performing step (b), and providing an indication of the result of the determination; and, (d) automatically generating a set of test labels (test set) for testing the state machine, the test set comprising a test case label for each transition of the state machine from one state to a next state, and for each state machine state, wherein each of said test case labels causes one of the state machine state and associated transition, and illegal input character combination to be exercised; the escape character defined by the TC being valid anywhere in a target language label, and characters in a source language label that are determined to be illegal in the target language being converted into an escape sequence comprising the escape character followed by at least one of the digit characters.