Method and apparatus for rationalizing different data formats in a data management system

Claim 2

An information retrieval and storage system comprising: at least one data generating device for generating a stream of data having a predetermined form of information content, structure and format; a data conversion device for receiving said data stream from said data generating device, converting said data stream into a universal, intermediate form of information content, structure and format, and from the universal intermediate form into a desired output form of information content, structure and format; and for outputting an output data stream; and a host device for receiving said output data stream.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of data generating devices, each connected to said data conversion device, said data generating devices using diverse forms of information content, structure and format.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of data generating devices are networked and said data conversion device includes a network interface.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 2 wherein said data conversion device further comprises at least one data input port and at least one data output port and wherein at least one of data generating devices is hard wired to said input port; and further comprising a host data processing device, said host data processing device being hardwired to said output port.

Claim 6

The system according to claim 2 wherein said conversion device comprises one or more discrete devices located remotely from said host device, each of said discrete devices being associated with at least one of said plurality of data generating devices.

Claim 7

The system according to claim 2 wherein said data conversion is centrally located in the vicinity of said host device.

Claim 8

The system according to claim 1 wherein said data conversion device comprises at least two input data interface devices, each for supporting a different predetermined input data form of information content, structure and format.

Claim 9

The system according to claim 7 wherein said input data interface devices convert said predetermined data forms into said intermediate, universal data form.

Claim 10

The system according to claim 8 wherein said data conversion device further comprises at least one output interface device, said output interface device being operable to convert data from said intermediate, universal data form into a predetermined output data form.

Claim 11

The system according to claim 1 wherein said data conversion device further comprises an input port connected to at least two input data interface devices, and wherein at least two of said plurality of data generating devices are configured as nodes on a network, each of said nodes having a unique address, and wherein said data conversion device receives input data from said networked devices via said inlet port and, based on said unique address, directs said input data to one of said input data interface devices.

Claim 12

The system according to claim 10 wherein said data conversion device further comprises at least two output data interface devices, each of said outlet data inface devices being connected to an output port and wherein said data conversion device includes means for directing converted data to an appropriate one of said output data interface devices, said system further comprising at least two host data processing devices, each hard wired to one of said outlet ports.

Claim 13

The system according to claim 1 wherein said data conversion device further comprises at least two output data interface devices, each of said outlet data inface devices being connected to an output port and wherein said data conversion device includes means for directing converted data to an appropriate one of said output data interface devices, said system further comprising at least two host data processing devices, each hard wired to one of said outlet ports.

Claim 14

The system according to claim 1 wherein said data conversion device further comprises at least one data input port hard wired to said data generating device, and at least two output data interfaces, each connected to an output port, and wherein said data conversion device includes means for directing formatted output data to an appropriate one of said output interface devices, said system further comprising at least two host data processing devices, each hard wired to one of said outlet ports.

Claim 15

The system according to claim 13 further comprising a plurality of networked data generating devices connected to said data input port.

Claim 16

The system according to claim 1 wherein said data conversion device comprises at least two data input ports and at least two data output ports, each of said input and output ports having an associated interface device and wherein said data conversion device includes means for converting said input data streams into one or more formatted output data streams and directing said formatted output data streams, via an interface device, to one or more of said respective output ports.

Claim 17

The system according to claim 1 wherein said data conversion device is located remotely from said host device in the vicinity of said data generating device.

Claim 18

A data conversion device for receiving data streams having different forms from a plurality of data generating devices, said conversion device comprising: (a) at least one input side data interface for receiving an incoming data stream, said input interface supporting a predetermined input form of information content, structure and format; (b) a data conversion engine for receiving input data from said input data interface having said predetermined form of information content, structure and format and converting said data into intermediate, universal form of information content, structure and format; and (c) at least one output data interface for receiving data in said intermediate universal form of information content, structure and format and outputting said data in a predetermined output form of information content, structure and format.

Claim 19

A data conversion device for receiving data streams having different forms from a plurality of data generating devices, said conversion device comprising: (a) at least one input side data interface for receiving an incoming data stream, said input interface supporting a predetermined input form of information content, structure and format; (b) a data conversion engine for receiving input data from said input data interface having said predetermined form of information content, structure and format and converting said data into intermediate, universal form of information content, structure and format; and (c) at least one output data interface for receiving data in said intermediate universal form of information content, structure and format and outputting said data in a predetermined output form of information content, structure and format.

Claim 20

The device according to claim 17 wherein said data conversion device comprises a real-time data conversion device.

Claim 21

The device according to claim 17 wherein said data conversion engine includes a record storage means for temporary storage of data streams during conversion and a library of conversion rules for converting input data streams from one or more input forms of information content, structure and format into said intermediate universal form of information content, structure and format and for converting data from said intermediate universal form into one or more output forms of information content, structure and format.

Claim 24

The method according to claim 20 wherein said conversion steps are bi-directional.

Claim 25

An information contents storage and manipulation system including a data converter having a plurality of inputs for receiving data streams representing diverse forms of information content, structure and format and a plurality of outputs for outputting, based on said received data streams, converted data streams representing diverse forms of information content, structure and format, said converter comprising: one or more input side interfaces for supporting the diverse forms of information content, structure and format received at said at least one input; one or more output side interfaces for supporting the diverse forms of information content, structure and format to be output at said at least one output; a conversion engine for performing conversions between each of the input side data streams and output side data streams, said conversion engine including an intermediate record storage for storing data records and a conversion library storage for storing conversion routines, said intermediate record storage holding data converted from one of said diverse forms of information content, structure and format to an intermediate, universal form based on a selected one of said conversion routines until said stored record is converted into a selected one of said diverse output forms of information content, structure and format.

Claim 26

An information contents storage and manipulation system including a data converter having a plurality of inputs for receiving data streams representing diverse forms of information content, structure and format and a plurality of outputs for outputting, based on said received data streams, converted data streams representing diverse forms of information content, structure and format, said converter comprising: one or more input side interfaces for supporting the diverse forms of information content, structure and format received at said at least one input; one or more output side interfaces for supporting the diverse forms of information content, structure and format to be output at said at least one output; a conversion engine for performing conversions between each of the input side data streams and output side data streams, said conversion engine including an intermediate record storage for storing data records and a conversion library storage for storing conversion routines, said intermediate record storage holding data converted from one of said diverse forms of information content, structure and format to an intermediate, universal form based on a selected one of said conversion routines until said stored record is converted into a selected one of said diverse output forms of information content, structure and format.

Claim 27

The system according to claim 22 wherein said interfaces and said conversion engine are bi-directional.

Claim 28

The system according to claim 22 wherein said intermediate, universal form is specific to data for a particular industry.

Claim 29

The system according to claim 24 wherein the intermediate, universal data form defines all data fields maintained for said industry.

Claim 30

The system according to claim 22 wherein said converter is a real-time data converter.