US6330617B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System, method and computer program product for data conversion in a computer network
Assignee: Sabre GLBL Inc
•
Filing: 1998-02-27
•
Granted: 2001-12-11
•
Expires: 2018-02-27
Abstract
Abstract Conversion of a data in a variable field message to a fixed format message. The variable field message has a varying length and fields of varying types of data. The corresponding fixed format message has fields of a fixed data type and length, which facilitates parsing and processing data from the variable field message. Customers for the data conversion or other processing are load balanced among multiple servers sharing load level information.
Inventors
- 👤 John Bamforth
- 👤 Glenn Huber
- 👤 Aravinda Shenoy
- 👤 Sudha Akshayakumar
- 👤 Srinivas Karra
- 👤 Kevin Buckley
- 👤 Kenneth P. Thorpe, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/50; G06F9/5005; G06F9/5027; G06F9/505; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/25; G06F16/258; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 59
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for formatting a message comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes protocol information and a data field wherein the data field varies in size and content from message segment to message segment, comprising the steps of: partitioning a first message into the message segments; ordering the message segments based on the protocol information; fixing the size of the data field in each of the message segments to a standard size; removing the protocol information from the message segments; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for formatting a message comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes protocol information and a data field wherein the data field varies in size and content from message segment to message segment, comprising the steps of: partitioning a first message into the message segments; ordering the message segments based on the protocol information; fixing the size of the data field in each of the message segments to a standard size; removing the protocol information from the message segments; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the ordering, fixing, and removing steps are performed by predefined functions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the message of the partitioning step is formatted according to a predetermined protocol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the predetermined protocol is the Edifact protocol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: receiving the message from a computer system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the computer system comprises a computerized reservation system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a code.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a delimiter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a symbol.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for formatting a message comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes a data field of a fixed size but does not include protocol information, comprising the steps of: partitioning a first message into the message segments; adding protocol information to each of the message segments based on its relative position in the first message; varying the size of the data field in each of the message segments based on the protocol information; ordering the message segments based on the protocol information; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for formatting a message comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes a data field of a fixed size but does not include protocol information, comprising the steps of: partitioning a first message into the message segments; adding protocol information to each of the message segments based on its relative position in the first message; varying the size of the data field in each of the message segments based on the protocol information; ordering the message segments based on the protocol information; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the adding, varying, and ordering steps are performed by predefined functions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the message of the partitioning step is formatted according to a predetermined protocol.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the predetermined protocol is the Edifact protocol.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of: transmitting the message to a computer system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the computer system comprises a computerized reservation system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a code.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a delimiter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a symbol.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
137 words
A system for exchanging messages comprising: a server machine for transmitting and receiving messages comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes protocol information and a data field wherein the data field varies in size and content from message segment to message segment; a client machine for transmitting and receiving messages with a plurality of message segments, each of which includes a data field of a fixed size but does not contain protocol information; and a data converter which refashions messages between the server machine and the client machine such that the protocol information of each message segment is appropriately added and such that the size of the data field in each message segment is appropriately varied, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
137 words
A system for exchanging messages comprising: a server machine for transmitting and receiving messages comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes protocol information and a data field wherein the data field varies in size and content from message segment to message segment; a client machine for transmitting and receiving messages with a plurality of message segments, each of which includes a data field of a fixed size but does not contain protocol information; and a data converter which refashions messages between the server machine and the client machine such that the protocol information of each message segment is appropriately added and such that the size of the data field in each message segment is appropriately varied, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 19 wherein the data converter retrieves and executes software functions from a function library for performing data conversion of messages sent between the server machine and the client machine.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 19 wherein the data converter reorders message segments.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 19 wherein the server machine is a computer system.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 22 wherein the computer system comprises a computerized reservation system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 19 wherein the server machine exchanges messages according to a predetermined protocol.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 24 wherein the predetermined protocol is the Edifact protocol.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer program storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a program of instructions for executing a computer process that formats a message, comprising: partitioning a first message into one or more message segments; ordering the message segments based on protocol information contained in the individual message segments; fixing a size of a data field in each of the message segments; removing the protocol information from the message segments; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
98 words
A computer program storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a program of instructions for executing a computer process that formats a message, comprising: partitioning a first message into one or more message segments; ordering the message segments based on protocol information contained in the individual message segments; fixing a size of a data field in each of the message segments; removing the protocol information from the message segments; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 26 wherein the ordering, fixing, and removing steps of the computer process are performed by predefined functions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 26 wherein the message of the partitioning step of the computer process is formatted according to a predetermined protocol.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 28 wherein the predetermined protocol is the Edifact protocol.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 26 wherein the computer process further comprises the step of: receiving the message from a computer system.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 30 wherein the computer system comprises a computerized reservation system.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a code.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a delimiter.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 26 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a symbol.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer program storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a program of instructions for executing a computer process that formats a message, comprising: partitioning a first message into one or more message segments; adding protocol information to each of the message segments based on its relative position in the first message; varying a size of a data field in each of the message based on the protocol information; ordering the data fields based on the protocol information; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer program storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a program of instructions for executing a computer process that formats a message, comprising: partitioning a first message into one or more message segments; adding protocol information to each of the message segments based on its relative position in the first message; varying a size of a data field in each of the message based on the protocol information; ordering the data fields based on the protocol information; and assembling the message segments into a second message, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 35 wherein the adding, varying, and ordering steps of the computer process are performed by predefined functions.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 35 wherein the message of the assembling step of the computer process is formatted according to a predetermined protocol.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 37 wherein the predetermined protocol is the Edifact protocol.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 35 wherein the computer process further comprises the step of: transmitting the message to a computer system.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 39 wherein the computer system comprises a computerized reservation system.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 35 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a code.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 35 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a delimiter.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer program storage medium of claim 35 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements each comprise a symbol.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
136 words
A system for exchanging messages comprising: a server machine for transmitting and receiving messages comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes protocol information and a data field wherein the data field varies in size and content from message segment to message segment; a client machine for transmitting and receiving messages with a plurality of message segments, each of which includes a data field of a fixed size but does not contain protocol information; and a data converter which refashions messages between the server machine and the client machine such that the protocol information of each message segment is appropriately removed and such that the size of the data field in each message segment is fixed, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 50
Independent Claim
136 words
A system for exchanging messages comprising: a server machine for transmitting and receiving messages comprising a plurality of message segments, each of which includes protocol information and a data field wherein the data field varies in size and content from message segment to message segment; a client machine for transmitting and receiving messages with a plurality of message segments, each of which includes a data field of a fixed size but does not contain protocol information; and a data converter which refashions messages between the server machine and the client machine such that the protocol information of each message segment is appropriately removed and such that the size of the data field in each message segment is fixed, wherein the protocol information comprises one or more symbolic elements corresponding to the content of the data field.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the data converter retrieves and executes software functions from a function library for performing data conversion of messages sent between the server machine and the client machine.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the data converter reorders message segments.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the server machine is a computer system.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 47 , wherein the computer system comprises a computerized reservation system.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the server machine exchanges messages according to a predetermined protocol.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 49 , wherein the predetermined protocol is the Edifact protocol.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements comprise a code.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements comprise a delimiter.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 44 , wherein the one or more symbolic elements comprise a symbol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4417322A
Cited
US4441829A
Cited
US4445795A
Cited
EP0240145A2
Cited
EP0471867A1
Cited
US5050071A
Cited
US5341477A
Cited
US5119465A
Cited
US5173853A
Cited
US5202977A
Cited
US5283887A
Cited
US5317568A
Cited
US5473608A
Cited
US5506985A
Cited
US5590281A
Cited
US5557780A
Cited
US5412566A
Cited
US5434852A
Cited
US5509010A
Cited
US5499343A
Cited
US5491800A
Cited
US5491693A
Cited
US5509123A
Cited
US5461611A
Cited
US5608874A
Cited
US5708828A
Cited
US5774668A
Cited
US5832451A
Cited
WO1997029424A1
Cited
US5828847A
Cited
US5911776A
Cited
US6119137A
Cited
WO1999044155A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-12-10 | 2005-06-11 | 2005-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-12-10 | 2009-06-11 | 2009-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-12-10 | 2013-06-11 | 2013-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |