Method and system for translating the format of the content of document file

[0002] The present application claims priority to Taiwan application No.090102244, entitled “Method and System for Translating the Format of the Content of Document File,” filed on Feb. 2, 2001.

[0003] (1) Field of the Invention

[0004] The invention relates to a method and a system for translating the format of the content of document file, and more particularly to a method and a system which utilize translators and mappers to translate the format of the content of document file.

[0005] (2) Description of the Prior Art

[0006] In a network environment, interconnection established among multiple data processing systems makes possible the electronic commerce and many business entities conduct their business behavior through the internet communication. Hence, how to communicate or interchange electronic document files between different data processing systems becomes more and more crucial.

[0007] In the art, every data processing system can define a format for the content of its own document file in accordance with a standard format, so that interchanging of document files among different systems can be feasible. In this description, the document file can be an order sheet, an invoice, or any document file containing specific data. It is easy to see that the so-called document file in this application can be different document file type. For instance, different formats of order sheets and invoices are usually provided by different data processing systems. Yet, generally speaking, the form of order sheet always includes company title, merchandise name, price, delivery info and so on; and the form of invoice always includes merchandise name, unit price, order amount and so on.

[0008] Because different data processing systems provide different standard formats of document files (order sheets for example) for electronic data exchange, a format translation upon the document file for exchanging is required so that the document file can be accepted by another data processing system. Generally, each of the document file types is individually an extensible markup language (XML) file. Therefore, even in the same data processing system, different document file types such as order sheets and invoices are presented with specific XML files.

[0009] When a data processing system is assigned to transform a document file from a first standard format to a second standard format, a compiling rule file with respect to the second standard format is required. The compiling rule file is written in the extensive style language (XSL). In the art, each XML file is corresponding to a specific XSL file. That is, more document file types are included in the data processing system, more XSL files exist as well. Similarly, more standard formats are used, and more XSL files are required.

[0010] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional data processing system 10 is shown. The data processing system 10, for instance, includes three document files A, B and C with different individual standard formats; say, an order form, an invoice and a receipt sheet. In the network with the data processing system 10, three more data processing system X, Y and Z are required at least to handle file translating with respect to the data processing system 10 before any electronic file exchanging is possible. Hence, the data processing system 10 requires at least nine compiling rule files (XSL files) a-i, as shown, to process the exchanging of the document files.

[0011] Conventionally, in the case that a data processing system includes M document file types and the data processing system needs to exchange document files with N standard formats, M×N XSL files are required to be established in the data processing system. It is obviously in the art that for every additional document file type, a specific number, N in this example, of standard XSL files needs to be generated for each existence of standard format. Similarly, for every additional standard format in the data processing system, additional M XSL files are required to account for each document file type. Therefore, the fact that a huge number of XSL files exist in the conventional data processing system leads definitely to less efficiency in data processing, and it also limits the electronic exchanging of document files in the network.

[0012] Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and a system that utilize a translator and a mapper to translate a format of a content of document file. In this system, the data processing system can use the translator to translate a document file with a specific format into a respective pre-map data file with a predetermined content format. Then, the mapper is introduced to map the pre-map data file onto a standard format data file with the target standard format. In this present invention, the data processing system can have a plurality of compiling rule files (XSL files) stored in the translator, in which the compiling rule files are applied to translate the document file into the pre-map data file. The data processing system can also have a plurality of mapping rule files (XSL files) stored in the mapper, in which the mapping rule files are applied to map the pre-map data file onto a respective standard format data file with a required standard format.

[0013] In the present invention, the number of the compiling rule files is equal to the number of formats for document files; i.e., each compiling rule file is respective to a document file type. Also, the number of the mapping rule files is equal to the number of standard formats; i.e., each mapping rule file is respective to a standard format. Hence, in the case that the data processing system includes M document file types and needs to perform file-exchange with N standard formats, the data processing system then requires only M+N XSL files. Furthermore, for every additional document file type, the data processing system needs to add an XSL file of compiling rule file. Equally, for every additional standard format, the data processing system only needs to add an XSL file of mapping rule file.

[0014] These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

[0015] The present invention will now be specified with reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a data processing system in the art;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a data processing system in accordance with the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the translating of a content format of a document file provided by the data processing system of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of document files;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of pre-map data files;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of second standard format data files;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the translating of a content format of a second standard format data provided by the data processing system of the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of post-map data files; and

[0024] FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the relationship between the data processing system of the present invention and some foreign data processing systems.

[0025] The invention disclosed herein is directed to a method and a system for translating the format of the content of document file. In the following description, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that variations of these specific details are possible while still achieving the results of the present invention. In other instance, well-known components are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 2, a data processing system 20 in accordance with the present invention is schematically shown. The data processing system 20 includes a document database 22, a translator 24 and a mapper 26. The document database 22 can include a plurality of document files 28 with respective a first standard format. The translator 24 can include a data file definition/schema (DTD/schema) translator 30 for translating the document files 28 and a data type definition/schema (DTD/schema) storage device 32 for storing a plurality of compiling rule files 34. Each of the compiling rule files 34 is respective to a document file type. In the data processing system 20, all the compiling rule files 34 follow an identical package of translating rules. The mapper 26 can include a mapping storage device 36 for storing a plurality of mapping rule files 38, and each of the mapping rule files 38 is respective to a standard format.

[0027] Referring now to FIG. 3, it is shown that the data processing system 20 performs the translating the content format upon the document file 28. In the case that the data processing system 20 intends to forward the document file 28 to another data processing system, firstly the data processing system 20 retrieves the document file 28 from the document database 22 in which the document file 28 is respective to the first standard format. Then, the data processing system 20 uses the translator 24 to translate the document file 28 into a pre-map data file 40 respective to the first standard format.

[0028] Referring now to FIG. 4, a schematic view of the document file 28 is present. The document file 28 includes a plurality of original data segments 44. Each original data segment 44 contains original data. On the other hand, referring to FIG. 5, a schematic view of the pre-map data file 40 is present. The pre-map data file 40 includes a plurality of pre-map data segments 48. Each pre-map data segment 48 contains pre-map data. During the translation, the data type definition/schema (DTD/schema) compiler 30 can utilize the compiling rule file 34 stored in the data type definition/schema (DTD/schema) storage device 32, with respect to the specific document file type, to translate the original data in each the original data segment 44 into the pre-map data for further generating the pre-map data file 40. That is, during the translation, various document files with specific document file types such as order forms, invoices and so on, can be translated into respective pre-map data files 40 by applying respective compiling rule files 34.

[0029] In the present invention, the document file and the pre-map data file 40 can be written by the extensible markup language (XML), and the compiling rule file 34 can be written by the extensible style language (XSL).

[0030] In the present invention, the data type definition/schema (DTD/schema) compiler 30 is respective to the first standard format for translating the document file 28 with respective to the first standard format. Also, all the compiling rule files 34 are respective to the first standard format.

[0031] Referring now back to FIG. 3, after the document file 28 is translated into the pre-map data file 40, the data processing system 20 can use the mapper 26 to map the pre-map data file 40 onto a second standard format data file 42 with respect to a second standard format. Then, the second standard format data file 42 can be forwarded to a second data processing system for further electronic data exchanging.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 6, a schematic view of the second standard format data file 42 is shown. The second standard format data file 42 includes a plurality of second standard format data segments 52. Every second standard format data segment 52 contains second standard format data. During the mapping of the present invention, the mapper 26 can utilize mapping rules of the mapping rule file 38 stored in the mapping storage device 36, with respect to the second standard format, to map the pre-map data in each the pre-map data segment 52 onto the second standard format data respective to the second standard format for further generating the second standard format data file 42 respective to the second standard format. In this mapping, by providing the mapping rules respective to the second standard format, the pre-map data file 40 with respect to the first standard format is mapped onto the second standard format data file respective to the second standard format for further electronic exchange with the second data processing system with respect to the second standard format.

[0033] In the present invention, the second standard format data file 42 can be written by the extensible markup language (XML), and the mapping rule file 38 can be written by the extensible style language (XSL).

[0034] In the present invention, the pre-map data file 40 can include a translating factor for labeling the second standard format with respect to the second data processing system. During the mapping, in accordance with the translating factor, the mapper 26 can locate the mapping rule file 38 respective to the second standard format for mapping the pre-map data file 40 onto the second standard format data file 42 with respect to the second standard format.

[0035] In this invention, because the second standard format data file 42 arriving the second data processing system is prepared with respect to the second standard format, the second data processing system can thus translate the second standard format data file 42 directly into the document file respective to the second standard format and can then store the document file in the document database.

[0036] Referring now to FIG. 7, a flowchart showing the translating of a content format of the second standard format data file 42 in the data processing system 20 of the present invention is present. In the case that the data processing system 20 receives the second standard format data file 42 respective to the second standard format from another data processing system (say, the second data processing system), the data processing system 20 can utilize the mapper 26 to map the second standard format data file 42 onto a post-map data file 56 with respect to the first standard format.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 8, a schematic view of the post-map data file 56 is present. The post-map data file 56 includes a plurality of post-map data segments 58. Each of the post-map data segments 58 contains post-map data. During the mapping, the mapper 26 can utilize the mapping rules of the mapping rule file 38 stored in the mapping storage device 36, with respect to the second standard format, to map the second standard format data in every second standard format data segments 52 onto the respective post-map data for further generating the post-map data file 56. In the present invention, the post-map data file 56 can be written by the extensible markup language (XML).

[0038] Referring now back to FIG. 7, after the second standard format data file 42 is mapped onto the post-map data file 56, the data processing system 20 can utilize the translator 24 to translate the post-map data file 56 into a document file 28 respective to the first standard format and then can store the document file 28 in the document database 22.

[0039] During the translation, the translator 24 can utilize the data type definition/schema (DTD/schema) compiler 30 and th e compiling rule files 34 in the data type definition/schema (DTD/schema) storage device 32 to translate the post-map data in every post-map data segments into the original data for further generating the document file 28 respective to the first standard format.

[0040] Referring now to FIG. 9, a schematic view is present to show the relationship of the data processing system 20 of the present invention with some foreign data processing systems X, Y and Z. As shown, the data processing system 20 includes three document files A, B and C with individual data contents; for example, an order form, an invoice and a receipt sheet, respectively. In the network environment of FIG. 9, the data processing system 20 needs to perform exchange of document files with these three foreign data processing systems X, Y and Z that have individual standard formats. As shown, the data processing system 20 can utilize three compiling rule files u, v and w to translate the document files A, B and C with different document file types into respective pre-map data files. Then, three mapping rule files a, b and c with different standard formats can be used to map the pre-map data files onto three standard format data with respect to three different standard format, for further performing electronic data exchange with the foreign data processing systems X, Y and Z. When comparing with the data processing system 10 of the prior art shown in the background section of this specification, the data processing system 20 of the present invention needs only six XSL files (u, v, w, a, b, c) to complete the document file exchange with three foreign data processing systems (X, Y, Z) having respective standard formats.

[0041] Therefore, in the case that the data processing system 20 of the present invention has M document file types and needs to perform electronic document exchange with N standard formats, the data processing system 20 needs to create M+N XSL files only. In addition, for each additional document file type, the data processing system requires simply one more XSL file (compiling rule file). Also, for each additional standard format, the data processing system or the present invention needs only an additional XSL file (mapping rule file).

[0042] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.