Patent ID: 7219351
Filing Date: 2007-05-15
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for converting items for exchange between heterogeneous applications, the method comprising: storing metadata for performing one or more conversion operations on individual items in a plurality of items; identifying at least a first item in the plurality of items being transmitted from a first application in a plurality of heterogeneous applications for delivery to one or more other applications in the plurality of heterogeneous applications; using the metadata to perform a sequence of conversion operations on the first item in order to convert the first item from a format of the first application to a plurality of intermediate formats and then to a format of each of the one or more other applications, wherein the sequence of conversion operations includes at least a first syntax conversion operation to convert the first item to a first intermediate format in the plurality of intermediate formats or to a format of each of the one or more other applications, and at least a first semantic conversion operation to convert the first item to a second intermediate format in the plurality of intermediate formats; and during a phase that occurs (a) after one of the first syntax conversion operation and the first semantic conversion operation and (b) before the other of the first syntax conversion operation and the first semantic conversion operation, performing tasks specified by a role associated with said phase; wherein at least one of the intermediate formats is application-independent; after the sequence of conversion operations, delivering the first item to the one or more other applications.