Adaptive image format translation in an ad-hoc network
The invention presented hereby is an apparatus and method for developing a common protocol between a data source such as a scanner and a recipient in real time. It includes means for evaluating the protocol format of a data user, which may be any apparatus requiring input data, to ascertain compatibility with a data supplier. When the system detects an incompatibility, it attempts various solutions to correct the problem. The solutions entail two-way communication between a data supplier server and a data user server, both of which form the invention. The servers include means to modify protocol formats until compatibility is reached between the data user and provider. They are integral parts of the supplier and user interconnection apparatus and perform full time monitoring and protocol adjustment functions.
1. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time, including:
evaluating the protocol format of a data user to ascertain compatibility between data supplier and said data user;
requesting data from said data supplier by said data user; transmitting requested data to said data user when said evaluating the protocol format of said data user indicates protocol compatibility;
advising said data user of the type of protocol incompatibility when said evaluating the protocol format of a data user indicates an incompatibility;
evaluating the protocol format of data supplied to said data user to ascertain compatibility between said data supplier and said data user;
using said data when said step of evaluating the protocol format of data supplied to said data user to ascertain compatibility between said data supplier and said data user indicates protocol compatibility; and
requesting a change in the protocol format of data provided by said data supplier when said step of evaluating the protocol format of data supplied to said data user to ascertain compatibility between said data supplier and said data user indicates protocol incompatibility, and dividing the received data into basic elements; and
determining the mismatching element wherein said determining further includes determining the nature and the position in the protocol format tree of each element comprising said tree;
determining if the present protocol format is identical to an immediately prior protocol format;
advising said data supplier that a data exchange is impossible when said step of determining if the present protocol format is identical to an immediately prior protocol format determines that two successive mismatching protocol formats are identical;
determining if data associated with mismatching protocol that is not identical to an immediately preceding mismatching protocol includes a message from said data supplier indicating said data user is requesting an unknown protocol format; and
requesting said data supplier to restructure its protocol format.
2. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time as defined by claim 1 wherein said step of requesting said data supplier to restructure its protocol format includes the step of requesting said data supplier to use a substitution rule when restructuring its protocol format.
3. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time as defined by claim 1 wherein said step of requesting said data supplier to restructure its protocol format includes the step of requesting said data supplier to substitute a base class protocol format for the current protocol format.
4. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time as defined by claim 1 wherein said step of requesting said data supplier to restructure its protocol format includes the step of requesting said data supplier to decompose its current protocol format.
5. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time as defined by claim 1 including the steps of:
determining if a mismatching protocol that is not identical to an immediately preceding mismatching protocol includes a leaf in its protocol format tree where said data user requires a vector node;
determining if said data user requires vectors nested within vectors in its protocol format; and
amending said step of requesting data from said data supplier by said data user by flattening one ply of vectors in said request when it is determined that said data user requires vectors nested within vectors in its protocol format.
6. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time as defined by claim 1 including the steps of:
determining if a mismatching protocol that is not identical to an immediately preceding mismatching protocol includes a leaf in its protocol format tree where said data user requires a vector node;
determining if said data user requires vectors nested within vectors in its protocol format; and
requesting said data supplier retain its present protocol format and append a message indicating a reiteration when it is determined that said data user does not require vectors nested within vectors in its protocol format.
7. A method for developing a common protocol between a data source and recipient in real time as defined by claim 1 including the steps of:
determining if a mismatching protocol that is not identical to an immediately preceding mismatching protocol includes a leaf in its protocol format tree where said data user requires a vector node;
determining if said data user's protocol format includes a coordinate transform; and
requesting said data supplier retain its present protocol format and append a message indicating a reiteration when it is determined that said data user's protocol format does not include a coordinate transform.