Method and apparatus for multi-format data exchange

Abstract

Multi-format file transfer can be accomplished, without the need for storing files in each of a plurality of formats, by linking a plurality asset-containing first folders (161-16m), each having a first format, to a plurality of virtual non-asset containing second folders (141-14n) each having a second format. A client seeking an asset in a particular format does so by accessing one of the virtual second folders associated with the asset in the requested format. The access request to the second folder maps to a linked first folder containing the asset in a base format. The asset then undergoes conversion into the requested format. In this way, an FTP server (10) need only store assets in a base format.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a technique for accessing information in one of a variety of formats. Background technique [0002] A typical computer-based system stores data (sometimes referred to as assets) in any of several different forms, such as media objects with video and / or audio, such as Microsoft Word files, Adobe PDF files electronic documents, or static images. The resource is transferred from one computer system to another or across multiple such systems over a network such as Ethernet fiber, typically using the well-known File Transfer Protocol or FTP. To this end, FTP servers use the TCP / IP protocol associated with the Internet to transfer files between or among computer systems. [0003] In some circumstances, an FTP server will need to store and / or retrieve resources with different formats. For example, the server may have to provide access to documents in raw ASCII text format, PDF format, or Microsoft Word format, among others....

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The disadvantage of this approach is that the generic commands remain specific to each provider in the absence of a standard

The disadvantage of this approach is that the postfix will not have to handle all file format types

This approach requires modifying the server to recognize illegal characters in order to delineate filenames by format type

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