Hybrid system and method for data and file conversion across computing devices and platforms

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed include a computer-automated system and method to receive a document in a first format, and via an assessment engine, determine the first format of the received document. The assessment engine is also configured to determine if the determined first format can be converted to a second desired format for printing or display, and if the determined first format can be converted to the second desired format, a conversion engine is caused to convert the received document to the second desired format. If the determined first format cannot be converted to the second desired format, a network routing engine routes the document over the network to a cloud-based conversion engine. Alternatively, partial conversion is implemented by the conversion and cloud-based conversion engine. Further, the cloud-based conversion engine is messaged over the network, wherein the message further incorporates an instruction to convert the routed document from the first format to the desired second format. The computer-automated system can then receive, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed document, in the desired second format, and print or display the received routed document, in the desired second format.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-automated system comprising:
 a processing unit;   a memory element coupled to the processing unit;   a means for communicating over a wired or wireless network;   wherein the computer system is configured to:   determine if a document or file in a first format can be converted to a second desired format for printing or display;   based on the determination that the first format can be converted to the second desired format, convert the document or file to the second desired format;   based on the determination that the first format cannot be converted to the second desired format, route the document over the network, to a cloud-based converter;   receive, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the converted document or file, in the desired second format; and   print or display the document or file, in the desired second format.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer-automated system is a wireless communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the computer-automated system is a mobile phone. 
     
     
         4 . The computer automated system of  claim 1  wherein the computer automated system is further configured to:
 read the document or file; 
 determine a single or plurality of format features comprised in the read document or file; 
 determine if any of the single or plurality of format features are convertible to the desired second format; and 
 determine if any of the single or plurality of format features are non-convertible to the desired format. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein based on the determined single or plurality of format features convertible to the second desired format, the computer automated system is configured to:
 route the said convertible features to a converter comprised in the computer-automated system; 
 convert the routed said convertible features to the second desired format. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer automated system of  claim 5  wherein the system is configured to:
 route any determined non-convertible features over the network to the cloud-based converter; 
 message the cloud-based converter over the network, the message further comprising an instruction to convert the routed non-convertible features from the first format to the desired second format; 
 receive, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed features, in the desired second format; 
 re-route the received routed features to the converter comprised in the computer-automated system; 
 merge the features received over the network in the desired second format with the features converted to the second desired format by the converter; and 
 print or display the received routed features, in the desired second format. 
 
     
     
         7 . In a computer-automated system configured to communicate over a wired or wireless network, a method comprising:
 determining if a document or file in a first format can be converted to a second desired format for printing or display;   based on the determination that the document or file in the first format can be converted to the second desired format, converting the document or file to the second desired format;   based on the determination that the document or file in the first format cannot be converted to the second desired format, routing the document over the network, to a cloud-based converter;   receiving, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the converted document, in the desired second format; and   printing or displaying the converted document or file, in the desired second format.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the computer-automated system is a wireless communication device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the computer-automated system is a mobile phone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 reading the document or file; 
 determining a single or plurality of format features comprised in the read document; 
 determining if any of the single or plurality of format features can be converted to the desired second format; and 
 determining if any of the single or plurality of format features cannot be converted to the desired format. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein if any of the determined single or plurality of format features are convertible to the second desired format,
 routing the said convertible features to a converter comprised in the computer-automated system; and 
 converting the routed said convertible features to the second desired format. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 routing any determined non-convertible features over the network to the cloud-based converter; 
 messaging the cloud-based converter over the network, the messaging further comprising an instruction to convert the routed non-convertible features from the first format to the desired second format; 
 receiving, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed features, in the desired second format; 
 re-routing the received routed features to the converter comprised in the computer-automated system; 
 merging the features received over the network in the desired second format with the features converted to the second desired format by the converter; and 
 printing or displaying the received routed features, in the desired second format. 
 
     
     
         13 . A wireless communication device comprising:
 a processing unit;   a memory element coupled to the processing unit;   wireless communication means;   wherein the wireless communication device is configured to:
 determine if a document or file in a first single or plurality of formats is convertible to a second desired format for printing or display; 
 convert the determined convertible single or plurality of formats to the second desired format; 
 route the determined unconvertible single or plurality of formats over a network, to a cloud-based converter; 
 receive, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed unconvertible single or plurality of formats, in the desired second format; 
 merge the routed, received desired second format with the desired second format; and 
   print or display the merged document, in the desired second format.   
     
     
         14 . The wireless communication device of  claim 13  wherein the device is at least one of a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, and a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless communication device of  claim 13  wherein the wireless communication device is further configured to:
 read the document or file; 
 determine a single or plurality of format features comprised in the read document; 
 determine if any of the single or plurality of format features are convertible to the desired second format; and 
 determine if any of the single or plurality of format features are non-convertible to the desired format. 
 
     
     
         16 . The wireless communication device of  claim 15  wherein:
 if any of the determined single or plurality of format features are convertible to the second desired format, the wireless communication device is configured to: 
 convert the said convertible features to the second desired format. 
 
     
     
         17 . The wireless communication device of  claim 15  wherein:
 if any of the determined single or plurality of format features are not convertible to the second desired format, the wireless communication device is configured to:
 route the determined non-convertible features over the network to the cloud-based converter; 
 receive, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed features, in the desired second format; 
 merge the features received over the network in the desired second format with the features converted to the second desired format by the wireless communication device; and 
 
 print or display the received routed features, in the desired second format. 
 
     
     
         18 . In a wireless communication device, a method comprising:
 determining if a document or file in a first format can be converted to a second desired format for printing or display;   converting the received document or file to the second desired format if the determined first format can be converted to the second desired format;   routing the document or file to a cloud-based converter, if the determined first format cannot be converted to the second desired format;   receiving, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed document, in the desired second format; and   printing or displaying the received routed document, in the desired second format.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the wireless communication device is at least one of a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, and a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 reading the document or file in the first format; 
 determining a single or plurality of format features comprised in the read document; 
 determining if any of the single or plurality of format features are convertible to the desired second format; and 
 determining if any of the single or plurality of format features are non-convertible to the desired format. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein:
 if any of the determined single or plurality of format features are convertible to the second desired format, converting the said convertible features to the second desired format. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising:
 if any of the determined single or plurality of format features are not convertible to the second desired format, routing the determined non-convertible features over the network to the cloud-based converter;
 receiving, over the network, from the cloud-based converter, the routed features, in the desired second format; 
 merging the features received over the network in the desired second format with the features converted to the second desired format; and 
 printing or displaying the received routed features, in the desired second format. 
 
 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the assessment engine is further configured to, in the received document:
 unbundle the document format;   locate a component that comprises a file level metadata;   decode the file level metadata, which decode is comprised in decomposing the document into blocks of a page, pages of the document, or the entire document;   determine if the local conversion engine has the capability to handle conversion of all the high level blocks to the desired second format; and
 wherein if the local conversion engine does have the capability to handle conversion of all the high level blocks, convert by the local conversion engine the document into the desired second format; and 
 wherein if the local conversion engine does not have the capability to handle conversion of all the high level blocks, send the document over the network routing engine to the cloud-based conversion engine; and 
   convert by the cloud-based conversion engine the document into the desired second format.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, via the assessment engine, in the received document:
 unbundling the document format;   locating a component that comprises a file level metadata;   decoding the file level metadata, which decoding is comprised in decomposing the document into blocks of a page, pages of the document, or the entire document;   determining if the local conversion engine has the capability to handle conversion of all the high level blocks to the desired second format; and
 wherein if the local conversion engine does have the capability to handle conversion of all the high level blocks, converting by the local conversion engine the document into the desired second format; and 
 wherein if the local conversion engine does not have the capability to handle conversion of all the high level blocks, sending the document over the network routing engine to the cloud-based conversion engine; and 
   converting by the cloud-based conversion engine the document into the desired second format.