System and method for database access and management

• US 20020083151A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Adams, Robert, Puthenkulam, Jose P.
• Application Number:
  US09/745,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083151A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A portable appliance has access to database information even when a remote device is turned off. A cache device is designed to be always on. The cache device stores communications from the portable wireless communication device and forwards them to a remote device when it is available. The cache device may also store a copy of a portion of the database. Thus this portion of the database is always available to the portable communication device even when the remote device is unavailable

Claims

1. A communication system for accessing and managing a database, comprising:

a portable wireless communication appliance;

a remote device with access to the database; and

a cache device configured to communicate wirelessly with the portable wireless communication appliance and to communicate with the remote device, the cache device storing a copy of a predetermined portion of the database.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the portable wireless communication appliance comprises one of a radiotelephone, a personal digital assistant, or a portable computer.

3. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the remote device comprises a personal computer, a desktop computer, or a server device connected to a network.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the cache device comprises:

a storage device for storing the copy of the portion of the database;

a data processor operative to execute preprogrammed instructions and managing the copy of the portion of the database in the storage device; and

a wireless communication device operative to communicate with the portable wireless communication device.

5. A method of accessing and managing a database accessible by a remote device, the method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link between a portable wireless communication appliance and a cache device storing a portion of the database;

sending a remote-device discovery inquiry by way of the wireless communication link;

determining if the remote device is available for communication with the cache device; and

accessing the copy of the portion of the database stored in the cache device when the remote device is not available.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising accessing the database when the remote device is available.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising setting cache-device preferences when the remote device is available.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising monitoring the availability of the remote device.

9. The further comprising of claim 8 further comprising synchronizing the copy of the portion of the database with the database according to the cache-device preferences prior to the unavailability of the remote device.

10. A computer program product embodied on a tangible storage medium, the program comprising executable instructions that enable a system to:

establish a wireless communication link between a portable wireless communication appliance and a cache device storing a portion of a database;

send a remote-device discovery inquiry by way of the wireless communication link;

determine if a remote device having access to the database is available for communication with the cache device; and

access the copy of the portion of the database stored in the cache device when the remote device is not available.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising executable instructions to access the database when the remote device is available.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising executable instructions to set cache-device preferences when the remote device is available.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising executable instructions to monitor the availability of the remote device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising executable instructions to synchronize the copy of the portion of the database with the database according to the cache-device preferences prior to the unavailability of the remote device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising accessing the copy of the portion of the database stored in the cache device when the remote device is not available.

15. A method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link between a portable wireless communication appliance and a cache device;

sending a remote-device discovery inquiry by way of the wireless communication link;

determining if a remote device is available for communication with the cache device;

setting cache-device preferences when the remote device is available;

monitoring the availability of the remote device; and

synchronizing a copy of a portion of a database stored in the cache device with the database stored in the remote device according to the cache-device preferences prior to the unavailability of the remote device.