Device for running offline applications and synchronizing with a central computer system

• US 20030023657A1
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sapmarkets Incorporated
• Inventors: Schmidt-Karaca, Markus, Muller, Franz, Fischer, Claudius, Stephan, Thorsten, Hertweck, Jochen
• Granted Patent: US 7,143,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A device, such as a personal digital assistant, Internet enabled phone, handheld computer, laptop computer or desktop computer, being capable of running business applications online or offline and of synchronizing data related to such applications with a central computer system. The device also being able to receive deployed software and install it and to deinstall unwanted software automatically.

Claims

1. A device capable of running applications offline comprising:

a web server;

a programming model, said programming model being used to run said applications;

an offline application, said offline application being related to an application resident on said computer system;

applications data,

an API layer, said API layer providing an interface between said programming model and said applications data;

a synchronization layer, said synchronization layer being capable of performing a synchronization of applications data upon said device and upon said separate computer system.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said web server is programmed in Java.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said synchronization layer supports a plurality of types of synchronization.

4. A device as in claim 3, wherein said plurality of types of synchronization comprise publish, subscribe and on-line processing.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein said synchronization layer synchronizes data between said device and said computer system through data containers, said data containers comprising a header.

6. A device as in claim 5, wherein said header comprises a container ID, a user IDF, a type of container, a method, send date, send time, execution date, execution time and status.

7. A device as in claim 5, wherein said data containers further comprise a body, said body comprising a container ID, line number, field name and field value.

8. A device as in claim 5, further comprising a database, said database storing said containers while awaiting synchronization.

9. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a personalized start page displaying offline applications available to a user of said device.

10. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a registry, said registry comprising an indication of all offline applications installed on said device, said registry being sent to said computer system upon synchronization.

11. A device as in claim 1, wherein said synchronization occurs upon a user indication to synchronize on a homepage when a connection through the Internet is present.

12. A device as in claim 1, further comprising an installation application, said installation application installing software downloaded from said computer system automatically.

13. A device as in claim 12, wherein said installation application deinstalls a selected application automatically upon receipt of a deinstallation instruction from said computer system.

14. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a library, said library offering standard functionality for application methods.

15. A device as in claim 1, wherein said offline application comprises a shopping application, said shopping application providing catalog, search functionality, shopping baskets, and status information.

16. A device as in claim 15, wherein during a synchronization, catalog content and orders in said shopping application are able to be updated.

17. A device as in claim 1, wherein said offline application comprises a manager'"'"'s inbox application, said manager'"'"'s inbox application facilitating a users'"'"' handling of incoming messages, work tasks, said work tasks being subject to approval or disapproval by said user, forms, said manager'"'"'s inbox further providing view selection capability.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein during a synchronization, incoming messages, work tasks, approvals, disapprovals and forms in said manager'"'"'s inbox application are able to be updated.

19. A device as in claim 1, wherein said offline application comprises a plant maintenance application, said plant maintenance application facilitating a user'"'"'s search for open/released orders, selection of operations, addition of components, said plant maintenance application further providing a catalog with search functionality.

20. A device as in claim 19, wherein during a synchronization, open/released orders, catalogs, and new components in said plant maintenance application are able to be updated.

21. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a handheld computer.

22. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a personal digital assistant.

23. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device comprises an Internet enabled phone.

24. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a laptop computer.

25. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a desktop computer.