METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOBILE DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT
First Claim
1. A method of synchronizing a set of data resident in a mobile device as between the mobile device and a customer system, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving at a system server a first communication with a set of data from the mobile device;
versioning at the system server the set of data sent with the first communication;
directing from the system server the first communication with the versioned set of data to the customer server;
receiving at the system server a second communication with a set of data from the customer server based on the processing of the first communication with the versioned set of data pursuant to the set of applied business rules for forms, surveys and applications;
versioning at the system server the set of data sent with the second communication;
sending from the system server the second communication with the versioned set of data to the mobile device,wherein the set of data resident in the mobile device is synchronized according to the second communication with the versioned set of data when there is continuous connectivity between the mobile device and the customer server, andwherein the set of data resident in the mobile device is synchronized according to the first communication with the versioned set of data when there is discontinuous connectivity between the mobile device and the customer server when connectivity is restored.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a middleware approach to initializing and updating required data entry fields, pushing such required data entry fields to mobile devices and applications, collecting entered data from such mobile devices, and the synchronizing and integrating of the data is presented. A “form builder” software component of the present invention allows for the creation of easy to read and use data entry forms by company management. A “web application” software component of the present invention allows for the forms to then be distributed via electronic and/or wireless means to mobile client devices, such as PDA'"'"'s, Tablets, and Laptops, and to Desktop computers. The mobile client devices run applications to utilize the data entry forms and are that into which collected data can be entered. A “synchronization server” software component of the present invention then allows for two-way communication, storage and conflict resolution (versioning) of the collected data. An “integration server” software component of the present invention allows for external access to the collected and versioned data and modeling/mapping of such data. Thus seamless data entry, collection, updating, conflict resolution, versioning, storage, access and utilization is available.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of synchronizing a set of data resident in a mobile device as between the mobile device and a customer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a system server a first communication with a set of data from the mobile device; versioning at the system server the set of data sent with the first communication; directing from the system server the first communication with the versioned set of data to the customer server; receiving at the system server a second communication with a set of data from the customer server based on the processing of the first communication with the versioned set of data pursuant to the set of applied business rules for forms, surveys and applications; versioning at the system server the set of data sent with the second communication; sending from the system server the second communication with the versioned set of data to the mobile device, wherein the set of data resident in the mobile device is synchronized according to the second communication with the versioned set of data when there is continuous connectivity between the mobile device and the customer server, and wherein the set of data resident in the mobile device is synchronized according to the first communication with the versioned set of data when there is discontinuous connectivity between the mobile device and the customer server when connectivity is restored. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for synchronizing a set of data as between at least one mobile device and at least one server with communications sent over a communications architecture, the apparatus comprising:
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a mobile device, in which the set of data and an application programming interface (API) reside, and wherein the API sends from the mobile device a first communication with the set of data; a synchronization server, which receives the first communication with the set of data from the mobile device and versions the received set of data, and which then versions a set of data sent with a second communication, and then sends the second communication with the versioned set of data to the API; an integration server, which receives the first communication with the versioned set of data from the synchronization server and redirects the first communication with the versioned set of data, and which then sends the second communication with data to the synchronization server; a customer server, which receives the first communication with the versioned set of data from the integration server, processes the versioned set of data in the first communication pursuant to a set of applied business rules for forms, surveys and applications, and which then creates the second communication with data on the basis of the processing of the first communication with the versioned set of data pursuant to the set of applied business rules for forms, surveys and applications, and then sends the second communication with data to the integration server; and wherein when there is continuous connectivity between the mobile device and the customer server the set of data resident in the mobile device is synchronized according to the second communication with the versioned set of data, and wherein when there is discontinuous connectivity between the mobile device and the customer server and only when connectivity is restored the set of data resident in the mobile device is synchronized according to the first communication with the versioned set of data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification