Methods and systems for manipulating a database through portable data entry devices

• US 6,662,193 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CG4 Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CG4 Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Christensen, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu M
• Application Number:
  US09/587,143
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/104.1, 345/555, 358/442, 704/277, 701/200, 701/201, 705/14
• US Class Current: 707/621
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2308 Concurrency control transaction processing G06F9/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Systems and methods for gathering and updating inventory data within a database through use of a hand-held technology. The method includes the step of collecting a plurality of parameters of data having a first data structure responsive to a user input via the hand-held technology. The plurality of data parameters are gathered and stored on the hand-held technology during inventory counting or replenishment stocking and, once inventory counting or replenishment stocking is completed, the data is prepared for delivery to the database. As such, the computer-executed method and computer program product further entails manipulating the plurality of parameters of data having the first data structure into a second data structure capable of being transceived by a database management system of the database. Once this occurs, the computer-executed method and associated computer program product requires delivery of the data in the second data structure to the database for updating of the data therein.

Claims

1. In a system having a database containing original data that is accessible through a combination of a database management system and a resource planning application, a method for gathering and updating the original data, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting PDA data with a PDA module, wherein the PDA module stores the PDA data, the PDA module executing on a PDA device;

manipulating the PDA data at the PDA device;

transmitting the PDA data to a manipulation module from the PDA module, wherein the manipulation module converts the PDA data to database data; and

storing the database data in the database by way of an interface module that directly creates, reads, accesses, updates, deletes, selects, and modifies the original data stored in the database without interfacing with the database management system and the resource planning application so that the database data updates the original data.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of collecting PDA data further comprises the step of preparing the PDA data for transmission by the PDA device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of collecting PDA data further comprises the step of gathering PDA data via a graphical user interface.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the PDA data further comprises the steps of:

retrieving the PDA data from a data manipulation module of the PDA device; and

delivering the PDA data to the manipulation module.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, further comprising a step of preparing the database data for delivery to a data control module, the database data being stored in a data file.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of storing the database data at the database further comprises the steps of:

retrieving a data file from the manipulation module; and

delivering the data file directly to the database by way of the interface module of a data control module, the interface module delivering the data file to the database without delivering the data file to a database management system of the database.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing user request information representative of the comparison between the PDA data and the original data.

8. In a system having a database containing original data having a database data structure, a method for manipulating the original data though the use of at least one PDA module, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting PDA data representative of inventory information with a PDA device via a user interface, wherein a data collection module within the PDA module stores the PDA data in a PDA data structure, the PDA module executing on the PDA device and wherein the user interface is an interface selected from the group consisting of a graphical user interface, an interactive user interface, a voice recognition user interface, and a textual user interface;

preparing the PDA data, at and under the control of the PDA, stored in the collection module for transmission to a manipulation module, wherein preparing the PDA data comprises compressing and formatting the PDA data;

transmitting the PDA data from the data collection module to the manipulation module, wherein the manipulation module converts the PDA data having a PDA data structure to database data having the database data structure such that the PDA data is database data; and

storing the database data in the database by way of an interface module such that the database data updates the original data.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of transmitting the PDA data further comprises the steps of:

retrieving the PDA data from the data collection module;

preparing the PDA for delivery to the manipulation module; and

transmitting the PDA data to the manipulation module.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, further comprising the step of verifying that the manipulation module is available for transmittal of the PDA data.

11. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of retrieving the PDA data comprises:

obtaining the PDA data form a data compression module of the PDA device, wherein the PDA data is compressed and formatted; and

decompressing and reformatting the PDA data.

12. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising a step of delivering the database data to a data file of a data control module, the data file being accessible by the database.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the collecting step and converting step are performed on the PDA device.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of providing user request information representative of the PDA data in the PDA data structure.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the user request information is further representative of the usage of the PDA device and analysis of the comparison of the PDA data converted to the database data with the database data stored in the manipulation module.

16. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the step of storing the database data further comprises the steps of:

retrieving the database data from the manipulation module; and

delivering the database data to the database.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the step of retrieving the database data comprises the steps of:

preparing the database data for storing in a data file;

transmitting the database data to the data file; and

retrieving the data file.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 8.

19. In a system having a database containing inventory data having a database data structure, the system in communication with one or more PDA devices, a method for gathering and updating the inventory data though the use of the one or more PDA devices, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting PDA data with the one or more PDA devices via a user interface, wherein each of the PDA devices is executing a PDA module that stores the PDA data, having a PDA data structure, in a data collection module and wherein the user interface is a user interface selected from the group of interfaces consisting of a graphical user interface, an interactive user interface, a voice recognition user interface, and a textual user interface;

manipulating the PDA data stored in the data collection module at and under the control of the PDA device for transmission to a manipulation module, wherein preparing the PDA data comprises compressing and formatting the PDA data in the PDA data structure;

retrieving by the manipulation module the PDA data, wherein the manipulation module converts the PDA data having a PDA data structure to database data having the database data structure; and

storing the database data in the database by way of an interface module that directly creates, reads, accesses, updates, deletes, selects, and modifies the original data stored in the database without interfacing with the database management system and the resource planning application so, such that the database data updates the inventory data.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the step of retrieving the PDA data further comprises the steps of:

verifying that the manipulation module is available for transmittal of the PDA data;

obtaining compressed and formatted PDA data form a data compression module of the PDA device; and

decompressing and reformatting the PDA data.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising a step of verifying the PDA data, the method comprising:

retrieving the PDA data from the manipulation module;

converting the PDA data into the database data;

reconciling the converted database data with data stored in the database.

22. A method as defined in claim 21, wherein the step of preparing the database data further comprises the step of storing the database data in a data file.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, wherein the collecting step and converting step are performed on the PDA device.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein the step of storing the database data further comprises the steps of:

retrieving the database data from the manipulation module; and

delivering the database data to the database.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the step of retrieving the database data comprises the steps of:

preparing the database data for storing in a data file;

transmitting the database data to the data file; and

retrieving the data file.

26. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 19.

27. A computer program product for implementing a method for transceiving data between a database and a PDA device, the computer program product comprising:

at least one computer readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions for implementing the method, wherein the computer-executable instructions comprise;

program code means for collecting PDA data with PDA module executing on the PDA device, wherein the PDA module stores the PDA data in a PDA data structure and the PDA data is representative of at least one of changes, modifications, deletions or additions to data received by the PDA device from the database;

program code means for transmitting the PDA data to a manipulation module from the PDA device, wherein the manipulation module converts the PDA data having a PDA data structure to data having a database data structure such that the PDA data is formatted as database data; and

program code means for storing the database data in the database by way of an interface module that directly creates, reads, accesses, updates, deletes, selects, and modifies data currently in the database with the PDA data without interfacing with a database management system and a resource planning application.

28. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the program code means for collecting the PDA data and the program code means for transmitting the PDA data are contained on one of the at least one computer readable medium.

29. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the program code means for collecting the PDA data comprises program code means for preparing the stored PDA data for transmission to the manipulation module.

30. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, further comprising program code means for storing the database data in a data file.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, further comprising program code means for providing user request information representative of the PDA data in the PDA data structure.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 27, wherein the program code means for storing the database data further comprises program code means for:

retrieving the data file from the manipulation module; and

delivering the data file to the database.

33. In a system having a database containing original data, a method for gathering and updating the original data, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting PDA data with a PDA module executing on a PDA device, wherein the PDA module stores the PDA data that is representative of at least one of changes, additions, or deletions to at least a portion of the original data received by the PDA device;

upon manipulating the PDA data at and under the control of the PDA device, transmitting the PDA data to a manipulation module from the PDA module, wherein the manipulation module converts the PDA data to database data; and

storing the database data in the database by way of a data control module that is adapted to update the original data using the database data, wherein the data control module directly creates, reads, accesses, updates, deletes, selects, and modifies the original data stored in the database without interfacing with a database management system and a resource planning application of the system.

34. A method as defined in claim 33, further comprising a step of reconciling the database data with the original data.

35. A method as defined in claim 33, wherein the step of collecting PDA data further comprises the step of preparing the PDA data for transmission by the PDA device.

36. A method as defined in claim 33, wherein the step of collecting PDA data further comprises the step of gathering PDA data via at least one of a graphical user interface, an interactive user interface, a voice recognition user interface, or a textual user interface.

37. A method as defined in claim 33, further comprising a step of storing the database data in a data file.

38. A method as defined in claim 33, further comprising the step of providing user request information representative of the comparison between the PDA data and the original data.

39. A method as defined in claim 33, wherein the step of storing the database data further comprises the steps of:

delivering the database data to the database management system if the database management system is capable of receiving the database data from the manipulation module, the data base management system being capable of delivering the database data to the database.

40. In a system having a database containing original data having a database data structure, a method for manipulating the original data through the use of at least one PDA module, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting PDA data with a PDA device via a user interface, wherein a data collection module within the PDA module stores the PDA data in a PDA data structure, the PDA module executing on the PDA device and wherein the user interface is an interface selected from the group consisting of a graphical user interface, an interactive user interface, a voice recognition user interface, and a textual user interface;

preparing the PDA data stored in the collection module at and by the PDA device for transmission to a manipulation module, wherein preparing the PDA data comprises compressing and formatting the PDA data;

transmitting the PDA data from the data collection module to the manipulation module, wherein the manipulation module converts the PDA data having a PDA data structure to database data having the database data structure such that the PDA data is database data; and

storing the database data in the database by directly creating, reading, accessing, updating, deleting, selecting, and modifying the original data stored in the database without interfacing with a database management system and a resource planning application of the system, such that the database data updates the original data.

41. A method as recited in claim 40, wherein the step of storing the database data comprises delivering the database data to the database by way of a data control module.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein said data control module comprises at least one of an interface module and a resource planning application.

43. A method as recited in claim 42, wherein the step for storing the database data comprises delivering the database data to the database through the interface module.

44. A method as defined in claim 40, wherein the step of transmitting the PDA data further comprises the steps of verifying that a manipulation module is available for transmittal of the PDA data.

45. A method as defined in claim 44, wherein the step of retrieving the PDA data comprises:

obtaining the PDA data form a data compression module of the PDA device, wherein the PDA data is compressed and formatted; and

decompressing and reformatting the PDA data.

46. A method as defined in claim 45, further comprising a step of storing the database data in a data file.

47. A method as defined in claim 40, wherein the collecting step and converting steps are performed on the PDA device.

48. A method as defined in claim 40, further comprising a step of providing user request information representative of the PDA data in the PDA data structure.

49. A method as defined in claim 48, wherein the user request information is further representative of the usage of the PDA device and analysis of the comparison of the PDA data converted to the database data with the database data stored in the manipulation module.

50. A method as defined in claim 40, wherein the step of storing the database data further comprises the steps of:

retrieving the database data from the manipulation module; and

delivering the database data to the database.

51. A method as defined in claim 50, wherein the step of retrieving the database data comprises the steps of:

preparing the database data for storing in a data file;

transmitting the database data to the data file; and

retrieving the data file.