Multi-tier data acquisition and management system comprising at least one touch-screen enabled portable computing device operably coupled to computers via wireless communication for accessing data records stored in local databases coupled to the computers
First Claim
1. A data acquisition and retrieval system having wireless handheld interfaces for user entry of data, said system comprising:
- a data base for storing data input by said user;
a command server for managing said data base;
a communications server for receiving and transmitting packets of information to and from said handheld interfaces, said packets being constructed in a first format having a header and a data segment, said communications server converting packets to a second format and constructing a message therefrom, said communications server transmitting said message to said command server;
said command server accessing said database and returning a message list, said communications server converting said returned message to said first format of said packets and transmitting said packets to said handheld interfaces, said handheld interface using a touch pad for allowing the user to enter data by contacting virtually defined regions on said touch pad.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-tiered data acquisition and management system includes at least two input computers, operably coupled via a communication link, each coupled to a respective local database of data records. The system includes at least two portable computing devices, each operably coupled to one of the two input computers via a wireless communication channel for accessing the data records of the local databases of the at least two input computers. Each portable computing device comprises a CPU, memory, and a touch sensitive display device that cooperate to display multiple virtual regions (which comprise on a data I/O screen and sense location of contact by a user in these virtual regions to thereby provide for user input. These multiple virtual regions preferably include one of a virtual keypad for entering symbols associated with keys of the keypad, at least one scroll bar, at least one rolling key, multiple icons, a menu screen and a graphing screen. Each portable computer may have an integrated code reader (for example, bar code reader) for data entry. The information acquired and maintained by the system may include product information, information identifying a medical patient. or information related a medical patient (such as personal information gathered upon admittance for care, information related to past medical history of the medical patient, and information related to vital statistics of the medical patient). In addition, each portable device may include a message notification mechanism that notifies the user of receipt of a message from one of the input computers over the respective wireless communication channels.
21 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A data acquisition and retrieval system having wireless handheld interfaces for user entry of data, said system comprising:
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a data base for storing data input by said user;
a command server for managing said data base;
a communications server for receiving and transmitting packets of information to and from said handheld interfaces, said packets being constructed in a first format having a header and a data segment, said communications server converting packets to a second format and constructing a message therefrom, said communications server transmitting said message to said command server;
said command server accessing said database and returning a message list, said communications server converting said returned message to said first format of said packets and transmitting said packets to said handheld interfaces, said handheld interface using a touch pad for allowing the user to enter data by contacting virtually defined regions on said touch pad.
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2. A data acquisition and management system comprising:
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at least two input computers, operably coupled via a communication link, each coupled to a respective local database of data records; and
at least two portable computing devices, each operably coupled to one of the two input computers via a wireless communication channel for accessing and updating the data records of the local databases of the at least two input computers, wherein each portable computing device comprises;
a CPU for controlling operation of the portable computing device;
memory storing at least one data set, each data set having multiple data fields storing data values; and
a touch sensitive display device for displaying at least a data I/O screen and for sensing contact by a user, the CPU defining multiple virtual regions upon the data I/O screen, each virtual region corresponding to a data field, the display device sensing contact by the user within a virtual region, the display device displaying within each virtual region a data value for the associated data field from a current data set, the CPU identifying a virtual region contacted by the user and executing a control sequence associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification