Method and apparatus for intergrating wireless and non-wireless devices into an enterprise computer network using an interfacing midware server

A midware server for use in an enterprise computer network having an enterprise management system which integrates one or more software systems representing respective organizations in a business, and a plurality of client central computers which are accessible to personnel, the midware comprising:

• a first communication means operatively coupling the midware server to the one or more software systems of the enterprise management system;
• a second communication means operatively coupling the midware server to at least one of the plurality of client central computers, wherein the at least one client central computer is functionally represented by a plurality of wireless communication devices coupled to the midware server via the second communication means;
• and
• in the case of all or part of a software communication received from the one or more software systems and directed to the at least one client central computer, first mapping means for mapping, according to a predefined criteria, all or part of the software communication to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices functionally representing the at least one client central computer, the at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices being transparent to the one or more software systems;
• or
• in the case of individual device communications received from at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices and directed to the one or more software systems, second mapping means for mapping, according to a predefined criteria, all or part of the individual device communications to the one or more software systems, the at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices being transparent to the one or more software systems.

A midware server for use in an enterprise computer network having an enterprise management system which integrates one or more software systems representing respective organizations in a business, and a plurality of client central computers which are accessible to personnel, the midware comprising:

• a first communication means operatively coupling the midware server to the one or more software systems of the enterprise management system;
• a second communication means operatively coupling the midware server to at least one of the plurality of client central computers, wherein the at least one client central computer is functionally represented by a plurality of wireless communication devices coupled to the midware server via the second communication means;
• and
• in the case of all or part of a task command received from one or more software systems of the enterprise management system and directed to the at least one client central computer,
• means for mapping, according to a predefined criteria, all or part of the task command as subtasks to at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices functionally representing the at least one client central computer, the task command representing a task to be carried out by the at least one client central computer and the subtasks representing at least part of the task, the plurality of wireless communication devices being transparent to the one or more software systems.

A mobile terminal for use in an enterprise computer network having a midware server for communicatively interfacing one or more software systems representing respective organizations in a business with one or more client central computers each functionally represented by a plurality of wireless communication devices, the mobile terminal comprising:

• a portable housing;
• a processor disposed in the housing;
• and
• means for transmitting and receiving wireless communications coupled to the processor;
• wherein the mobile terminal registers with the midware server in order to transmit and receive communications with the one or more software systems through the midware server, the midware server disguising the mobile terminal as a client central computer such that the mobile terminal is transparent to the one or more software systems.

In an enterprise network having an enterprise management system which integrates one or more software systems representing respective organizations in a business, and a plurality of client central computers communicatively coupled to the one or more software systems, the one or more client central computers being functionally represented by a plurality of wireless communication devices through a midware server, a method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at the midware server either software communications from the one or more software systems or individual device communications from a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices;
• in the case of software communications received from the one or more software systems, converting at least a portion of the software communications into a individual device data structure compatible with the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices, and transmitting the at least a portion of the software communications to the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices according to the individual device data structure;
• or,
• in the case of individual device communications received from the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices, converting at least a portion of the individual device communications into a software data structure compatible with the one or more software systems, and transmitting the at least a portion of the individual device communications to the one or more software systems according to the software data structure.

In an enterprise network having an enterprise management system which integrates one or more software systems representing respective organizations in a business, and a client central computer communicatively coupled to the one or more software systems, the client central computer being functionally represented by a plurality of wireless communication devices through a midware server, a method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting by the enterprise network a communication destined for the client central computer;
• receiving the communication by the midware server;
• converting at least a portion of the communication to a first format compatible with a first of the plurality of wireless communication devices and another portion of the communication to a second format compatible with a second of the plurality of wireless communication devices;
• and
• transmitting the at least a portion of the communication to the first of the plurality of wireless communication devices in the first format and the at least another portion of the communication to the second of the plurality of wireless communication devices in the second format.