Method and apparatus for server based handheld application and database management

A system for distributing applications and databases from at least one server entity to at least one client entity, said client entity characterized as being intermittently connected to said server entity, said system comprising:

• a. means for selecting said applications and databases in an application list by changing a respective status of said applications and databases in said application list to indicate that said selected applications are to be downloaded and deleted;
• b. means for communicating said application list from said client entity to said server entity when a connection of said client entity to said server entity is established, said application list including status information of said applications and databases for said client entity;
• c. means for providing an access control list at said server entity for updating and maintaining associations of said applications and databases for said client entity;
• and
• d. means for synchronizing said application list and said access control list by determining which applications and databases are both selected by said client entity and are authorized for use by said server entity;
• and
• e. means for distributing said selected and authorized applications and databases based on said synchronizing from said server entity to said client entity.

A computer program device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for distributing applications and databases from at least one server entity to at least one client entity, said client entity characterized as being intermittently connected to said server entity, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. selecting said applications and databases in an application list by changing a respective status of said applications and databases in said application list to indicate that said selected applications are to be downloaded and deleted;
• b. communicating said application list from said client entity to said server entity when a connection of said client entity to said server entity is established, said application list including status information of said applications and databases for said client entity;
• c. providing an access control list at said server entity for updating and maintaining associations of said applications and databases for said client entity;
• and
• d. synchronizing said application list and said access control list by determining which applications and databases are both selected by said client entity and are authorized for use by said server entity;
• and
• e. distributing said selected and authorized applications and databases based on said synchronizing from said server entity to said client entity.