Instant selective multiple soft document sharing between multiple heterogeneous computing devices

A method in a data processing system for retrieving documents from other data processing systems, comprising the steps of:

• sending, from a first data processing system, a request, in a system independent language, for a shared document from a second data processing system to a hub in close proximity to the first and second data processing systems via only a wireless communication signal, wherein the hub is not connected to any external network, wherein the system independent language is at least one of a Java based language or an extensible markup language;
• receiving, from the hub, via only the wireless communication link, the shared document, formatted in the system independent language, wherein transmissions between each of the data processing systems and the hub are at least one of infrared transmissions or radio frequency transmissions;
• and
• translating the shared document from the system independent language into a first data processing system preferred data format for presentation to a user.

A computer program product in computer readable media for use in a data processing system for retrieving documents from other data processing systems, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for sending, from a first data processing system, a request, in a system independent language, for a shared document from a second data processing system to a hub in close proximity to the first and second data processing systems via only a wireless communication signal, wherein the hub is not connected to any external network, wherein the system independent language is at least one of a Java based language or an extensible markup language;
• second instructions for receiving, from the hub, via only the wireless communication link, the shared document, formatted in the system independent language, wherein transmissions between each of the data processing systems and the hub are at least one of infrared transmissions or radio frequency transmissions;
• and
• third instructions for translating the shared document from the system independent language into a first data processing system preferred data format for presentation to a user.

A system for retrieving documents from other data processing systems, comprising:

• means for sending, from a first data processing system, a request, in a system independent language, for a shared document from a second data processing system to a hub in close proximity to the first and second data processing systems via only a wireless communication signal, wherein the hub is not connected to any external network, wherein the system independent language is at least one of a Java based language or an extensible markup language;
• means for receiving, from the hub, via only the wireless communication link, the shared document, formatted in the system independent language, wherein transmissions between each of the data processing systems and the hub are at least one of infrared transmissions or radio frequency transmissions;
• and
• means for translating the shared document from the system independent language into a first data processing system preferred data format for presentation to a user.

A method in a data processing system for facilitating communications between a plurality of other data processing systems, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request in a system independent format from a first data processing system via only a wireless communication link, wherein the system independent format is at least one of a Java based language or an extensible markup language;
• broadcasting the request to a second data processing system via only the wireless communication link;
• receiving an answer in a system independent format from the second data processing system via only the wireless communication link;
• and
• broadcasting the answer to the first data processing system via only the wireless communication link, wherein transmissions between each of the data processing systems are at least one of infrared transmissions or radio frequency transmissions.

A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for facilitating communications between a plurality of other data processing systems, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for receiving a request in a system independent format from a first data processing system via only a wireless communication link, wherein the system independent format is at least one of a Java based language or an extensible markup language;
• second instructions for broadcasting the request to a second data processing system via only the wireless communication link;
• third instructions for receiving an answer in a system independent format from the second data processing system via only the wireless communication link;
• and
• fourth instructions for broadcasting the answer to the first data processing system via only the wireless communication link, wherein transmissions between each of the data processing systems are at least one of infrared transmissions or radio frequency transmissions.

A system in a data processing system for facilitating communications between a plurality of other data processing systems, comprising:

• means for receiving a request in a system independent format from a first data processing system via only a wireless communication link, wherein the system independent format is at least one of a Java based language or an extensible markup language;
• means for broadcasting the request to a second data processing system via only the wireless communication link;
• means for receiving an answer in a system independent format from the second data processing system via only the wireless communication link;
• and
• means for broadcasting the answer to the first data processing system via only the wireless communication link, wherein transmissions between each of the data processing systems are at least one of infrared transmissions or radio frequency transmissions.