US 7,583,401 B2 · Portal for distributing business and product information

Abstract

A portal for transferring information between a master server and a third-party client using a transportable replicating server is provided. The portal may be particularly useful for and may provide a significant cost advantage and benefit when access to front and back-office servers is limited or not accessible. The master server may replicate information (e.g., applications and data) from the front and back-office servers to the replicating server. After replication, the replicating server appears to third-party clients as the front and back-office servers, containing the functionality and data to facilitate front and back-office operations. Being transportable, the replicating server can move from a first location at which the replicating server can communicate with the master server to a second location at which the replicating server can communicate with the third-party clients. At the second location, the information on the replicating server may be communicated to the third-party devices.

Claims38

Dependent claims

A method of using a replicating server to transfer information between a master server located on supplier premises and a third-party client located on customer premises, wherein the replicating server is housed in a movable motor vehicle, the method comprising:

replicating to the replicating server via a first wireless communication link at least a portion of information stored on the master server;
using the motor vehicle to transport the replicating server to the customer premises and into communicable proximity of the third-party client;
after the motor vehicle arrives at the customer premises, the third-party client automatically detecting a wireless beacon signal sent from the motor vehicle;
in response to the third party client automatically detecting the beacon signal sent from the motor vehicle, the third-party client querying the replicating server for updates while the motor vehicle is at the customer premises;
and
thereafter, communicating at least a portion of the replicated information from the replicating server to the third-party client via a second wireless communication link.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Portal for distributing business and product information

Life of this patent

Portal for distributing business and product information

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38