Abstract:
A method and system for conducting an offline session simulating an online session between a client and server in a network environment. The client imports data and functional logic from the server prior to going offline. The imported functional logic is embedded into a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface at the client that is used to interact with server during an online session. Whether offline or online, the user utilizes the same local interface at the client to transmit instructions to the functional logic in order to manipulate the data. In an offline session, such instructions cause the imported and embedded functional logic to execute, thereby manipulating the data that is imported at the client. Known synchronization methods may also be used in order to maintain consistency and coherency between the imported data at the client and the database at the server.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No.  60 / 388 , 832  filed on Jun. 13, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a computer method and system for simulating an online session while offline, and more particularly, to such a method and system in the field of customer relationship management.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The Internet provides the capability to provide services to customers without requiring them to install additional software on their local computers. Specifically, by exploiting the customer&#39;s web browser, all functional logic and all data can reside at a remote server rather than at the customer&#39;s local computer (i.e., the client). As such, the customer, via instructions submitted through web pages that are displayed in the web browser, can remotely invoke the functional logic to view, create, update, delete or otherwise modify the data residing on the remote server.  
           [0004]    In the field of customer relationship management (“CRM”), the foregoing use of the Internet is ideal for enabling sales, customer support, and marketing teams and individuals to organize and manage their customer information. For example, all leads, opportunities, contacts, accounts, forecasts, cases, and solutions can be stored at a secure data center but may be easily viewed by any authorized sales-person (e.g., with a proper username and password) through a web browser and Internet connection. One key benefit of such an online CRM solution is the ability to share data real-time and enable all team members to leverage a common set of information from one accessible location. For example, sales managers can track forecast rollups without requiring each sales representative to submit individual reports, as well as instantly access aggregated sales data without requiring each sales representative to manually submit such data. Similarly, reseller sales representatives and other external partners can be granted secure access to a company&#39;s sales data by providing them a username and password for the web site.  
           [0005]    Nevertheless, such an online CRM solution suffers from the requirement that a user must have access to an Internet connection in order to access and manipulate the data residing on the remote server. For example, when a sales representative or manager is working in the field, such an Internet connection may not be readily available. As such, what is needed is a method for simulating an online session while the user is offline (e.g., without a network connection). Furthermore, it would be advantageous if such a method minimized the amount of user training and client-side installation and customization by taking advantage of pre-existing interfaces and technologies on the client computer.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides a method and system for simulating an online session between the client and a remote server when the client is offline. The client includes a local interface that can communicate with the remote server. During an online session, the data and the functional logic that is invoked to manipulate the data reside on the remote server. As such, the user transmits instructions to view, create, update, delete, or otherwise modify portions of data through the local interface and subsequently through the underlying network. These instructions are ultimately received at the remote server, which then invokes the proper functional logic to perform the instructions in order to manipulate the data.  
           [0007]    In preparation for simulating an online session when the client is offline, when the client is online, it imports at least a subset of the data that resides at the remote server. Furthermore, the client imports at least a subset of the functional logic used to manipulate the data as an embedded portion of a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface. To initiate an offline session, the user invokes the local interface (as in the online session). However, rather than accessing the remote server, the local interface accesses local documents formatted with the embedded functional logic. As in the online session, the user transmits instructions to view, create, update, delete, or otherwise modify portions of data through the local interface. However, rather than transmitting the instructions through an underlying network, the local interface invokes the embedded functional logic in the documents to manipulate the imported data in response to the instructions. As such, the present invention provides an offline simulation of an online session between the client and a remote server. Because the same local interface that is used in the online session is also used in the offline session, user training for the offline session is minimized or even eliminated. Furthermore, since functional logic is embedded into a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface, the need to install additional standalone software applications is also minimized or eliminated. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an online session between a client with a local interface and a remote server with a relational database and functional logic.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an example of a client initiation of an online CRM session with a remote server.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is an example of the presentation of CRM data on a client&#39;s web browser during an online CRM session.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an offline session.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a expanded block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the various phases used to provide a client with the capabilities of engaging in an offline CRM session.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a process for conducting an offline CRM session.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is an example of a login session to connect to a remote server during a synchronization process.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is an example of a visual representation of a synchronization process with the remote server.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9A is a first example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9B is a second example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9C is a third example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9D is a fourth example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9E is a fifth example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10A is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10B is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (All Accounts View).  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10C is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (Specific Account View).  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10D is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (New Account View).  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11A is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 11B is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (All Contacts View).  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11C is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (Specific Contact View).  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11D is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (New Contact View).  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12A is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (Home View).  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 12B is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (All Opportunities View).  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 12C is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (Specific Opportunity View).  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 12D is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (New Opportunity View). 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]    The following detailed description will first describe the structure of an online session that may be simulated by an offline session in accordance with the invention. The structure of the offline session, itself, is then detailed. Following the description of the offline session, preparation of the client prior to conducting such offline sessions (e.g., installation and synchronization phases) is described.  
         [0034]    Online Session  
         [0035]    Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an online session between a client  100  and a remote server  200 . The client includes a local interface  110  while the remote server  200  includes a database  210  and functional logic  220  that is invoked to manipulate the data residing in the database  210 . The client  100  establishes communication channels through a network  150  that connects the client  100  to the remote server  200 .  
         [0036]    In one environment, the network  150  used by the online session may be the Internet. In such an environment, the client  100  may be a laptop or desktop computer and the local interface  110  may be a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The functional logic  220  at the remote server  200  may be invoked through an underlying application or specification such as a CGI program (including, for example, scripts such as Perl), Java servlet (including, for example, JavaServer Pages, or JSP, technology), daemon, service, system agent, server API solution (including, for example, ISAPI or NSAPI) or any other technique or technology known in the art. The database  210  may be a relational database management system such as Oracle or DB2. The communication channels between the local interface  110  and the remote server  200  may be governed by the HTTP protocol. For example, by selecting various options from a web page, a user transmits instructions in the form of an HTTP message through the Internet to the remote server. Upon receiving the HTTP message, the underlying program, component, or application at the remote server performs the pertinent functional logic to interact with and manipulate the data in the database in accordance with the instructions. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing general online client-server scheme is merely illustrative and that various alternatives, possibly exploiting different technologies, standards and specifications, may also be utilized to create an online session over the Internet in accordance with FIG. 1.  
         [0037]    In the field of customer relationship management (“CRM”), such an online client-server scheme can provide the capability to track contacts, leads and customer inquiries without needing a complex software solution on the client-side. For example, in one instance of an online CRM session, the user securely logs into the remote server by entering a username and a password through his local web browser, as shown in FIG. 2. Once the user successfully logs into the remote server, he may be presented with an initial home page that provides access to further features and information. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, the initial home page may provide the user with a brief synopsis of his upcoming events  310  and tasks  320 . Furthermore, the initial home page provides access  330  to further pages that enable the user the track, manage and organize other data including campaigns, leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities, forecasts, cases, and reports. Those skilled in the art will recognize that FIGS. 2 and 3 are merely examples of one way of presenting CRM information on a local interface and that there exist innumerous ways (e.g., look and feel) to present CRM information on a local interface in accordance with the online client-server scheme presented herein. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the online CRM session described herein is merely an example of one area in which the online client-server scheme may be exploited and that there exist innumerous fields and areas in which this online client-server scheme may be exploited.  
         [0038]    Offline Session  
         [0039]    As shown in FIG. 4, during an offline session, in contrast to an online session as described earlier and illustrated in FIG. 1, the client  100  can no longer establish a communications channel through the network  150  to connect to the remote server  200 . As such, at least portions of the data from the database  210  and portions of the functional logic  220  at the remote server  200  are imported to the client  100  so that the client  100  can conduct an offline session in isolation. In FIG. 4, at least a subset  130  of the data  210  is imported to the client  100 . Similarly, at least a subset  120  of the functional logic  220  is also imported to the client. This imported functional logic  120  is embedded into a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface.  
         [0040]    In an embodiment of an offline session in which the local interface  110  is a web browser, both the data  130  and functional logic  120  may be stored according to an open standards formatting protocol. For example and without limitation, the data  130  may be stored in a single or a series of documents in XML (Extensible Markup Language), possibly including, for example, XSL stylesheets (which are XML documents, themselves) for rendering the data into HTML documents. As is known to those skilled in the art, XML may be considered a markup language (or a specification for creating markup languages) that is used to identify structures within a document. Similarly, the functional logic  120  may be embedded in a document utilizing a markup language and may be expressed as a scripting language within the document. For example and without limitation, the functional logic  120  could be expressed as JavaScript or VBScript that is embedded in an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) document. As used herein, the term “embedded” may mean either actually embedding the JavaScript (or any other functional logic in a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the web browser) code in the HTML document, or alternatively, accessing a separate JavaScript document by, for example, providing the URL (relative or full address) of the JavaScript source code file in the HTML document. As such, when the HTML document is rendered by the web browser, depending upon certain actions taken by the user, certain portions of the functional logic  120  (e.g., JavaScript) may be interpreted and performed by the web browser. Such functional logic  120  may interact with the data  130  expressed as XML. For example and without limitation, a user may request to view portions of the data  130  on the web browser. In response to the request, by calling an XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language for Transformations) processor that is incorporated into the web browser (e.g., MSXML Parser) or any other comparable XSLT technology residing at the client, the functional logic  120  may access the appropriate portions of the data  130  (e.g., in XML documents) in conjunction with the appropriate XSL stylesheets, in order to transform or render such data  130  into an HTML document that is visually presented on the web browser.  
         [0041]    Preparation of Client for Offline Session  
         [0042]    Prior to conducting an offline session as described in the foregoing, an initial installation phase and subsequent synchronization sessions may be needed to prepare the client  100  for such an offline session. During the installation phase, an installation or setup executable may be downloaded from the remote server  200  to the client  100 . As depicted in FIG. 5, during the installation phase  500 , the executable prepares the client for conducting an offline session by, for example and without limitation, (1) establishing a directory structure in the client&#39;s file system (Step  510 ), (2) downloading navigational markup documents with embedded functional logic (e.g., HTML files with embedded JavaScript code or HTML files and related separate JavaScript files) (Step  520 ); (3) downloading other miscellaneous installation components possibly including static HTML files, stylesheets, XSL templates, ActiveX controls, system shortcuts, local language components and, if not already available, an XML parser that may be integrated into the web browser (e.g., MSXML Parser) (Step  530 ).  
         [0043]    Furthermore, prior to going offline, a user may synchronize the imported subset of data  130  at the client with the data residing in the database  210 . For example, if synchronization is occurring for the first time, all data residing in the database  210  that is needed for conducting an offline session may be downloaded from the database  210  to the client  100  (Step  550 ). This downloaded data may, for example, be defined and customized according to the user&#39;s criteria for conducting an offline session. In one implementation, the synchronization process may download this data as XML documents (e.g., according to data type such as accounts, contacts, opportunities, etc.). Once such XML documents are downloaded, XSL templates that are used to visually render the data (e.g.,  130  in FIG. 4) on the web browser may be constructed at the client by utilizing the formatting instructions provided by the XML documents. Alternatively, such XSL templates might also be generated at the server and subsequently downloaded to the client. During subsequent synchronization processes prior to going offline  540 , as depicted in FIG. 5, modified data records and data records created since the previous synchronization may be downloaded to the client (Step  560 ). Furthermore, the synchronization process  540  may also provide the opportunity to download (or modify) user customizations (e.g., XML layout information used to construct XSL templates at the client or the XSL templates themselves) for the visual representation of data and other information on the web browser (Step  570 ). Similarly, upon reestablishing a connection with the remote server  200 , the user may also desire to conduct a synchronization process  580  in order to upload any modified or newly created data records to the remote database  210  (Step  590 ). In one implementation of the synchronization process, the communication channel between the client  100  and the remote server  200  may be established through the HTTP protocol using XML-RPC and a related HTTP/HTTPS server based XML API. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are alternative synchronization processes other than the one presented in FIG. 5 that may be conducted in accordance with the present invention. For example and without limitation, all synchronization processes, regardless of whether the subsequent activity is an offline session or the re-establishment of an online connection, may simultaneously download modified and newly created data records from the server database to the client as well as upload modified and newly create data records from the client to the server database. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that any variety of techniques and models known in the art may be used implement the synchronization process in order to maintain consistency and coherency while accessing data (e.g., atomic, sequential or causal consistency, etc.).  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a process for initiating and conducting an offline CRM session. As depicted, in this embodiment, an initial installation process should be conducted before an offline session can begin (e.g., Steps  610 ,  510 ,  520 ,  530 ). After installation, a user may initiate an offline session by opening an HTML page downloaded to the client during the installation phase (Step  620 ). While still online, the user may then synchronize local client data with the remote database before going offline (Step  630  and expanded in Steps  632 ,  634 ,  550 ,  560 ,  590 ). As shown in FIG. 6, this may involve downloading data from the remote server (Step  550 ) as well as uploading data to the remote server (Step  590 ), and if necessary, an initial download of all offline session data (Step  550 ). As previously discussed, one implementation of such downloading and uploading may be implemented through HTTP communications channels using XML-RPC. Once synchronization is complete, the user may go offline and manipulate, view, and modify his customer relationship data by selecting from various options through the web browser (Step  640 ). For example and without limitation, the user may view his calendar, tasks, and activities (Step  642 ). Additionally, data may be organized into certain categories such as accounts, contacts, and opportunities. The user may be able to maneuver through the web browser to access, edit, create, delete, or otherwise modify data within these categories (Steps  642 ,  644 ,  646 ,  648 ).  
         [0045]    FIGS.  7  to  12 D represent examples of the local interface  110  as a web browser that may serve as visual examples for certain steps in the flowchart of FIG. 6. For example, FIG. 7 illustrates a login interface to access the remote server to initiate a synchronization corresponding to  632  of FIG. 6. Similarly, FIG. 8 illustrates the synchronization process of downloading modified and newly created records from the remote database as in  560  of FIG. 6 (and possible uploading of any modified or newly created records to the remote database as in  590  of FIG. 6). Corresponding to Step  642  in FIG. 6, FIG. 9A illustrates one example of an offline home page and FIGS. 9B to  9 E illustrate various other alternative “Home” views that may be accessed by the user during an offline session. Similarly, corresponding to Step  644  in FIG. 6, FIGS. 10A to  10 C illustrate various views of data organized into an Accounts category. Corresponding to Steps  646  and  648  in FIG. 6, FIGS. 11A to  11 D illustrate various views of data organized into a Contacts category and FIGS. 12A to  12 D illustrate various view of data organized into an Opportunities category, respectively.  
         [0046]    The various embodiments described in the above specification should be considered as merely illustrative of the present invention. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms disclosed. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that still other variations and modifications may be practiced without departing from the general spirit of the invention set forth herein. For example and without limitation, those skilled in the art will recognize that there exist alternative proprietary technologies, languages and open standards (e.g., other than JavaScript, XML, XSLT, XML-RPC, HTML, HTTP, etc.) that may be practiced in the context of the Internet and World Wide Web in accordance with the invention set forth herein. Furthermore, while much of the foregoing discussion has been described in the context of the World Wide Web and the Internet (e.g., local interface  110  is a web browser), those skilled in art will recognize that the invention disclosed herein may be implemented in other network environments as well. Similarly, while much of the foregoing discussion utilized the CRM area as an example, those skilled in the art will also recognize that other fields and areas may exploit the invention disclosed herein. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention be defined by the claims that follow.