Patent Publication Number: US-2011066471-A1

Title: Data matching and synchronization between two applications

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system and method of data matching and synchronization between two applications. Conventionally when using a customer relationship management service such as salesforce.com in concert with a document storage service such as Document Mall, data synchronization and matching between these two applications has been difficult. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present inventions provide inter alia a method of data matching and synchronization between two applications using at least one management server and a client. The method includes a step of judging whether a sales opportunity in a customer relationship management service is associated with a folder in the document storage service by requesting folder identification information from the customer relationship management service and a step of creating a new folder in the document storage service, obtaining folder identification information of the new folder, and associating the sales opportunity with the new folder when the judging determines that a sales opportunity in the customer relationship management service is not associated with a folder in the document storage service. The method further includes steps of creating a new sub-folder in the new folder in the document storage service, the new sub-folder corresponding to a category associated with the sales opportunity, uploading a file associated with the category and the sales opportunity to the document storage service and storing the uploaded file in the new sub-folder. 
     Also provided is a data matching and synchronization client that includes a judgment unit that determines whether a sales opportunity in a customer relationship management server is associated with a folder in a document storage server by requesting folder identification information from the customer relationship management server and a folder creation unit that transmits a request to the document storage server requesting that a new folder be created and to receive folder identification information corresponding to the new folder when the judgment unit determines that the sales opportunity in the customer relationship management server is not associated with the folder in the document storage server. The data matching and synchronization client also includes an associating unit that associates the sales opportunity with the new folder by transmitting the folder identification information to the customer relationship management server, a sub-folder creation unit that transmits a request to the document storage server requesting that a new sub-folder be created in the folder created by the folder creation unit, the sub-folder corresponding to a category associated with the opportunity in the customer relationship management server, and an upload unit that uploads a document to the document storage server to be stored in the sub-folder corresponding to the category associated with the opportunity in the customer relationship management server. 
     Also provided is a document storage server executing a document storage service. The document storage server includes a folder creation unit that receives a request to create a new folder, to create the new folder, to generate folder identification information and to send the folder identification information corresponding to the new folder in response to the request and a sub-folder creation unit that receives a request to create a sub-folder in the new folder and to create the sub-folder in the new folder in response to the request. Also included in the document storage server is a file storage unit that receives a document to be stored in the sub-folder and to store the document in the sub-folder in response to the receipt of the document. 
     Also provided is a customer relationship management server that includes an opportunity information unit that stores a correspondence between a sales opportunity and folder identification information associated with a folder in a document management server and to provide information regarding existence of the folder identification information in response to a request and a category association unit that associates a document with a category corresponding to the sales opportunity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an organization of several servers and a client device; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram showing the interaction between the client device, a salesforce server and a Document Mall server when a folder ID has not yet persisted in salesforce; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram continuing the flow from  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the process of synchronizing folders between the client, the salesforce server and the Document Mall server; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a flow diagram showing the interaction between the client, the salesforce server and the Document Mall server when a folder ID has already persisted in salesforce; 
         FIG. 6  shows a process diagram illustrating the process corresponding to the flow diagram shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the correspondence between components of the salesforce server and the components of the Document Mall server; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the interaction between the salesforce server, the Document Mall server, the client and an exemplary client interface; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the exemplary client interface in which an opportunity is displayed; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a flow diagram showing an exemplary process executed when the user selects the view document button; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates interaction between the salesforce server and the Document Mall server in the display folder contents and upload document processes; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary client interface displayed once the view document button has been selected; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an exemplary client interface showing the window displayed when the add document button is selected; 
         FIG. 14  is a flow diagram illustrating the process of another embodiment of the invention performed when the add document button is selected; 
         FIG. 15  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 16  is a hardware configuration of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views and more particularly to  FIG. 1  thereof there is illustrated the structure of the present system for synchronizing folders between a document storage service and a customer relation management service.  FIG. 1  illustrates the structure of the system which includes a client  1 , a customer relationship management server  2  (the customer relationship management server  2  may be implemented using for example a salesforce enabled server, herein “salesforce server  2 ”) and a document storage server  3  (the document storage server  3  may be implemented using for example a document mall enabled server, herein “Document Mall server  3 ”). As is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the client  1  is able to interact with both the salesforce server  2  and the Document Mall server  3  directly or indirectly. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the flow diagram showing the interaction between the client salesforce server  2  and the Document Mall server  3  in the case that the Document Mall folder ID has not yet persisted in salesforce. The Document Mall folder ID is said to have “persisted” in salesforce when the folder ID has been matched to an opportunity in the salesforce system. 
     As is shown in  FIG. 2 , when the user of the client  1  selects an attach/upload file function, the client  1  sends a request to the salesforce server  2  (S 1 ) requesting a folder ID which is stored in a DM_folder_info file on the salesforce server  2 . 
     In  FIG. 2  there is illustrated the case where the Document Mall folder ID has not yet persisted in the salesforce system. Thus, in step S 2 , an error is sent indicating the failure to retrieve the folder ID. Further, in step S 3 , the client  1  sends a request to obtain information regarding the opportunity to which the file is to be attached, the information relating to the name of the opportunity, for example. 
     This information is then relayed back to the client  1  from the salesforce server  2  in step S 4 . In steps S 5   a  and S 5   b , the client  1  sends a request to have the Document Mall server  3  create a folder ID which corresponds to the opportunity retrieved in step S 4 . Specifically, in step S 5   a , the request is sent from the client  1  to a salesforce server  2  and in step S 5   b  the salesforce server  2  forwards the request to the Document Mall server  3 . In step S 6 , the Document Mall server  3  generates the folder ID and sends the generated folder ID back to the client  1 . 
     In step S 7 , the client  1  forwards the received folder ID to the salesforce server  2  such that the folder ID is saved in the DM_folder_info file on the salesforce server  2 . This step matches the folder ID with the opportunity for which the user originally requested that the file be attached. 
     In step S 8 , an error status or confirmation status indicating whether the folder ID has been properly received and matched to the opportunity is sent from the salesforce server  2  to the client  1 . 
       FIG. 3  continues the process shown in  FIG. 2 . In step S 9   a  the client sends a request to the Document Mall server  3  via the salesforce server  2 . The request sent in step S 9   a  requests that the Document Mall server  3  create a sub-folder within the folder created previously in step S 5 , the subfolder folder corresponding to a category in the salesforce server. As will be discussed in more detail with regard to  FIG. 7 , categories are organizational subsections of an opportunity. Thus, a document which is associated with an opportunity may also be associated with a category. For example, an opportunity may include categories such as contract, customer information, order documents, quote, RFP RFQ or other. Additional categories are also possible. In step S 9   a  the client  1  forwards the request to the salesforce server  2  and in step S 9   b  the salesforce server  2  forwards the request on to Document Mall server  3 . 
     In steps S 10   a  and Slob, a confirmation or error status indicating whether the request is successful is sent from the Document Mall server  2  to the client  1  via the salesforce server  2 . 
     In step  11 , the client  1  uploads the file to be stored in the subfolder corresponding to a category in salesforce to the Document Mall server  3 . In step  12 , a confirmation or error status is returned to the client  1  from the Document Mall server  3 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a process diagram corresponding to the flow diagram shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Specifically in step  100 , a request is executed in the client  1  to add a document to an opportunity in salesforce. In step  101 , the client  1  requests a folder ID of a folder in the Document Mall server  3  corresponding to the opportunity associated with the request in step  100  by calling the document mall extension in salesforce. Because the document mall folder ID has not yet persisted in salesforce, in step  102 , an error message is received indicating failure of retrieval of the folder ID. 
     In step  103 , information regarding the opportunity associated with the request in step  100  is retrieved from the salesforce server  2 . In step  104 , a request is sent to the Document Mall server  3  requesting creation of a folder and corresponding folder ID corresponding to the opportunity associated with the request in step  100 , the request being sent via the salesforce server  2 . 
     In step  105 , the generated folder ID is received from the Document Mall server  3 . In step  106 , the folder ID previously received in step  105  is sent to salesforce server  2  to be associated with the opportunity to which the document request is directed in step  100 . 
     In step  107 , a request is sent requesting creation of a subfolder in the Document Mall server  3  corresponding to a category associated with the opportunity. In step  108 , the file is uploaded to the Document Mall server  3  to be stored in the subfolder corresponding to the category. 
       FIG. 5  shows the interaction between the client  1 , the salesforce server  2  and the Document Mall server  3  in the case in which the Document Mall folder ID has already persisted in salesforce. As was noted above, the Document Mall folder ID is considered to be persisted in salesforce when the folder ID is stored in a DM_folder_info file corresponding to an opportunity. 
     In  FIG. 5 , when the user selects the attach/upload file function for an opportunity, the client  1  sends a get folder ID request, in step S 101 , to the salesforce server  2 . Due to the fact that the document folder ID has already persisted in salesforce in the present case, the folder ID is returned to the client from the salesforce server  2  in step S 102 . In steps S 103   a  and S 103   b , the client  1  requests that the Document Mall server  3  provide the name of the folder corresponding to the folder ID. This request is sent via the salesforce server  2 . 
     In step S 104 , the Document Mall server  3  returns the folder name to the client  1 . Steps S 103  and  5104  are performed in order to ensure that the folder corresponding to the folder ID still exists and is accessible in the Document Mall server  3 . 
     In steps S 105   a  and S 105   b , the client  1  sends a request via the salesforce server  2  to the Document Mall server  3  requesting that a subfolder be created corresponding to a category associated to the opportunity. In step S 106 , a confirmation or error status message is returned from the Document Mall server  3  to the client  1 . 
     In step  107 , the client uploads the file to the Document Mall server  3  to be stored in the subfolder corresponding to the category created in step  105 . In step  108 , the Document Mall server  3  sends a confirmation or error status message to the client  1 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a process diagram corresponding to the flow diagram shown in  FIG. 5 . In step S 200 , a request is executed in the client  1  to add a document to an opportunity in salesforce. In step S 201 , the folder ID identifying a folder in the Document Mall server  3  that corresponds to the opportunity associated with the request executed in S 200  is requested by calling the Document Mall extension in salesforce. 
     In step S 202 , the folder ID is received from the salesforce server  2 . In step S 203 , a folder name corresponding to the folder ID is requested from the Document Mall server  3  via the salesforce server  2 . In step S 204 , the folder name is received from the Document Mall server  3 . In step S 205 , the creation of a subfolder matching a category corresponding to the opportunity associated with the request in S 200  is requested. In step S 206 , the file is uploaded to Document Mall server  3  to be stored in the subfolder created in step S 205 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the correspondence between components of the salesforce server  2  from the Document Mall server  3 . Specifically, an organization  70  in the salesforce server  2  corresponds to an account  80  in the Document Mall server  3 . For example, an account can be created in the Document Mall server  3  which corresponds to an organization in salesforce. Thus, as a result opportunities in the salesforce system can be linked to folders in the Document Mall server  3  which are associated with the created account. 
     Further a user  71  in the salesforce server  2  corresponds to a user  81  in the Document Mall server  3 . In addition, an opportunity  74  in the salesforce server  2  is associated with a folder  83  in the Document Mall server  3  and a category  75  in the salesforce server  2  is associated with a subfolder  84  in the Document Mall server  3 . 
       FIG. 8  provides another illustration of the interaction between the salesforce server  2 , the client  1  and the Document Mall server  3 . 
     As is illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the client  1  provides information to the user by way of a browser, for example, which interacts with the salesforce server  2  and provides information regarding certain customer relationship management functions. In addition, when the user of the salesforce interface on the client  1  selects an opportunity detail page and selects the view document option, the Document Mall server  3  provides information to the user, by way of the client  1 , regarding documents that are stored in the Document Mall server  3  which correspond to the selected opportunity. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an example of the salesforce interface on the client  1 . In the example shown in  FIG. 9 , the opportunity tab is highlighted indicating that a particular opportunity has been selected and is being displayed in detail. Specifically, the window shown in  FIG. 9  provides information regarding the selected opportunity including the opportunity owner, the opportunity name, the account name, as well as other information regarding the opportunity. In addition, the user is able to select the view documents button  90  from the opportunity detail window. 
     The view documents button  90  when selected executes a function which enables the user to see what documents stored in the document mall server  3  are associated with the selected opportunity displayed in  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a flow diagram showing the process performed when the user selects the view documents button  90  shown in  FIG. 9 . When the user accessing the salesforce interface on the client  1  selects the view documents button  90  in step  1000 , the view documents button executes a custom S-control or function in the salesforce server  2 . This custom S-control interacts with the Document Mall server  3  by accessing the Document Mall API URL. 
     Specifically, the custom S-control sends a request via the Document Mall API to the Document Mall server  3  requesting information regarding documents stored therein. The request includes information attached therewith such as the session ID of the client&#39;s  1  salesforce session and the folder ID of the folder in the Document Mall server which corresponds to the selected opportunity. 
     In the present embodiment, in order to log into the Document Mall server  3  the session ID is used to look up the salesforce user ID which corresponds to the Document Mall user ID in step  1003 . The user ID is then returned in step  1004  to the Document Mall server  3  enabling a listing of the folder contents in step  1005 . 
     The folder contents are then displayed in a mash-up in step  2006  and an option is displayed enabling the user to sort, modify or delete the displayed documents in step  1007 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates the interaction between the salesforce server  2  and the Document Mall server  3 , specifically when the documents stored in a particular folder in the Document Mall server  3  are displayed or when a new document is added to the Document Mall server  3 . 
     As is shown in  FIG. 11 , in step S 1100 , the user logs into the salesforce interface. In step  1101 , an opportunity is selected in the salesforce interface. In step  1102 , the view documents button  90  is selected. This action executes the custom S-control which displays the document mall folder mash-up in step S 1102 . This mash up requires documents to be imported and displayed in step  1103 . In order to perform this function the salesforce interface accesses the Document Mall server  3 , logs in, and retrieves a list of the corresponding documents. Further, in step S 1104 , if the user wishes to import or modify documents stored in the document mall server  3 , the custom S-control again accesses the Document Mall server  3 , uploads documents and receives a confirmation. Finally, in step S 1105 , the display is updated. 
       FIG. 12  provides an example of the salesforce interface and the window displayed once the view documents button  90  has been selected. As can be seen in  FIG. 12 , this window includes a selectable add document button  1201 . In addition, the opportunity detail  1203  which was displayed before the view document button  90  was selected remains displayed. In addition, the window includes a list of documents  1204  stored in the Document Mall server  3  which correspond to the selected opportunity. 
     When the user selects the add document button  1201 , the window displayed in  FIG. 13  is shown.  FIG. 13  illustrates the window which enables a user to upload a document to the document mall server  3  in a folder corresponding to the selected opportunity. 
     Specifically the user is able to select a document from a local or remote location using file input box  1301 . Further, the user is able to select a category in drop-down box  1302 . This category, as noted earlier, corresponds to a subfolder in the folder associated with the selected opportunity on the Document Mall server  3 . Once the user has selected the file and the category, the user is able to execute the upload using the attach file button  1303 . Once the user has completed the upload, the user can select the done button  1304  to return to the opportunity detail page. 
       FIG. 14  shows another embodiment illustrating the process of uploading a document to the Document Mall server  3 . As is shown in  FIG. 14 , when the user of the client  1  selects the upload document button or add document button, in step  1401 . In response, the window is displayed which allows the user of the client  1  to upload a document and select a category for the added document in step S 1402 . Once the attach file or submit button  1301  is selected, a request is executed, in step  1403 , which uploads the document to the Document Mall server  3 . This request includes the session ID of the salesforce session, the folder ID of the folder in the Document mall server  3  which corresponds to the selected opportunity, the selected category and the uploaded document data. The Document Mall server  3  then, in step S 1404 , looks up the salesforce user ID from the salesforce server  2  based on the session ID and this user ID is returned to the Document Mall server  3  in step S 1405  and is used to authenticate the DM request. Once the process has been completed and the document has been added to the specific subfolder on the Document Mall server  3 , an upload confirmation is sent back to the salesforce interface in step  1406 . Further, this confirmation is displayed in step S 1407  and the user is provided an option to update the document view in step S 1408 . 
     In addition, as is shown in  FIG. 15  each of the client  1 , the salesforce.com server  2  and the Document Mall server  3 , includes at least one processor. 
     The processor  11  in the client device  1  has, at least, a judgment unit  12 , an association unit  13 , an upload unit  14 , and a folder/sub-folder creation unit  15 . 
     The judgment unit  12  judges whether an opportunity in the salesforce server  2  is associated with a folder in the document mall server  3  by requesting folder identification information from the salesforce server  2 . 
     The folder/sub-folder creation unit  15  transmits a request to the document mall server  3  requesting that a new folder be created and to receive folder identification information corresponding to the new folder when the judgment unit  12  determines that the opportunity in the salesforce server  2  is not associated with the folder in the document mall server  3 . 
     Further, the folder/sub-folder creation unit  15  transmits a request to the document mall server  3  requesting that a new sub-folder be created in the folder created by the folder creation unit, the sub-folder corresponding to a category associated with the opportunity in the salesforce server  2 . 
     The associating unit  13  associates the opportunity with the new folder by transmitting by the folder identification information to the salesforce server  2 . 
     The upload unit  14  uploads a document to the document mall server  3  to be stored in the sub-folder corresponding to the category associated with the opportunity in the salesforce server  2 . 
     The processor  31  in the document mall server  3  includes, at least, a folder creation unit  32 , a sub-folder creation unit  33  and a document storage unit  34 . 
     The folder creation unit  32  receives a request to create a new folder, creates the new folder, generates folder identification information and sends the folder identification information corresponding to the new folder to the client  1  in response to the request. 
     The sub-folder creation unit  33  receives a request to create a sub-folder in the new folder and creates the sub-folder in the new folder in response to the request. 
     The file storage unit  34  receives a document to be stored in the sub-folder and stores the document in the sub-folder in response to the receipt of the document. 
     The processor  21  in the salesforce server  2  includes, at least, an opportunity information unit  22  and a category association unit  23 . 
     The opportunity information unit  22  stores a correspondence between an opportunity and folder identification information associated with a folder in a document mall server  3  and provides information regarding an existence of the folder identification information in response to a request. 
     The category association unit  23  associates a document with a category corresponding to the opportunity. 
       FIG. 16  illustrates a computer system  1000  upon which an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented. The computer system  1000  includes a bus B or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor/CPU  1004  coupled with the bus B for processing the information. The computer system  1000  also includes a main memory/memory unit  1003 , such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), and synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)), coupled to the bus B for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor/CPU  1004 . In addition, the memory unit  1003  may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions by the CPU  1004 . The computer system  1000  may also further include a read only memory (ROM) or other static storage device (e.g., programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), and electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM)) coupled to the bus B for storing static information and instructions for the CPU  1004 . 
     The computer system  1000  may also include a disk controller coupled to the bus B to control one or more storage devices for storing information and instructions, such as mass storage  1002 , and drive device  1006  (e.g., floppy disk drive, read-only compact disc drive, read/write compact disc drive, compact disc jukebox, tape drive, and removable magneto-optical drive). The storage devices may be added to the computer system  1000  using an appropriate device interface (e.g., small computer system interface (SCSI), integrated device electronics (IDE), enhanced-IDE (E-IDE), direct memory access (DMA), or ultra-DMA). 
     The computer system  1000  may also include special purpose logic devices (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) or configurable logic devices (e.g., simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)). 
     The computer system  1000  may also include a display controller coupled to the bus B to control a display, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. The computer system includes input devices, such as a keyboard and a pointing device, for interacting with a computer user and providing information to the processor. The pointing device, for example, may be a mouse, a trackball, or a pointing stick for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor and for controlling cursor movement on the display. In addition, a printer may provide printed listings of data stored and/or generated by the computer system. 
     The computer system  1000  performs a portion or all of the processing steps of the invention in response to the CPU  1004  executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in a memory, such as the memory unit  1003 . Such instructions may be read into the memory unit from another computer readable medium, such as the mass storage  1002  or a removable media  1001 . One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in memory unit  1003 . In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
     As stated above, the computer system  1000  includes at least one computer readable medium  1001  or memory for holding instructions programmed according to the teachings of the invention and for containing data structures, tables, records, or other data described herein. Examples of computer readable media are compact discs, hard disks, floppy disks, tape, magneto-optical disks, PROMs (EPROM, EEPROM, flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, or any other magnetic medium, compact discs (e.g., CD-ROM), or any other medium from which a computer can read. 
     Stored on any one or on a combination of computer readable media, the present invention includes software for controlling the computer system  1000 , for driving a device or devices for implementing the invention, and for enabling the computer system  1000  to interact with a human user. Such software may include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems, development tools, and applications software. Such computer readable media further includes the computer program product of the present invention for performing all or a portion (if processing is distributed) of the processing performed in implementing the invention. 
     The computer code devices of the present invention may be any interpretable or executable code mechanism, including but not limited to scripts, interpretable programs, dynamic link libraries (DLLs), Java classes, and complete executable programs. Moreover, parts of the processing of the present invention may be distributed for better performance, reliability, and/or cost. 
     The term “computer readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to the CPU  1004  for execution. A computer readable medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, and volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks, such as the mass storage  1002  or the removable media  1001 . Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as the memory unit  1003 . 
     Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying out one or more sequences of one or more instructions to the CPU  1004  for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions for implementing all or a portion of the present invention remotely into a dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to the computer system  1000  may receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal. An infrared detector coupled to the bus B can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and place the data on the bus B. The bus B carries the data to the memory unit  1003 , from which the CPU  1004  retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by the memory unit  1003  may optionally be stored on mass storage  1002  either before or after execution by the CPU  1004 . 
     The computer system  1000  also includes a communication interface  1005  coupled to the bus B. The communication interface  1005  provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network that is connected to, for example, a local area network (LAN), or to another communications network such as the Internet. For example, the communication interface  1005  may be a network interface card to attach to any packet switched LAN. As another example, the communication interface  1005  may be an asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) card, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of communications line. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface  1005  sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information. Also included may be a display interface which enables user interaction with the device. 
     The network typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, the network may provide a connection to another computer through a local network (e.g., a LAN) or through equipment operated by a service provider, which provides communication services through a communications network. The local network and the communications network use, for example, electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital data streams, and the associated physical layer (e.g., CAT 5 cable, coaxial cable, optical fiber, etc). The signals through the various networks and the signals on the network and through the communication interface  1005 , which carry the digital data to and from the computer system  1000  maybe implemented in baseband signals, or carrier wave based signals. The baseband signals convey the digital data as un-modulated electrical pulses that are descriptive of a stream of digital data bits, where the term “bits” is to be construed broadly to mean symbol, where each symbol conveys at least one or more information bits. The digital data may also be used to modulate a carrier wave, such as with amplitude, phase and/or frequency shift keyed signals that are propagated over a conductive media, or transmitted as electromagnetic waves through a propagation medium. Thus, the digital data may be sent as un-modulated baseband data through a “wired” communication channel and/or sent within a predetermined frequency band, different than baseband, by modulating a carrier wave. The computer system  1000  can transmit and receive data, including program code, through the network and the communication interface  1005 . Moreover, the network may provide a connection to a mobile device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) laptop computer, or cellular telephone. 
     The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.