Patent ID: 7860827

Claim:
A data-synchronization computer program stored on a computer storage medium and execution by a server (i 0 ) with an application database ( 240 ) and many personal portable workstations ( 20 ) each with local copies of said application database, and all configured to communicate over a wireless network, comprising: a data entry process disposed in each personal portable workstation ( 20 ) for wireless contact with server (i 0 ), and providing for database updates of application database ( 240 ) that are thereafter replicated to every other personal portable workstation ( 20 ) in wireless contact with server (I 0 ), and such producing database instances ( 241 ) in the server (I 0 ) and local copy instances ( 242 ) in the personal portable workstations ( 20 ); a data synchronization object (DSO) data structure ( 30 ) that includes control, priority, and originating user information, and further includes a database update data, wherein said control information directs which tables in the application database ( 240 ) and which personal portable workstations ( 20 ) should receive said database update data for database instances ( 241 ) in the server (i 0 ) and local copy instances ( 242 ) in the personal portable workstations ( 20 ); a plurality of synch queues ( 316 ) for holding and scheduling DSO data structures ( 30 ) for a wireless connection between server (I 0 ) and a corresponding personal portable workstation ( 20 ) when it is available to receive a transmission; a synch software for connecting ( 610 ) a personal portable workstation ( 20 ) to a corresponding synch queue ( 316 ) when at least one DSO data structure ( 30 ) is resident ( 312 ); a connection detector ( 620 ) to allow transmission of the DSO data structures ( 30 ) according to their positions in the plurality of synch queues ( 316 ); a parser ( 800 ) for receiving said DSO data structures ( 30 ) and for applying them to database instances ( 241 ) in the server (I 0 ) and local copy instances ( 242 ) in the personal portable workstations ( 20 ); wherein, each personal portable workstation ( 20 ) is configured to enable a user to work with a corresponding one of said database instances ( 241 ) in the server (I 0 ) and local copy instances ( 242 ) in the personal portable workstations ( 20 ) independent of network status, and the synch software opportunistically synchronizes each local copy instance ( 242 ) in the personal portable workstations ( 20 ) with database instance ( 241 ) in the server (i 0 ).