Patent ID: 8392537

Claim:
A method for performing a data transaction with a server using a portable computer, comprising: prior to establishing a data communications link between a portable computer and a first server of a selected server type, receiving in said portable computer from a computer remote from said first server one or more portable transaction files in a predetermined portable transaction file format that includes a plurality of data fields, each of said portable transaction files specifying in one or more of said data fields a plurality of transaction parameters comprising a transaction parameter set that defines a type specific server protocol that is to be used during a data transaction session between said portable computer and a second server of one of a plurality of different server types; establishing said data communications link between said portable computer and said first server; executing on said portable computer a generic data transaction engine software application; using said transaction parameter set of a respective portable transaction file of said portable transactions files to configure said generic data transaction engine software application such that session communications between said portable computer and said first server can be performed in accordance with said type specific server protocol, said respective portable transaction file being provided for said selected server type; and performing said data transaction session with any server if one of said portable transaction files has been provided for said selected server type by using said generic data transaction engine software application; wherein said generic data transaction engine software application is universally configured to facilitating data transaction session communications between said portable computer and servers of said plurality of different particular server types using a plurality of type specific server protocols, said generic data transaction engine software application being universally configurable based on said portable transaction files.