Method for distributing data, adapted for mobile devices
View Patent ↗A method for distributing data in a heterogeneous network. The method operates on a private mobile network, which includes a mobility server, mobile components and fixed components, on which the mobility server includes data storage units that store data on behalf of network members, at least some of such data being stored in multiple data formats. The distribution method includes transmitting upon request selected said data to addressees, each such transmission being formatted for acceptance by each respective addressee.
1. A network mobility system, for use with a mobile network of member devices, comprising:
a mobility server having a target device inventory store which includes an inventory of supported devices, the supported devices including printing devices;
wherein the server receives a data file package from a network member outside the mobility server, the data file package including at least one version of a data file, each version having a respective display or printing format,
wherein the server manages reformatting of the data file into an additional version having a printing format which a particular one of the printing devices in the inventory has the capability to print,
wherein the server stores for subsequent distribution, the additional version and at least one of the versions in which the data file was received,
and wherein the server transmits in response to a request, to a target one of the devices in the mobile network, a version of the data file which the target device has the capability to display or print.
2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the target device comprises one of the printing devices, and the version of the data file which the server transmits to the target device is a version which the target device has the capability to print.
3. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of network agents, resident on network members, in communication with said mobility server,
wherein at least one the network agents is adapted to render a data file from a first version having a first display format into a second version having a second display or printing format.
4. A system according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one network agent is adapted to perform the rendering for forwarding to the mobility server, the data file package including both the first and second versions.
5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the display or printing format of the data file additional version is a printing format which a device in the mobile network has the capability to print.
6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the server stores for subsequent distribution, the additional version in association with all of the versions in which the data file was received.
7. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the server includes at least one data storage module, wherein at least a portion of the data stored in said data storage module are identical data items stored with different display or printing formats suitable for use on different ones of the supported devices.
8. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the server further determines in dependence upon a printing request to send the data file to a given one of the supported devices, and in response to such determination, the server manages reformatting of the data file into a further version having a printing format which the given device has the capability to print.
9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the server's management of reformatting includes functionality to develop a PDF version of the data file.
10. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the server's management of reformatting includes:
means for selecting, from among member devices of the mobile network, an optimum device for performing the additional rendering; and
means for overseeing the reformatting at the selected device.
11. A network mobility system, for use with a mobile network of member devices, comprising:
a plurality of network agents resident on member devices in a first subset of the member devices, the member devices further including printing devices; and
a mobility server adapted for communicating with the network agents, the network agents and printing devices being outside the mobility server,
wherein agents on member devices in the first subset include operable functionality to, in a virtual publication operation, render data files into different versions having different display or printing formats,
wherein agents on member devices in the first subset further include operable functionality to, in the virtual publication operation, transmit to the mobility server data files in more than one version each having a respective display or printing format, including at least one version that one of the printing member devices has the capability to print,
and wherein the mobility server is adapted to receive and store in association with each other and for subsequent distribution, the data files received from the agents in more than one version.
12. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the mobility server is adapted to store the data files at least in versions having display or printing formats suitable for printing by the printing member devices.
13. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the mobility server includes functionality to manage reformatting of received data files into additional versions having printing formats suitable for printing by the printing member devices,
and to store for subsequent distribution, the additional version and at least one of the versions in which the data file was received.
14. A system according to claim 13 , wherein the mobility server includes further functionality to transmit in response to a request, to a target one of the printing devices in the mobile network, a version of the data file which the target device has the capability to print.
15. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the version that one of the printing member devices has the capability to print, is a PDF version of the data file.
16. A method for use with a mobile network of member devices, comprising the steps of:
a mobility server storing accessibly thereto an inventory of supported devices in a target device inventory store, the supported devices including printing devices;
the server receiving a data file package from a network member outside the mobility server, the data file package including at least one version of a data file, each version having a respective display or printing format,
the server managing reformatting of the data file into an additional version having a printing format which a particular one of the printing devices in the inventory has the capability to print,
the server storing for subsequent distribution, the additional version and at least one of the versions in which the data file was received,
and the server, in response to a request, transmitting to a target one of the devices in the mobile network, a version of the data file which the target device has the capability to display or print.
17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the target device comprises one of the printing devices, and the version of the data file which the server transmits to the target device is a version which the target device has the capability to print.
18. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of a particular network agent, in a plurality of network agents resident on network members and in communication with the mobility server, renders a data file from a first version having a first display format into a second version having a second display or printing format.
19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein the particular network agent performs the rendering for forwarding to the mobility server, the data file package including both the first and second versions.
20. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the display or printing format of the data file additional version is a printing format which a device in the mobile network has the capability to print.
21. A method according to claim 16 , comprising the step of the server storing for subsequent distribution, the additional version in association with all of the versions in which the data file was received.
22. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the server includes at least one data storage module, wherein at least a portion of the data stored in said data storage module are identical data items stored with different display or printing formats suitable for use on different ones of the supported devices.
23. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
the server determining in dependence upon a printing request to send the data file to a given one of the supported devices; and
in response to such determination, the server managing reformatting of the data file into a further version having a printing format which the given device has the capability to print.
24. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of the server managing reformatting, includes a step of developing a PDF version of the data file.
25. A method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of the server managing reformatting, includes the steps of:
the server selecting, from among member devices of the mobile network, an optimum device for performing the additional rendering; and
the server overseeing the reformatting at the selected device.
26. A method for use with a mobile network of member devices, the mobile network including a plurality of network agents resident on the member devices in a first subset of the member devices, the member devices further including printing devices, and a mobility server adapted for communicating with the network agents, the network agents and printing devices being outside the mobility server, the method comprising the steps of:
a particular agent on one of the member devices in the first subset, in a virtual publication operation, rendering data files into different versions having different display or printing formats;
the particular agent, in the virtual publication operation, transmitting to the mobility server a data file in more than one version each having a respective display or printing format, including at least one version that one of the printing member devices has the capability to print; and
the mobility server receiving and storing in association with each other and for subsequent distribution, the data files received from the particular agent in more than one version.
27. A method according to claim 26 , comprising the step of the mobility server storing the data files at least in versions having display or printing formats suitable for printing by the printing member devices.
28. A method according to claim 26 , further comprising the steps of:
the mobility server managing reformatting of a received data files into an additional version having a printing format suitable for printing by one of the printing member devices; and
the mobility server storing for subsequent distribution, the additional version and at least one of the versions in which the data file was received.
29. A method according to claim 28 , further comprising the step of the mobility server transmitting in response to a request, to a target one of the printing devices in the mobile network, a version of the data file which the target device has the capability to print.
30. A method according to claim 26 , wherein the version that one of the printing member devices has the capability to print, is a PDF version of the data file.