Information management and synchronous communications system
An information management and synchronous communications system and method facilitates database equilibrium and synchronization with wired, wireless and Web-based systems, user-friendly and efficient generation of computerized menus and reservations with handwritten/voice modifications for restaurants and other applications that utilize equipment with nonstandard graphical formats, display sizes and/or applications for use in remote data entry, information management and communication with host computer, digital input device or remote pager via standard hardwired connection, the internet, a wireless link, printer or the like. Various operations employing automated telephone calls and/or messaging may, for instance, be performed. For example, desired reservation and/or appointment information may be automatically converted and conveyed to one or more entities via automated telephone call and/or messaging. As another example, information regarding reservation acceptability may be received and automatically converted via automated telephone call and/or messaging. Telephones may, for instance, be the only equipment required by the entities.
1. An information management and communications system configured with executable instructions for parallel operations for use with remote wireless handheld computing devices, a hospitality application and the internet comprising:
a) a central server connected in the system which is enabled by a back office hospitality application software which is enabled to execute hospitality application tasks requested by two or more mobile users and with two or more different hospitality entities in parallel;
b) an advanced master database with its own database application programming interface (API) and which is capable of being queried on substantially all data fields and connected into the server and into the system and configured to store at least one hospitality software application and its associated hospitality application information pursuant to a master database file structure, which is dictated prior to execution of the hospitality application tasks;
c) at least one web server connected in the system and using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP);
d) at least two different wireless handheld computing devices each with respective mobile operating systems and respective touch-sensitive screens with mobile compatible versions of the back office hospitality application operable from the wireless handheld computing devices and which are further enabled to wirelessly communicate remotely using HTTP requests for hospitality application tasks to the central server and with the master database and which is further enabled to receive and then present on at least one of the touch-sensitive screens the results from the parallel processing by the back office hospitality application for the requested hospitality tasks;
e) at least a first application programming interface (API) that enables third parties to fully integrate with the hospitality application and which is enabled to connect the back office hospitality application software on the central server with two or more remote computers for different entities and with their associated software applications in parallel to concurrently execute tasks in support of the requested hospitality application tasks;
f) at least one web page connected in the system and which is enabled to present at least some of the results from the parallel processing of the hospitality application tasks;
g) real time communications control software that monitors and routes all wireless communications to and from the appropriate devices or software applications and which is connected in the system and which is further enabled to link the hospitality application on the central server with the master database via its database API, the wireless handheld computing devices, the web server, the web page, the two or more remote computers via the first API; and wherein the system is further enabled to present to a user of at least one of the wireless handheld computing devices interim results and/or progress of its parallel processing of a requested task and to enable the user to select from those presented results.
2. The system of claim 1 , in which the hospitality application is related to hotel reservations.
3. The system of claim 1 , in which the hospitality application is related to restaurant reservations.
4. The system of claim 1 , in which the hospitality application is related to event ticketing.
5. The system of claim 1 , in which the hospitality application is related to food/drink ordering.
6. The system of claim 1 , in which the system is further enabled to automatically make a selection for based upon a pre established rule.
7. The system of claim 1 , in which the system is further enabled to automatically make a selection based upon known user preferences.
8. The system of claim 1 , in which at least one of the wireless handheld computing devices is further enabled to present a mobile user interface combining both fixed and dynamic information concurrently.
9. The system of claim 1 , in which one or more staff members equipped with a wireless handheld computing device can complete substantially all of their tasks, on the device and without the need for a fixed computer/terminal.
10. The system of claim 1 , which also includes a communications conversion function.
11. An information management and communications system configured with executable instructions for parallel operations for use with wireless handheld computing devices, an appointment application and the internet comprising:
a) a central server connected in the system which is enabled by a back office appointment application software which is enabled to execute appointment application tasks requested by two or more mobile users and with two or more different appointment entities in parallel;
b) an advanced master database with its own database application programming interface (API) and which is capable of being queried on substantially all data fields and connected into the server and into the system and configured to store at least one appointment software application and its associated appointment application information pursuant to a master database file structure, which is dictated prior to execution of the appointment application tasks;
c) at least one web server connected in the system and using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP);
d) at least two different wireless handheld computing devices each with respective mobile operating systems and respective touch-sensitive screens with mobile compatible versions of the back office appointment application operable from the wireless handheld computing devices and which are further enabled to wirelessly communicate remotely using HTTP requests for appointment application tasks to the central server and with the master database and which is further enabled to receive and then present on at least one of the touch-sensitive screens the results from the parallel processing by the back office appointment application for the requested appointment tasks;
e) at least a first application programming interface (API) that enables third parties to fully integrate with the appointment application and which is enabled to connect the back office appointment application software on the central server with two or more remote computers for different entities and with their associated software applications in parallel to concurrently execute tasks in support of the requested appointment application tasks;
f) at least one web page connected in the system and which is enabled to present at least some of the results from the parallel processing of the appointment application tasks;
g) real time communications control software that monitors and routes all wireless communications to and from the appropriate devices or software applications and which is connected in the system and which is further enabled to link the appointment application on the central server with the master database via its database API, the wireless handheld computing devices, the web server, the web page, the two or more remote computers via the first API; and
wherein the system is further enabled to present to a user of at least one of the wireless handheld computing devices interim results and/or progress of its parallel processing of a requested task and to enable the user to select from those presented results.
12. The system of claim 11 , in which the system is further enabled to automatically make a selection based upon a pre established rule.
13. The system of claim 11 , in which the system is further enabled to automatically make a selection based upon known user preferences.
14. The system of claim 11 , in which at least one of the wireless handheld computing devices is further enabled to present a mobile user interface combining both fixed and dynamic information concurrently.
15. The system of claim 11 , in which one or more staff members equipped with a wireless handheld computing device can complete substantially all of their tasks, on the device and without the need for a fixed computer/terminal.
16. The system of claim 11 , which also includes a communications conversion function.