Data collection and dissemination system

Abstract

A data collection and dissemination system, in which one or more portable data terminals enter or disseminate data through a wireless access point to which they are communicatively coupled. The wireless access point is also coupled to a portable server for storing and retrieving the information requested by the portable data terminals. The portable server maintains a database for the purposes of storing data from and retrieving data for the portable data terminals. The portable data terminals initiate a transaction with the portable server via communication with the wireless access point. The portable data servers formulate a request to retrieve or store data using a database query. The database query is transmitted to the wireless access point, from which the query is directed to the portable server, which then stores or transmits the requested data. The portable server is connected to other networks and is able to access data on data retrieval devices on these networks, as the data retrieval devices on these networks may also access the data on the portable server. Thus, a wide area network, such as the Internet, provides a backbone network through which the mobile units can communicate to the database server. The mobile units can access data from other mobile units, as other database servers on the networks may also access the data also.