System and Method for Managing Information Retrievals for Integrated Digital and Analog Archives on a Global Basis

Abstract

A system and method for managing information retrievals from all of an enterprises' archives across all operating locations. The archives include both digital and analog archives. A single “virtual archive” is provided which links all of the archives of the enterprise, regardless of the location or configuration of the archive. The virtual archive allows for data aggregation (regardless of location) so the a user can have data from multiple physical locations on a single screen in a single view. A single, consistent and user friendly interface is provided through which users are able to access multiple applications through a single sign-on and password. Logical tables that are used to direct information retrieval requests to the physical archives. The retrieved information is reformatted and repackaging to resolve any incompatibility between the format of the stored information and the distribution media.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A method of enabling data access and manipulation from a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a data access request from the mobile device;   determining, using at least one processor, the location of the requested data and data handling operations for the requested data;   returning the location of the requested data and the data handling operations for the requested data; and   obtaining the requested data.   
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 51 , further comprising steps of:
 requesting operation of a selected one of the determined data handling operations;   and performing the requested data handling operations operation.   
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the requested operation is a file storage operation. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the requesting step is performed by a user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 51 , further comprising the step of programmatically requesting a selected data handling operation on the requested data, and wherein the returning step returns a result of the selected data handling operation as the obtained data. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the determining step further comprises determining what data handling operations are available for a content type of the requested data. 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the determining step further comprises determining what data handling operations are available for the mobile device. 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein information used in the step of determining what data manipulation operations are available for the mobile device is obtained by analyzing the information provided by the mobile device. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 51 , further comprising the step of automatically invoking one or more of the determined data manipulation operations. 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 59 , further comprising the steps of:
 determining one or more selected data manipulation operations that should be performed automatically on the obtained data; and   performing the selected data manipulation operations on the obtained data, thereby creating transformed data.