Data communication network for processing data transaction

Abstract

A data transaction processing system in which transaction data is entered by the user in response to prompts in a template which is tailored to each user application. The template and entered data are accumulated into data transactions which are immediately transmitted upon completion to an external database server for processing and storage. The data transactions are not locally stored for processing, and no conventional operating system is necessary. No local processing needs to be provided, and the only local storage is flash PROM which stored the control firmware, a flash memory which stores the data streams making up the forms and menus, and a small RAM which operates as an input/output transaction buffer for storing the data streams of the template and the user replies to the prompts during assembly of a data transaction. The data transaction is received via standard protocols at a database server which, depending upon the application, stores the entire data transaction, explodes the data transaction to produce ancillary records which are then stored, and/or forwards the data transaction or some or all of the ancillary records to other database servers for updating other databases associated with those database servers. Also, in response to requests from the transaction entry device, the database server may return data streams for use in completing the fields in the data transaction or in presenting a menu on the display which was read in from the database server or a remote phone mail system. The transaction entry device is integrated with a telephone and is accessed via a touch screen, an optional keyboard, a magnetic card reader, voice entry, a modem, and the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer server system, comprising:
 a computer server, which receives requests for information from remote users, and responsive to a first request for information, operating to request information from multiple remote database servers that are remote from said computer server and different from said computer server, said computer server obtaining different information from said multiple database servers, and where information for only a first part of a first of said requests for information are obtained from a first remote database server representative of said first part of said information, and where information for only a second part of said first request for information is obtained from a second remote database server that is separate from said first remote database server, and separately addressed from said first remote database server, and where said computer server combines said first and second parts together to provide a response to said first request for information, to provide said information to said user based on a combination of multiple different data streams received from multiple different data servers.   
     
     
         2 . The computer server system as in  claim 1 , wherein said computer server explodes a request for information into multiple different and separate requests for information. 
     
     
         3 . A portable computer system, comprising:
 a computer system, having a screen and having a data input mechanism for entry of data,   said computer system also accepting data input by voice entry, and also producing a voice synthesized output,   said computer system operating responsive to said voice entry to accept descriptive data from a user indicative of a request from a remote database for information, and to send a prompt to the user via said voice synthesized output for more information about said request for information, and receiving additional information from said user, responsive to said prompt, and said computer system combining said additional information with said request as combined information, to send said combined information from both said original request and said additional information about said request to a remote database, and receive response information therefrom, where said response information is enunciated via said synthesized output to the user.   
     
     
         4 . A computer system, comprising:
 a computer system running a data entry routine which receives data from a user indicative of desired information, said computer system operating in response to inputs from the user to provide results that are based on the desired information to the user,   said computer system displaying said desired information to the user, as the user enters the desired information,   said computer system determining, from the information which has been sent by the user, a remote associated database from which to retrieve transaction information, and said computer system sending said information address to said remote associated database, and receiving information back from one of multiple different database servers including receiving from a first database server at a first time and receiving the same information from a second database server at a second time.