Integrated Systems and Methods Providing Situational Awareness of Operations In An Orgranization

Abstract

A system which comprises a series of native applications, suited to run on mobile devices, and a series of web-based applications for which functionality and processing are optimized. The native applications and the web-based applications are coordinated to optimize processes of acquiring, storing and disseminating data for speed, integrity and security.

1 . A method of sharing information between one or more hand-held devices, each comprising a device processor, in communication with a server over a network, the method comprising:
 storing data locally on a storage medium of a first of the hand-held devices, wherein the data locally stored is initially accessible for display on the first device;   uploading the data to the server adapted to store the data in a non-volatile format remote from the first of the hand-held devices;   preventing, via the device processor, further access to the data locally stored on the first device; and   retrieving the data stored on the server for display on one or more of the hand-held devices, wherein the server-retrieved data remains volatile on the one or more of the hand-held devices.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein storing data locally comprises writing the data to one or more of a volatile storage medium of the first device and a non-volatile storage medium of the first device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein storing data locally comprises
 writing the data to the volatile storage medium accessible for display on the first device, and 
 writing the data to the non-volatile storage medium for temporary storage until the data is uploaded to the server. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 uploading access permissions to the server identifying which of the one or more hand-held devices are authorized to retrieve the data stored on the server. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 uploading an identification of one or more of the hand-held devices on which display of the server-retrieved data is to be enabled. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising obtaining the data via an application associated with the first device adapted to generate one or more of textual data, graphical data, image data, location data, sensor data, and environmental data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 the application associated with the first device receives data from one or more input devices comprising a user input interface, a camera, a GPS receiver, and a sensor; and 
 the application associated with the first device is adapted to run in at least two operation modes wherein the data generated by the application is stored in different memory storage locations depending on the operation mode. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  where the two operation modes run simultaneously and the different memory storage locations comprise different blocks of storage locations in the non-volatile storage medium. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 retrieving thumbnail views of the data stored on the server. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a selection by the first device via a user interface to load an application associated with the first device, wherein the application is adapted to generate one or more of textual data, graphical data, image data, location data, sensor data, and environmental data. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 receiving input by the first device via a user interface wherein the input comprises access permissions identifying which of the one or more hand-held devices are authorized to retrieve the data stored on the server. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 after uploading the data to the server, saving an identifier on the first device associated with the uploaded data wherein the identifier is adapted to retrieve the uploaded data stored on the server upon selection. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising
 managing the data stored on the server via a server processor, wherein the server processor is adapted to store the data in a non-volatile memory associated with the server and 
 sending a notification by the server to one or more of the hand-held devices that are authorized to access the data stored on the server. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising
 transmitting the data stored on the server to one or more of the hand-held devices that are authorized to access the data stored on the server upon receipt of a request for the data by the server; and 
 managing a list of the data stored on the server via the server processor, wherein the list is accessible by the one or more of the hand-held devices upon logging in to the server. 
 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon adapted to implement a sharing of information between one or more hand-held devices in communication with a server over a network, each hand-held device comprising a device processor, the instructions when executed by a device processor causes the device processor to implement a method comprising:
 storing data locally on a storage medium of a first device of the hand-held devices, wherein the data locally stored is initially accessible for display on the first device;   uploading the data to the server adapted to store the data in a non-volatile format remote from the first of the hand-held devices;   preventing, via the device processor, further access to the data locally stored on the first device; and   retrieving the data stored on the server for display on one or more of the hand-held devices, wherein the server-retrieved data remains volatile on the one or more of the hand-held devices.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer instructions stored thereon adapted to implement a method of creating and sharing information in a network having a server and a plurality of clients in the form of hand-held devices, the instructions when executed by a device processor of each respective hand-held device causes the device processor to implement a method comprising:
 providing a first screen presented on a display of a respective device comprising a series of icons, a first of the icons providing access to a text entry application, for creating text notes, or an image capture application, the text entry application or image capture application enabling creation of data by a user of the respective device, which data is viewed on a second screen presented on the display of the respective device;   providing on the respective device, during or after data creation, temporary storage of the data displayed on the second screen;   after data creation on the respective device, providing an option to transfer the created data from the respective device to the server;   providing, after data creation on the respective device, an ability to select specific ones of the other devices to which the created data received by the server is to be made available and providing the server with an identification of the selected devices,   wherein, provided the user transfers the created data from the respective device to the server, automatically removing the data from all non-volatile storage accessible to the user via the device processor,   receiving a notification from the server by each of the other selected devices indicating that access to the created data is available to that selected device for viewing; and   sending a request from one of the other selected devices to the server to receive the data from the server to said one of the selected devices.   
     
     
         17 . A system for sharing information, comprising:
 a plurality of hand-held devices in communication with a server over a network, each of the hand-held devices comprising a storage medium and a device processor, the device processor of each hand-held device adapted to:   store each device's data locally on the storage medium of each respective device, wherein the data locally stored is initially accessible for display on the respective device;   upload the data to the server adapted to store the data in a non-volatile format remote from the first of the hand-held devices;   prevent further access to the data locally stored on the respective device; and   retrieve the data stored on the server by any of the plurality of hand-held devices for which the respective device is authorized for display on the respective device, wherein the server-retrieved data remains volatile on the respective device.   
     
     
         18 . The system for sharing information of claim  75 , further comprising
 a server comprising a server processor, wherein the server processor is adapted to manage the data stored on the server, and wherein the server processor is adapted to store the data in a non-volatile memory associated with the server.   
     
     
         19 . A system for creating and sharing information in a network, comprising:
 a server comprising a server processor and a non-volatile server storage medium;   a plurality of clients in the form of hand-held devices in communication with the server over the network, each of the hand-held devices comprising a storage medium and a device processor, the device processor of each hand-held device adapted to:
 provide a first screen presented on a display of a respective device comprising a series of icons, a first of the icons providing access to a text entry application, for creating text notes, or an image capture application, the text entry application or image capture application enabling creation of data by a user of the respective device, which data is viewed on a second screen presented on the display of the respective device; 
 provide on the respective device, during or after data creation, temporary storage of the data displayed on the second screen; 
 after data creation on the respective device, provide an option to transfer the created data from the respective device to the server; 
 provide, after data creation on the respective device, an ability to select specific ones of the other devices to which the created data received by the server is to be made available and providing the server with an identification of the selected devices, 
 wherein, provided the user transfers the created data from the respective device to the server, automatically remove the data from all non-volatile storage accessible to the user via the device processor, 
 receive a notification from the server by each of the other selected devices indicating that access to the created data is available to that selected device for viewing; and 
 send a request from one of the other selected devices to the server to receive the data from the server to said one of the selected devices.