Paladin Enterprises has become one of the few companies with a proven track record in the building of Handheld intelligent scanner solutions. Our software running on the SPT1500 and Palm Pilot platforms has brought the cost-cutting benefits of current technology to our customers, many of whom were using no automated sales systems before their purchase of OrderMaster or FieldMaster.

Paladin Enterprises also develops custom solutions. Inventory systems, rental systems, showroom systems, and document control systems are just a few examples of the kind of application for which the SPT1500 or Palm Pilot platform can be used - and the list grows daily! Leveraging the power of PC and Palm platforms working together, OrderMaster can build affordable solutions for you today that would have been cost-prohibitive just a few years ago.

No matter what your needs are, if they involve the kind of remote, mobile, or decentralized computing that the SPT1500 Palm platform can deliver, Paladin Enterprises can make it work for you!

Besides stand-alone applications, Paladin Enterprises solution services can address the needs of larger corporations where integration into existing core applications is required. Paladin Enterprises has architectures to suit a number of environments, of which the following descriptions are examples.

A. Basic Functionality

Paladin Enterprises¯ chosen application domain integrates highly mobile PDA devices acting as data-gathering front-ends to more traditional computing platforms used to store, manage, process, and report on the data. A variety of techniques exist with which to perform this integration. The basis of our existing and proposed solutions lies in four main technological areas:

Standalone software executing on a PDA. The power of the portable computing device is just now starting to be recognized by technology groups at all levels. Paladin Enterprises has been involved in systems using the SPT1500/Palm Pilot platform for enough time to have fully integrated solutions using these devices in conjunction with PC or server-based software. Current development uses the Satellite Forms package for development, but C/C++ expertise is also available for use if CodeWarrior is deemed more appropriate for particular applications.

Paladin Enterprises is also keeping current on CE based technologies and is ready to move onto these platforms should an application warrant.
Conduit software connecting the PDA to a larger-scale computing platform. This software provides the data bridge between the PDA and traditional computing platforms. Depending on the architecture applied to a particular solution, the conduit may be implemented in anything from C++ to Visual Basic, and can provide a connection to any data medium from flat files to high-end database systems to e-mail.
PC-Based software generating and managing PDA (and other) data. Often, the data captured by the PDA must be managed by PC-based software which provides more extensive data management facility, or an alternative way to enter the data. These programs can provide reporting and analysis tools far in excess of what is practical on a PDA. Paladin Enterprises has extensive experience in downloading PDA data, combining it with PC-based operations, and generating finished information suitable for merging into accounting or other traditional applications.
Software interfacing to existing corporate systems. Paladin Enterprises can draw on an extensive amount of experience in solving the issue of integrating data into corporate information systems. Using techniques as simple as file transfer to those as complex as IBM MQ integration, 3270 terminal emulation, or shared databases, we have many experience of successful integration of PC and corporate data. This integration can occur at any point during the data management cycle; that is, any time the data can be extracted from the PDA, it can also be moved to the corporate information system. For example, the notion of PC-based data management can be bypassed completely, moving data directly within the conduit to a corporation database.
B. Architecture

Several architectures can be applied to our application domain, depending on the specific application¯s environment and requirements. Many different approaches can be combined to provide individual solutions, involving software design for operation on the PDA, a client workstation, and net/database/email/TCP/IP servers. Typical arrangements are as follows:

Direct connection from the PDA to an individual workstation.

In this architecture, an Paladin Enterprises application connects to the PDA directly using a cradle attached to the workstation. This application manages PDA data upload and download, data extraction from the corporate system(s), and data entry by the operator. Connection to the corporate database can be made via direct login to the corporate network or web, or by connecting to an Paladin Enterprises data server which would then move data to and from the corporate legacy systems.

2. Integration of the PDA via email.

In this architecture, an Paladin Enterprises application provides the data to upload into the PDA via a cradle connection. Once loaded, the PDA becomes an autonomous device, communicating to the corporate system via InterNet-based email or TCP/IP messaging. This communication can take place both in wired (via conventional modem) and wireless (via wireless modem or RF) mode. An integration server may or may not be required based on the specific application environment.

Integration via direct connection to corporate database.

Here, a PDA is loaded directly from a corporate server via TCP/IP. The corporate server runs the required conduit services developed by Paladin Enterprises which connect directly or indirectly into the corporate database system. No physical connection is required to maintain the PDA.

C. Open Aspects

Paladin Enterprises systems are opened up to external integration using a number of technologies.

1. File import/export. OrderMaster has a file import/export utility which allows the definition of external DBF or CSV file field mappings to internal data fields. This allows the user to integrate files from many different applications into a specific OrderMaster application¡ database.

2. Open database structure. Paladin Enterprises does not use proprietary file or database formats. All database tables are fully documented allowing use by external applications.

3. Critical interfaces implemented as COM objects. Custom Paladin Enterprises applications are implemented using object oriented approaches. This means that application objects are connected to a base application using COM interfaces, and are available to be integrated into other applications developed by the customer as well. In some environments, the application software used to upload and download data to and from the PDA is implemented as a COM object plug in to a transport layer, completely separating the application from the infrastructure.

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