Widget synchronization in accordance with synchronization preferences

• US 10,083,184 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David, Wysocki, Christopher R., Wasko, Timothy, Freedman, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Featherstone, Mark D
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARPER, ELIYAH STONE
• Application Number:
  US11/767,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20080168391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,113 Days
• Field of Search: 7071041, 707100, 707 10, 707 1, 707805
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Improved techniques and apparatus for managing data between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a client device. The data being managed can, for example, pertain to portable computer programs, such as widgets. The managing of the data thus can involve transfer of portable computer programs (e.g., widgets) between the host device and the client device. In one embodiment, the transfer of portable computer programs between a host device and a client device can be referred to as synchronization.

Claims

1. A host computing device comprising at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause a graphical user interface for controlling one or more operations of the host computing device to be displayed, the graphical user interface:

including a selectable synchronization control graphical element configured to receive a selection for enabling or disabling a synchronization of widgets from a host computing device to a client device, the client device having a memory device for storing widgets and the memory device having a finite storage capacity; and

including a graphical view configured to present a list of available widgets on the host computing device for synchronization, the list of available widgets determined based on a type of the client device, each of the available widgets presented in the graphical view being associated with a selectable indicator, the selectable indicator configured to be user-selectable to indicate whether an associated widget is to be synchronized,

wherein the selectable synchronization control graphical element is further configured to receive a selection of synchronization priorities for the available widgets selected for synchronization, the synchronization priorities being configured for use by the host computing device when synchronizing with the client device, and

wherein the synchronization priorities cause a widget with a lower priority to be deleted from the memory device of the client device to create adequate storage in the memory device to download, from the host computing device, a one of the available widgets selected for synchronization and having a higher priority.

2. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

an all widgets selectable synchronization control graphical element that enables all of the available widgets to be selected.

3. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein the client device is a portable computing device.

4. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein the client device is a mobile device supporting wireless voice communications and media playback.

5. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein the client device is a multi-function device.

6. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein the host computing device can be used with multiple client devices, and wherein synchronization preferences for widgets are set separately for each of the client devices.

7. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein the host computing device is a personal computer, and wherein the widgets include a widget application, widget configuration information, and widget data.

24. The host computing device of claim 1, wherein at least one of a local computing device or at least one remote server is configured to operate as the host computing device.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining identification information for a client computing device accessible to a host computing device, the client computing device having a memory device for storing widgets and the memory device having a finite storage capacity;

retrieving widget synchronization preferences for the client computing device based on the identification information, the widget synchronization preferences indicating a priority order for synchronizing widgets with the client computing device;

identifying a first widget, from a set of available widgets on the host computing device, that is designated for synchronization with the client computing device based on a user selection of a user-selectable indicator associated with the first widget via a user-selectable control on a graphical element at the client computing device, the user-selectable control configured to receive the user selection indicating which of the set of available widgets should be synchronized, the set of available widgets determined based on a type of the client computing device;

in response to a determination that the client computing device does not have adequate available storage in the memory device to store the first widget;

identifying, based on the priority order, a second widget in the memory device on the client computing device that is a lower priority for synchronization than the first widget, and causing the second widget to be deleted from the memory device on the client computing device to create adequate available storage in the memory device to store the first widget; and

after adequate available storage to synchronize the first widget has been created in the memory device, causing transmission of a copy of the first widget from the host computing device to the memory device of the client computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification information is provided from the client computing device when the client computing device is accessible to the host computing device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining whether synchronization of widgets between the host computing device and the client computing device is enabled or disabled,

wherein causing transmission of the copy of the first widget is not performed when synchronization of widgets is disabled.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

subsequent to the causing of the transmission of the copy of the first widget, permitting utilization of the first widget at the client computing device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first widget includes at least a widget program, widget configuration data, and widget data, and wherein the causing of the transmission of the copy of the first widget comprises causing transmission of a copy of one of the widget program, widget configuration data or widget data from the host computing device to the client computing device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the client computing device is a portable computing device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the client computing device is a mobile device supporting wireless voice communications and media playback.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the client computing device is a multi-function device.

25. The method of claim 8, wherein the host computing device comprises at least one of a local computing device or at least one remote server.

16. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a host computing device, cause the host computing device to:

obtain identification information for a client computing device accessible to a host computing device, the client computing device having a memory device for storing widgets, and the memory device having a finite storage capacity;

retrieve widget synchronization preferences for the client computing device based on the identification information, the widget synchronization preferences indicating a priority order for synchronizing widgets with the client computing device;

identify a first widget, from a set of available widgets on the host computing device, that is designated for synchronization with the client computing device based on a user selection of a user-selectable indicator associated with the first widget via a user-selectable control on a graphical element at the client computing device, the user-selectable control configured to receive the user selection indicating which of the set of available widgets should be synchronized, the set of available widgets determined based on a type of the client computing device; and

in response to a determination that the client computing device does not have adequate available storage in the memory device to store the first widget;

identify, based on the priority order, a second widget in the memory device on the client computing device that is a lower priority for synchronization than the first widget,

cause the second widget to be deleted from the memory device on the client computing device to create adequate available storage in the memory device to store the first widget, and

after adequate available storage to synchronize the first widget has been created in the memory device, cause transmission of a copy of the first widget from the host computing device to the memory device of the client computing device.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the identification information is provided from the client computing device when the client computing device is accessible to the host computing device.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the host computing device, further cause the host computing device to:

determine whether synchronization of widgets between the host computing device and the client computing device is enabled or disabled,

wherein the instructions that, when executed by the host computing device, cause the host computing device to cause transmission of the copy of the first widget comprise instructions that, when executed by the host computing device, cause the host computing device to not cause transmission of the copy of the first widget when synchronization of widgets is disabled.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the host computing device, further cause the host computing device to:

subsequent to the transmission of the copy of the first widget, permit utilization of the first widget at the client computing device.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first widget includes at least a widget program, widget configuration data, and widget data, and wherein the instructions that, when executed by the host computing device, cause transmission of the copy of the first widget comprise instructions that, when executed by the host computing device, cause the host computing device to cause transmission of a copy of one of the widget program, widget configuration data or widget data from the host computing device to the client computing device.

21. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the client computing device is a portable computing device.

22. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the client computing device is a mobile device supporting wireless voice communications and media playback.

23. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the client computing device is a multi-function device.

26. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the host computing device comprises at least one of a local computing device or at least one remote server.