Change tracking integrated with disconnected device document synchronization

• US 20020087603A1
• Filed: 01/02/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bergman, Eric D., Rank, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US09/754,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087603A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/517
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

The present invention provides change tracking integrated into disconnected device document synchronization. In one embodiment of the present invention, changes made on the disconnected device are tracked, for instance by the use of change tracking mechanisms that either exist in the companion disconnected device software or are added in addition to the disconnected device software. When the document is transferred back to a general purpose computer, the tracked changes are transferred back as well. In this way, the document, when it is edited on the general purpose computer will reveal exactly what changes were made while the document was on the disconnected device.

Claims

1. A method for integrating change tracking with disconnected device document synchronization comprising:

creating an original document on a computer,

transferring said original document to a disconnected device;

modifying said original document on said disconnected device to form a modified document;

returning said modified document to said computer, and

determining one or more modifications between said original document and said modified document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining further comprises:

utilizing change tracking software.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

utilizing a data translation operation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said disconnected device is a PDA.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to integrate said modifications into said original document.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

merging said original document and said modified document.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said original document was created using an office productivity application.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said document was modified using a companion application.

16. The change tracker of claim 1 wherein said modified document was changed using a companion application.

9. An change tracker comprising:

an original document configured to be created on a computer and transferred to a disconnected device;

a modified document comprising said original document modified on said disconnected device and returned to said computer;

a change tracker configured to determine one or more modifications between said original document and said modified document.

10. The change tracker of claim 9 wherein said change tracker comprises change tracking computer software.

11. The change tracker of claim 10 further comprising:

a data transfer operation.

12. The change tracker of claim 11 wherein said disconnected device comprises a PDA.

13. The change tracker of claim 9, further comprising:

an integrator configured to determine whether to integrate said modifications into said original document.

14. The change tracker of claim 9, further comprising:

a merger configured to merge said original document and said modified document.

15. The change tracker of claim 9 wherein said original document was created using an office productivity application.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine further comprises:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to utilize change tracking software.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to utilize a data transfer operation.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein said disconnected device is a PDA.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine whether to integrate said modifications into said original document.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to merge s aid original document and said modified document.

23. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said original document was created using an office productivity application.

24. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein said modified document was changed using a companion application.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to integrate change tracking with disconnected device document synchronization, said computer program product comprising;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to create an original document;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to transfer said original document to a disconnected device;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to modify said original document on said disconnected device to form a modified document;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to return said modified document to said computer; and

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine one or more modifications between said original document and said modified document.