Data synchronization mechanism for information browsing systems

• US 20030078929A1
• Filed: 10/22/2001
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PhoneSpots, Inc. (UpSnap, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ajit Kurian George, James J. Sullivan, John Edward Mcnulty, Jonathan Ari Sheena
• Inventors: Sullivan, James J., McNulty, John Edward, Sheena, Jonathan Ari, George, Ajit Kurian
• Granted Patent: US 7,062,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Data objects are organized into attributes and can be acted upon using predefined actions and associated types to greatly simplify user accessibility to such data objects through the limited user interface and bandwidth capabilities of a mobile device. Each data object is associated with a numerical identifier such that the user can easily identify a data object of interest using the limited data entry capabilities of the typical mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating access to previously stored information on a computer network by a user of a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving data representing the information from a data provider through a base system interface;

storing a data object representing the data in a database;

associating the data object with the user within the database;

associating the data object with a select one of two or more data object types;

receiving a request from the user for retrieval of the data through a mobile system interface; and

sending the data to the user through the mobile system interface in accordance with one or more data attributes defined for the selected data object type;

wherein the request is a numerical identifier of the data object entered by the user through a mobile device coupled to the mobile system interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the data object types is associated with a type identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

parsing the data into one or more portions, each of which corresponds to the one or more data attributes defined for the selected data object type; and

wherein storing the data object includes storing the one or more portions organized according to the data attributes defined for the selected data type.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the parsing is according to an attribute pattern specified for the selected data object type.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein sending comprises:

sending the data along with one or more user interface triggers by which the user can invoke one or more respectively associated actions to be taken with respect to the data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a selected one of the actions is to be performed by a mobile device used by the user to request the data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the selected action has a behavior defined by one or more instructions to be performed by the mobile device;

and

further wherein sending the data to the user includes sending the instructions with the data.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein a selected one of the actions is accessible to the user only if the selected data object type of the data object is one of one or more acceptable ones of the two or more data object types.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein performance of a selected one of the actions acts upon one or more of the data attributes of the data object.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein a selected one of the actions is accessible to the user depending upon user data representing characteristics of the user.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the user data includes specification of a mobile data services provider.