Arrangement of data synchronization in a telecommunications system

• US 20030115301A1
• Filed: 11/11/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: (NOKIA CORPORATION)
• Inventors: Koskimies, Oskari
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of detecting duplicates in a synchronization system comprising at least one client device and at least two synchronization servers. The method comprises the steps of allocating first identifiers to the data units to be synchronized for use in the client device and second identifiers for use in the synchronization server; maintaining mapping tables for the synchronization servers by adding to the mapping table first identifiers and second identifiers allocated to the data units to be synchronized via the synchronization server. The method further comprises the steps of comparing the identifier pairs formed by the first and second identifiers added to the mapping tables of different synchronization servers; and causing at least part of the identifier pairs of the mapping tables to correspond to each other.

Claims

1. A method of detecting duplicates in a synchronization system comprising at least one client device and at least two synchronization servers, the method comprising:

allocating to the data units to be synchronized first identifiers for use in the client device and second identifiers for use in the synchronization server;

maintaining mapping tables for the synchronization servers by adding to the mapping table first identifiers and second identifiers allocated to the data units to be synchronized via the synchronization server,

comparing the identifier pairs formed by the first and second identifiers added to the mapping tables of different synchronization servers; and

causing at least part of the identifier pairs of the mapping tables to correspond to each other.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises at least one mediator which at least maintains one or more mapping tables, compares identifier pairs and updates identifier pairs in the mapping table on the basis of the comparison.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the first identifiers are defined in the mediators.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein

the system comprises a first mediator and a second mediator, where

the first mediator is configured to send the identifier pairs of its mapping table to the second mediator;

and

the second mediator is configured to compare the identifier pairs of the first mediator with the identifier pairs of its mapping table and to inform the first mediator on the duplicates it has detected.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

deleting at least one duplicate during the next synchronization session as a response to at least two data units having the same first identifier and/or the same second identifier in the mapping table.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining for storing one data unit detected on the basis of the comparison of the mapping tables and a pair of identifiers referring to it;

arranging the identifier pairs referring to the duplicates of said data unit to refer to said data unit; and

deleting the identifier pairs referring to the duplicates of said data unit after a predetermined time.

7. A method according to claim 1, whereinthe identifier pairs of at least the data units under synchronization are caused to correspond to each other;

and

the recording of the data unit is prevented as a response to the first and/or second identifier allocated to said data unit being already defined in the mapping table.

8. A method according to claim 1, whereinthe synchronization of the data units is arranged in accordance with the SyncML standard, whereby the first identifiers are LUID identifiers (Local Unique Identifier) and the second identifiers are GUID identifiers (Global Unique Identifier).

9. A method of detecting duplicates in a synchronization system comprising at least one client device and at least two synchronization servers, the method comprising:

allocating to the data units to be synchronized first identifiers for use in the client device and second identifiers for use in the synchronization server;

maintaining mapping tables for the synchronization servers by adding to the mapping table first identifiers and second identifiers allocated to the data units to be synchronized via the synchronization server,

comparing the identifier pairs formed by the first and second identifiers added to the mapping tables of different synchronization servers; and

preventing the recording of the data unit under synchronization as a response to a data unit according to the first identifier allocated to said data unit being already recorded on the basis of the mapping tables.

10. A synchronization system comprising at least one client device and at least two synchronization servers,

the synchronization system comprising at least one mediator which is configured at least to:

maintain a mapping table for at least one synchronization server, the mapping table comprising for the data units to be synchronized first identifiers for use in the client device and second identifiers for use in the synchronization server;

compare the identifier pairs formed by the first and second identifiers of different mapping tables;

detect the duplicates on the basis of the comparison; and

cause at least part of the identifier pairs in the mapping table to correspond to each other.

11. A synchronization device for a synchronization system comprising client devices and synchronization servers, said synchronization server comprising:

means configured to maintain at least one mapping table for at least one synchronization server, the mapping table comprising for the data units to be synchronized first identifiers for use in the client device and second identifiers for use in the synchronization server;

means configured to compare the identifier pairs formed by the first and second identifiers; and

means configured to cause at least part of the identifier pairs of the mapping table to correspond to each other.

12. A computer program product loadable to the memory of a computer, said computer program product comprising a program code which, when executed in a processor of a computer, causes the computer to

maintain at least one mapping table for at least one synchronization server, the mapping table comprising for the data units to be synchronized first identifiers for use in the client device and second identifiers for use in the synchronization server;

compare the identifier pairs formed by the first and second identifiers of different mapping tables;

detecting the duplicates on the basis of the comparison; and

causing at least part of the identifier pairs in the mapping table to correspond to each other.