Scheduling of synchronization operation on a mobile device based on predetermined subset of user actions

• US 20040204085A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vargas, Sandra I., Williamson, David R., Foster, Michael A., Hall, Gary W., Esteve Balducci, Juan V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

Data is synchronized between a mobile device and a computing device over a wireless link. Synchronization operations are scheduled based on a predetermined subset of user actions.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing information between a mobile device and a computing device over a wireless link, comprising:

detecting that a user has performed an action, while manipulating information on the mobile device, that triggers a synchronization operation;

scheduling a synchronization operation in response to the detected user action; and

performing the scheduled synchronization operation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless link is a remote link and wherein performing comprises:

establishing the remote, wireless link with the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein scheduling comprises:

scheduling a synchronization operation to occur after a predetermined time out period.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein scheduling comprises:

determining whether a previously scheduled synchronization operation is scheduled to occur prior to the predetermined time out period; and

if so, scheduling no further synchronization operation based on the detected user action.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting comprises:

detecting whether the user has performed one of a predetermined subset of information manipulation actions that trigger a synchronization operation.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein scheduling comprises:

scheduling the synchronization operation in response to detection of only the predetermined subset of information manipulation actions.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined subset of information manipulation operations includes user manipulation actions that result in sending of an electronic mail transmission.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined subset of information manipulation operations includes user manipulation actions that request downloading of information from the computing device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined subset of information manipulation operations excludes user manipulation actions indicating deletion of electronic mail transmissions.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined subset of information manipulation operations excludes user manipulation actions indicating reading of electronic mail transmissions.

11. A synchronization system in a mobile device having a local data store that is intermittently synchronized with a remote data store over a wireless link, the synchronization system comprising:

a synchronization scheduling component configured to detect a data manipulation operation, performed by a user, that is one of a pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store and to perform a synchronization scheduling operation in response to the detection; and

a synchronization engine configured to perform a next scheduled synchronization operation.

12. The synchronization system of claim 11 wherein the synchronization scheduling component is configured to perform the synchronization scheduling operation by determining whether a synchronization operation is already scheduled to be performed within a predetermined wait time period.

13. The synchronization system of claim 12 wherein the synchronization scheduling component is further configured to perform the synchronization scheduling operation by scheduling a synchronization operation to be performed after the predetermined wait time period only if a synchronization operation is not already scheduled to be performed within the predetermined wait time period.

14. The synchronization system of claim 12 wherein the synchronization scheduling component is further configured to perform the synchronization scheduling operation by re-scheduling an already scheduled synchronization operation to be performed after the predetermined wait time period, if the already scheduled synchronization operation is scheduled to be performed within the predetermined wait time period.

15. The synchronization system of claim 11 wherein the pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store include operations that generate an electronic mail transmission.

16. The synchronization system of claim 15 wherein the pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store include meeting request operations.

17. The synchronization system of claim 11 wherein the pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store include requesting download of data.

18. A user interface on a mobile device that has a local data store that is intermittently synchronized with a remote data store over a wireless link, the user interface providing a user selection input, selectable by a user, to select a low latency response mode that causes a synchronization system on the mobile device to detect that a user has performed one of a pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store and to perform a synchronization scheduling operation in response to the detection.

19. The user interface of claim 18 wherein user selection of the low latency response mode causes the synchronization system to perform the synchronization scheduling operation by determining whether a synchronization operation is already scheduled to be performed within a predetermined wait time period.

20. The user interface of claim 19 wherein user selection of the low latency response mode causes the synchronization system to perform the synchronization scheduling operation by scheduling a synchronization operation to be performed after the predetermined wait time period only if a synchronization operation is not already scheduled to be performed within the predetermined wait time period.

21. The user interface of claim 19 wherein user selection of the low latency response mode causes the synchronization system to perform the synchronization scheduling operation by re-scheduling an already scheduled synchronization operation to be performed after the predetermined wait time period, if the already scheduled synchronization operation is scheduled to be performed within the predetermined wait time period.

22. The user interface of claim 18 wherein the pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store include operations that generate an electronic mail transmission.

23. The user interface of claim 22 wherein the pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store include meeting request operations.

24. The user interface of claim 18 wherein the pre-selected subset of operations that require data in the local data store to be synchronized with data in the remote data store include requesting download of data.