System and method for synchronizing objects between two devices

• US 20040210641A1
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Charles Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A synchronization system synchronizes objects between a portable computer and a desktop computer. The portable computer is capable of communicating with a storage volume that can become inaccessible to the portable computer. The system identifies storage volumes currently available to the portable computer and identifies storage volumes previously accessible to the portable computer, but not currently accessible to the portable computer. Objects contained in storage volumes that are currently accessible to the portable computer are then synchronized between the base computer and the portable computer. During the synchronization process, the system ignores objects stored on volumes that are not currently accessible to the portable computer. However, the system continues to monitor and record changes to objects stored on volumes that are not currently accessible to the portable computer. When a storage volume that was previously inaccessible becomes accessible, the system synchronizes objects stored on the previously inaccessible storage volume. The objects may be databases or other data structures. The storage volume that can become inaccessible to the portable computer is typically a removable memory card that can be inserted into the portable computer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a list of objects to update on a first computing device and a second computing device, wherein the objects on the second computing device are updated using corresponding objects on the first computing device and wherein the second computing device deletes an object when the first device cannot access the corresponding object; and

if an object is on the list, then instructing the second computing device to refrain from updating the object when the first computing device cannot access the corresponding object.

2. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising removing the object from the list when the corresponding object is permanently removed from the first device.

3. A method of maintaining contemporaneous data items in corresponding objects having new data items and old data items, comprising:

listing pairs of corresponding objects for synchronization, wherein a first member of each pair resides on a first computing device and a second member of each pair resides on a second computing device;

synchronizing a pair of objects with new data items from either object in the pair; and

protecting an object from synchronization if a corresponding object in a listed pair is missing.

4. A method of allowing for a contemporaneous object on a first and a second device, comprising:

determining if an object exists in the first device;

if the object does not exist in the first device then determining if the object exists in the second device; and

if the object exists in the second device then protecting the object from deletion and allowing the first device to access the object or providing the object to the first device.

5. A synchronization method for computing devices, comprising:

creating a list of corresponding objects stored on two computing devices;

communicatively coupling the two computing devices for synchronization;

if one of the computing devices deletes an object to be synchronized when the corresponding object is missing on the other computing device then preventing deletion of the object to be synchronized if the missing object is on the list.