System and method for notifying mobile devices based on device type and network capabilities

• US 20040225693A1
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: JP Mobile Operating, L.P.
• Inventors: Ganji, Kiran, Boinapalli, Raghuveer
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,073 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system, method and computer architecture for synchronizing data between one or more enterprise databases and one or more mobile devices is disclosed. The architecture comprises: one or more synchronization agents in communication with a plurality of enterprise databases, one or more monitoring agents in communication with the one or more enterprise databases where the monitoring agents are configured to monitor changes in the plurality of databases according to predetermined criteria, an events database accessible to the one or more monitoring agents for storing information relating to the changes, a synchronization database for storing information relating to synchronization events, a synchronization server in communication with a plurality of synchronization agents and the synchronization database where the synchronization server is adapted to receive communications from the mobile devices, and a notification server in communication with the events database and the synchronization database where the notification server is adapted to determine when to send notifications to the one or more mobile devices.

Claims

1. A computer architecture for synchronizing data between one or more enterprise databases and one or more mobile devices, the system comprising:

one or more synchronization agents in communication with the one or more enterprise databases,

one or more monitoring agents in communication with the one or more enterprise databases, the monitoring agents configured to monitor changes in the plurality of databases according to predetermined criteria,

an events database accessible to the one or more monitoring agents for storing information relating to the changes,

a synchronization database for storing information relating to synchronization events,

a synchronization server in communication with a plurality of synchronization agents and the synchronization database, wherein the synchronization server is adapted to receive communications from the one or more mobile devices, and

a notification server in communication with the events database and the synchronization database wherein the notification server is adapted to determine when to send notifications to the one or more mobile devices.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a device database for storing information relating to the one or more mobile devices, wherein the notification server is in communication with the device database.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification server comprises instructions for:

scanning the events database for a record relating to the changes,

determining if the duration between a previous synchronization event is longer than a predetermined notification period, if not, then scanning a database for one or more records relating to the changes,

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification server comprises instructions for:

determining if the mobile device is responding, if not, then setting a longer notification period,

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification server comprises instructions for:

determining if the network is overloaded, if yes, then waiting for a predetermined amount of time before notifying the mobile device, if not, then sending the notification to the mobile device.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification server comprises instructions for:

determining a device type for the mobile device from the device database, and

determining a notification method for the device type from the device database.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the determining a notification method comprises determining the most suitable network channel protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the network channel protocol is selected from the group consisting of short message service, hypertext transfer protocol, and Mobitex.

9. A method for determining whether to send a notification to a mobile device in a communications network, the method comprising:

scanning a database for a record relating to an amendment event according to predetermined criteria,

determining if the duration between a previous synchronization event is longer than a predetermined notification period, if not, then repeating the scanning,

determining if the mobile device is responding, if not, then setting a longer notification period,

determining if the network is overloaded, if yes, then waiting for a predetermined amount of time before notifying the mobile device, if not, then sending the notification to the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining a device type for the mobile device, and

determining a notification method for the device type.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining a notification method comprises determining the most suitable network channel protocol.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the network channel protocol is selected from the group consisting of short message service, hypertext transfer protocol, and Mobitex.

13. A method for synchronizing data between a mobile device and an enterprise database, the method comprising:

monitoring a database for changes to the enterprise database according to a predetermined criteria,

determining whether to notify the mobile device of a monitored modification, if not waiting before notifying,

notifying the mobile device of a monitored modification,

determining whether a response to the notifying was received, if not, then repeating the above monitoring, determining, and notifying,

sending the monitored modification such that the mobile device and the enterprise database are synchronized.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the determining whether to notify further comprises:

determining if the duration between a previous synchronizing is longer than a predetermined notification period, if not, then repeating the monitoring of the database for a record relating to a predetermined amendment event,

determining if the mobile device is responding, if not, then setting a longer notification period,

determining if the network is overloaded, if yes, then waiting for a predetermined amount of time before notifying the mobile device, if no, then sending the notification to the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining a device type for the mobile device,

determining a notification method protocol for the device type, and

sending the notification according to the notification method protocol.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

setting up the mobile device, and

initially synchronizing with the mobile device.

17. A notification server for use in a communications system, the notification server having instructions for:

scanning a database for a record relating to an amendment event according to predetermined criteria,

determining if the duration between a previous synchronization event is longer than a predetermined notification period, if not, then repeating the scanning,

determining if the mobile device is responding, if not, then setting a longer notification period,

determining if the network is overloaded, if yes, then waiting for a predetermined amount of time before notifying the mobile device, if not, then sending the notification to the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining a device type for the mobile device, and

determining a notification method for the device type.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the determining a notification method comprises determining the most suitable network channel protocol.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the network channel protocol is selected from the group consisting of short message service, hypertext transfer protocol, and Mobitex.