System and method for synchronizing objects between two devices

• US 20050066031A1
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wu, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 6,990,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• 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. An object maintenance manager, comprising:

for a stored object, means for identifying a removable storage device that stores the stored object;

means for identifying if the removable storage device is currently accessible to a first computing device;

means for identifying if the object is subject to deletion from a second computing device during a synchronization process to occur between the first computing device and the second computing device;

means for preventing deletion of the object if the object is subject to deletion during the synchronization process; and

means for continuing to monitor and record changes to the object in the second computing device when the object in the removable storage device is not accessible to the first computing device.

2. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for immediately synchronizing the object stored on the removable storage device without user intervention when the removable storage device that was previously inaccessible to the first computing device becomes accessible.

3. An object maintenance manager, comprising:

a removable storage device identifier for identifying which removable storage device stores an object;

an accessibility identifier for identifying if the removable storage device is currently accessible to a first computing device;

a deletion discriminator for identifying if the object is subject to deletion from a second computing device during a synchronization process to occur between the first computing device and the second computing device;

a deletion blocker for preventing deletion of the object if the object is subject to deletion during the synchronization process; and

an object maintainer for continuing to monitor and record changes to the object in the second computing device when the object in the removable storage device is not accessible to the first computing device.

4. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 3, further comprising a synchronicity maintainer for immediately synchronizing the object stored on the removable storage device without user intervention when the removable storage device that was previously inaccessible to the first computing device becomes accessible.

5. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 4, wherein the object comprises a plurality of data items, and wherein the synchronicity maintainer synchronizes data items in the object.

6. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 3, wherein the object comprises a database.

7. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 3, wherein the removable storage volume that can become inaccessible to the first computing device comprises a removable memory card.

8. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 3, wherein the removable storage volume that can become inaccessible to the first computing device comprises a removable disk drive.

9. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 3, wherein the first computing device comprises a portable computer.

10. The object maintenance manager as recited in claim 3, wherein the second computing device comprises a desktop computer.