Method and system for shadowing information between computing devices

• US 20050229036A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Criddle, Linda, Milstein, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A method and system for seamlessly integrating computing devices shadow information between computing devices. The transfer of information proceeds in accordance with user-defined preferences. While a user is interacting with an application on one computing device, the application is shadowed to another computing device. Since the information is shadowed, the user may continue interacting with the application on the other communication device at any point without first having to perform a synchronization.

Claims

1. A method for shadowing information between computing devices, comprising:

coupling at least two computing devices;

determining when an application that is to be shadowed is running on a computing device; and

shadowing information associated with the application running on the computing device to another computing device, such that the other computing device has a current state and data of the application running.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing settings associated with the application and the computing devices, wherein establishing settings comprises establishing at least one of:

the type of information supported by the application, the type of information authorized for shadowing, the type of shadowing supported by the computing devices, and which computing devices are authorized for shadowing.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising registering the application with a shadow manager of the computing device, wherein registering the application further comprises communicating the established settings to the shadow manager.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein shadowing information further comprises shadowing information based on the established settings.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the information includes at least one of the established settings and data associated with the application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user to activate manual shadowing when the first computing device is configured for manual shadowing; and

initiating shadowing in response to user activation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the computing devices such that unauthorized communication between the computing devices is prevented.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing settings associated with shadowing when an application is installed on the computing device.

9. A system for shadowing information, comprising:

a first computing device comprising a first shadow manager that is configured to shadow applications running on the first computing device; and

a second computing device selectively coupled to the first computing device, the second computing device comprising a second shadow manager that is configured to shadow applications running on the second computing device;

the first shadow manager and the second shadow manager being further configured to perform the following actions;

determining when an application to be shadowed is running on the first computing device; and

shadowing information associated with the application running on the first computing device to the second computing device, such that the second computing device has a current state and data of the application running.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first shadow manager and the second shadow manager manage application settings, and wherein the application settings comprise at least one of:

the type of information supported by the application to be shadowed, the type of information authorized for shadowing, the type of shadowing supported by the first computing device and the second computing device, and which computing devices are authorized for shadowing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the information includes at least one of the settings and data associated with the application.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the settings associated with the application are user-defined.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the information is shadowed automatically.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the information is shadowed manually, and wherein the user activates shadowing before manual shadowing commences.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first shadow manager and the second shadow manager authenticate the first computing device and the second computing device such that information is not shadowed between unauthorized computing devices.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first shadow manager and the second shadow manager determine whether the information to be shadowed is authorized for shadowing based on the settings.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the first shadow manager and the second shadow manager determine whether the application supports shadowing.

18. A system for shadowing information between computing devices, comprising:

means for coupling at least two computing devices;

means for determining when an application that is to be shadowed is running on a computing device; and

means for shadowing information associated with the application running on the computing device to another computing device, such that the other computing device has current information of the application while the application is running on the computing device.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for authenticating the computing devices such that unauthorized communication between computing devices is prevented.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information comprises a current state and data of the application running.