Method and apparatus for synchronizing contact data stores

• US 20060026198A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zinn, Ronald Scotte, Emery, Jeffrey Kenneth, Hodgson, John Stuart
• Application Number:
  US11/117,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026198A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A mobile device for synchronizing contact data stores comprising: a host having: a database for storing contact records; and a contact application communicating with the database and being capable of altering the contact records; a client having: a client contact application capable of altering the contact records; and a client data manager communicating with the client contact application for storing contact records; a state machine; a client listener to determine when a change has been made and propagate the change to the host; and a host listener to determine when a client record has been changed in the database and propagate the change to the client, wherein the database and the client data manager are synchronized through the state machine. Also, a method for synchronizing contact record storage by notification and propagation of changes through the state machine upon changes occurring in the database and client data manager.

Claims

1. A mobile device for synchronizing contact data stores comprising:

a) a host, said host having;

i. a database for storing contact records; and

ii. a contact application communicating with said database, said contact application being capable of altering said contact records;

b) a client, said client having;

i. a client contact application, said client contact application being capable of altering said contact records; and

ii. a client data manager communicating with said client contact application for storing contact records;

c) a state machine for communicating between said client and said host;

d) a client listener to determine when a change has been made at said client and propagate said change to said host through said state machine; and

e) a host listener to determine when a client record has been changed in said database and propagate said change to said client,

wherein said database and said client data manager are synchronized through said state machine.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising a database management system between said contact application and said database.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 further comprising a client database communicating with said client data manager and maintaining synchronized contact records with said database in said host.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein altering said contact records includes adding a new contact record, deleting and existing contact record or modifying an existing contact record.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a communications system for communicating with an external database.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the mobile device further includes memory for storing a variable, said variable indicating whether said mobile device is enabled to synchronize with said external database.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the client database becomes a master database when said variable indicates that said mobile device is enabled to synchronize with said external database.

8. A method for synchronizing contact data stores in a mobile device having a host database and a client database, the method comprising:

a) designating one of the host database and client database a master database and the other of the host database and client database as a slave database;

b) configuring a listening application to monitor the master database;

c) if the master database changes, sending a message from the listening application, through a state machine, to the slave database with the change in the master database;

d) setting a data manager to monitor the slave database; and

e) if the data manager detects a change request for the slave database, sending a change message to the master database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said designating step is determined based on a variable set at the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the variable designates that the mobile device can synchronize with an external database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the client database becomes the master database if the variable designates the mobile device can synchronize with an external database.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the host and client databases are address books.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein changes to the host and client databases originate at a contact application.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of synchronizing the client database with the external database.