System and method for maintaining on a handheld electronic device information that is substantially current and is readily available to a user

• US 20060047745A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Griffin, Jason, Knowles, Michael, Paas, Julian, Tyneski, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An improved system and method for managing data on a handheld electronic device includes a server that periodically pushes data to a particular handheld electronic device, with the data being stored on the handheld electronic device by way of a routine running in the background whereby such reception and storage is generally transparent to a user. The data can be any type of data and may be data that is desired by the user or that fits a profile or preference of the user. The profile can, for instance, be predetermined and/or can be customized by the user and/or can reflect a preference of the user. The data pushed to the handheld electronic device can also be related in some fashion to a geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device. Such pushing of data and storage is managed by a routine running in the background of the handheld electronic device. The routine enables current data to be maintained on the handheld electronic device for ready access by a user.

Claims

1. A method of managing data on a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronic device including a wireless communication system, a processor apparatus, an input apparatus, and an output apparatus, the wireless communication system being adapted to enable wireless communication between the handheld electronic device and a server, the processor apparatus including a processor and a memory, the input apparatus having a plurality of input members and being adapted to provide input to the processor apparatus, the output apparatus being adapted to receive output signals from the processor apparatus and to provide output representative of the output signals, the handheld electronic device being identifiable to the server by a unique identifier, the method comprising:

making available to the server a profile associated with the handheld electronic device;

forming a first set of data;

employing the unique identifier to push from the server to the handheld electronic device a first signal representative at least in part of at least a portion of the first set of data;

storing on the handheld electronic device a second set of data derived at least in part from at least a portion of the first signal;

employing at least a portion of the profile to configure at least a portion of at least one of the first set of data and the second set of data to comply at least in part with the profile; and

responsive to a predetermined event;

altering at least a portion of the first set of data to form an updated first set of data;

employing the unique identifier to push from the server to the handheld electronic device a second signal representative at least in part of at least a portion of the updated first set of data;

storing on the handheld electronic device an updated second set of data derived at least in part from at least a portion of the second signal; and

employing at least a portion of the profile to configure at least a portion of at least one of the updated first set of data and the updated second set of data to comply at least in part with at least a portion of the profile.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising making available to the server as the profile a customizable profile that is adapted to be customized by a user of the handheld electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising making available to the server as the profile a customizable profile that is adapted to be customized by a user of the handheld electronic device to indicate a preference of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising making available to the server as the profile a profile that is adapted to be used to determine the content of the second set of data on the handheld electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a routine that is adapted to operate substantially transparently to a user of the handheld electronic device to store on the handheld electronic device the second set of data and the updated second set of data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising executing on the handheld electronic device a first routine and a second routine, the first routine being a foreground routine executed on the processor apparatus and being adapted to interact with at least one of the input apparatus and the output apparatus, the second routine being a background routine that is adapted to store data on the handheld electronic device and to operate generally free of interaction with the input apparatus and generally free of interaction with the output apparatus, and further comprising executing the second routine as the routine that is adapted to operate substantially transparently to a user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to an actuation of a predetermined input member, outputting at least a portion of the updated second set of data.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising replacing the second set of data with the updated second set of data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to an actuation of a predetermined input member, outputting a number of shortcuts, each shortcut of at least a portion of the number of shortcuts being adapted to provide a shortcut function to a corresponding portion of the updated second set of data that corresponds with the shortcut, and further comprising, responsive to a selection of a shortcut of the number of shortcuts, displaying the corresponding portion of the updated second set of data that corresponds with said shortcut.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device and, responsive to said determining a first geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device, sending to the handheld electronic device as the first signal a signal that is representative at least in part of data that at least partially corresponds with the first geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending to the handheld electronic device as the first signal a signal that is representative at least in part of data of which at least a portion is specific to the first geographic disposition and is selected in accordance with the profile.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a second geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device, making a determination that the second geographic disposition is different than the first geographic disposition and, employing said determination as the predetermined event.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising sending to the handheld electronic device as the second signal a signal that is representative at least in part of data that at least partially corresponds with the second geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, responsive to said first signal, storing as the second set of data on the handheld electronic device data that is representative at least in part of information specific to the first geographic disposition and is selected in accordance with the profile and, responsive to said second signal, storing as the updated second set of data on the handheld electronic device data that is representative at least in part of information specific to the second geographic disposition and is selected in accordance with the profile.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising replacing at least a portion of the second set of data on the handheld electronic device with at least a portion of the updated second set of data.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising making a determination that the first set of data has undergone a change, and employing as the predetermined event said determination that the first set of data has undergone a change.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining a first geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device and, responsive to said determining a first geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device, causing the first set of data to include data that at least partially corresponds with the first geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device, further comprising determining a second geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device and, responsive to said determining a second geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device, altering the first set of data to include data that at least partially corresponds with the second geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device, and further comprising employing said altering of the first set of data in said making a determination that the first set of data has undergone a change.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising customizing at least a portion of each of the first signal and the second signal in accordance with the profile to provide on the handheld electronic device the second set of data and the updated second set of data.