Automatic rules-based device synchronization

• US 20060224620A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sproule, William D., Plastina, Daniel, Silverman, Andrew L., Novak, Michael J., Olson, Kipley J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Automatic rules-based synchronization of digital files on a source device and a target device coupled to it. A source computer executes a synchronization engine for managing transfer of files from a source database to a target device coupled to the computer as a function of a defined storage capacity of the device. The synchronization engine is configured to receive user-defined rules for selecting which of the files are to be transferred to the device and assigning priorities to the files. The synchronization engine builds a designated list of the files to be transferred according to the priorities defined by the rules.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing one or more digital files stored on a source device and a target device coupled thereto, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of rules for selecting which of the digital files are to be transferred from the source device to the target device, said rules assigning priorities to the digital files;

building a designated list of the digital files to be transferred, each of the digital files in said designated list being ordered according to the priorities defined by the rules, said designated list omitting duplicate digital files that have lower priorities than their duplicate digital files; and

transferring the digital files remaining on the designated list from the source device to the target device as a function of a defined storage capacity of the target device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein building the designated list of digital files to be transferred includes identifying duplicate digital files in the list and removing, from the designated list, each of the duplicate digital files that has a lower priority than its duplicate digital file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storage requirements of the designated list of digital files to be transferred is greater than the defined storage capacity of the target device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising directing the target device to remove a digital file stored thereon but not part of the designated list of digital files to be transferred.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital files are selected from a group of digital content consisting of audio, image, video, and text.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital files include media content and wherein receiving the rules comprises receiving a user-defined playlist associated with a desired rendering of the media content of one or more of the digital files.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising examining the target device to detect whether the digital files stored on the target device have changed since the target device was last synchronized with the source device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising building a content list of the digital files previously transferred to the target device, comparing the content list of digital files previously transferred to the designated list of digital files to be transferred, and transferring only the digital files on the designated list but not on the content list.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising provisionally transferring at least one of the digital files having a lower priority and a faster transfer time than at least one of the digital files having a higher priority and a slower transfer time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 1.

11. A method of synchronizing one or more digital files stored on a source device and a target device coupled thereto, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of rules for selecting which of the digital files are to be transferred from the source device to the target device, said rules assigning priorities to the digital files;

building a designated list of the digital files to be transferred, each of the digital files in said designated list being ordered according to the priorities defined by the rules;

examining the target device to detect whether the digital files stored on the target device have changed since the target device was last synchronized with the source device;

building a content list of the digital files previously transferred to the target device;

comparing the content list of digital files previously transferred to the designated list of digital files to be transferred; and

transferring, from the source device to the target device, only the digital files on the designated list but not on the content list as a function of a defined storage capacity of the target device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein building the designated list of digital files to be transferred includes identifying duplicate digital files in the list and removing, from the designated list, each of the duplicate digital files that has a lower priority than its duplicate digital file.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising directing the target device to remove a digital file stored thereon but not part of the designated list of digital files to be transferred.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital files are selected from a group of digital content consisting of audio, image, video, and text.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital files include media content and wherein receiving the rules comprises receiving a user-defined playlist associated with a desired rendering of the media content of one or more of the digital files.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising provisionally transferring at least one of the digital files having a lower priority and a faster transfer time than at least one of the digital files having a higher priority and a slower transfer time.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in claim 11.

18. A media player system for synchronizing digital media files comprising:

a source database storing a plurality of digital media files; and

a computer associated with the database, said source computer comprising a synchronization engine for managing transfer of media files from the source database to a portable device coupled to the computer as a function of a defined storage capacity of the portable device, said synchronization engine being configured to receive one or more user-defined playlists for selecting which of the media files are to be transferred to the portable device, said playlists being associated with a desired rendering of media content of one or more of the media files and assigning priorities to the digital files, said synchronization engine being further configured to build a designated list of the digital files to be transferred, each of the digital files in said designated list being ordered according to the priorities defined by the playlists, said designated list omitting duplicate digital files that have lower priorities than their duplicate digital files.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the synchronization engine is further configured to identify duplicate digital files in the list and to remove, from the designated list, each of the duplicate digital files that has a lower priority than its duplicate digital file.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the synchronization engine is further configured to examine the portable device to detect whether the media files stored thereon have changed since the portable device was last synchronized with the computer and to build a content list of the media files previously transferred to the portable device for comparison with the designated list of media files to be transferred, said computer transferring to the portable device only the media files on the designated list but not on the content list.