Data synchronization and device handling

• US 20070112880A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Venkatachary, Boerries, Marco, Yang, Lie, Traver, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication

Abstract

In one example, a synchronization server includes logic operable to engage in a first synchronization session with a client device, wherein client modifications and server modifications may be exchanged based, at least in part, on synchronization data stored locally. The synchronization server further includes logic operable to initiate a query of a remote database (e.g., having data associated with the synchronization data) to determine differences between the synchronization data stored locally and associated data stored remotely. The synchronization server is further operable to initiate an exchange of further server modifications based on the differences between the synchronization data stored locally and the associated data stored remotely. In one example, the server may engage in a second synchronization session with the client device to update the client device with differences to the synchronization data stored locally and the remote database.

Claims

1. A synchronization device comprising logic operable to:

engage in a first synchronization session with a client device, wherein client modifications and server modifications may be exchanged, the server modifications based, at least in part, on synchronization data stored locally;

initiate a query of a remote database to determine differences between the synchronization data stored locally and associated data stored remotely; and

initiate an exchange of further server modifications based on the differences between the synchronization data stored locally and the associated data stored remotely.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic operable to engage in a second synchronization session with the client device to exchange the further server modifications.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein engaging in a second synchronization session comprises responding to a request from the client device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic operable to notify the client device of updates for the client device after the first synchronization session.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic operable to send an empty sync message to the client device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic operable to initiate a slow synchronization process with the client device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the slow synchronization process comprises comparing Locally Unique Identifiers and Cyclical Redundancy Checks of data items.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic operable to modulate synchronization data based on the client device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the modulation of data is based on capabilities of the client device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein information associated with the data is generated and stored to a digest, and further comprising at least one algorithm operable to determine subsequent changes to the synchronization data based on the information.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein information associated with the data is generated and stored to a digest, the information operable with logic to restore the modulated synchronization data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote database comprises a user account including at least one Personal Information Management application.

13. A method for synchronizing a client device with a remote database, the method comprising:

engaging in a first synchronization session with a client device, wherein client modifications and server modifications may be exchanged, the server modifications based, at least in part, on synchronization data stored locally;

querying a remote database to determine differences between the synchronization data stored locally and associated data stored remotely; and

exchanging modifications based on the differences to the synchronization data stored locally and the associated data stored remotely.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising engaging in a second synchronization session with the client device to exchange the further server modifications.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein engaging in a second synchronization session comprises responding to a request from the client device.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising notifying the client device of updates for the client device after the first synchronization session.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending an empty sync message to the client device.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising initiating a slow synchronization process with the client device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the slow synchronization process comprises comparing Locally Unique Identifiers and Cyclical Redundancy Checks of data items.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising modulating synchronization data based on the client device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the modulation of data is based on capabilities of the client device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein information associated with the data is generated and stored to a digest, and further comprising at least one algorithm operable to determine subsequent changes to the synchronization data based on the information.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein information associated with the data is generated and stored to a digest, the information operable with logic to restore the modulated synchronization data.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote database comprises a user account including at least one Personal Information Management application.

25. A computer program product comprising program code for assisting data synchronization between a client device and a remote database, the computer program product comprising:

program code operable to engage in a first synchronization session with a client device, wherein client modifications and server modifications may be exchanged, the server modifications based, at least in part, on synchronization data stored locally;

program code operable to initiate a query of a remote database to determine differences between the synchronization data stored locally and associated data stored remotely; and

program code operable to exchange further server modifications based on the differences between the synchronization data stored locally and the associated data stored remotely.

26. The computer program product code of claim 25, further comprising program code operable to engage in a second synchronization session with the client device to exchange the further server modifications.

27. The computer program product code of claim 26, wherein engaging in a second synchronization session comprises responding to a request from the client device.

28. The computer program product code of claim 25, further comprising program code operable to notify the client device of updates for the client device after the first synchronization session.

29. The computer program product code of claim 25, further comprising program code operable to send an empty sync message to the client device.

30. The computer program product code of claim 25, further comprising program code operable to initiate a slow synchronization process with the client device.

31. The computer program product code of claim 30, wherein the slow synchronization process comprises comparing Locally Unique Identifiers and Cyclical Redundancy Checks of data items.

32. The computer program product code of claim 25, further comprising program code operable to modulate synchronization data based on the client device.

33. The computer program product code of claim 32, wherein the modulation of data is based on capabilities of the client device.

34. The computer program product code of claim 32, wherein information associated with the data is generated and stored to a digest, and further comprising at least one algorithm operable to determine subsequent changes to the synchronization data based on the information.

35. The computer program product code of claim 32, wherein information associated with the data is generated and stored to a digest, the information operable with logic to restore the modulated synchronization data.

36. The computer program product code of claim 25, wherein the remote database comprises a user account including at least one Personal Information Management application.