DISTRIBUTED METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING AND UPDATING BOOKMARKS ON MULTIPLE COMPUTER DEVICES

• US 20070136306A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward, Elliott, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,001,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

Multiple computer devices are networked, and each computer device stores a bookmark database. A user can add delete or change bookmarks on any of the computer devices. Alterations made to a bookmark database are stored locally. Every alteration is time stamped. If a bookmark is deleted, it is marked as deleted, but not erased from the local bookmark database. Bookmark databases stored on other computer devices are unaffected by changes made to the bookmark database stored on the local device. In order to update and synchronize all the bookmark databases, the local device receives the data from all the other bookmark databases. Then, the time stamps for each bookmark are compared, and the bookmarks with the most recent time stamps are assembled in a new master bookmark database. The new master bookmark database is then sent to all participating devices in the network.

Claims

1. A method for combining bookmarks from a plurality of networked computer devices, comprising the steps of:

a) storing on each computer device a bookmark database, wherein each bookmark in each bookmark database includes a URL, a bookmark time stamp, and a deletion indicator;

b) altering a bookmark database stored on any of the computer devices, wherein altering can be any of adding a bookmark, changing the URL of a bookmark, or changing a deletion indicator of a bookmark;

c) providing a new time stamp to any bookmark altered in step (b);

d) comparing according to time stamp corresponding bookmarks from a plurality of bookmark databases; and

e) creating a master bookmark database from bookmarks with the most recent time stamps, wherein bookmarks indicated as deleted are not included in the master bookmark database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein before step (d) bookmark databases from multiple computer devices are transmitted to a single computer device, and wherein the single computer device performs steps (d) and (e).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the master bookmark database is created on a single computer, and the master bookmark database includes an indicator indicating the computer device that created the master bookmark database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (d) and (e) can be triggered manually.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the master bookmark database to at least one computer device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein every bookmark has a bookmark identifier, and corresponding bookmarks in different databases have the same bookmark identifier.

7. A computer device for creating an updated master bookmark database available to other networked computer devices, comprising:

a) a computer readable memory device storing a bookmark database, wherein each bookmark in the bookmark database has a URL, a bookmark time stamp, and a deletion indicator;

b) software instructions stored in the memory device for performing the following steps;

1) altering a bookmark database stored on the computer device, wherein altering can be any of adding a bookmark, changing the URL of a bookmark, or changing a deletion indicator of a bookmark;

2) providing a new time stamp to any bookmark altered in step (1);

3) comparing according to time stamp corresponding bookmarks from a plurality of bookmark databases stored on the computer device and the networked computer devices;

4) creating a master bookmark database from bookmarks with the most recent time stamps, wherein bookmarks indicated as deleted by the deletion indicator are not included in the master bookmark database; and

c) a processor device for implementing the software instructions.

8. The computer device of claim 7, further comprising software instructions for transmitting the master bookmark database to at least one networked computer device after step (4).

9. A method for sharing bookmarks among a plurality of networked computer devices, comprising the steps of:

a) storing on each computer device a bookmark database, wherein each bookmark in each bookmark database includes a URL, a bookmark time stamp, and a deletion indicator;

b) altering a bookmark database stored on any of the computer devices, wherein altering can be any of adding a bookmark, changing the URL of a bookmark, or changing a deletion indicator of a bookmark;

c) providing a new time stamp to any bookmark altered in step (b);

d) comparing according to time stamp corresponding bookmarks from a plurality of bookmark databases; and

e) creating a master bookmark database from bookmarks with the most recent time stamps, wherein bookmarks indicated as deleted are not included in the master bookmark database; and

f) transmitting the master bookmark database to at least one computer device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein before step (d) bookmark databases from multiple computer devices are transmitted to a single computer device, and wherein the single computer device performs steps (d), (e) and (f).

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the master bookmark database is created on a single computer, and the master bookmark database includes an indicator indicating the computer device that created the master bookmark database.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein steps (c), (d), (e) and (f) can be triggered manually.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein every bookmark has a bookmark identifier, and corresponding bookmarks in different databases have the same bookmark identifier.