Method and system for server synchronization with a computing device via a companion device

• US 20070198743A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anupam Singhal, David Rabbers, Magnus Vejlstrup, Martin Susser, Pi-Yu Chung, Xiaofei Huang
• Original Assignee: Anupam Singhal, David Rabbers, Magnus Vejlstrup, Martin Susser, Pi-Yu Chung, Xiaofei Huang
• Inventors: Susser, Martin, Chung, Pi-Yu, Vejlstrup, Magnus, Huang, Xiaofei, Singhal, Anupam, Rabbers, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

The A method and system for server synchronization with a computing device via a companion device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises synchronizing a device and an enterprise server via a companion device, which comprises retrieving a record extraction sequence from the server; providing the record extraction sequence to the handheld device from the companion device; and extracting records stored on a database according to the record extraction sequence, wherein the extracted records are not already stored on the computing device.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method comprising:

comparing a first parameter with a second parameter obtained prior to the first parameter to synchronize a first computing device with a second computing device, the first and the second parameters being indicative of record extraction sequences; and

extracting from a database one or more records that have been changed since a prior synchronization of the first and the second computing devices if the first parameter matches the second parameter.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

retrieving the first parameter from the first computing device; and

providing the first parameter to the second computing device via a companion device.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

logging-in to the first computing device from the second computing device via the companion device, wherein the second computing device comprises a handheld device; and

retrieving a persistent node identification (ID) from the first computing device for the handheld device.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

retrieving one or more views from the first computing device that are not already on the handheld device; and

retrieving one or more business objects from the first computing device that are not already on the handheld device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first computing device comprises an enterprise server.

36. A method comprising:

extracting a first record extraction sequence identification (ID) from a first computing device; and

determining whether to extract one or more records from a database that have been changed since a prior synchronization of the first computing device and a second computing device based on the first record extraction sequence ID and a second record extraction sequence ID obtained prior to the first record extraction sequence ID.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

extracting the records stored on the database that have been changed since the prior synchronization if the first record extraction sequence ID matches the second record extraction sequence ID; and

providing the records extracted to the second computing device.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

verifying the second computing device has a valid logon ID; and

providing a persistent node ID to the second computing device.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

processing transactions on the first computing device; and

providing one or more events to the second computing device that are not already on the second computing device.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

providing a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the second computing device to the second computing device.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the second computing device comprises a handheld device.

42. A system comprising:

means for synchronizing a first and a second computing device via a companion device; and

means for determining whether to extract records stored on a database that have been changed since a prior synchronization of the first and the second computing devices using a parameter indicative of a record extraction sequence.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

means for retrieving the parameter from the first computing device; and

means for providing the parameter to the second computing device via the companion device.

44. The system of claim 42, further comprising:

means for updating the second computing device with the records stored on the database that have been changed since the prior synchronization.

45. A system comprising:

a companion device;

a first computing device communicably coupled to the companion device; and

a second computing device communicably coupled to the companion device, the first and the second computing devices to be synchronized using a parameter indicative of a record extraction sequence, the parameter to be retrieved from the first computing device and provided to the second computing device via the companion device.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising:

a database communicably coupled to the first computing device to store records, wherein the parameter is used to determine whether one or more records in the database have been changed since a prior synchronization of the first and the second computing devices.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the first computing device comprises an enterprise server and the second computing device comprises a handheld device.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device.

49. A machine-readable medium that includes instructions that, when executed, will perform operations comprising:

comparing a first parameter with a second parameter obtained prior to the first parameter to synchronize a first computing device with a second computing device, the first and second parameters being indicative of record extraction sequences; and

extracting from a database one or more records that have been changed since a prior synchronization of the first and the second computing devices based on result of the comparing.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing the one or more records extracted to the second computing device via a companion device.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the second computing device to the second computing device.

52. A data signal embodied in a carrier wave, said data signal including a plurality of instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause said processor to perform the steps of:

extracting a current value of a parameter from a first computing device, the parameter being indicative of a record extraction sequence; and

determining whether to extract one or more records from a database that have been changed since a prior synchronization of the first computing device and a second computing device based on the current value of the parameter and a previously obtained value of the parameter.

53. The data signal of claim 52, wherein the plurality of instructions causes said processor to further perform the steps of:

providing the current value of the parameter to the second computing device via a companion device.

54. The data signal of claim 53, wherein the plurality of instructions causes said processor to further perform the steps of:

logging-in to the first computing device from the second computing device; and

retrieving a persistent node identification (ID) from the first computing device for the second computing device.

55. The data signal of claim 54, wherein the plurality of instructions causes said processor to further perform the steps of:

retrieving one or more views from the first computing device that are not already on the second computing device; and

retrieving one or more business objects from the first computing device that are not already on the second computing device.

56. The data signal of claim 55, wherein the plurality of instructions causes said processor to further perform the steps of:

processing transactions on the first computing device; and

retrieving one or more events from the first computing device that are not already on the second computing device.

57. The data signal of claim 56, wherein the second computing device comprises a handheld device.

58. The data signal of claim 56, wherein the first computing device comprises an enterprise server.