Restoring electronic information

• US 20080034011A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cisler, Pavel, Lyons, Dave, Ulrich, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for automatic detection of data loss to system or a particular application. In one implementation a method is provided. The method includes identifying a loss of data associated with a current view. An alert is generated identifying the loss of data. A user is prompted to initiate a history view to restore the lost data, the history view including at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a loss of data associated with a current view;

generating an alert identifying the loss of data; and

prompting a user to initiate a history view to restore the lost data, the history view including at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, while a current view is displayed, a user input requesting that a history view associated with the current view be displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, while the history view is displayed, a user input requesting that the current view be modified according to the earlier version.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

modifying, in response to the user input, the current view according to the earlier version.

5. The method of claim 1, where identifying a loss of data comprises:

comparing current data with previous data.

6. The method of claim 5, where the previous data is associated with a backup.

7. The method of claim 1, where identifying a loss of data comprises:

monitoring for events indicating data loss.

8. The method of claim 1, where identifying a loss of data comprises:

examining an application for lost data when opened.

9. The method of claim 1, where generating an alert comprises:

presenting an alert notification, the alert notification indicating data can have been lost and where the alert notification provides one or more options for restoring the lost data.

10. A method comprising:

invoking an application;

presenting a current view of the application in a user interface;

identifying a loss of data associated with the application;

generating an alert identifying the loss of data; and

prompting a user to initiate a history view to restore the lost data, the history view including at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view of the application.

11. The method of claim 10, where the application is a music application and the lost data is a playlist.

12. The method of claim 10, where the application is a messaging application and the lost data is one or more e-mail messages.

13. The method of claim 10, where the application is a messaging application and the lost data is a calendar.

14. The method of claim 10, where the application is a messaging application and the lost data is a contacts list.

15. The method of claim 10, where the application is a messaging application and the lost data is a buddy list.

16. A system comprising:

means for identifying a loss of data associated with a current view;

means for generating an alert identifying the loss of data; and

means for prompting a user to initiate a history view to restore the lost data, the history view including at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view.

17. A method comprising:

detecting a loss of data associated with a system;

generating an alert identifying the loss of data;

prompting the user to initiate a history view to restore the lost data, the history view including at least a first representation associated with the lost data.

18. The method of claim 17, where the lost data is user preference data.

19. The method of claim 17, where the lost data is system settings data.

20. A method comprising:

evaluating a current view of an application;

determining that a loss of data has occurred to the current view of the application relative to a past view of the application;

suspending the current view of the application;

presenting one or more past views of the application; and

reinstating a past view of the application into the current view to restore the lost data.

21. The method of claim 20, where the evaluating is performed when the application is invoked.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

alerting the user to the data loss; and

prompting the user to restore the lost data.

23. A method comprising:

determining that an application has lost data;

retrieving a prior state of the application;

presenting a preview of the prior state; and

restoring the prior state of the application.