ADAPTIVE SYNCHRONIZATION OF SERVICE DATA

• US 20080037593A1
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Good Technology Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Friedman, Gregory, MARL, Coyle
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/503
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• 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]

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for synchronizing service data between a data store and a device using the service data. These synchronization techniques may be used with a synchronization method and device that adaptively adjust synchronization parameters, such as the synchronization interval and quantity of synchronized data, on a per-end-user basis in response to actual end-user behavior. In particular, heavy users of service data are rewarded with improved synchronization parameters, such as a combination of shorter synchronization intervals and increased synchronization data quantities, which provides closer to “direct access” performance. Light users of service, on the other hand, are assigned lower cost synchronization parameters, such as longer synchronization intervals and/or decreased synchronization data quantities

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing service data for a user, comprising:

detecting an increase in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user; and

when an increase in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, increasing a frequency of synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

2. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 1, further including:

detecting a decrease in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user; and

when a decrease in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, decreasing a frequency of synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

3. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 2, wherein the frequency of synchronization of service data is decreased by an increasing amount for each decrease in frequency of use of service data below a threshold value and decreased by an decreasing amount for each decrease in frequency of use of service data above the threshold value.

4. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 1, wherein the frequency of synchronization of service data is increased by an increasing amount for each increase in frequency of use of service data below a threshold value and increased by a decreasing amount for each increase in frequency of use of service data above the threshold value.

5. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 1, further including:

when an increase in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, increasing a quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

6. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 5, wherein the quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data is increased by an increasing amount for each increase in frequency of use of service data below a threshold value and increased by a decreasing amount for each increase in frequency of use of service data above the threshold value.

7. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 5, further including:

detecting a decrease in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user; and

when a decrease in frequency of use of service data by a service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, decreasing a quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

8. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 7, wherein the quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data is decreased by an increasing amount for each decrease in frequency of use of service data below a threshold value and decreased by an decreasing amount for each decrease in frequency of use of service data above the threshold value.

9. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 1, wherein the data storage device associated with the user is an institutional database maintained by an institution associated with the user.

10. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 9, wherein the data storage device associated with the user is a corporate data store maintained by an employer of the user.

11. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 9, wherein the data store is a Microsoft Exchange®

database or a Lotus Notes®

database.

12. A method of synchronizing service data for a user, comprising:

detecting an increase in a quantity of service data used by a service provider on behalf of the user; and

when an increase in a quantity of service data used by a service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, increasing a quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

13. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 12, further including:

detecting a decrease in a quantity of service data used by a service provider on behalf of the user; and

when a decrease in a quantity of service data used by a service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, decreasing a quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

14. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 13, wherein the quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data is decreased by an increasing amount for each decrease in quantity of service data used by the service provider below a threshold value and decreased by an decreasing amount for each decrease in quantity of service data used by the service provider above the threshold value.

15. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 12, wherein the quantity of service data synchronized during synchronization of service data is increased by an increasing amount for each increase in quantity of service data used by the service provider below a threshold value and increased by a decreasing amount for each increase in quantity of service data used by the service provider above the threshold value.

16. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 12, further including:

when an increase in quantity of service data used by the service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, increasing a frequency of synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

17. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 16, wherein the frequency of synchronization of service data is increased by an increasing amount for each increase in quantity of service data used by the service provider below a threshold value and increased by a decreasing amount for each increase in quantity of service data used by the service provider above the threshold value.

18. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 16, further including:

detecting a decrease in quantity of service data used by the service provider on behalf of the user; and

when a decrease in quantity of service data used by the service provider on behalf of the user has been detected, decreasing a frequency of synchronization of service data between the service provider and a data storage device associated with the user.

19. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 18, wherein the frequency of synchronization of service data is decreased by an increasing amount for each decrease in quantity of service data used by the service provider below a threshold value and decreased by an decreasing amount for each decrease in quantity of service data used by the service provider above the threshold value.

20. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 12, wherein the data storage device associated with the user is an institutional data store maintained by an institution associated with the user.

21. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 20, wherein the data storage device associated with the user is a corporate data store maintained by an employer of the user.

22. The method of synchronizing service data for a user recited in claim 20, wherein the data store is a Microsoft Exchange®

data store, a Microsoft Outlook data store, a Lotus Domino data store or a Lotus Notes®

data store.