METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SYNCHRONISING BOOKMARKS

• US 20080098039A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Gilhuly, Barry, Kruis, Dave, Gopalan, Balaji
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

Systems and methods for synchronising bookmarks between communications devices are provided. Bookmarks refer to user-defined and nicknamed URLs as local parameters in Browser software, also sometimes known as “Favourites”. Real-time synchronisation of bookmarks is accomplished through an application of “push technology”. Upon identifying a change in the set of bookmarks of a communications device, the communications device transmits an indication of the change to the network. The network uses push technology to push the indication to the other communications device. Once the indication is received by the other communications device, the other communications device updates its set of bookmarks according to the indication thereby achieving synchronisation. Synchronisation may be performed between two or more devices.

Claims

1. A method in a communications device comprising:

maintaining a set of bookmarks on an ongoing basis;

receiving using push technology an indication from a network to update the set of bookmarks so as to synchronise at least a portion of the set of bookmarks with another set of bookmarks stored elsewhere; and

updating the set of bookmarks according to the indication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein updating the set of bookmarks according to the indication comprises at least one of:

adding at least one new bookmark according to the indication;

editing at least one existing bookmark according to the indication;

deleting at least one existing bookmark according to the indication; and

updating a tree structure of the set of bookmarks according to the indication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the set of bookmarks comprises:

maintaining the set of bookmarks according to a tree structure, the tree structure providing organisation of the set of bookmarks.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending an indication of at least a subset of the set of bookmarks to the network.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving user input;

wherein sending the indication to the network is in response to the user input.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a change in the set of bookmarks of the communications device other than changes caused by updating the set of bookmarks according to the indication; and

sending an indication of the change to the network.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying the change in the set of bookmarks comprises at least one of:

identifying that at least one bookmark has been added;

identifying that at least one existing bookmark has been edited;

identifying that at least one existing bookmark has been deleted; and

identifying that a tree structure of the set of bookmarks has been changed.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the change in the set of bookmarks is identified automatically without user input.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein identifying the change in the set of bookmarks comprises:

accepting user input for identifying the change.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a plurality of user profiles;

wherein the set of bookmarks are in respect of one of the plurality of user profiles.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving using push technology the indication from the network comprises:

receiving using push technology the indication using a wireless access radio.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving using push technology the indication from the network comprises:

receiving using push technology change information, the change information being indicative of at least one change to be applied to the set of bookmarks.

13. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a communications device so as to implement the method of claim 1.

14. A communications device comprising:

a set of bookmarks; and

a bookmark synchronisation function adapted to;

a) maintain the set of bookmarks on an ongoing basis;

b) receive using push technology an indication from a network to update the set of bookmarks so as to synchronise at least a portion of the set of bookmarks with another set of bookmarks stored elsewhere; and

c) update the set of bookmarks according to the indication.

15. A method in a redirector comprising:

receiving a first indication from a first communications device of a plurality of communications devices, the first indication concerning bookmarks of the first communications device;

determining at least one other communications device of the plurality of communications devices that is to be synchronised with the first communications device;

generating a second indication indicating differences between bookmarks of the first communications device and bookmarks of the at least one other communications device, the second indication being generated based on at least the first indication; and

pushing the second indication to the at least one other communications device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

maintaining permissions for updating bookmarks;

wherein determining the at least one other communications device of the plurality of communications devices that is to be synchronised with the first communications device comprises determining which communications devices of the plurality of communications devices to which the first communications device has permission for updating bookmarks.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the first indication indicates a change of the bookmarks of the first communications device; and

the second indication indicates the change of the bookmarks of the first communications device.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

maintaining a respective set of bookmarks for each of the plurality of communications devices;

updating the respective set of bookmarks of the first communications device according to the first indication; and

generating the second indication based on differences between the respective set of bookmarks of the first communications device and the respective set of bookmarks of the at least one communications device.

19. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a redirector so as to implement the method of claim 15.

20. A redirector adapted to:

receive a first indication from a first communications device of a plurality of communications devices, the first indication concerning bookmarks of the first communications device;

determine at least one other communications device of the plurality of communications devices that is to be synchronised with the first communications device;

generate a second indication indicating differences between bookmarks of the first communications device and bookmarks of the at least one other communications device, the second indication being generated based on at least the first indication; and

push the second indication to the at least one other communications device.