Wide Area Peer-to-Peer Synching in a Decentralized Environment

• US 20080165807A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Freedman, Gordie, Paterson, Toby, Nilo, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/503
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for synchronizing data between devices and more particularly for synchronizing data between a plurality of peer-to-peer devices in a decentralized environment where no one device stores the most “recent” or “true” version of the data. Embodiments of the invention relate concepts of discovering synchronizing peers, communication between peers using special techniques, and using a way station concept as an aid for both discovery and synchronization between peers that are not simultaneously available.

Claims

1. A first peer system for synchronizing data elements in a group of synchronizing peer systems, said first peer system comprising:

a. a sync server software module for managing synchronization directly with a second peer system and directly with a third peer system;

b. a memory for storing change-sets received from each of said second peer system and said third peer system;

c. a microprocessor resource for running said sync server software module while said sync server software module interacts with at least one of said change-sets from each of said second peer system and said third peer system;

d. one or more local sync clients, each such local sync client presenting a user interface related to said data elements;

e. a software module representing said second peer system, and an i/o system for connecting with said second peer system and receiving at least one of said change-sets from said second peer system;

AND

f. a software module representing said third peer system, and an i/o system for receiving at least one of said change-sets from said third peer system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said software modules representing said second and third peer systems comprise data structures.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said i/o system communicates with a LAN and the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said i/o system communicates with a LAN, A WAN and the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said i/o system communicates with wireless and wired networks.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first peer system comprises software that permits for NAT traversal in communicating with said second peer system and said third peer system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein communicating with said second peer system and said third peer system comprises receiving said change-sets from each of said second peer system and said first peer system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said sync server software module comprises instructions for discovering a new peer system by synchronizing with said second peer system.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said first peer system comprises GUI software for presenting a user interface regarding the discovery of a new peer system.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said first peer system comprises a software module for using Bonjour to discover a new peer system.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said first peer system comprises a software module for using Gnutella-type techniques for discovering a new peer system.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said first peer system comprises a software module for communicating with a way station software module, said way station software module providing information regarding a new system peer.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said way station software module runs on a different microprocessor resource than said sync server software module.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said way station software module is associated with a directory data structure, said directory data structure comprising information regarding said sync system peers.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said directory data structure comprises information regarding users of peer systems.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said directory data structure comprises information regarding software or hardware platforms of said peer systems.

42. The system of claim 1 wherein said user interface presented by said local sync client accepts input from a touch sensing system.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein said user interface presented by said local sync client accepts fusion input, said fusion input comprising input from a touch sensing system combined with at least one other type of input.

45. The system of claim 9 wherein said user interface regarding the discovery of a new peer system accepts input from a touch sensing system.

47. The system of claim 45 wherein said user interface regarding the discovery of a new peer system accepts fusion input, said fusion input comprising input from a touch sensing system combined with at least one other type of input.

17. A method of synchronizing a first peer with a second peer and a third peer, the method comprising the steps of:

a. appointing said first peer as an instigator;

b. said first peer making an indication to said second and third peers;

c. in response to said indications, said second and third peers performing local synchronizations and generating respectively second change set and third change set;

d. transmitting said second change set from said second peer to said first peer;

e. transmitting said third change set from said third peer to said first peer;

f. said first peer receiving said second and third change-sets and using said second and third change-sets to perform a first peer local synchronization;

g. in response to said first peer local synchronization, said first peer producing a fourth change set for said second peer and a fifth change set for said third peer; and

h. said second peer and said third peer each performing a second local synchronization respectively using said fourth change set and said fifth change set.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first peer discovers a new peer through synchronization with said second peer.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said first peer discovers a new peer through interaction with a way station module.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said first peer presents a user interface to a user regarding the discovery of a new peer.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said first peer uses Bonjour techniques to discover a new peer.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein said first peer uses Gnutella-type techniques for discovering a new peer.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein said first peer communicates with a way station software module to obtain information regarding a new peer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said way station software module runs on a hardware platform different from said first peer.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said way station software module is associated with a directory data structure, said directory data structure comprising information regarding said sync system peers.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said directory data structure comprises information regarding users of peer systems.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said directory data structure comprises information regarding software or hardware platforms of said peer systems.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein said second peer and said third peer do not propagate change-sets based upon said performing a second local synchronization respectively using said fourth change set and said fifth change set.

29. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of transmitting said second change is preceded by the additional step of storing said second change said.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of appointing said first peer as an instigator comprises the substeps of:

a. said first peer and said second peer both essentially simultaneously attempting to instigate a synchronization session;

b. said first peer learning about the activity of said second peer;

c. said first peer ceasing its instigating activity; and

d. said first peer, after ceasing its instigating activity, waiting a time period and after said time period, instigating a sync session.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said time period is derived from a randomly determined data.

32. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of receiving said second and third change-sets comprises the step of using NAT traversal techniques.

33. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of receiving said second and third change-sets comprises the additional step of sending receipt acknowledgement indications respectively to said second peer and said third peer.

34. The method of claim 17 wherein:

a. the step of transmitting said second change is preceded by the additional step of storing said second change set;

b. said step of receiving said second change set comprises the additional step of sending receipt acknowledgement indications to said second peer; and

c. said second peer receiving said acknowledgement indication and in response thereto deleting said second change set.

41. A media encoded to cause a computing apparatus to perform the steps of claim 17.

48. The system of claim 20 wherein said user interface regarding the discovery of a new peer system accepts input from a touch sensing system.

50. The system of claim 48 wherein said user interface regarding the discovery of a new peer system accepts fusion input, said fusion input comprising input from a touch sensing system combined with at least one other type of input.

35. A method of synchronizing a first peer with a second peer and a third peer, wherein said second peer and said first peer communicate only by leaving messages with a way station peer, the method comprising the steps of:

a. appointing said first peer as an instigator;

b. said first peer making an indication to said third peer;

c. said first peer leaving an indication message for said second peer on said way station module;

d. in response said indication, said third peer performing local synchronization and generating a third change set;

e. transmitting said third change set from said third peer to said first peer;

f. said first peer receiving said third change set and using said third change-sets to perform a first peer local synchronization;

g. after said first peer local synchronization, said second peer receiving said indication message;

h. in response to said indication message, said second peer performing a local sync and generating a second change set; and

i. said first peer performing a local synchronization using said second change set.

36. The method of claim 35 comprising the additional step of said second peer leaving a second change set message on said way station peer.

37. The method of claim 36 comprising the additional step of said first peer receiving said second change set message and then communicating directly with said second peer to acquire said second change set.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein said second change set message comprises said second change set.

39. A method of synchronizing a first peer with a second peer and a third peer, wherein said second peer and said first peer communicate by leaving messages with a way station peer, the method comprising the steps of:

a. appointing said first peer as an instigator;

b. said first peer making an indication to said third peer;

c. said first peer leaving an indication message for said second peer on said way station module;

d. in response said indication, said third peer performing local synchronization and generating a third change set;

e. transmitting said third change set from said third peer to said first peer;

f. said first peer receiving said third change set and using said third change-sets to perform a first peer local synchronization;

g. after said first peer local synchronization, said second peer receiving said indication message;

h. in response to said indication message, said second peer performing a local sync and generating a second change set;

i. said second peer leaving a second change set message on said way station peer;

j. appointing said first peer as an instigator a second time;

k. said first peer sending an indication to said second peer; and

l. determining that a prior synchronization attempt was made by using said way station module.

40. The method of claim 39 comprising the additional step synchronizing using data from said second change set but without the involvement of said way station module.

43. The system of 42 wherein said accepted input comprises at least one gesture involving multiple simultaneous points of contact with the touch sensing system.

46. The system of 45 wherein said accepted input comprises at least one gesture involving multiple simultaneous points of contact with the touch sensing system.

49. The system of 48 wherein said accepted input comprises at least one gesture involving multiple simultaneous points of contact with the touch sensing system.