SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING DATABASES ASSOCIATED WITH RESPECTIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION MANAGER SERVICE ACCOUNTS

• US 20080195627A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: May, Darrell R., Bredin, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A method of managing databases at an electronic device, associated with respective ones of a first PIM service account and a second PIM service account. The method includes: receiving representative data of records at a server associated with the second PIM service account and obtaining data representative of records already present at the electronic device; comparing the data representative of the records at the server with the data representative of records already present at the electronic device; and determining with which of two of the databases ones of the records, at the server, for which representative data is received are associated, based on whether each of the records, at the server, for which representative data is received is already present in one of the two of the databases

Claims

1. A method of managing databases at an electronic device, associated with respective ones of a first PIM service account and a second PIM service account, the method comprising:

receiving data representative of records at a server associated with said second PIM service account and obtaining data representative of records already present at said electronic device;

comparing said data representative of said records at said server with said data representative of records already present at said electronic device; and

determining with which of two of said databases ones of said records, at said server, for which representative data is received are associated, based on whether each of said records, at said server, for which representative data is received is already present in one of said two of said databases.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving representative data comprises receiving unique identifiers representative of respective ones of said records.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving representative data comprises receiving hash values representative of respective ones of said records and said method comprises creating hash values representative of said records already present at said electronic device, prior to said comparing.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising storing in ones of said databases ones of said records for which representative data is received, based on said determining.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

if it is determined that all said records for which representative data is received are already present in said one of said databases, said storing comprises storing in an other one of said databases said records for which representative data is received and deleting from said one of said databases ones of said records for which representative data is received;

otherwise, said storing comprises receiving ones of said records for which representative data is received that are not on said device and storing in said other one of said databases.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein

if it is determined that all said records for which representative data is received are already present in one of said databases, said method comprises sending a delete command to a server associated with said first PIM service for deletion of each of said records for which representative data is received that is present at said server associated with said first PIM service;

otherwise, sending a delete command to said server associated with said second PIM service for deletion of each of said records for which representative data is received that is present at said server associated with said second PIM service.

7. The method according to claim 5, comprising:

sending an indication of said records already present at said electronic device to said server to avoid transmission of said records already present at said electronic device, to said electronic device.

8. The method according to claim 1, first comprising enabling synchronization of said second PIM service account at said electronic device, prior to said receiving data representative of said records from said server.

9. The method according to claim 8, comprising:

receiving a request for synchronization from said server associated with said second PIM service account; and

sending a migration notification from said electronic device to said server after said receiving said request for synchronization and prior to said receiving data representative of said records from said server.

10. The method according to claim 8, comprising enabling synchronization of said first PIM service account at said electronic device prior to said enabling synchronization of said second PIM service account.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising synchronizing said first PIM service account with said electronic device after said enabling and prior to said enabling synchronization of said second PIM service account.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a memory for storage of a plurality of PIM record databases associated with first and second PIM service accounts;

a display device;

a user input device;

a communications device and antenna for receiving and sending data; and

a processor connected to the memory, the display device, the user input device, and the communications device, for executing a program stored in the memory for receiving data representative of records from a server associated with said second PIM service account, comparing said data representative of said records from said server with data representative of records already present at said electronic device, determining with which of two of said databases ones of said records, at said server, for which representative data is received are associated, based on whether each of said records, at said server, for which representative data is received is already present in one of said two of said databases, and storing ones of said records for which representative data is received in said databases based on said determining.

13. A computer program product for managing databases at an electronic device, associated with respective ones of a first PIM service account and a second PIM service account, said computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for:

receiving representative data of records at a server associated with said second PIM service account and obtaining data representative of records already present at said electronic device;

comparing said data representative of said records at said server with said data representative of records already present at said electronic device; and

determining with which of two of said databases ones of said records, at said server, for which representative data is received are associated, based on whether each of said records, at said server, for which representative data is received is already present in one of said two of said databases.