SYNCHRONIZATION AND TRANSFER OF DIGITAL MEDIA ITEMS

• US 20090063660A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pisula, Charles, Wysocki, Christopher R., Gautier, Patrice, Kelly, Sean, Ward, Alan, Mirrashidi, Payam, Robbin, Jeffrey, Meldrum, Colin, Fleischman, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for synchronizing and transferring digital media items. One or more media items are received, from a network operating environment, at a first device. A first media database on the first device, including metadata associated with the media items, is synchronized with a second media database on a second device. The one or more media items are moved from the first device to the second device. The one or more media items are copied from the second device to the first device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a network operating environment, one or more media items at a first device;

synchronizing a first media database on the first device, including metadata associated with the media items, with a second media database on a second device;

moving the one or more media items from the first device to the second device; and

copying the one or more media items from the second device to the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the one or more media items from the first device to the second device comprises:

copying the one or more media items from the first device to the second device; and

deleting the one or more media items from the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received one or more media items comprise an incompletely downloaded media item, the method further comprising:

moving the incompletely downloaded media item from the first device to the second device, wherein a download of the incompletely downloaded media item is completed at the second device after the moving; and

copying the completely downloaded media item from the second device to the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received one or more media items on the first device comprise an incompletely downloaded media item, the method further comprising:

moving the incompletely downloaded media item from the first device to the second device;

copying the incompletely downloaded media item from the second device to the first device; and

completing a download of the incompletely downloaded media item at the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a mobile device and the second device is a computer to which the first device is docked.

6. A computer program product, encoded on a tangible program carrier, operable to cause a portable device to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a network operating environment, one or more media items at the portable device;

synchronizing a first media database on the portable device, including metadata associated with the one or more media items, with a second media database on a second device;

moving the one or more media items from the portable device to the second device; and

copying the one or more media items from the second device to the portable device.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein moving the one or more media items from the portable device to the second device comprises:

copying the one or more media items from the portable device to the second device; and

deleting the one or more media items from the portable device.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the received one or more media items comprise an incompletely downloaded media item, the computer program product further operable to cause the portable device to perform operations comprising:

moving the incompletely downloaded media item from the portable device to the second device, wherein a download of the incompletely downloaded media item is completed at the second device after the moving; and

copying the completely downloaded media item from the second device to the portable device.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the received one or more media items on the first device comprise an incompletely downloaded media item, the computer program product further operable to cause the portable device to perform operations comprising:

moving the incompletely downloaded media item from the portable device to the second device;

copying the incompletely downloaded media item from the second device to the portable device; and

completing a download of the incompletely downloaded media item at the portable device.

10. A portable device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a first media database; and

a computer-readable medium storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising instructions to;

receiving, from a network operating environment, one or more media items;

synchronizing the first media database, including metadata associated with the media items, with a second media database on a second device;

moving the one or more media items to the second device; and

copying the one or more media items from the second device.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising instructions to:

copy the one or more media items to the second device; and

delete the one or more media items from the portable device.

12. The device of claim 10, further comprising instructions to:

move an incompletely downloaded media item to the second device, wherein a download of the incompletely downloaded media item is completed at the second device; and

copy the completely downloaded media item from the second device.

13. The device of claim 10, further comprising instructions to:

move an incompletely downloaded media item to the second device;

copy the incompletely downloaded media item from the second device; and

complete a download of the incompletely downloaded media item.

14. A method comprising:

synchronizing a first media queue on a first device with a second media queue on a second device;

identifying one or more media items in the synchronized second media queue whose downloads are incomplete; and

initiating downloads of the identified media items to the second device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

after initiating the downloads, completing the downloads to the second device; and

prior to completion of the downloads, uncoupling the second device from a user system, and resuming the downloads during a subsequent coupling of the second device to the user system.