METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DATASET SYNCHRONIZATION IN A WIRELESS ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090077263A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: HOHLFELD, Matthew, KOGANTI, Sudheer B., KELLEY, Brian H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,143,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer program products are provided for wirelessly synchronizing datasets that are stored on a wireless device and at a network device, such as a network server or database. Present aspects provide for a simplified and efficient synchronization process, whereby synchronization can be completed in a single round-trip of wireless communication between the wireless device and the network device. Single round-trip synchronization provides for less use of network resources, shorter overall synchronization cycle times and lessens the likelihood of wireless network failures, such as call drops or the like, causing the synchronization process to fail. Additionally, simplification and efficiency are further realized by creating a synchronization process that allows the network dataset to be independent of the wireless device datasets, i.e., the network server does not require a full change history nor is the network server required to know the wireless device dataset version.

Claims

1. A method for synchronization of a dataset on a wireless device, the method comprising:

generating a synchronization request message for a dataset that includes a current wireless device dataset version number;

communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization request message to a network device;

receiving, wirelessly, in response to the communication of the synchronization request message, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a network device dataset version number; and

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between the wireless device and the network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a synchronization request message further comprises:

verifying status of a change indicator for each data item in the wireless device dataset;

compiling a wireless device change list that includes one or more changed data items based on the change indicator for one or more of the data items indicating a change; and

including the wireless device change list in the synchronization request message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the current wireless device version number to the network device dataset version number if the network device dataset version number in the confirmation message differs from the current wireless device version number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, wirelessly, a synchronization confirmation message further comprises receiving a network device change list that includes one or more changed data items in the network device dataset.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising changing the wireless device dataset according to the network device change list.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are communicated via a lightweight, array-supporting, data-interchange carrier protocol.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are communicated via JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, wirelessly, a synchronization confirmation message further comprises a synchronization status indicator chosen from the group consisting of a synchronization success indicator and a synchronization failure indicator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving, wirelessly, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a synchronization failure indicator further comprises initiating full synchronization between the wireless device and the network device based on the synchronization failure indicator.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating the current wireless device dataset to the network device;

receiving the network device dataset and changing the current wireless device dataset to the network device dataset.

11. At least one processor configured for synchronization of a dataset, comprising:

a first module for generating a synchronization request message for a dataset that includes a current wireless device dataset version number;

a second module for communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization request message to a network device; and

a third module for receiving, wirelessly, in response to the communication of the synchronization request message, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a network device dataset version number,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between the wireless device and the network device.

12. A computer program product for synchronization of a dataset, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to generate a synchronization request message for a dataset that includes a current wireless device dataset version number;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to communicate, wirelessly, the synchronization request message to a network device;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to receive wirelessly, in response to the communication of the synchronization request message, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a network device dataset version number,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between the wireless device and the network device.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

means for generating a synchronization request message for a dataset that includes a current wireless device dataset version number;

means for communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization request message to a network device; and

means for receiving, wirelessly, in response to the communication of the synchronization request message, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a network device dataset version number,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between the wireless device and the network device.

14. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a computer platform including a memory and at least one processor;

a dataset stored in the memory and including a plurality of data items; and

a synchronization module stored in the memory, executable by the at least one processor and operable to generate a synchronization request message for the dataset that includes a current wireless device dataset version number, communicate the synchronization request message to a network device and receive in response to the communication of the synchronization request message, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a network device dataset version number,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between the wireless device and the network device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to verify a status of a change indicator for each data item in the wireless device dataset, compile a wireless device change list that includes one or more changed data items based on the status change indicator and including the wireless device change list in the synchronization request message.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to change the current wireless device version number to the network device dataset version number if the network device dataset version number in the confirmation message differs from the current wireless device version number.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to receive, wirelessly, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a network device change list that includes one or more changed data items in the network device dataset.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to change the wireless device dataset according to the network device change list.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are communicated via a lightweight, array-supporting, data-interchange carrier protocol.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are communicated via JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) protocol.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the synchronization confirmation message further comprises a synchronization status indicator chosen from the group of indicators consisting of a synchronization success indicator and a synchronization failure indicator.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the synchronization module operable to receive, wirelessly, a synchronization confirmation message that includes a synchronization status indicator is further operable to initiate full synchronization between the wireless device and the network device based on the synchronization failure indicator.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to communicate the current wireless device dataset to the network device;

receive the network device dataset in response to communicating the current wireless device dataset and change the current wireless device dataset to the network device dataset.

24. A method for synchronization of a dataset on a network device, the method comprising:

receiving, wirelessly, at a network device, a synchronization request message that includes a wireless device dataset version number;

comparing the wireless device dataset version number to a current network device dataset version number;

compiling a network device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items if the comparison indicates that the wireless device dataset version number differs from the network device dataset version number;

generating a synchronization confirmation message that includes the current network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list; and

communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization confirmation message,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between a wireless device and the network device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein receiving a synchronization request message further comprises receiving a wireless device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising changing, in the network device dataset the changed data items included in the wireless device dataset change list.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein changing, in the network device dataset the changed data items further comprises providing a deletion indicator for data items that have been deleted on the wireless device dataset without deleting the data item from the network device dataset.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising updating a data item version number based upon the change in the data item, and updating the network device dataset version number to reflect the version number of a highest sequenced changed data item.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein generating a synchronization confirmation message further comprises generating a synchronization confirmation message that includes the updated network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are communicated via a lightweight, array-supporting, data-interchange carrier protocol.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are communicated via JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) protocol.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the network device is unaware of the wireless device dataset version number prior to receiving the synchronization request message.

33. At least one processor configured for synchronization of a dataset, comprising:

a first module for receiving, wirelessly, at a network device, a synchronization request message that includes a wireless device dataset version number;

a second module for comparing the wireless device dataset version number to a current network device dataset version number;

a third module for compiling a network device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items if the comparison indicates that the wireless device dataset version number differs from the network device dataset version number;

a fourth module for generating a synchronization confirmation message that includes the current network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list; and

a fifth module for communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization confirmation message,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between a wireless device and the network device.

34. A computer program product for synchronization of a dataset, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to receive, wirelessly, at a network device, a synchronization request message that includes a wireless device dataset version number;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to compare the wireless device dataset version number to a current network device dataset version number;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to compile a network device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items if the comparison indicates that the wireless device dataset version number differs from the network device dataset version number;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to generate a synchronization confirmation message that includes the current network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to communicate, wirelessly, the synchronization confirmation message,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between a wireless device and the network device.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving, wirelessly, at a network device, a synchronization request message that includes a wireless device dataset version number;

means for comparing the wireless device dataset version number to a current network device dataset version number;

means for compiling a network device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items if the comparison indicates that the wireless device dataset version number differs from the network device dataset version number;

means for generating a synchronization confirmation message that includes the current network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list; and

means for communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization confirmation message,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between a wireless device and the network device.

36. A network device, comprising

a computer platform including a memory and at least one processor;

a dataset stored in the memory and including a plurality of data items;

a synchronization module stored in the memory, executable by the at least one processor and operable to receive a synchronization request message that includes a wireless device dataset version number, compare the wireless device dataset version number to a current network device dataset version number, compile a network device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items if the comparison indicates that the wireless device dataset version number differs from the network device dataset version number, generate a synchronization confirmation message that includes the current network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list and communicating, wirelessly, the synchronization confirmation message,

wherein the synchronization request message and the synchronization confirmation message are operable to provide synchronization based on a single round-trip of communication between a wireless device and the network device.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to receive a synchronization request message that includes a wireless device dataset change list that includes one or more changed data items.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to change, in the network device dataset, the changed data items included in the wireless device dataset change list.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein synchronization module is further operable to provide a deletion indicator for data items that have been deleted on the wireless device dataset without deleting the data item from the network device dataset.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to update a data item version number based upon the change in the data item and update the network device dataset version number to reflect the version number of a highest sequenced changed data item.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the synchronization module is further operable to generate a synchronization confirmation message that includes the updated network device dataset version number and any compiled network device dataset change list.

42. The device of claim 36, wherein the network device is unaware of the wireless device dataset version number prior to receiving the synchronization request message.