Methods and Systems for Synchronization of Multiple Applications

• US 20090234955A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hanley, Mark Gregory, Shivaji-Rao, Vishnu-Kumar
• Application Number:
  US12/047,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20090234955A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to systems and methods for synchronizing multiple applications.

Claims

1. A method for application synchronization, said method comprising:

a) sending a session request to a server system from a master application, wherein said session request comprises a master-application identifier and a participant count;

b) receiving, at said master application from said server system, a plurality of synchronized links to a session, wherein said plurality of synchronized links is equal in number to said participant count; and

c) from said master application, distributing, to a first participating application, a first link from said plurality of synchronized links.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining said participant count.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of synchronized links comprises a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said master-application identifier is based on a Medium Access Control (MAC) address.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said server system comprises a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) application server.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said master application resides on a television.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising sending a master-application request to said server system from said master application using a second link from said plurality of links, wherein:

a) said second link from said plurality of synchronized links is designated for said master application; and

b) said master-application request invokes a first server application, wherein said first server application comprises waiting for a first instruction from said first participating application.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising sending said first instruction from said first participating application to said server system.

9. A method for application synchronization, said method comprising:

a) receiving, at a server system, a session request from a master application, wherein said session request comprises a master-application identifier and a participant count;

b) determining, at said server system, if said master-application identifier is valid; and

c) when said master-application identifier is determined to be valid;

i) creating, at said server system, a plurality of synchronized links to a session, wherein said plurality of synchronized links is equal in number to said participant count; and

ii) sending said plurality of synchronized links from said server system to said master application.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said server system comprises a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) application server.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of synchronized links comprises a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein said master-application identifier is based on a Medium Access Control (MAC) address.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein said master application resides on a television.

14. A method according to claim 9 further comprising receiving an instruction request at a first link from said plurality of synchronized links from a first participating application, wherein said first participating application is distinct from said master application.

15. A system for application synchronization, said system comprising:

a) a session-request transmitter for sending a session request to a server system, wherein said session request comprises a master-application identifier and a participant count;

b) a link receiver for receiving, from said server system, a plurality of synchronized links to a session, wherein said plurality of synchronized links is equal in number to said participant count; and

c) a link distributor for distributing a first link from said plurality of synchronized links to a first participating application.

16. A system according to claim 15 further comprising a participation-count determiner for determining, said participant count.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of synchronized links comprises a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs).

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein said master-application identifier is based on a Medium Access Control (MAC) address.

19. A system according to claim 15, wherein said server system comprises a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) application server.

20. A system according to claim 15 further comprising a television.