SYNCHRONIZATION IMPROVEMENTS

• US 20090307281A1
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: McCarthy, Brendan A., Guenther, Carsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,429,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

Synchronization architectures, methods, systems, and computer readable media are described. In one embodiment, a synchronization session is initiated between a first data processing system and a second data processing system. First data, representing changes to a first data class, is transmitted from the first data processing system to the second data processing system. Second data, representing changes to a second data class, is transmitted from the first data processing system to the second data processing system. Transmission of the second data begins before transmission of the first data is complete. The first data may comprise structured data such as contacts information, to do information, calendar information, or web browsing bookmarks.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method for processing data, the method comprising:

initiating, at a first data processing system, a synchronization session between the first data processing system and a second data processing system;

transmitting first data representing changes to a first data class from the first data processing system to the second data processing system; and

transmitting second data representing changes to a second data class from the first data processing system to the second data processing system, wherein transmitting the second data begins before transmitting the first data is complete.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first data comprises structured data in at least one of the following data classes:

(a) contacts information;

(b) to do information;

(c) calendar information; and

(d) web browsing bookmarks.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first data class and the second data class each operate a distinct state machine.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the synchronization session uses synchronization anchors exchanged between the first and the second data processing systems.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein the first data comprises data changed in the data class since a prior synchronization.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first data class and the second data class belong to a plurality of data classes and wherein the plurality of data classes is synchronized in a single transport roundtrip.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein data within each dataclass is independent of data in other data classes.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein the first data can specify no changes.

9. A machine implemented method for processing data, the method comprising:

receiving, by a second data processing system, an initiation of a synchronization session between a first data processing system and the second data processing system;

receiving, by the second data processing system, first data representing changes to a first data class on the first data processing system;

receiving, by the second data processing system, second data representing changes to a second data class on the first data processing system, wherein receiving the second data begins before receiving the first data is complete.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first data comprises structured data in at least one of the following data classes:

(a) contacts information;

(b) to do information;

(c) calendar information; and

(d) web browsing bookmarks.

11. A machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising:

initiating, at a first data processing system, a synchronization session between the first data processing system and a second data processing system;

transmitting first data representing changes to a first data class from the first data processing system to the second data processing system; and

transmitting second data representing changes to a second data class from the first data processing system to the second data processing system, wherein transmitting the second data begins before transmitting the first data is complete.

12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 11 wherein the first data comprises structured data in at least one of the following data classes:

(a) contacts information;

(b) to do information;

(c) calendar information; and

(d) web browsing bookmarks.

13. The machine-readable storage medium as in claim 11 wherein the first data class and the second data class each operate a distinct state machine.

14. The machine-readable storage medium as in claim 13 wherein the synchronization session uses synchronization anchors exchanged between the first and the second data processing systems.

15. The machine-readable storage medium as in claim 14 wherein the first data comprises data changed in the data class since a prior synchronization.

16. The machine-readable storage medium as in claim 11 wherein the first data class and the second data class belong to a plurality of data classes and wherein the plurality of data classes is synchronized in a single transport roundtrip.

17. The machine-readable storage medium as in claim 16 wherein data within each dataclass is independent of data in other data classes.

18. The machine-readable storage medium as in claim 17 wherein the first data can specify no changes.

19. A machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising:

receiving, by a second data processing system, an initiation of a synchronization session between a first data processing system and the second data processing system;

receiving, by the second data processing system, first data representing changes to a first data class on the first data processing system;

receiving, by the second data processing system, second data representing changes to a second data class on the first data processing system, wherein receiving the second data begins before receiving the first data is complete.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the first data comprises structured data in at least one of the following data classes:

(a) contacts information;

(b) to do information;

(c) calendar information; and

(d) web browsing bookmarks.

21. A first data processing system comprising:

means for initiating, at the first data processing system, a synchronization session between the first data processing system and a second data processing system;

means for transmitting first data representing changes to a first data class from the first data processing system to the second data processing system; and

means for transmitting second data representing changes to a second data class from the first data processing system to the second data processing system, wherein transmitting the second data begins before transmitting the first data is complete.

22. The first data processing system of claim 21 wherein the first data comprises structured data in at least one of the following data classes:

(a) contacts information;

(b) to do information;

(c) calendar information; and

(d) web browsing bookmarks.

23. The first data processing system as in claim 21 wherein the first data class and the second data class each operate a distinct state machine.

24. The first data processing system as in claim 23 wherein the synchronization session uses synchronization anchors exchanged between the first and the second data processing systems.

25. The first data processing system as in claim 24 wherein the first data comprises data changed in the data class since a prior synchronization.

26. The first data processing system as in claim 21 wherein the first data class and the second data class belong to a plurality of data classes and wherein the plurality of data classes is synchronized in a single transport roundtrip.

27. The first data processing system as in claim 26 wherein data within each dataclass is independent of data in other data classes.

28. The first data processing system as in claim 27 wherein the first data can specify no changes.

29. A second data processing system comprising:

means for receiving, by the second data processing system, an initiation of a synchronization session between a first data processing system and the second data processing system;

means for receiving, by the second data processing system, first data representing changes to a first data class on the first data processing system;

means for receiving, by the second data processing system, second data representing changes to a second data class on the first data processing system, wherein receiving the second data begins before receiving the first data is complete.

30. The second data processing system of claim 29 wherein the first data comprises structured data in at least one of the following data classes:

(a) contacts information;

(b) to do information;

(c) calendar information; and

(d) web browsing bookmarks.