SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GLOBALLY AND SECURELY ACCESSING UNIFIED INFORMATION IN A COMPUTER NETWORK

• US 20100005195A1
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Good Technology Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Bui, Hong Q., Quinlan, Sean Michael, Zuleeg, Christopher R., Wagle, Prasad, Mendez, Daniel J., Cowan, David J., Ng, Mason, Ying, Christine C., Bailes, R. Stanley, Aptekar-Strober, Joanna A., Riggins, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A client stores a first set of workspace data, and is coupled via a computer network to a global server. The client may be configured to synchronize portions of the first set of workspace data with the global server, which stores independently modifiable copies of the portions. The global server may also store workspace data which is not downloaded from the client, and thus stores a second set of workspace data. The global server may be configured to identify and authenticate a user seeking global server access from a remote terminal, and is configured to provide access to the first set or to the second set. Further, services may be stored anywhere in the computer network. The global server may be configured to provide the user with access to the services. The system may further include a synchronization-start module at the client site (which may be protected by a firewall) that initiates interconnection and synchronization with the global server when predetermined criteria have been satisfied.

Claims

1-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A method for synchronizing workspace data, comprising:

storing first workspace data on a first device;

storing second workspace data on a smart phone;

determining differences between the first workspace data and the second workspace data;

storing the differences at a global server;

sending the differences from the global server to the smart phone, and

receiving interface preferences of a predetermined user from the global server and configuring the smart phone according to said interface preferences.

29-43. -43. (canceled)

44. A method for synchronizing workspace data, comprising:

storing first workspace data on a first device;

storing second workspace data on a second device;

determining differences between the first workspace data and the second workspace data;

storing the differences at a global server; and

sending the differences from the global server to the second device,

accessing a service provided by a service server,

the accessing including,

sending, from the second device, a user request to the global server; and

receiving, at the service server, a service request from the global server, the service request corresponding to the user request sent from the second device to the global server,

wherein the first device is located within a Local Area Network (LAN) protected by a LAN firewall, the second device is outside the protection of the LAN firewall, the global server is outside the protection of the LAN firewall, the service server is located within the LAN; and

the determining is initiated in response to at least one change to the first workspace data.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the global server acts as a proxy for said second device in relation to said user request.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the service includes a workspace data retrieval service.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the service includes an email service.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein accessing further comprises:

receiving at the second device, from the global server, a response sent by the service server.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the second device is a smart phone.

50-62. -62. (canceled)

63. A system for synchronizing workspace data, comprising:

means for storing first workspace data on a first device;

means for storing second workspace data on a second device;

means for determining differences between the first workspace data and the second workspace data, the means for determining being initiated in response to a predetermined number of changes to the first workspace data;

means for storing the differences at a global server;

means for sending the differences from the global server to the second device,

wherein the second device receives interface preferences of a predetermined user from the global server and configures the second device according to the interface preferences.

64-71. -71. (canceled)

72. A system for synchronizing workspace data, comprising:

means for storing first workspace data on a first device;

means for storing second workspace data on a second device;

means for determining differences between the first workspace data and the second workspace data, the means for determining being initiated in response to a predetermined number of changes to the first workspace data;

means for storing the differences at a global server;

means for sending the differences from the global server to the second device; and

means for accessing a service provided by a service server, including

means for receiving, at the service server, a service request from the global server, the service request corresponding to a user request sent from the second device to the global server,

wherein the first device is located within a Local Area Network (LAN) protected by a LAN firewall, the second device is outside the protection of the LAN firewall, the global server is outside the protection of the LAN firewall, the service server is located within the LAN.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the global server acts as a proxy for said second device in relation to said user request.

74. The system of claim 72, wherein the service provided by the service server includes a workspace data retrieval service.

75. The system of claim 72, wherein the service provided by the service server includes an email service.

76. The system of claim 72, wherein the second device receives, from the global server, responses sent by the service server.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the second device is a smart phone.