OPTIMIZING MOBILE DEVICE SYNCHRONIZATION WITH MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES

• US 20100318663A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Esteve Balducci, Juan V., Bolles, Gregory A., Seetharaman, Shivakumar, Atwood, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/22 Synchronisation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Embodiments are provided for synchronizing data retrieval with multiple data sources on a mobile computing device while maintaining a predetermined quality of service and optimizing resource usage. A connection is established between the mobile computing device and the multiple data sources for a first synchronization interval. A synchronization request is sent over the connection during the first interval. A response to the request including data is received from a data source during the first interval to synchronize the data. After the data is received, the connection to the data source is severed. The connection between the mobile computing device and the data source is then re-established for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the data source and a pending connection status associated with one or more additional data sources. Another synchronization request is then sent by the mobile computing device over the re-established connection.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing data retrieval with a plurality of data sources on a mobile computing device, comprising:

establishing, by the mobile computing device, a connection with each of the plurality of data sources for a first synchronization interval;

upon establishing the connection with each of the plurality of data sources, sending a synchronization request over the connection during the first synchronization interval;

receiving a response comprising data to the synchronization request from one of the plurality of data sources during the first synchronization interval to synchronize the data, wherein the connection to the one of the plurality of data sources is severed after the data is received;

re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of data sources and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources; and

sending another synchronization request over the re-established connection.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for a second synchronization interval based on an historical analysis of when data is received over the at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of data sources and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of sources for the second synchronization interval comprises re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for an amount of time remaining in a synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of data sources and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of sources for the second synchronization interval comprises:

waiting for an amount of time remaining in a synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources; and

re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for another synchronization interval which is equal to the first synchronization interval.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of data sources and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of sources for the second synchronization interval comprises:

re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of data sources for another synchronization interval which is equal to the first synchronization interval; and

aligning a pending connection with the at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources to the another synchronization interval.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

progressively decreasing subsequent synchronization intervals for receiving responses to synchronization requests in response to the receipt of a plurality of events at the one of the plurality of data sources during a synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources;

upon receipt of a predetermined number of the plurality of events at the one of the plurality of data sources during the synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of data sources, receiving responses to events received at the one of the plurality of data sources irrespective of a synchronization interval; and

resuming the first synchronization interval for receiving responses to the synchronization requests in response to a decrease in the number of the plurality of events at the one of the plurality of data sources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing, by the mobile computing device, a connection with each of the plurality of data sources for a first synchronization interval comprises establishing a connection between the mobile computing device and each of a plurality of server computers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing, by the mobile computing device, a connection with each of the plurality of data sources for a first synchronization interval comprises establishing a connection with each of the plurality of data sources for a predetermined synchronization interval established by the mobile computing device.

9. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a mobile computing device, will cause the mobile computing device to perform a method of synchronizing data retrieval with a plurality of server computers on a mobile computing device, comprising:

establishing, by the mobile computing device, a connection with each of the plurality of server computers for a first synchronization interval, wherein the first synchronization interval is a predetermined synchronization interval established by the mobile computing device;

upon establishing the connection with each of the plurality of server computers, sending a synchronization request over the connection during the first synchronization interval;

receiving a response comprising data to the synchronization request from one of the plurality of server computers during the first synchronization interval to synchronize the data, wherein the connection to the one of the plurality of server computers is severed after the data is received;

re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of server computers, a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers, and an historical analysis of when data is received over the at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers; and

sending another synchronization request over the re-established connection.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of server computers and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of sources for the second synchronization interval comprises re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for an amount of time remaining in a synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of server computers and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of sources for the second synchronization interval comprises:

waiting for an amount of time remaining in a synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers; and

re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for another synchronization interval which is equal to the first synchronization interval.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for a second synchronization interval based on quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of server computers and a pending connection status associated with at least one other data source in the plurality of sources for the second synchronization interval comprises:

re-establishing the connection with the one of the plurality of server computers for another synchronization interval which is equal to the first synchronization interval; and

aligning a pending connection with the at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers to the another synchronization interval.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising:

progressively decreasing subsequent synchronization intervals for receiving responses to synchronization requests in response to the receipt of a plurality of events at the one of the plurality of server computers during a synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers;

upon receipt of a predetermined number of the plurality of events at the one of the plurality of server computers during the synchronization interval associated with the at least one other data source in the plurality of server computers, receiving responses to events received at the one of the plurality of server computers irrespective of a synchronization interval; and

resuming the first synchronization interval for receiving responses to the synchronization requests in response to a decrease in the number of the plurality of events at the one of the plurality of server computers.

14. A mobile computing device for synchronizing data retrieval with a plurality of server computers, comprising:

a memory for storing executable program code; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative;

to detect a first event comprising a change in a current state of the mobile computing device from a first state to a second state, the change based on at least one of environmental and temporal variables; and

to modify a scheduled synchronization interval for retrieving data from the plurality of server computers, in response to detecting the first event.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the processor, in detecting the first event comprising a change in a current state of the mobile computing device, is operative to detect a change in motion for a predetermined duration.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the processor, in detecting the first event comprising a change in a current state of the mobile computing device, is operative to detect a change in a quantity of ambient light detected by the mobile computing device for a predetermined duration.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the processor, in detecting a first event comprising a change in a current state of the mobile computing device, is operative to detect a predetermined time of day as measured by the mobile computing device.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the processor, in modifying a scheduled synchronization interval for retrieving data from the plurality of server computers, in response to detecting the first event, is operative to suspend the scheduled synchronization interval.

19. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the processor, in modifying a scheduled synchronization interval for retrieving data from the plurality of server computers, in response to detecting the first event, is operative:

to progressively increase a duration of the scheduled synchronization interval; and

to suspend the scheduled synchronization when a second event comprising a change in the current state of the mobile computing device is not detected within a predetermined period.

20. The mobile computing device of claim 18, wherein the processor is further operative to resume the scheduled synchronization interval upon determining a second event comprising a change in the current state of the mobile computing device from the second state to the first state.