System and Method for Managing Items in a List Shared by a Group of Mobile Devices

• US 20110010340A1
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Hung, Michael, Little, Herbert A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/623
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A method and system are provided for sharing data amongst a group of a plurality of mobile devices without requiring a database or server to centrally store the shared data. The shared data is instead stored by each group member individually while controlling the manner in which the shared data is updated. The shared data can be used to manage tasks in a group project. To manage updates, the shared data is atomized such that individual databases in the shared data are separated or otherwise delineated into one or more records, each record having associated therewith, a value. To maintain a common copy of the shared data at each device, any update is sent to all group members using an intermediate message exchange service that is capable of transmitting a sent message to more than one recipient if necessary. In this way, the updates are multicast to the group. To manage the content of the shared data, each update comprises one or more changes to a current copy of a corresponding record.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

enabling a back up file to be generated for a contact list on the mobile device, the contact list comprising at least one group;

enabling the contact list to be restored using the back up file; and

sending or receiving an invitation to re-join a particular group.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is designated as an administrator for the particular group, and the sending or receiving comprises sending a respective invitation to each of at least one other member in the particular group to re-establish the group.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device receives the invitation from either a server or another member in the particular group.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the back up file on the mobile device, wherein using the back up file comprises obtaining the back file from a memory on the mobile device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein enabling the back up file to be generated comprises enabling the back up file to be stored on a server connectable to the mobile device over a wireless network, and further comprising receiving the back up file from the server.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising registering an email address associated with the mobile device with the server, wherein the receiving the back up file comprises receiving data via a email sent to the email address.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a new back up file or updating an existing back up file upon detecting a change in the contact list.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing an option to manually update the back up file.

10. The mobile device according to claim 8, wherein the mobile device is designated as an administrator for the particular group, and the sending or receiving comprises sending a respective invitation to each of at least one other member in the particular group to re-establish the group.

11. The mobile device according to claim 8, wherein the mobile device receives the invitation from either a server or another member in the particular group.

12. The mobile device according to claim 8, further comprising instructions for storing the back up file on the mobile device, wherein using the back up file comprises obtaining the back file from a memory on the mobile device.

13. The mobile device according to claim 8, wherein enabling the back up file to be generated comprises enabling the back up file to be stored on a server connectable to the mobile device over a wireless network, and further comprising instructions for receiving the back up file from the server.

14. The mobile device according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for registering an email address associated with the mobile device with the server, wherein the receiving the back up file comprises receiving data via a email sent to the email address.

15. The mobile device according to claim 8, further comprising instructions for generating a new back up file or updating an existing back up file upon detecting a change in the contact list.

16. The mobile device according to claim 8, further comprising instructions for providing an option to manually update the back up file.

9. A mobile device comprising a processor, and a computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions operating the mobile device, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

enabling a back up file to be generated for a contact list on the mobile device, the contact list comprising at least one group;

enabling the contact list to be restored using the back up file; and

sending or receiving an invitation to re-join a particular group.

17. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for operating a mobile device, the computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for:

enabling a back up file to be generated for a contact list on the mobile device, the contact list comprising at least one group;

enabling the contact list to be restored using the back up file; and

sending or receiving an invitation to re-join a particular group.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the mobile device is designated as an administrator for the particular group, and the sending or receiving comprises sending a respective invitation to each of at least one other member in the particular group to re-establish the group.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the mobile device receives the invitation from either a server or another member in the particular group.

20. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for storing the back up file on the mobile device, wherein using the back up file comprises obtaining the back file from a memory on the mobile device.

21. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein enabling the back up file to be generated comprises enabling the back up file to be stored on a server connectable to the mobile device over a wireless network, and further comprising instructions for receiving the back up file from the server.

22. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 21, further comprising instructions for registering an email address associated with the mobile device with the server, wherein the receiving the back up file comprises receiving data via a email sent to the email address.

23. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for generating a new back up file or updating an existing back up file upon detecting a change in the contact list.

24. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, further comprising instructions for providing an option to manually update the back up file.

25. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

capturing an image of a barcode on the mobile device;

reading the barcode to obtain an identifier associated with a group; and

if the reading is successful, associating the mobile device with the group.

26. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

storing a barcode on the mobile device; and

displaying the barcode using a display on the mobile device such that the entire barcode is visible on the display;

wherein the barcode comprises an identifier associated with a group, and the displaying enables another mobile device to scan the barcode to join the group.

27. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining if members of a group to which the mobile device belongs are in a contact list associated with another messaging medium; and

if a member of the group is not in the contact list, enabling an invitation to be sent to the member to be added as a contact for the another messaging medium.

28. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

storing one or more personal calendar appointments on the mobile device;

storing one or more group calendar appointments on the mobile device, the group calendar appointments being shared by a plurality of members of the group; and

displaying the personal calendar appointments and the group calendar appointments in a common graphical user interface.

29. A method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising:

enabling a group to be created;

assigning the mobile device as an administrator for the group; and

enabling control of membership of the group via the mobile device.