DISTRIBUTING AND SYNCHRONIZING OBJECTS

• US 20110179192A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gates, Patrick, Federighi, Craig, Noyau, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4553 Object oriented directories, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA] name server
• 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: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A method and apparatus for distributing and synchronizing objects. One or more embodiments of the invention provide for distributing copies of the objects locally. By copying objects (including the data and behavior for the object) into local address space, the object'"'"'s methods may be executed locally thereby avoiding excessive network traffic. The state of the various object copies across a network may not be synchronized due to local changes and modifications. To synchronize the objects, one or more embodiments of the invention provide for the use of a policy that specifies conditions as to when objects are synchronized. Embodiments of the invention provide flexibility in setting the policy to accommodate varying applications. For example, a policy may provide for synchronization that is based temporally (e.g., every 10 minutes or daily at 10:00 P.M.). Alternatively, a policy may provide for synchronization based on the type or number of messages transmitted. In one or more embodiments, a default policy may be utilized that provides for the synchronization of local objects whenever a client issues a request from the remote server. In such an embodiment, the remote server transmits any updated object information when it responds to the local object request. The updated object information may be utilized to synchronize the objects.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing objects comprising:

copying an object having data and behavior from a first computer across a network to a second computer;

obtaining a policy for synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer; and

synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer based on said policy.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said policy is temporally based.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said policy is based on a type of message.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said policy is based on a quantity of messages.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising a developer configuring said policy.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said policy provides for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said first computer to said second computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said policy is based on user input.

8. A system comprising

a first computer;

an object having data and behavior stored on said first computer;

a second computer configured to obtain a copy of said object from said first computer;

a policy for synchronizing said object and said copy of said object; and

code configured to synchronize said object and said copy of said object based on said policy.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said policy is temporally based.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said policy is based on a type of message.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said policy is based on a quantity of messages.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said policy may be configured by a developer.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said policy provides for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said first computer to said second computer.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein said policy is based on user input.

15. A computer program product comprising

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to synchronize objects, said computer program product comprising:

computer readable code configured to cause a second computer to obtain a copy of an object having data and behavior from a first computer across a network;

computer readable code configured to cause a computer to obtain a policy for synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer; and

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to synchronize said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer based on said policy.

16. The computer program product to claim 15 wherein said policy is temporally based.

17. The computer program product to claim 15 wherein said policy is based on a type of message.

18. The computer program product to claim 15 wherein said policy is based on a quantity of messages.

19. The computer program product to claim 15 wherein said policy may be configured by a developer.

20. The computer program product to claim 15 wherein said policy provides for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said first computer to said second computer.

21. The computer program product to claim 15 wherein said policy is based on user input.

22. An apparatus for synchronizing objects comprising:

means for copying an object having data and behavior from a first computer across a network to a second computer;

means for obtaining a policy for synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer; and

means for synchronizing said data and behavior between said first computer and said second computer based on said policy.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said policy is temporally based.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said policy is based on a type of message.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said policy is based on a quantity of messages.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising means for configuring said policy by a developer.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said policy provides for means for synchronizing at least one object when a request is transmitted from said first computer to said second computer.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said policy is based on user input.