SYSTEM FOR SYNCHRONIZING TO A MOBILE DEVICE SERVER

• US 20120084466A1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: BROWN, WILLIAM A., Meuninck, Troy C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• 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: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• 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: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating in a mobile device server having computer instructions to execute a web server application at the mobile device server. The web server application can be operable to detect a media resource center while roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center, and to transmit a pairing key to the media resource center. The web server application can be further operable to receive authorization from the media resource center to synchronize differences between content stored in the media resource center and content stored in the mobile device server responsive to the media resource center validating the pairing key. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A portable communication device, comprising a controller to:

execute a web server application in the portable communication device, wherein the web server application is operable to;

detect a media resource center when roaming into a communication zone of the media resource center;

transmit a pairing key to the media resource center to enable communications with the media resource center;

establish communications with the media resource center responsive to a validation of the pairing key;

detect differences between content stored in the media resource center and content stored in the portable communication device; and

synchronize differences between content stored in the media resource center and content stored in the portable communication device.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the media resource center enables communications with the portable communication device responsive to authenticating the portable communication device according to the pairing key.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the media resource center is operable to:

identify a subscriber account associated with the pairing key;

determine from the subscriber account that synchronization services have been authorized for the portable communication device; and

enable the portable communication device to synchronize the content in the portable communication device with content stored in one or more resources of the media resource center.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the media resource center comprises a plurality of resources, and wherein the web server application is operable to:

scan each of the plurality of resources for a content update; and

synchronize differences between the content stored in the portable communication device and the content updates detected at one or more of the plurality of resources.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the detected content differences comprise at least one of changes in media files, changes in email messages, changes in phone book contacts, changes in calendar entries, changes in user profiles.

6. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the web server application is operable to:

detect a resource control manager that manages one or more resources of the media resource center; and

receive authorization from the resource control manager to synchronize content stored in the portable communication device with content stored in at least one resource selected by the resource control manager according to the pairing key.

7. The portable communication device of claim 6, wherein the one or more resources comprise at least one of one or more set-top boxes, one or more computing devices, one or more storage devices, or one or more gaming consoles.

8. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the web server application is operable to:

transmit a message to a remote server by way of a gateway assigned to a first Internet Protocol (IP) address, wherein the message comprises an identifier of a software application and a second IP address associated with the software application;

wherein the remote server is operable to;

identify the media resource center according to the first IP address of the gateway; and

direct the media resource center to cause the software application to be executed at the portable communication device according to the second IP address.

9. The portable communication device of claim 8, wherein the message transmitted to the remote server comprises a uniform resource locator with a plurality of descriptors that identify the software application and the second IP address, and wherein the gateway inserts the first IP address into a hypertext transfer protocol header of the message or an IP header source for network address translation.

10. The portable communication device of claim 8, wherein the web server application comprises a hypertext transfer protocol server application, and wherein the software application comprises one of a media application, a gaming application, a productivity application, or a combination thereof.

11. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein communications between the portable communication device and the media resource center conform to an extensible markup language or a multimedia retrieval markup language.

12. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the media resource center is operable to:

detect the portable communication device and at least one other portable communication device having another web server application operating therein;

detect that the portable communication device and the at least one other portable communication device are requesting at least one of the same resources managed by the media resource center; and

arbitrate between the portable communication device and the at least one other portable communication device an assignment of the at least one of the same resources being requested by the portable communication device and the at least one other portable communication device.

13. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the web server application is operable to:

submit to the media resource center a request to delegate management of one or more resources under control of the media resource center to the portable communication device;

receive from the media resource center an acceptance to the request in response to the media resource center determining that the pairing key authorizes the portable communication device to manage the one or more requested resources; and

receive from the media resource center information relating to the one or more resources managed by the media resource center in order to manage the one or more requested resources.

14. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device comprises a cellular telephone or a cordless telephone

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating in a mobile device server, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions to:

execute a web server application at the mobile device server, wherein the web server application is operable to;

detect a media resource center while roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center;

transmit a pairing key to the media resource center; and

receive authorization from the media resource center to synchronize differences between content stored in the media resource center and content stored in the mobile device server responsive to the media resource center validating the pairing key.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, comprising computer instructions to:

identify a subscriber account associated with the pairing key;

determine from the subscriber account that synchronization services have been authorized for the mobile device server; and

enable the mobile device server to synchronize the content in the mobile device server with content stored in one or more resources of the media resource center.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, comprising computer instructions to:

transmit a second pairing key to the media resource center to enable execution of a software application that utilizes one or more resources of the media resource center; and

receive authorization to execute the software application responsive to the media resource center validating the second pairing key.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the software application comprises one of a media application, a gaming application, a productivity application, or combinations thereof.

19. A resource control manager, comprising a controller to:

manage a plurality of resources communicatively coupled to the resource control manager;

receive an identifier from a web server application operating in a mobile device server;

identify a service grade from the identifier; and

enable the mobile device server to synchronize content stored in the mobile device server with content stored in one or more resources selected by the resource control manager from the plurality of resources, wherein the resource control manager selected the one or more resources according to the service grade.

20. The resource control manager of claim 21, wherein the resource control manager comprises a set top box, wherein the mobile device server comprises a cellular telephone, wherein the web server application comprises a hypertext transfer protocol web server application, and wherein the web server application is operable to:

detect a difference in timestamps between content stored in the mobile device server and content stored in the one or more resources selected by the resource manager; and

synchronize the content stored in the mobile device server and the content stored in the one or more resources according to the more recent of the timestamps.