SYSTEM FOR AND METHOD OF FIELD MAPPING

• US 20120110485A1
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synchronoss Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FusionOne Incorporated (Synchronoss Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ranganath, Panduranga
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/214 Database migration support

Abstract

A system for and method of field mapping utilizing a user interface allows efficient and accurate mapping of fields on two or more devices. Fields that match between a first device and a second device are automatically mapped. For the fields that do not match, the user interface provides a list of available fields on the second device, so that the user can select where to map the field from the list of available fields. In some embodiments, an intermediate device such as a server contains the fields and data to be mapped and transferred to the second device.

Claims

1. A method of field mapping comprising:

a. automatically mapping fields of a first set of fields on a first device to a second set of fields on a second device where the fields match;

b. querying a user to select a desired field mapping for the fields that do not match; and

c. transferring data from the first set of fields on the first device to the second set of fields on the second device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein querying implements a user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user interface utilizes a drop-down menu to display the second set of fields for the user to choose from.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second set of fields of the drop-down menu are ordered based on relatedness to an unmatched field of the first set of fields.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of lists for the user to drag an item from a first list to a second list.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein transferring the data is by a synchronization operation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device is a first mobile device and the second device is a second mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first device and the second device are selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, computer workstation, mainframe computer, handheld computer, personal digital assistant, pager, cellular telephone, smart appliance, a storage area network and a server farm.

9. A system for field mapping comprising:

a. a first device containing a first set of fields; and

b. a second device containing a second set of fields, wherein a portion of the second set of fields does not match the first set of fields, further wherein the second device is configured for querying a user to select a field from the second set of fields to map an unmatched field from the first set of fields.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein a matched field from the first set of fields is configured to automatically map to a corresponding field of the second set of fields.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the second device implements a user interface for querying the user.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the user interface utilizes a drop-down menu to display the second set of fields for the user to choose from.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the second set of fields of the drop-down menu are ordered based on relatedness to the unmatched field of the first set of fields.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of lists for the user to drag an item from a first list to a second list.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the first device transfers data to the second device by a synchronization operation when field mapping.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the first device is a first mobile device and the second device is a second mobile device.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein the first device and the second device are selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, computer workstation, mainframe computer, handheld computer, personal digital assistant, pager, cellular telephone, smart appliance, a storage area network and a server farm.

18. A network of devices for field mapping comprising:

a. a first device containing a first set of fields, the first set of fields each containing data;

b. a storage device for temporarily storing the data during a transfer of the data; and

c. a second device containing a second set of fields, wherein a portion of the second set of fields does not match the first set of fields, further wherein the second device is configured for querying a user to select a field from the second set of fields to map an unmatched field from the first set of fields when transferring the data from the storage device.

19. The network of devices of claim 18 wherein a matched field from the first set of fields is configured to automatically map to a corresponding field of the second set of fields.

20. The network of devices of claim 18 wherein the second device implements a user interface for querying the user.

21. A sending device comprising:

a. a first set of fields, wherein at least a portion of the first set of fields are different from a second set of fields stored on a receiving device; and

b. a user interface for selecting a first field of the first set of fields to map to a second field of the second set of fields.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein a matched field from the first set of fields is configured automatically map to a corresponding field of the second set of fields.

23. A receiving device comprising:

a. a first set of fields, wherein at least a portion of the first set of fields are different from a second set of fields stored on a sending device; and

b. a user interface for selecting a first field of the first set of fields to map to a second field of the second set of fields.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein a matched field from the first set of fields is configured automatically map to a corresponding field of the second set of fields.

25. A storage device comprising:

a. a first set of fields corresponding to a sending device; and

b. a second set of fields corresponding to a receiving device, wherein data is transferred from the first set of fields to the second set of fields.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein a matched field from the first set of fields is configured automatically map to a corresponding field of the second set of fields.

27. A network of devices comprising:

a. a first user device containing an initial set of fields, the initial set of fields each containing data;

b. a second user device containing a destination set of fields, wherein a portion of the destination set of fields does not match the initial set of fields, further wherein the first user device is configured for querying a user to select a field from the destination set of fields to map an unmatched field from the initial set of fields when transferring the data;

c. a first server device for temporarily storing the data in a first transition set of fields during a transfer of the data received from the first user device;

d. a synchronization device for synchronizing the data between the first user device and the second user device utilizing a second transition set of fields; and

e. a second server device for temporarily storing the data in a third transition set of fields during a transfer of the data received from the synchronization device.