APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING DATA IN CONNECTED DEVICES

• US 20120130952A1
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwon, Joon-Hwan, Park, Jae-Seok, Park, Gyu-Tae, Kim, Kwang-Min, Park, Mi-Hwa
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A network-connectable terminal can synchronize data in connected devices. The network-connectable terminal includes a memory unit and a synchronization unit. The memory unit stores metadata updated according to update of data. The synchronization unit updates the metadata, creates version information indicating whether the metadata are updated, and exchanges version information with peripheral devices to determine a peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

Claims

1. An apparatus capable of synchronizing data in connected devices, comprising:

a memory unit configured to store metadata updated according to update of data; and

a synchronization unit configured to update the metadata, create version information indicating whether the metadata are updated, and exchange version information with peripheral devices to determine a peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the synchronization unit is configured to update an update counter of the metadata when the data are updated.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the synchronization unit is configured to use the update counter of the metadata to create the version information,

wherein the version information includes a device identifier (ID), a metadata update counter, a version information creation time point, and a metadata deletion flag deletion time point.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the version information includes local version information corresponding to version information of the connected device and global version information corresponding to version information of the peripheral device,

wherein the global version information includes information about a synchronization time point.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the metadata includes a deletion information flag indicating whether actual data corresponding to the metadata are deleted.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein if an update counter of the version information created by the connected device is identical to an update counter of the version information received from the peripheral device, the synchronization unit is configured to determine that there is no peripheral device and data requiring synchronization;

and if the two update counters are not identical to each other, the synchronization unit is configured to determine that there are a peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the synchronization unit is configured to detect a deletion time point of the data to determine the peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein if the metadata are determined to be deleted before the prestored version information is updated, the synchronization unit is configured to synchronize all the metadata stored in the peripheral device;

and if the metadata are determined to be deleted after the prestored version information is updated, the synchronization unit is configured to synchronize only the deleted data among the data stored in the peripheral device.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the synchronization unit is configured to set a deletion information flag of metadata when deleting data, and retains metadata about the deleted data.

10. A method for synchronizing data in connected devices, comprising:

storing metadata according to update of data;

creating version information indicating whether the metadata are updated; and

exchanging version information with peripheral devices and determining a peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the updating of the metadata according to the update of the data comprises updating an update counter of the metadata when the data are updated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the creating of the version information comprises using the update counter of the metadata to create the version information,

wherein the version information includes a device identifier (ID), a metadata update counter, a version information creation time point, and a metadata deletion flag deletion time point.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the version information includes local version information corresponding to version information of the connected device and global version information corresponding to version information of the peripheral device,

wherein the global version information includes information about a synchronization time point.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the metadata include a deletion information flag indicating whether actual data corresponding to the metadata are deleted.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of the peripheral device and data requiring synchronization comprises:

if an update counter of the version information created by the connected device is identical to an update counter of the version information received from the peripheral device, determining that there is no peripheral device and data requiring synchronization; and

if the two update counters are not identical to each other, determining that there are a peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of the peripheral device and data requiring synchronization is performed by detecting a deletion time point of the data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining of the peripheral device and data requiring synchronization comprises:

if the metadata are determined to be deleted before the prestored version information is updated, synchronizing all the metadata stored in the peripheral device; and

if the metadata are determined to be deleted after the prestored version information is updated, synchronizing only the deleted data among the data stored in the peripheral device.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

updating the data and updating the metadata according to an update history of the data;

setting a deletion information flag of the metadata when deleting the data; and

retaining the metadata about the deleted data.

19. A wireless communication system comprising at least one network-connectable terminal configured to synchronize data in connected devices, the at least one network-connectable terminal comprising:

a memory unit configured to store metadata updated according to update of data; and

a synchronization unit configured to update the metadata, create version information indicating whether the metadata are updated, and exchange version information with peripheral devices to determine a peripheral device and data requiring synchronization.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the synchronization unit is configured to update an update counter of the metadata when the data are updated.