Continuous object sychronization between object stores on different computers

• US 6,125,369 A
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hu, George T., Wu, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US08/958,658
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 707/201, 707/200, 707/202, 707/10, 707/8, 707/103, 709/400
• US Class Current: 707/613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for synchronizing object instances between first and second object stores. The system includes a primary computer and a portable computer that is connectable with the primary computer for data communications. A first object store manager executes on the portable computer to maintain the first object store, and a second object store manager executes on the primary computer to maintain the second object store. In addition, a synchronization manager executes on the primary computer. The synchronization manager compares object instances from the first and second object stores in response to initially connecting the portable computer for data communications with the primary computer, and synchronizes any objects whose instances differ from each other. After the initial synchronization, the first object store manager initiates a notification to the synchronization manager whenever an instance of a particular object in the first object store changes. In response, the synchronization manager synchronizes the instances of the identified object in the first and second object stores.

Claims

1. A continuously synchronized storage system, comprising:

first and second information devices that are connectable for data communications, at least one of the information devices comprising a portable information device;

first and second object stores maintained on the first and second information devices, wherein the first and second object stores contain synchronized instances of objects;

a synchronization manager that executes on one of the first and second information devices, the synchronization manager being configured to receive a notification when an instance of a particular object in the first object store changes;

the synchronization manager being responsive to the notification to synchronize the instances of the particular object in the first and second object stores;

wherein the synchronization manager does not poll for the notification;

wherein the synchronization manager polls at periodic intervals to detect changed object instances in the second object store; and

wherein the synchronization manager is responsive to changed object instances in the second object store to synchronize such changed instances with object instances in the first object store.

2. A continuously synchronized storage system as recited in claim 1, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize object instances in response to notifications only after a predefined delay from the most recent notification.

3. A continuously synchronized storage system as recited in claim 1, wherein the synchronization manager limits user interaction when synchronizing in response to notifications.

4. A continuously synchronized storage system, comprising:

first and second information devices that are connectable for data communications, at least one of the information devices comprising a portable information device;

first and second object stores maintained on the first and second information devices, wherein the first and second object stores contain synchronized instances of objects;

a synchronization manager;

a first object store manager that maintains the first object store and that initiates a notification to the synchronization manager when an instance of a particular object in the first object store changes;

wherein the synchronization manager is responsive to the notification to synchronize the instances of said particular object in the first and second object stores.

5. A continuously synchronized storage system as recited in claim 4, wherein the notification is a first notification, further comprising:

a second object store manager that maintains the second object store and that initiates a second notification to the synchronization manager when an instance of the particular object in the second object store changes;

wherein the synchronization manager is responsive to the second notification to synchronize the instances of said particular object in the first and second object stores.

6. A continuously synchronized storage system as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the synchronization manager polls at periodic intervals to detect changed object instances in the second object store; and

the synchronization manager is responsive to changed object instances in the second object store to synchronize such changed instances with object instances in the first object store.

7. A continuously synchronized storage system as recited in claim 4, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize object instances in response to notifications only after a predefined delay from the most recent notification.

8. A continuously synchronized storage system as recited in claim 4, wherein the synchronization manager limits user interaction when synchronizing in response to notifications.

9. A method of synchronizing objects between first and second object stores, comprising the following steps:

executing an object store manager to maintain the first object store on a portable information device;

initiating a notification from the object store manager whenever an instance of a particular object in the first object store changes; and

executing a synchronization manager that responds to the notification by synchronizing instances of the particular object in the first and second object stores.

10. Computer-readable storage media having instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 9.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the synchronization manager synchronizes object instances in response to notifications only after a predefined delay after receiving the most recent notification.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, comprising a further step performed by the synchronization manager of polling at periodic intervals to detect changes to instances of objects in the second object store.

13. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the object store manager executes on the portable information device.

14. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the object store manager executes on the portable information device and the synchronization manager executes on a different device.

15. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising a step of maintaining the second object store on an information processing device other than the portable information device, wherein:

the object store manager executes on the portable information device; and

the synchronization manager executes on the information processing device other than the portable information device.

16. A method as recited in claim 9, comprising a further step of limiting user interaction while synchronizing objects in response to notifications.

17. A system for synchronizing object instances between first and second object stores, comprising:

a primary computer;

a portable computer that is connectable with the primary computer for data communications;

a first object store manager that executes on the portable computer to maintain the first object store;

a second object store manager that executes on the primary computer to maintain the second object store;

a synchronization manager that executes on the primary computer;

wherein the synchronization manager compares object instances from the first and second object stores in response to connecting the portable computer for data communications with the primary computer, and synchronizes any objects whose instances differ from each other;

the first object store manager being configured to initiate a notification to the synchronization manager after the portable computer is connected for data communications with the primary computer whenever an instance of a particular object in the first object store changes;

wherein the synchronization manager is responsive to the notification to synchronize the instances of said particular object in the first and second object stores.

18. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the synchronization manager limits user interaction when synchronizing in response to notifications.

19. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the second object store manager potentially interacts with a user during synchronization, and wherein the synchronization manager instructs the second object store manager to limit user interaction when synchronizing in response to notifications.

20. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the second object store manager potentially interacts with a user during synchronization, and wherein:

the second object store manager exposes an interface method that accepts an instruction to limit user interaction;

the synchronization manager invokes the interface method and instructs the second object store manager to limit user interaction when synchronizing in response to notifications.

21. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the notification is a first notification, and wherein:

the second object store manager is configured to initiate a second notification to the synchronization manager after the portable computer is connected for data communications with the primary computer whenever an instance of a particular object in the second object store changes; and

the synchronization manager is further responsive to a second notification to synchronize the instances of the particular object in the first and second object stores.

22. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the synchronization manager polls at periodic intervals to detect changed object instances in the second object store.

23. A system as recited in claim 17, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize object instances in response to notifications only after a predefined delay from the most recent notification.