Selective information synchronization based on implicit user designation

• US 6,505,214 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1999
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sherman, Roman, Schwitters, Chad A., Mansour, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, JOON H
• Application Number:
  US09/407,543
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/200-206, 709/248
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A device and method for synchronizing information between computer systems is provided. Certain subsets of information may be synchronized, while excluding other information from the synchronization process. The determination of the information subset to synchronize requires no explicit designation by the user. Instead, the subset of information to be synchronized is ascertained through actions of the user that implicitly indicate the user'"'"'s interest in the information, allowing for an intuitive assumption of the user'"'"'s synchronization desires, and requiring no user activity outside of the user'"'"'s normal operational activity.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing subsets of an object set between first and second object stores in first and second computing systems respectively, the method comprising:

defining one or more predetermined user actions that implicitly demonstrate a user'"'"'s desire to synchronize particular objects of the object set between the first and second object stores;

assigning a synchronization indicator to each of the particular objects to be synchronized in the second object store, upon recognition of the predetermined user action;

disassociating the synchronization indicator from objects in the second object store which are no longer to be included in the subset of objects to be synchronized based on a use pattern of the user, wherein the use pattern of the user is based upon a lack of use of the object for a predetermined time duration; and

synchronizing the subset of objects to which the synchronization indicator has been assigned in the second object store.

2. A method for synchronizing subsets of an e-mail folder hierarchy between a server computer and a client computer, the method comprising:

defining one or more predetermined user actions that implicitly demonstrate a user'"'"'s desire to synchronize particular folders of the e-mail folder hierarchy between the server and client computers;

associating a synchronization flag in the client computer with parents of folders to be synchronized upon recognition of the predetermined user action;

disassociating the synchronization flag from parent folders of the currently-synchronized folders which are no longer to be included in the subset of folders to be synchronized;

wherein disassociating the synchronization flag comprises disassociating the synchronization flag based on a use pattern of the user, wherein the use pattern is based on the user'"'"'s failure to activate a folder expansion feature for a currently synchronized folder for a predetermined time duration; and

synchronizing the subfolders of folders associated with the synchronization flags in the client computer, whereby synchronization of the subset of folders is accomplished without explicit designation of the subset by the user.