System and method for globally and securely accessing unified information in a computer network

• US 6,708,221 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Good Technology Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Bui, Hong Q., Quinlan, Sean Michael, Zuleeg, Christopher R., Wagle, Prasad, Mendez, Daniel J., Cowan, David J., Ng, Mason, Ying, Christine C., Bailes, R. Stanley, Aptekar-Strober, Joanna A., Riggins, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/666,877
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/248, 709/245, 709/204, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A client stores a first set of workspace data, and is coupled via a computer network to a global server. The client may be configured to synchronize portions of the first set of workspace data with the global server, which stores independently modifiable copies of the portions. The global server may also store workspace data which is not downloaded from the client, and thus stores a second set of workspace data. The global server may be configured to identify and authenticate a user seeking global server access from a remote terminal, and is configured to provide access to the first set or to the second set. Further, services may be stored anywhere in the computer network. The global server may be configured to provide the user with access to the services. The system may further include a synchronization-start module at the client site (which may be protected by a firewall) that initiates interconnection and synchronization with the global server when predetermined criteria have been satisfied.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing workspace data, comprising:

storing first workspace data on a first device;

storing second workspace data on a second device;

determining differences between the first workspace data and the second workspace data;

storing the differences at a global server; and

sending the differences from the global server to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first workspace data comprise a workspace data element from a first user of the first device to a second user of the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the workspace data element includes data selected from a group including email data, file data, calendar data, user data and bookmark data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device is selected from a group including a smart phone, a television settop box and a personal computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing to store the differences at the global server is continued after the sending.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at the server version-indicating information corresponding to the differences.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising merging, by the second device, the differences with third workspace data stored on the second device.

8. A system for synchronizing workspace data, comprising:

means for storing first workspace data on a first device;

means for storing second workspace data on a second device;

means for determining differences between the first workspace data and the second workspace data;

means for storing the differences at a global server; and

means for sending the differences from the global server to the second device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first workspace data comprises a workspace data element from a first user of the first device to a second user of the second device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the workspace data element includes data selected from a group including email data, file data, calendar data, user data and bookmark data.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device is selected from a group including a smart phone, a television settop box and a personal computer.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for continuing to store the differences at the global server is continued after the sending.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for storing at the server version-indicating information corresponding to the differences.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for merging, by the second device, the differences with third workspace data stored on the second device.