Method and apparatus to facilitate data updates between a base processing unit and a portable processing unit

• US 6,728,734 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Capobianco, Anthony, Nolan, John T., Heil, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US09/878,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 707/203, 707/10, 707/101, 707/201, 709/201, 709/218, 709/126, 709/227, 709/200, 709/318, 340/7.29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method of facilitating data updates between a base processing unit and one or more portable processing units includes receiving an update request signal at the portable processing unit from the base processing unit over a wireless communication channel, the update request signal indicating that a data update between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit is advisable; and issuing an alarm at the portable processing unit that is perceivable by a user of the portable processing unit in response to the update request signal indicating that a data update routine between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit should be initiated by the user.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating data updates between a base processing unit and one or more portable processing units, comprising:

receiving an update request signal at the portable processing unit from the base processing unit over a wireless communication channel, the update request signal indicating that a data update between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit is advisable; and

issuing an alarm at the portable processing unit that is perceivable by a user of the portable processing unit in response to the update request signal indicating that a data update routine between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit should be initiated by the user,

wherein the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units and the update request signal includes a code from among a plurality of codes unique to one of the portable processing units of the universe such that only the portable processing unit corresponding to the code issues the alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable processing unit includes a stylus, the update request signal is received by the stylus, and the alarm emanates from the stylus.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alarm is at least one of an audible and visual alarm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units and the update request signal includes a code from among a plurality of codes unique to a subset of the portable processing units of the universe such that only the subset of portable processing units corresponding to the code issue respective alarms that are perceivable by respective users of the portable processing units of the subset in response to the update request signal indicating that a data update routine between the base processing unit and the respective portable processing units should be initiated by the respective users.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising manually initiating the data update routine between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit in response to the alarm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more portable processing units are taken from the group consisting of personal digital assistant (PDA) units, cell phones, hand held computers, lap top computers, personal computers, set-top boxes, and telephones.

7. A portable processing unit capable of engaging in data updates with a base processing unit, comprising:

a receiver operable to receive an update request signal from the base processing unit over a wireless communication channel, the update request signal indicating that a data update between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit is advisable; and

an alarm circuit operable to produce an alarm, that is perceivable by a user of the portable processing unit, in response to the update request signal indicating that a data update routine between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit should be initiated by the user, wherein;

the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units and the update request signal includes a code from among a plurality of codes unique to one of the portable processing units of the universe; and

the receiver is further operable to determine whether the code of the update request signal corresponds with the portable processing unit such that the alarm circuit issues the alarm only when the correspondence exists.

8. The portable processing unit of claim 7, further comprising a stylus that includes the receiver and alarm circuit such that the alarm emanates therefrom.

9. The portable processing unit of claim 8, wherein the alarm circuit is operable to produce at least one of an audible and visual alarm.

10. The portable processing unit of claim 7, wherein:

the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units and the update request signal includes a code from among a plurality of codes unique to a subset of the portable processing units of the universe;

the receiver is further operable to determine whether the code of the update request signal corresponds with the portable processing unit such that the alarm circuit issues the alarm only when the correspondence exists.

11. The portable processing unit of claim 7, wherein the one or more portable processing units are taken from the group consisting of personal digital assistance (PDA) units, cell phones, hand held computers, lap top computers, personal computers, set-top boxes, and telephones.

12. A method of facilitating data updates between a base processing unit and one or more portable processing units, the one or more portable processing units including a universe of portable processing units, the method comprising:

determining whether a data update between the base processing unit and the one or more portable processing units is advisable;

selecting a code from among a plurality of codes unique to one of the portable processing units of the universe;

inserting the code into the update request signal such that only the portable processing unit corresponding to the code responds thereto; and

causing the base processing unit to transmit an update request signal to the portable processing unit over a wireless communication channel, the update request signal indicating that the data update between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit is advisable and should be initiated by a user of the portable processing unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units, the method further comprising:

selecting a code from among a plurality of codes unique to a subset of the portable processing units of the universe; and

inserting the code into the update request signal such that only the subset of the portable processing units corresponding to the code respond thereto.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining whether a data update is advisable includes monitoring whether content of at least one database of the base processing unit does not correspond with at least one related database of the portable processing unit.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising conducting a data update routine with the portable processing unit in response to a request by the portable processing unit.

16. A storage medium containing a software program operable to cause a processing unit to execute steps for facilitating data updates between a base processing unit and one or more portable processing units, the one or more portable processing units including a universe of portable processing units, the steps comprising:

determining whether a data update between the base processing unit and the one or more portable processing units is advisable;

selecting a code from among a plurality of codes unique to one of the portable processing units of the universe;

inserting the code into the update request signal such that only the portable processing unit corresponding to the code responds thereto; and

causing the base processing unit to transmit an update request signal to the portable processing unit over a wireless communication channel, the update request signal indicating that the data update between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit is advisable and should be initiated by a user of the portable processing unit.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units, the steps further comprising:

selecting a code from among a plurality of codes unique to a subset of the portable processing units of the universe; and

inserting the code into the update request signal such that only the subset of the portable processing units corresponding to the code respond thereto.

18. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the step of determining whether a data update is advisable includes monitoring whether content of at least one database of the base processing unit does not correspond with at least one related database of the portable processing unit.

19. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the steps further comprise conducting a data update routine with the portable processing unit in response to a request by the portable processing unit.

20. A base processing unit capable of engaging in data updates with one or more portable processing units, the one or more portable processing units including a universe of portable processing units, the unit comprising:

a processing circuit operable to determine whether a data update between the base processing unit and the one or more portable processing units is advisable; and

a transmitter operable to transmit an update request signal to the portable processing unit over a wireless communication channel, the update request signal indicating that the data update between the base processing unit and the portable processing unit is advisable and should be initiated by a user of the portable processing unit,

wherein the processing circuit is further operable to select a code from among a plurality of codes unique to one of the portable processing units of the universe and to insert the code into the update request signal such that only the portable processing unit corresponding to the code responds thereto.

21. The base processing unit of claim 20, wherein:

the one or more portable processing units include a universe of portable processing units; and

the processing circuit is further operable to select a code from among a plurality of codes unique to a subset of the portable processing units of the universe and to insert the code into the update request signal such that only the subset of portable processing unit corresponding to the code responds thereto.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the processing circuit is operable to monitor whether content of at least one database of the base processing unit does not correspond with at least one related database of the portable processing unit.