Method and system for server synchronization with a computing device via a companion device

• US 6,829,655 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Susser, Martin, Chung, Pi-Yu, Vejlstrup, Magnus, Rabbers, David L., Huang, Xiaofei, Singhal, Anupam
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US10/119,507
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 709/248, 709/203, 709/246, 709/202, 709/227, 707/10, 707/104, 707/203, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

The A method and system for server synchronization with a computing device via a companion device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises synchronizing a device and an enterprise server via a companion device, which comprises retrieving a record extraction sequence from the server; providing the record extraction sequence to the handheld device from the companion device; and extracting records stored on a database according to the record extraction sequence, wherein the extracted records are not already stored on the computing device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

synchronizing a computing device and an enterprise server, via a companion device, comprising;

retrieving a record extraction sequence identification (ID) from the server;

providing the record extraction sequence ID to the computing device from the companion device;

comparing the record extraction sequence ID with a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID; and

extracting from a database one or more records that have been changed since a previous synchronization if the record extraction sequence ID matches a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging-in to the server from the computing device via the companion device, wherein the computing device comprises a handheld device; and

retrieving a persistent node ID from the server for the handheld device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

retrieving one or more views from the server that are not already on the handheld device; and

retrieving one or more business objects from the server that are not already on the handheld device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

processing transactions on the server; and

retrieving one or more events from the server that are not already on the handheld device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

retrieving a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device from the server.

6. A method, comprising:

synchronizing a handheld device and an enterprise server, via a companion device, comprising;

retrieving a record extraction sequence identification (ID) from the server to the companion device;

providing the record extraction sequence ID to the handheld device;

comparing the record extraction sequence ID with a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID;

extracting records stored on a database that have been changed since a previous synchronization if the record extraction sequence ID matches the previously obtained record extraction sequence ID; and

providing the records to the handheld device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

verifying the handheld device has a valid logon ID; and

providing a persistent node ID to the handheld device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing one or more views to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device; and

providing one or more business objects to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

processing transactions on the server; and

providing one or more events to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device to the handheld device.

11. A system, comprising:

means for synchronizing directly a handheld device and an enterprise server, comprising;

means for retrieving a record extraction sequence identification (ID) from the enterprise server;

means for providing the record extraction sequence ID to the handheld device from a companion device;

means for comparing the record extraction sequence ID with a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID; and

means for extracting records stored on a database that have been changed since a previous synchronization if the record extraction sequence ID matches the previously obtained record extraction sequence ID.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for logging-in to the server from the handheld device; and

means for retrieving a persistent node ID from the server for the handheld device.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for retrieving one or more views from the enterprise server that are not already on the handheld device; and

means for retrieving one or more business objects from the enterprise server that are not already on the handheld device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for processing transactions on the enterprise server; and

means for retrieving one or more events from the enterprise server that are not already on the handheld device.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for retrieving a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device from the enterprise server.

16. A system, comprising:

means for synchronizing a handheld device and an enterprise server, via a companion device, comprising;

means for retrieving a record extraction sequence identification (ID) from the enterprise server to the companion device;

means for providing the record extraction sequence ID to the handheld device;

means for comparing the record extraction sequence ID with a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID;

means for extracting records stored on a database that have been changed since a previous synchronization if the record extraction sequence ID matches the previously obtained record extraction sequence ID; and

means for providing the records to the handheld device.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for verifying the handheld device has a valid logon ID; and

means for providing a persistent node ID to the handheld device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for providing one or more views to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device; and

means for providing one or more business objects to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for processing transactions on the enterprise server; and

means for providing one or more events to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for providing a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device to the handheld device.

21. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform:

synchronizing a computing device and an enterprise server, via a companion device, comprising;

retrieving a record extraction sequence identification (ID) from the enterprise server;

providing the record extraction sequence ID to the computing device from the companion device;

comparing the record extraction sequence ID with a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID; and

extracting records stored on a database that have been changed since a previous synchronization if the record extraction sequence ID matches the previously obtained record extraction sequence ID.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform:

logging-in to the enterprise server from the computing device, wherein the computing device comprises a handheld device; and

retrieving a persistent node ID from the enterprise server for the handheld device.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform:

retrieving one or more views from the enterprise server that are not already on the handheld device; and

retrieving one or more business objects from the enterprise server that are not already on the handheld device.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform:

processing transactions on the enterprise server; and

retrieving one or more events from the enterprise server that are not already on the handheld device.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform,

retrieving a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device from the enterprise server.

26. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, said plurality of instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform:

synchronizing a handheld device and an enterprise server, via a companion device;

comprising;

retrieving a record extraction sequence identification (ID) from the enterprise server to the companion device;

providing the record extraction sequence ID to the handheld device;

comparing the record extraction sequence ID with a previously obtained record extraction sequence ID;

extracting records stored on a database that have been changed since a previous synchronization if the record extraction sequence ID matches the previously obtained record extraction sequence ID

providing the records to the handheld device.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform:

verifying the handheld device has a valid logon ID; and

providing a persistent node ID to the handheld device.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform:

providing one or more views to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device; and

providing one or more business objects to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform:

processing transactions on the enterprise server; and

providing one or more events to the handheld device that are not already on the handheld device.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 having stored thereon additional instructions, said additional instructions when executed by a computer, cause said computer to further perform,

providing a personal digital assistant (PDA) repository associated with the handheld device to the handheld device.