Database synchronization system and method

• US 7,130,914 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Toriumi, Go
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vaughn, Gregory J.
• Application Number:
  US10/012,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 715/511, 715/530, 715/501.1, 715/526, 709/203, 709/212, 709/229, 709/232, 709/217, 707/204
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A synchronization system and method for databases by which the immediacy of synchronization between the databases can be assured without dialup connection and the power supply to an information terminal need not always be on to keep the information terminal in a standby state is disclosed. The database synchronization system synchronizes data of databases of an application server and an information terminal connected to each other through a network. A first database information update notification section provided in the application server extracts only differential information of the database of the application server and issues a notification of the differential information to the information terminal. A second database information update notification section provided in the information terminal extracts only differential information of the database of the information terminal and issues a notification of the differential information to the application server. A data buffer receives the differential information transmitted from the first database information update notification section, temporarily stores the received differential information and transfers the stored differential information to the information terminal. A power supply control section controls a power supply for the information terminal when the differential information from the first database information update notification section is stored into the data buffer.

Claims

1. A database synchronization system for synchronizing data of databases of a first apparatus and a second apparatus connected to each other through a network, comprising:

first differential information update notification means provided in said first apparatus for extracting only differential information of said database of said first apparatus and issuing a notification of the differential information to said second apparatus;

second differential information update notification means provided in said second apparatus for extracting only differential information of said database of said second apparatus, issuing a notification of the differential information to said first apparatus and updating said database of said second apparatus with the differential information of said database of said first apparatus,

a power supply for said second apparatus;

a data buffer for receiving the differential information transmitted from said first differential information update notification means, temporarily storing the received differential information and transferring the stored differential information to said second apparatus; and

power supply control means for controlling said power supply for said second apparatus when the differential information from said first differential information update notification means is stored into said data buffer.

2. A database synchronization system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said network is the Internet, and said second apparatus is connected to said first apparatus through a server of a service provider on the Internet.

3. A database synchronization system for databases as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data buffer and said power supply control means are included in a packet communication apparatus which performs packet communication on said first apparatus side.

4. A database synchronization system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said packet communication apparatus is built in said second apparatus.

5. A database synchronization system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said packet communication apparatus transfers, when said data buffer receives the differential information from said first differential information update notification means while said power supply for said second apparatus is off, the differential information in said data buffer to said second apparatus after said power supply of said second apparatus is placed into an on state by said power supply control means.

6. A database synchronization system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power supply control means controls said power supply for said second apparatus to an off state when update of said database of said second apparatus is completed.

7. A database synchronization system as claimed in claim 3, wherein a packet conversion server is built in said first apparatus.

8. A database synchronization method for synchronizing data of databases of a first apparatus and a second apparatus connected to each other through a network, comprising the steps of:

issuing a notification of the differential information in said database of said first apparatus to a packet communication apparatus by said first apparatus and transmitting the differential information to a packet communication apparatus;

storing, when differential information of said database of said first apparatus is transmitted from said first apparatus to said second apparatus while said power supply for said second apparatus is off, the differential information into a data buffer of the packet communication apparatus;

controlling said power supply for said second apparatus to an on state by power supply control means of said packet communication apparatus; and

transferring the differential information of said data buffer to said second apparatus and updating said database of said second apparatus.

9. A database synchronization method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said power supply control means controls said power supply for said second apparatus to an off state after update of said database of said second apparatus is completed.

10. A database synchronization system for synchronizing data of databases of a first apparatus and a second apparatus connected to each other through a network, comprising:

a first differential information update notification means provided in the first apparatus for extracting only differential information of the database of the first apparatus, issuing a notification of the differential information to the second apparatus and transmitting the extracted differential information to a packet communication apparatus;

a second differential information update notification means provided in the second apparatus for receiving the extracted differential information of the database of the first apparatus,

a power supply for the second apparatus; and

a packet communication apparatus comprising;

a data buffer for temporarily storing differential information; and

a power supply control means for controlling the power supply for the second apparatus;

wherein when the packet communication apparatus receives the differential information from the first differential information update notification means while the power supply for the second apparatus is off, the packet communication apparatus stores the received differential information into the data buffer and the power supply control means switches on the power supply of the second apparatus;

wherein once the power supply of the second apparatus switches on, the second differential information update notification means updates the database of the second apparatus with the differential information stored in the data buffer;

wherein once the second differential information update notification means concludes updating the database of the second apparatus, the packet communication device deletes the differential information stored in the data buffer and the power supply control means switches off the power supply of the second apparatus.

11. A database synchronization system for synchronizing data of databases of a first apparatus and a second apparatus connected to each other through a network, comprising:

a first differential information update notification means provided in the first apparatus for extracting only differential information of the database of the first apparatus, issuing a notification of the differential information to the second apparatus and transmitting the extracted differential information to a packet communication apparatus;

a second differential information update notification means provided in the second apparatus for receiving the extracted differential information of the database of the first apparatus,

a power supply for the second apparatus; and

a packet communication apparatus comprising;

a data buffer for temporarily storing differential information; and

a power supply control means for controlling the power supply for the second apparatus;

wherein when the packet communication apparatus receives the differential information from the first differential information update notification means, the packet communication apparatus stores the received differential information into the data buffer;

wherein only when the power supply of the second apparatus is switched on, the second differential information update notification means polls the packet communication apparatus to determine whether differential information is stored in the data buffer and if there is differential information stored in the data buffer, the second differential information update notification means updates the database of the second apparatus with the differential information stored in the data buffer;

wherein once the second differential information update notification means concludes updating the database of the second apparatus, the packet communication device deletes the differential information stored in the data buffer.

12. A database synchronization method for synchronizing data of databases of a first apparatus and a second apparatus having a power supply connected to each other through a network, comprising:

transmitting differential information of the database of the first apparatus to a packet communication means having a data buffer and a power supply control means for controlling power supply of the second apparatus;

receiving the differential information of the database of the first apparatus at the packet communication means, switching on the power supply of the second apparatus by the power supply control means in the packet communication mean if the power supply of the second apparatus is in an off state and storing the received differential information of the database of the first apparatus into the data buffer of the packet communication means;

updating the database of the second apparatus with the differential information from the data buffer of the packet communication means, once the power supply of the second apparatus switches on;

switching off the power supply of the second apparatus and deleting the differential information stored in the data buffer of the packet communication means, once the updating the database of the second apparatus concludes.

13. A database synchronization method for synchronizing data of databases of a first apparatus and a second apparatus having a power supply connected to each other through a network, comprising:

transmitting differential information of the database of the first apparatus to a packet communication means having a data buffer and a power supply control means for controlling power supply of the second apparatus;

receiving the differential information of the database of the first apparatus at the packet communication means and storing the received differential information of the database of the first apparatus into the data buffer of the packet communication means;

polling the data buffer of the packet communication means by the second apparatus only when the power supply of the second apparatus is switched on either manually or automatically to determine if differential information is stored in the data buffer, transferring the differential information stored in the data buffer of the packet communication means into the database of the second apparatus once it is determined that the differential information is stored in the data buffer of the packet communication means and updating the database of the second apparatus with the differential information from the data buffer of the packet communication means;

deleting the differential information stored in the data buffer of the packet communication means once the updating the database of the second apparatus concludes.