Method of synchronising three or more electronic devices and a computer system for implementing that method

• US 7,346,705 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Guiheneuf, Bertrand, Noyau, Eric, Hullot, Jean-Marie, Cerveau, Laurent
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US10/453,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/238, 709/224, 709/227, 709/248, 709/203, 707/203, 455/436, 455/442, 370/324, 370/510
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• 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: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

Methods, systems and machine readable media for synchronising three or more electronic devices.

In one exemplary method of synchronising three or more electronic devices, said method comprises:

• • a) selecting at least one category of record for synchronisation;
  • b) storing an original value and a changed value of each changed record from a selected record category;
  • c) establishing an electronic connection between at least two devices;
  • d) comparing the records of the selected record categories;
  • e) determining any changed record;
  • f) identifying the updated device with the changed record having an original value the same as the value of the record in the other previous device; and
  • g) changing the value of the record in the previous device to the changed value.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing three or more electronic devices, said method comprising:

selecting at least one category of record for synchronization;

storing a plurality of changes including a first change and a second change for a first record in a first device of the three or more electronic devices, the first change including a first original value and a first changed value of the first record, the second change including a second original value and a second changed value of the first record, the first record being of the selected category of record;

establishing an electronic connection between the first device and a second device of the three or more electronic devices;

comparing the first original value with a value of a second record in the second device, the second record being of the selected category of record;

determining the second record as a changed record based on the comparison;

changing the value of the changed record in the second device to the second changed value, wherein the first original value is the same as the value of the second record;

deleting the first change stored in the first device;

nominating a store for each device, wherein if the electronic connection is not established with a third device, then said method further comprises;

storing the plurality of changes in a nominated third store; and

when said electronic connection is established with said third device, then the method further comprises the following;

comparing the second original value of the second change stored in the nominated third store with a value of a third record in said third device, the third record being of the selected category of record, and the third device being one of the three or more electronic devices;

if the value of the third record in the third device is the same as the second original value of the second chance stored in the nominated third store, then changing the value of the third record in the third device to the second changed value; and

deleting the second change from the nominated third store;

detecting if the first changed value of the first change is the same as the second original value of the second change; and

compressing the first and the second change to form a compressed change having the first original value of the first change and the second changed value of the second change.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which there are three or more changes suitable for compression.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

specifying a maximum number of changes suitable for compression for each store.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

reaching said maximum number in a reviewed store;

deleting all changes in said reviewed store; and

copying said changed record to said record in said third device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a third change is stored in the second device for the second record, the third change including a third original value and a third changed value, and wherein if the second original value of the second change is the same as the third original value of the third change but the second changed value of the second change is different from the third changed value of the third change, then passing the second original value, the second changed value, the third original value and the third changed value for conflict resolution.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

displaying to said user said conflict resolution;

specifying one of the second changed value and the third changed value as a correct value; and

changing the other changed value of the second changed value and the third changed value to the correct value.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which each said electronic device includes a user interface.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, in which said user interface enables preferences to be allocated.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, in which said preferences include selecting the categories of records for synchronization, selecting the type of electronic connection, and specifying the maximum number of changes suitable for compression.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which said user interface enables conflicts to be resolved.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, in which said categories of records include computer programs and data comprising calendar, email, audio, graphic, notes and personal information.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which each of said electronic devices include any one of personal computers, computer servers, personal digital assistants and mobile telephones.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, in which said electronic connection includes USB, serial ports, firewire, bluetooth, infrared and over the Internet.

14. A computer readable storage medium or media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by one or more data processing systems causes said systems to perform a method of synchronizing three or more electronic devices, said method comprising:

selecting at least one category of record for synchronization;

storing a plurality of changes including a first change and a second change for a first record in a first device of the three or more electronic devices, the first change including a first original value and a first changed value of the first record, the second change including a second original value and a second changed value of the first record, the first record being of the selected category of record;

establishing an electronic connection between the first device and a second device of the three or more electronic devices;

comparing the first original value with a value of a second record in the second device, the second record being of the selected category of record;

determining the second record as a changed record based on the comparison;

changing the value of the changed record in the second device to the second changed value, wherein the first original value is the same as the value of the second record;

deleting the first change stored in the first device;

nominating a store for each device, wherein if the electronic connection is not established with a third device, then said method further comprises;

storing the plurality of changes in a nominated third store; and

when said electronic connection is established with the third device, then the method further comprises the following;

comparing the second original value of the second chance stored in the nominated third store with a value of a third record in the third device, the third record being of the selected category of record, and the third device being one of the three or more electronic devices; and

if the value of the third record in the third device is the same as the second original value of the second chance stored in the nominated third store, then changing the value of the third record in the third device to the second changed value; and

deleting the second change from the nominated third store;

detecting if the first changed value of the first change is the same as the second original value of the second change; and

compressing the first and the second change to form a compressed change having the first original value of the first change and the second changed value of the second change.

15. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 14, in which there are three or more changes suitable for compression.

16. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 15, said method further comprising:

specifying a maximum number of changes suitable for compression for each store.

17. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 16, said method further comprising:

reaching said maximum number in a reviewed store;

deleting all changes in said reviewed store; and

copying said changed record to said record in said third device.

18. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 14, wherein a third change is stored in the second device for the second record, the third change including a third original value and a third changed value, and wherein if the second original value of the second change is the same as the third original value of the third change but the second changed value of the second change is different from the third changed value of the third change, then passing the second original value, the second changed value, the third original value and the third changed values for conflict resolution.

19. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 18, said method further comprising:

displaying to said user said conflict resolution;

specifying one of the second changed value and the third changed value a s a correct value; and

changing the other changed value of the second changed value and the third changed value to the correct value.

20. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 14, in which each said electronic device includes a user interface.

21. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 20, in which said user interface enables preferences to be allocated.

22. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 21, in which said preferences include selecting the categories of records for synchronization, selecting the type of electronic connection, and specifying the maximum number of changes suitable for compression.

23. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 22, in which said user interface enables conflicts to be resolved.

24. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 23, in which said categories of records include computer programs and data comprising calendar, email, audio, graphic, notes and personal information.

25. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 22, in which each of said electronic devices include any one of personal computers, computer servers, personal digital assistants and mobile telephones.

26. A computer readable storage medium or media as claimed in claim 25, in which said electronic connection includes USB, serial ports, firewire, bluetooth, infrared and over the Internet.

27. An apparatus for synchronizing three or more electronic devices, said apparatus comprising:

means for selecting at least one category of record for synchronization;

means for storing a plurality of changes including a first change and a second change for a first record in a first device of the three or more electronic devices, the first change including a first original value and a first changed value of the first record, the second change including a second original value and a second changed value of the first record, the first record being of the selected category of record;

means for establishing an electronic connection between the first device and a second device of the three or more electronic devices;

means for comparing the first original value with a value of a second record in the second device, the second record being of the selected category of record;

means for determining the second record as a changed record based on the comparison;

means for changing the value of the changed record in the second device to the second changed value, wherein the first original value is the same as the value of the second record;

means for deleting the first change stored in the first device;

means for nominating a store for each device, wherein if the electronic connection is not established with a third device, then said apparatus further comprises;

means for storing the plurality of changes in a nominated third store; and

means for comparing the second original value of the second change stored in the nominated third store with a value of a third record in said third device, the third record being of the selected category of record, and the third device being one of the three or more electronic devices;

means for changing the value of the third record in the third device to the second changed value if the value of said record in the third device is the same as the second original value of the second change stored in the nominated third store; and

means for deleting the change from the nominated third store;

means for detecting if the first changed value of the first change is the same as the second original value of the second change; and

means for compressing the first and the second change to form a compressed change having the first original value of the first change and the second changed value of the second change.