Method and apparatus for synchronization of two computer systems

• US 7,437,485 B1
• Filed: 12/24/2003
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: ACCESS Systems Americas Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: McKendrick, Ain, Flores, Roger, Lamb, Art, Boyer, Monty, Kruglikov, Vitaly, Haitani, Rob, Marianetti, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ashok
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belani; Kishin G
• Application Number:
  US10/745,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing two computer systems supporting multiple synchronization techniques is described. In one example system, a portable computer system is loaded with synchronization transport modules. An application on the portable computer system is executed causing the application to automatically recognize the synchronization transport modules. The portable computer system receives a selection corresponding to one of the two synchronization transport modules. The selection could be from a user and would indicate that the user prefers to synchronize with the second computer system using a particular method of external communication. After the selection, the portable computer system synchronizes with the other computer system using the selected method of external communication.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for synchronizing a first computer system with a second computer system, wherein the execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions causes the one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

installing a first synchronization transport module to said first computer system;

installing a second synchronization transport module to said first computer system;

executing a synchronization application on said first computer system, said synchronization application automatically recognizing said first synchronization transport module and said second synchronization transport module;

receiving a selection of an active synchronization transport module from at least said first synchronization transport module and said second synchronization transport module; and

synchronizing said first computer system with said second computer system using said active synchronization transport module.

2. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1, the steps of the method further comprising:

configuring said first synchronization transport module by executing said first synchronization transport module.

3. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1, the steps of method further comprising:

configuring said first synchronization transport module by executing a preferences program that modifies configuration parameters associated with said first synchronization transport module.

4. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1, the steps of the method further comprising, prior to the synchronizing:

installing a third synchronization transport module to said first computer system;

executing said synchronization application on said first computer system, said synchronization application automatically recognizing said first synchronization transport module, said second synchronization transport module, and said third synchronization transport module;

receiving a second selection of said active synchronization transport module from at least said first synchronization transport module, said second synchronization transport module, and said third synchronization transport module.

5. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first computer system includes a portable computer system, wherein said second computer system includes a desktop computer system, and wherein said first, second and third synchronization transport modules correspond to a cradle communications method, a network communications method, and a modem communications method, respectively.

6. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first computer system includes a portable computer system and wherein said second computer system includes a desktop computer system.

7. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for synchronizing a first set of records on a computer system with a second set of records on a portable computer, wherein the execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions causes the one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

identifying a transport module from a plurality of possible transport modules for synchronizing the portable computer and the computer system, the plurality of transport modules including at least a first direct connection transport module and a first wireless transport module, the second set of records being accessible to each transport module in the plurality of transport modules;

sending over a medium corresponding to the identified transport module the second set of records; and

comparing the first set of records with the second set of records in order to synchronize at least a portion of the first set of records with at least a portion of the second set of records.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, the steps of the method further comprising:

comparing the first set of records with the second set of records in order to update one or more records in the second set of records with data in one or more records in the first set of records; and

sending over the medium corresponding to the identified transport module the second set of records with the updated one or more records.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a user selection specifying the first wireless transport module, the first wireless transport module being for a wireless packet radio network.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a user selection specifying the direct connection transport module, the direct connection transport module being for a cradle that connects to the computer system.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a user selection specifying the first wireless transport module, the first wireless transport module being for communications signaled over an infrared port.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a network transport module, the network transport module being for communications signaled over a connection to a local area network.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying the first wireless transport module for a wireless packet radio network.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein comparing the first set of records with the second set of records in order to synchronize at least a portion of the first set of records with at least a portion of the second set of records includes at least one of:

(i) adding one or more records from the second set of records to the first set of records,

(ii) adding one or more records from the first set of records to the second set of records,

(iii) updating one or more records in the second set of records with data in one or more records in the first set of records, and

(iv) updating one or more records in the first set of records with data in one or more records in the second set of records.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein comparing the first set of records with the second set of records includes at least one of:

(i) removing one or more records from the first set of records upon determining that records in the second set of records corresponding to those one or more records in the first set of records have been removed, and

(ii) removing one or more records from the second set of records upon determining that records in the first set of records corresponding to those one or more records in the second set of records have been removed.

16. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for synchronizing a first set of records on a computer system with a second set of records on a portable computer, wherein the execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions causes the one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of:

identifying a transport module from a plurality of possible transport modules for synchronizing the portable computer and the computer system, the plurality of transport modules including at least a first direct connection transport module and a first wireless transport module, the second set of records being accessible to each transport module in the plurality of possible transport modules;

sending over a medium corresponding to the identified transport module the second set of records so as to cause the computer system to receive and compare the first set of records with the second set of records; and

in response to sending over the medium, receiving over the medium the second set of records, in which at least a portion of the second set of records has been updated with at least a portion of the first set of records.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, the steps of the method further comprising:

in response to sending over the medium, causing the computer system to compare the first set of records with the second set of records in order to update one or more records in the second set of records with data in one or more records in the first set of records.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a user selection specifying the first wireless transport module, the first wireless transport module being for a wireless packet radio network.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a user selection specifying the direct connection transport module, the direct connection transport module being for a cradle that connects to the computer system.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a user selection specifying the first wireless transport module, the first wireless transport module being for communications signaled over an infrared port.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying a network transport module, the network transport module being for communications signaled over a connection to a local area network.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein identifying a transport module includes identifying the first wireless transport module for a wireless packet radio network.