Queue management for connectivity quality awareness for intelligent device synchronization

• US 7,505,449 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Timothy E., Paul, Christopher J., Redpath, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong; Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US10/963,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 370/350, 370/310, 370/310.1, 370/310.2, 370/503, 455/502
• US Class Current: 370/350
• 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 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for synchronization queue management. A synchronization queue management system can include a connection manager programmed to establish a synchronization link between a host pervasive device and a synchronization partner platform. The system further can include a link quality analysis service programmed to indicate a link quality for an established synchronization link. Finally, the system can include a synchronization application coupled to the connection manager and the link quality analysis service. The synchronization application can be configured to synchronize data in a synchronization queue in the host pervasive device with the synchronization partner platform over the established synchronization link. The synchronization application further can be configured to manage the synchronization queue based upon a link quality indicated by the link quality analysis service. Preferably, the link quality can be a throughput measurement or a usage cost measurement.

Claims

1. A synchronization queue management method comprising the steps of:

establishing a synchronization link for synchronizing data in a synchronization queue;

analyzing link quality for said synchronization link; and

,

selectively managing data items in said synchronization queue based upon said analyzed link quality.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing step comprises the step of determining a throughput measurement for said synchronization link.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize smaller data items able to be more effectively synchronized over a slow synchronization link as compared to larger data items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing step comprises the step of determining a usage cost measurement for said synchronization link.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize smaller data items able to be more cost effectively synchronized over a slow synchronization link as compared to larger data items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize data items determined to be more effectively synchronized over said synchronization link despite said analyzed link quality.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining an estimated synchronization time for a data item in said synchronization queue; and

,

generating a prompt with said estimated synchronization time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize data items marked urgent.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing deferring synchronization where said analyzed link quality merits avoidance of synchronization.

10. A synchronization queue management system comprising:

a connection manager programmed to establish a synchronization link between a host pervasive device and a synchronization partner platform;

a link quality analysis service programmed to indicate a link quality for an established synchronization link; and

,

a synchronization application coupled to said connection manager and said link quality analysis service, said synchronization application having a configuration for synchronizing data in a synchronization queue in said host pervasive device with said synchronization partner platform over said established synchronization link, said synchronization application having a further configuration for managing said synchronization queue based upon a link quality indicated by said link quality analysis service.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said link quality comprises at least one of a throughput measurement and a usage cost measurement.

12. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for synchronization queue management, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform the steps of:

establishing a synchronization link for synchronizing data in a synchronization queue;

analyzing link quality for said synchronization link; and

,

selectively managing data items in said synchronization queue based upon said analyzed link quality.

13. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said analyzing step comprises the step of determining a throughput measurement for said synchronization link.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 13, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize smaller data items able to be more effectively synchronized over a slow synchronization link as compared to larger data items.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said analyzing step comprises the step of determining a usage cost measurement for said synchronization link.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 15, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize smaller data items able to be more cost effectively synchronized over a slow synchronization link as compared to larger data items.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize data items determined to be more effectively synchronized over said synchronization link despite said analyzed link quality.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising an additional set of instructions for further causing the machine to perform the steps of:

determining an estimated synchronization time for a data item in said synchronization queue; and

,

generating a prompt with said estimated synchronization time.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 12, wherein said managing step comprises the step of ordering said data items in said synchronization queue to prioritize data items marked urgent.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 12, further comprising an additional set of instructions for further causing the machine to perform the step of performing deferring synchronization where said analyzed link quality merits avoidance of synchronization.