System and method for searching a remote database

• US 7,523,112 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2004
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Chiu, Denny K., Hassan, Ahmed E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S
• Application Number:
  US10/782,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• 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: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for searching a remote database. A server may be used to communicate with a mobile device over a wireless network. The mobile device may include a local application database for storing data items for one or more software applications. The server may include a server application database for storing copies of data items that are transmitted to the mobile device. A local search module on the mobile device may be used to identify one or more data items in the local application database that match a set of search parameters. If the one or more data items cannot be identified in the local application database, then a remote search module on the server may be used to identify a copy of the one or more data items in the server application database that match the set of search parameters.

Claims

1. In a system having a server that is operable to communicate with a mobile device over a wireless network, the server including a server application database for storing copies of data items that are transmitted to the mobile device and the mobile device including a memory subsystem for storing data items on the mobile device, a memory management method comprising:

determining that additional memory space is needed on the mobile device;

if additional memory space is needed, then communicating with the server over the wireless network to determine if a copy of one or more data items are stored in the server application database, and if copies of the one or more data items are stored in the server application database, then deleting the one or more data items from the memory subsystem in the mobile device to create additional memory space,

whereby the mobile device verifies that copies of one or more data items are stored in the server application database before the one or more data items are deleted from the memory subsystem to create additional memory space on the mobile device;

wherein a list of one or more data items identified in the server application database is received from the server application database in order to determine if copies of the one or more data items are stored in the server application database, and wherein data items included in the list are deleted before data items that are not included in the list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting all data items from the mobile device that have copies stored in the server application database before deleting any data items from the mobile device that do not have copies stored in the server application database.

3. In a system having a server that is operable to communicate with a mobile device over a wireless network, the server including a server application database for storing copies of data items that are transmitted to the mobile device and the mobile device including a memory subsystem for storing data items on the mobile device, the mobile device comprising:

a local application database for storing data items for one or more software applications;

a communication subsystem configured to transmit and receive data over the wireless network;

a memory management system configured to determine that additional memory space is needed in the local application database, and in response cause the communication subsystem to communicate with the server over the wireless network to determine if a copy of one or more data items are stored in the server application database,

the memory management system being further configured to delete the one or more data items from the local application database if copies of the one or more data items are stored in the server application database;

whereby the memory management system verifies that copies of one or more data items are stored in the server application database before the one or more data items are deleted from the local application database to create additional memory space;

wherein a list of one or more data items identified in the server application database is received from the server application database in order to determine if copies of the one or more data items are stored in the server application database, and wherein data items included in the list are deleted before data items that are not included in the list.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the memory management system is configured to delete all data items from the local application database that have copies stored in the server application database before deleting any data items from the mobile device that do not have copies stored in the server application database.

5. The mobile device of claim 3, further comprising:

a display;

a local search module that causes the mobile device to identify one or more data items stored in the local application database that match one or more parameters,

a list of the one or more data items being displayed on the display along with an input field to enable a user to instruct the mobile device to execute a remote search operation; and

a remote search module that causes the mobile device to transmit a remote search request to the server in response to the user instructions to execute the remote search operation,

the remote search request including the one or more parameters, which are used by the server to identify one or more data items stored in the server application database matching the one or more parameters.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the mobile device receives the one or more data items identified from the server application database and displays a list of the one or more data items from the server application database on the display.

7. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the one or more software applications include an electronic messaging application, the local application database includes an electronic mailbox for storing electronic messages, and the sever-based application database includes a corresponding electronic mailbox for storing a copy of the electronic messages received by the mobile devices.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the server includes an electronic mail server configured to send and receive electronic messages over one or more computer networks and store received electronic messages in the corresponding electronic mailbox.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the server further includes an enterprise server for forwarding a copy of received electronic messages to the mobile device.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the electronic mailbox in the local application database is synchronized with the corresponding electronic mailbox in the server-based application database.

11. In a system having a server that is configured to communicate with a mobile device over a wireless network, the server including a server application database for storing copies of data items that are transmitted to the mobile device, the mobile device, comprising:

a local application database for storing data times for one or more software applications;

a communication subsystem configured to transmit and receive data over the wireless network;

a remote search module configured to transmit a search request to the server, the search request including one or more search parameters that are used by the server to identify one or more copies of data items that are stored in the server application database;

the remote search module further configured to receive a search result from the server that identifies the one or more copies of data items and being further configured to include the one or more copies of data items in a list of data items identified in the server application database; and

a memory management system configured to determine that additional memory space is needed in the local application database, and in response identify one or more data items for deletion from the local application database;

the memory management system identifying the one or more data items for deletion by accessing the list of data items identified in the server application database and deleting data items included in the list before deleting data items that are not included in the list;

whereby the memory management system verifies that copies of the one or more data items are stored in the server application database before the one or more data items are deleted from the local application database to create additional memory space.