One-to-many device synchronization using downloaded/shared client software
First Claim
1. A communication system comprising:
- a server device comprising a database and client software, said database comprising information and said client software comprising instructions for performing a data synchronization compliant with said server; and
a first client device for performing data processing functions, said first client device for establishing a communication link with said server, for receiving a copy of said client software from said server in response to said communication link being established, and for using the copy of said client software to perform the data synchronization with said server to obtain a portion of said information, wherein;
as a result of performing the data synchronization, the portion of the information on the first client device and in the database of the server are up-to-date.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for performing one-to-many synchronization using a central server and also using downloadable client software. The system includes a central server, e.g., a web server or an enterprise server, that synchronizes with multiple electronic devices including, for example, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a cell phone, a pager, etc. Before the data synchronization takes place, and after the electronic device initiates communication with the server, the server downloads client software to the electronic device. The client software allows the electronic device to perform data synchronization with the server. After the synchronization is complete, the client software may be removed from the electronic device. The server data is located in one place and can be accessed from any location using almost any electronic device and the data can be readily protected. The invention provides geographically independent synchronization for the same device. The invention reduces the amount of metadata required to perform synchronization, eliminates slow synchronizations and also operates on standard or pre-existing data structures. The shared client software technique also reduces software maintenance and administrative issues and is helpful for application service providers (ASPs).
44 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A communication system comprising:
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a server device comprising a database and client software, said database comprising information and said client software comprising instructions for performing a data synchronization compliant with said server; and a first client device for performing data processing functions, said first client device for establishing a communication link with said server, for receiving a copy of said client software from said server in response to said communication link being established, and for using the copy of said client software to perform the data synchronization with said server to obtain a portion of said information, wherein; as a result of performing the data synchronization, the portion of the information on the first client device and in the database of the server are up-to-date. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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maintaining, by a first device, a database and client software, the database comprising information and the client software comprising instructions for performing a data synchronization compliant with the first device; establishing a communication link between a second device and the first device; receiving a copy of the client software at the second device from the first device in response to the communication link being established; and using the copy of the client software at the second device to perform the data synchronization with the first device to obtain a portion of the information, wherein; as a result of performing the data synchronization, the portion of the information on the second device and in the database of the first device are up-to-date. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer memory having recorded thereon a plurality of instructions for a processor on a second device comprising:
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instructions for establishing a communication link with a first device; instructions for downloading a copy of client software from a database to said second device in response to said communication link being established, the copy of the client software including instructions for performing a data synchronization; instructions for responding to communications from said first device when said second device is executing said instructions to perform said data synchronization to obtain a portion of information from said database, wherein; as a result of executing said data synchronization, said portion of information on said second device and in said database are up-to-date. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification