Generic API for synchronization

• US 7,613,835 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin; Kenny S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang; Hieu T
• Application Number:
  US10/658,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/248, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/248
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A generic synchronization application programming interface (API) provides an interface between synchronization applications and a plurality of synchronization protocols. The generic synchronization API acts as an abstraction layer for the plurality of synchronization protocols. A synchronization application interfaces with the generic synchronization API in a manner independent of the specific synchronization protocol, and the generic synchronization API interfaces with each individual synchronization protocol.

Claims

1. A first device to synchronize data with a second device, the first device comprising:

a memory comprising;

i. one or more applications;

ii. a network layer coupled to interface with the second device;

iii. a synchronization layer coupled to the network layer to provide a synchronization protocol between the first device and the second device; and

iv. an application program interface (API) coupled to communicate with the one or more applications and the synchronization layer to provide synchronization between the one or more applications and the synchronization layer, wherein the API is protocol-independent, and wherein generic synchronization communications between the one or more applications and the API are independent of any synchronization protocol used between the API and the synchronization layer.

2. The first device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more applications comprises a synchronization application.

3. The first device of claim 2 wherein the synchronization application is selected from a group consisting of Personal Information Manager (PIM) sync, contents distribution, and contents upload.

4. The first device of claim 1 wherein synchronization layer comprises a synchronization protocol stack.

5. The first device of claim 1 wherein the synchronization protocol stack is selected from a group consisting of SyncML, Information Content Exchange (ICE), and Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).

6. A network comprising:

a. one or more network devices; and

b. an application device comprising;

i. one or more applications;

ii. a network layer coupled to interface with the one or more network devices;

iii. a synchronization layer coupled to the network layer to provide a synchronization protocol between the application device and the one or more network devices; and

iv. an application program interface (API) coupled to communicate with the one or more applications and the synchronization layer to provide synchronization between the one or more applications and the synchronization layer, wherein the API is protocol-independent, and wherein generic synchronization communications between the one or more applications and the API are independent of any synchronization protocol used between the API and the synchronization layer.

7. The network of claim 6 wherein at least one of the one or more applications comprises a synchronization application.

8. The network of claim 7 wherein the synchronization application is selected from a group consisting of Personal Information Manager (PIM) sync, contents distribution, and contents upload.

9. The network of claim 6 wherein synchronization layer comprises a synchronization protocol stack.

10. The network of claim 9 wherein the synchronization protocol stack is selected from a group consisting of SyncML, Information Content Exchange (ICE), and Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).

11. A method of providing an application program interface (API) to one or more synchronization applications resident within a first device coupled to a network of devices, the method comprising:

a. sending and receiving messages to and from the one or more synchronization applications through the API to one or more synchronization protocol stacks, to synchronize data between the first device and at least one other device within the network of devices, wherein the API is protocol-independent, and wherein generic synchronization communications between the one or more synchronization applications and the API are independent of a synchronization protocol used between the API and the synchronization protocol stacks; and

b. generating and sending communications at the API to a network layer via the one or more synchronization protocol stacks within the first device; and

receiving communications at the API from the network layer via the one or more synchronization protocol stacks within the at least one other device to complete data synchronization between the first device and the at least one other device within the network of devices.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more synchronization applications are selected from a group consisting of Personal Information Manager (PIM) sync, contents distribution, and contents upload.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more synchronization protocol stacks are selected from a group consisting of SyncML, Information Content Exchange (ICE), and Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).

14. An apparatus for providing an application program interface (API) to one or more synchronization applications resident within a first device coupled to a network of devices, the apparatus comprising:

a. a memory comprising;

i. means for sending and receiving messages to and from the one or more synchronization applications through the API to one or more synchronization protocol stacks, to synchronize data between the first device and at least one other device within the network of devices, wherein the API is protocol-independent, and wherein generic synchronization communications between the one or more synchronization applications and the API are independent of a synchronization protocol used between the API and the synchronization protocol stacks; and

ii. means for generating and sending communications at the API to a network layer via the one or more synchronization protocol stacks within the first device; and

means for receiving communications at the API from the network layer via the one or more synchronization protocol stacks within the at least one other device to complete data synchronization between the first device and the at least one other device within the network of devices.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the synchronization application is selected from a group consisting of Personal Information Manager (PIM) sync, contents distribution, and contents upload.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the synchronization protocol stacks are selected from a group consisting of SyncML, Information Content Exchange (ICE), and Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).