System operator independent server alerted synchronization system and methods

• US 7,689,713 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funambol Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Funambol Incorporated
• Inventors: Fornari, Stefano
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURPHY, CHARLES C
• Application Number:
  US11/338,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/254, 370/328, 370/468, 709/202, 709/204, 709/217, 709/223, 709/225, 709/230, 711/118, 711/169, 713/158
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A system for enabling server alerted synchronization between a client device and a synchronization server where the network address of the client device is subject to arbitrary reassignment by the network operator without communication with the synchronization server. The client device actively responds to dynamic assignments of a network address to the client device by a network operator by establishing a network connection with and transmitting the network address to a synchronization server operated independent of the network operator. The identification of the synchronization server is determined from configuration data maintained by the client device. The client device then provides for the establishment of a network connection with the synchronization server to support immediate receipt of server alerted synchronization notification messages.

Claims

1. A method enabling server alerted synchronization between a client device and a synchronization server where the network address of the client device is subject to arbitrary reassignment by the network operator without communication with the synchronization server, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, by a client device having a first network address and operative to execute a client application, a second network address in replacement of said first network address, wherein said second network address is dynamically assigned by a network operator, wherein said client application is responsive to synchronization data exchanged with an application server, and wherein said application server is controlled independent of said network operator;

b) transmitting, by said client device, said second network address upon dynamic assignment, to a synchronization server, wherein said synchronization server operates independent of said network operator; and

c) providing, through communication between said synchronization server and said application server, for the establishment of a network connection dependent on said second network address to exchange said synchronization data between said client device and said application server.

d) terminating, by said client device in response to the receipt of said second network address, a first network connection dependent on said first network address established to exchange said synchronization data between said client device and said application server, wherein said step of providing provides for the establishment of a second network connection dependent on said second network address to exchange said synchronization data between said client device and said application server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of maintaining, by said synchronization server, a device inventory associating a predetermined device identifier with said second network address, wherein said predetermined device identifier is obtained by said synchronization server independent of said network operator.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing is responsive to the provision of said predetermined device identifier from said application server to said synchronization server.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing provides for the establishment of said second network connection through said synchronization server.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of providing provides for the establishment of said second network connection directly routed between said client device and said application server relative to said synchronization server.

6. A method enabling data synchronization over a network between a client application and a corresponding application server where the network address of the client device is subject to dynamic reassignment, said method comprising the steps of:

a) detecting, on a client device, a dynamic reassignment of the network address of said client device, said dynamic reassignment replacing a first network address with a second network address as arbitrarily determined by a network operator server;

b) disabling, in response to said step of detecting, network communications using said first network address between said client device and a synchronization server;

c) communicating, by said client device and independent if said network operator server, said second network address to said synchronization server; and

d) enabling, for transfer of synchronization data between a client application executed by said client device and an application server, network communications with said client device using said second network address, wherein said step of communicating provides said second network address in a network message, said method further comprising the step of validating, by said synchronization server, said network message, said step of enabling being conditioned on said step of validating.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of

a) storing, by said synchronization server for a plurality of client devices, a set of network addresses in correspondence with said plurality of client devices, said plurality of client devices including said client device and said set of network addresses including said second network address;

and

b) updating, by said synchronization server, said set of network addresses conditionally in response to said step of validating.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of communicating includes the step of identifying, by said client device, a plurality of synchronization servers, said step of communicating including communicating said second network address to each of said plurality of synchronization servers wherein each of said plurality of synchronization servers perform the steps of validating, storing and updating with respect to said client device.

9. A client device capable of synchronizing client application data with application servers that are independent of the network operator system that manages the assigned network address of the client device, said client devise comprising a processor system including a microprocessor, a memory, and a network controller, coupleable to a communications network, having an assigned network address, said processor system being operative to receive autonomously provided updates to said assigned network address from a network operator system, said processor system further including a control program stored in said memory and executable by said microprocessor, said control program being operative to provide, in response to said autonomously provided updates, said assigned network address through said communications controller to a synchronization server to enable said synchronization server, exclusive of said network operator system, to perform a server alerted synchronization transaction with said application program using said assigned network address as subject to said autonomously provided updates, wherein said server alerted synchronization transaction is performed through a network connection and wherein said control program is further operative to drop and resume said network connection in response to any said autonomously provided updates occurring during said server alerted synchronization transaction, whereby resumption of said network connection is enabled by a corresponding provision of said assigned network address to said synchronization server, and wherein said control program is operative to establish a control network connection with said synchronization server to provide said assigned network address to said synchronization server, and wherein said control network is further operative to establish a listener for a synchronization server initiated network connection through which to perform said server alerted synchronization transaction.

10. The client device of claim 9 wherein said control program is operative to establish a control network connection with said synchronization server to provide said assigned network address to said synchronization server, wherein said control network connection is maintained by said client device for performance of said server alerted synchronization transaction.

11. A system enabling data synchronization between client applications executed on client devices and corresponding application servers independent of the network operator system that provides dynamic assignment of network addresses to the client devices, said system comprising:

a) an application server operative to transfer synchronization data with respect to a client application through a communications network;

b) a synchronization server coupleable to said communications network, said synchronization server including a network address store that provides for the storage of a plurality of network addresses identified with a like plurality of client devices; and

c) a client device coupleable to said communications network, said client device having an assigned network address subject to dynamic reassignment by a network operator system independent of said synchronization server, said client device being operative, in response to changes in said assigned network address, to provide said assigned network .address to said synchronization server, said client device being further operative to execute said client application, said client application being responsive to a synchronization notification specific to said assigned network address to perform a synchronization transaction with respect to said synchronization server, wherein said client device is operative to establish a first network connection with said synchronization server maintained sufficient to provide said assigned network address, said client device being further operative to establish a listener for a second network connection to receive said server alerted synchronization notification message.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said synchronization server is operative exclusive of communication with said network operator system.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said synchronization server is operative to verify said assigned network address as provided by said client device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said synchronization server is operative to generate and send a server alerted synchronization notification message to said client device at said assigned network address.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said client device is operative to establish a network connection with said synchronization server to provide said assigned network address, said client device being further operative to maintain said network connection to receive said server alerted synchronization notification message.