Method and apparatus for folder synchronization and management

• US 7,861,005 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: May, Darrell R., Luu, Lap, Linkert, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US11/450,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/227, 709/248, 707/204, 707/201, 707/610
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A method of sharing data accessible by a server, with a portable electronic device of a first entity includes receiving permission at the server to share with the first entity, data associated with a second entity, the data for use with an application. The server retrieves the data associated with the second entity and transmits the data from the server to the portable electronic device of the first entity. The data associated with the second entity is received at the portable electronic device of the first entity and stored in association with a second entity identifier, thereby distinguishing the data from other data for use with the application.

Claims

1. A method of sharing data accessible by a server, with a portable electronic device of a first entity, the method comprising:

receiving permission at the server to share with said first entity, data associated with a second entity, the data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder accessible by said server, said folder associated with said application, and said receiving permission comprises receiving permission at said server to share with said first entity, said data in said folder;

receiving a request at said server, from said portable electronic device of said first entity, for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, said request received in response to an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity in a portable device application at said portable electronic device being selected;

transmitting said list to said portable electronic device of said first entity;

receiving at the server an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity, said initialize command identifying said folder associated with said application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity said server retrieving said data associated with said second entity; and

transmitting said data from said server to said portable electronic device of said first entity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at said server, a synchronization trigger to synchronize said folder associated with said application and said second entity, with said portable electronic device of said first entity, prior to retrieving said data.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting said data comprises transmitting only partial content of all data contained in said folder.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a synchronization trigger from said portable electronic device of said first entity after transmitting said data to said portable electronic device of said first entity; and

updating said data accessible by said server based on modifications made to said data at said electronic device of said first entity.

5. A server method for sharing data with a portable electronic device of a first entity, the method comprising:

receiving permission at the server to share with said first entity, data associated with a second entity, the data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder accessible by said server, said folder associated with said application, and said receiving permission comprises receiving permission at said server to share with said first entity, said data in said folder;

receiving a request at said server, from said portable electronic device of said first entity, for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, said request received in response to an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity in a portable device application at said portable electronic device of said first entity being selected;

transmitting said list to said portable electronic device of said first entity;

receiving at the server an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity, said initialize command identifying said folder associated with said application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity;

retrieving said data associated with said second entity; and

transmitting said data to said portable electronic device of said first entity.

6. The server method according to claim 5, further comprising receiving a synchronization trigger to synchronize said folder associated with said application and said second entity, with said portable electronic device of said first entity, prior to retrieving said data.

7. The server method according to claim 5, wherein transmitting comprises transmitting said data associated with a second entity identifier.

8. The server method according to claim 5, wherein transmitting said data to said portable electronic device of said first entity comprises transmitting only partial content of all data contained in said folder.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein, the computer-readable code being executable by a processor for:

receiving permission at a server to share with a first entity, data associated with a second entity, the data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder accessible by said server, said folder associated with said application, wherein said receiving permission comprises receiving permission at said server to share with said first entity, said data in said folder;

receiving a request at said server, from said portable electronic device of said first entity, for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, said request received in response to an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity in a portable device application at said portable electronic device of said first entity being selected;

transmitting said list to said portable electronic device of said first entity;

receiving at the server an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity, said initialize command identifying said folder associated with said application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity;

retrieving said data associated with said second entity; and

transmitting said data to a portable electronic device of said first entity.

10. A system for data management suitable for sharing data with a portable electronic device of a first entity, the system comprising:

a memory device for storing data associated with a second entity, said data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder accessible by said server, said folder associated with said application;

a processor connected to said memory device for receiving permission to share said data associated with said second entity, receiving a request from said portable electronic device of said first entity for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, said request received in response to an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity in a portable device application at said portable electronic device of said first entity being selected, said portable electronic device of said first entity having previously been advised that said data associated with said second entity has been made available;

and for retrieving said data from said folder associated with said second entity, said receiving permission comprising receiving permission to share with said first entity, said data in said folder; and

a transmitter for transmitting said list to said portable electronic device of said first entity and for transmitting data to said portable electronic device of said first entity upon receiving an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity, said initialize command identifying said folder associated with said application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity.

11. A method of management of shared data at a portable electronic device of a first entity, the method comprising:

receiving from a second entity, at said portable electronic device of said first entity, a message advising that data associated with said second entity has been made available;

transmitting a request to an application data server for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, in response to an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity being selected;

receiving said list of folders;

transmitting an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity to said application data server, said initialize command identifying a folder associated with an application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity;

receiving said data associated with said second entity at said portable electronic device of said first entity, responsive to said transmitting said initialize command, the data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder associated with said application data server; and

storing said data in association with a second entity identifier, thereby distinguishing said data from other data for use with said application.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, at said portable electronic device, said data is stored in a folder identified with said second entity identifier.

13. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

upon user selection of said application on said portable electronic device, displaying options for viewing one of said data saved in association with said second entity identifier and said other data saved in association with said other entity identifier.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein storing said data comprises storing said data with read-only access, thereby allowing only viewing of said data upon user selection of said data on said electronic device.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein storing said data comprises storing said data with read and write access, thereby allowing modification of said data.

16. A portable electronic device of a first entity, the device comprising:

a receiver for;

receiving from a second entity, at said portable electronic device of said first entity, a message advising that data associated with said second entity has been made available;

transmitting a request to a server for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, in response to an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity being selected;

receiving said list of folders;

transmitting an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity to said application data server, said initialize command identifying said folder associated with said application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity; and

receiving said data associated with said second entity, the data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder accessible by said server, said folder associated with said application and a second entity; and

a memory device for storage of said data; and

a processor connected to said memory device for storing said data in association with a second entity identifier, thereby distinguishing said data from other data for use with said application.

18. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein said data is stored in a folder identified with said second entity identifier.

19. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, further comprising a display device and wherein upon selection of said application said display device displays options for viewing one of said data saved in association with said second entity identifier and said other data saved in association with said other entity identifier.

20. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein said memory device stores said data with read-only access, thereby allowing only viewing of said data upon selection of said data on said electronic device.

21. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein said memory device stores said data with read and write access, thereby allowing modification of said data.

22. The portable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein said option to view said shared folders associated with said second entity is provided with contact details of said second entity.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein, the computer-readable code being executable by a processor for:

receiving from a second entity, at a portable electronic device associated with a first entity, a message advising that data associated with said second entity has been made available;

displaying an option to view shared folders associated with said second entity;

transmitting a request to a server for a list of folders associated with said second entity to which access has been made available, in response to said option being selected;

receiving said list of folders;

transmitting an initialize command from said portable electronic device of said first entity to said application data server, said initialize command identifying said folder associated with said application and said second entity, thereby starting a synchronization session with said portable electronic device of said first entity;

receiving said data associated with said second entity at said portable electronic device of said first entity, the data for use with an application of a plurality of applications, wherein said data is stored in a folder accessible by a server, said folder associated with said application; and

storing said data in association with a second entity identifier, thereby distinguishing said data from other data for use with said application.