Apparatus, and associated method, for selectably delaying synchronization of database copies in a radio communication system

• US 7,933,618 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Phillips, Catherine
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US12/235,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20090029727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 455/502, 455/501, 455/500, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/405, 455/69, 455/550.1, 455/67.11, 455/566, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 370/350, 370/345, 370/343, 370/503, 370/480, 709/219, 709/221, 709/206, 340/3.1, 340/3.2
• US Class Current: 455/502
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for selectably delaying performance of synchronization operations in which database copies are placed in match with one another. A user of a mobile node at which a database copy is maintained selectably actuates an actuator to select delay of performance of the synchronization operations. Once selection is made to delay the performance of the synchronization operations, selection is further made by a delay selector of the delay period prior to which synchronization operations are carried out.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a radio communication system having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, said apparatus for facilitating user-control of performance of synchronization operations by which to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, said mobile node apparatus comprising:

a user display embodied at the mobile node, said user display selectably for displaying a first indication to indicate the detection of a dissimilarity between the values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

a user actuator, capable of being actuated responsive to display at said user display of the first indication that indicates the detection of the dissimilarity, selectably actuable by the user to select a delay in the performance of the synchronization operations; and

a delay selector adapted at least to receive indications of actuation of said user actuator by the user, said delay selector, selectably operable, responsive to at least the indications of actuation of said user actuator, to select a delay period by which to delay the performance of the synchronization operations based on a determination of network part communications loading by the delay selector and to select synchronization operations responsive to detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database and wherein said user actuator is actuated by the user subsequent to the detection of the dissimilarity and prior to commencement of the synchronization operations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the selected delay period ends within a certain window of time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database is received from the network part.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a synchronization-operation commencement initiator adapted to receive indications of the selected delay period selected by said delay selector, said synchronization-operation commencement initiator for initiating commencement of the synchronization operations subsequent to conclusion of the select delay period.

5. Apparatus for a radio communication system having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, said apparatus for facilitating user-control of performance of synchronization operations by which to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, said mobile node apparatus comprising:

a user display embodied at the mobile node, said user display selectably for displaying a first indication to indicate the detection of a dissimilarity between the values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

a user actuator, capable of being actuated responsive to display at said user display of the first indication that indicates the detection of the dissimilarity, selectably actuable by the user to select a delay in the performance of the synchronization operations; and

a delay selector adapted at least to receive indications of actuation of said user actuator by the user, said delay selector, selectably operable, responsive to at least the indications of actuation of said user actuator, to select a delay period by which to delay the performance of the synchronization operations based on a determination of the number of mobile nodes performing synchronization operations by the delay selector and to select synchronization operations responsive to detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database and wherein said user actuator is actuated by the user subsequent to the detection of the dissimilarity and prior to commencement of the synchronization operations.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the selected delay period ends within a certain window of time.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database is received from the network part.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a synchronization-operation commencement initiator adapted to receive indications of the selected delay period selected by said delay selector, said synchronization-operation commencement initiator for initiating commencement of the synchronization operations subsequent to conclusion of the select delay period.

9. A method for facilitating user-control of performance of synchronization operations in a radio communication network having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, the synchronization operations performed to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, said method comprising the operations of:

determining, at the mobile node, a necessity of the synchronization operations responsive to detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

displaying on a user display, a first indication of a dissimilarity between the values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

selecting, at the mobile node, to delay the performance of the synchronization operations based on a determination of network part communications loading by said mobile node; and

selecting, at the mobile node, at least a selected delay period by which to delay the performance of the synchronization operations.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database is received from the network part.

11. A method for facilitating user-control of performance of synchronization operations in a radio communication network having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, the synchronization operations performed to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, said method comprising the operations of:

determining, at the mobile node, a necessity of the synchronization operations responsive to detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

displaying on a user display, a first indication of a dissimilarity between the values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

selecting, at the mobile node, to delay the performance of the synchronization operations based on a determination of the number of mobile nodes performing synchronization operations by said mobile node; and

selecting, at the mobile node, at least a selected delay period by which to delay the performance of the synchronization operations.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database is received from the network part.

13. A method for facilitating user-control of performance of synchronization operations in a radio communication network having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, the synchronization operations performed to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, said method comprising the operations of:

determining, at the mobile node, a necessity of the synchronization operations responsive to detection of dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

displaying on a user display, a first indication of a dissimilarity between the values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database;

selecting, at the mobile node, to delay the performance of the synchronization operations based on a determination of a time of day at which synchronization occurs by said mobile node; and

selecting, at the mobile node, at least a selected delay period by which to delay the performance of the synchronization operations.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the dissimilarity between values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database is received from the network part.

15. Apparatus for a radio communication system having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, said apparatus facilitating synchronization operations by which to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, said apparatus comprising:

a synchronization server, embodied at the network part and coupled to the network-copy database, the synchronization server capable of determining that synchronization of the network-copy database to the mobile-copy database is needed, and, capable of synchronizing the network-copy database to a mobile-copy database, after a mobile-node-determined delay period of time has elapsed, after the synchronization server determines that a synchronization is needed.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the mobile-node-determined delay period of time is determined based on at least one of:

network loading;

the number of mobile nodes synchronizing databases; and

the time of day.

17. Apparatus for a radio communication system having a network part at which a network-copy database is maintained and a mobile node at which a mobile-copy database is maintained, said apparatus facilitating synchronization operations by which to synchronize values of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database, a method of synchronizing the network-copy database to the mobile-copy database comprising the steps of:

detecting at the network part that a synchronization of the network-copy database to the mobile-copy database is needed;

communicating that a synchronization of the network-copy database to the mobile-copy database is needed; and

synchronizing the network-copy database to the mobile-copy database, after a mobile-node-determined delay period of time has elapsed, after the step of communicating that a synchronization of the network-copy database to the mobile-copy database is needed.