One-to-many device synchronization using downloaded/shared client software

• US 8,090,878 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Inventors: Pallipuram, Gerard, Kulkarni, Sudhir
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/610,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 793 Days
• Field of Search: 709212-214, 709/248, 707/610, 707/620
• 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 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).

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a first electronic device comprising a database, server software and client synchronization software, the database comprising information and the client synchronization software comprising instructions for performing a data synchronization with the database compliant with said server software; and

a second electronic device comprising a processor wherein the second electronic device establishes a communication link with the server software and downloads a copy of the client synchronization software from said first electronic device, wherein the processor executes the client synchronization software to perform the data synchronization and wherein said first electronic device erases the client synchronization software after the data synchronization is performed.

2. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the first electronic device erases a portion of the information on the first client device.

3. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the second electronic device provides a query command to the first electronic device.

4. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the data synchronization is a partial synchronization.

5. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the first electronic device is a web-based device and the second electronic device has telephony capability.

6. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the first electronic device authenticates the second electronic device prior to downloading the client synchronization device to the second electronic device.

7. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the second electronic device performs a plurality of data synchronizations before the client synchronization software is erased from the second electronic device.

8. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the connection established is established over the Internet.

9. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein the client synchronization software defines the type of synchronization to be performed.

10. A method for performing a data synchronization between a first and second electronic device comprising:

using a processor on a second electronic device to;

establish a communication link between a second electronic device and a first electronic device;

download a copy of client synchronization software from the first electronic device to the second electronic device; and

synchronize data in a first database on the first electronic device with data in a second database on the second electronic device using the copy of the client synchronization software at the second device to perform the data synchronization; and

remove the copy of the client synchronization software from the second electronic device after the data synchronization.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein synchronization step further comprises:

providing a query command to the first electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the query command is to request a document from the first electronic device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the synchronization performed is a partial synchronization.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first electronic device is a web-based device and the second electronic device has telephony capability.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising authenticating the second electronic device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein a plurality of synchronizations are performed before removal of the copy of the client synchronization software.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication link is established over the Internet.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the client synchronization software defines the type of synchronization to be performed.

19. A computer memory having recorded thereon a plurality of instructions for a processor comprising:

instructions for establishing a communication link between a second electronic device and a first electronic device;

instructions for downloading a copy of client synchronization software from the first electronic device to the second electronic device; and

instructions for synchronizing data in a first database on the first electronic device with data in a second database on the second electronic device using the copy of the client synchronization software at the second device to perform the data synchronization; and

instructions for removing the copy of the client synchronization software from the second electronic device after the data synchronization.