Techniques for database updates

• US 8,103,272 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Williamson, Richard John
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/620,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,843 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 4554141-4144, 455/425, 455/41.2, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/418, 370/370
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Techniques for updating databases stored on mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether a primary connection exists to allow communication between a host device and a client device having a database with an associated version;

periodically determining a version associated with a most recent database available from a remote device;

determining automatically, in response to detecting a secondary connection between the host device and client device, the version associated with the database on the client device, the secondary connection comprising a lower bandwidth connection with respect to the primary connection;

comparing the version associated with the database on the client device with the version of the most recent database available from the remote device in response to determining the version associated with the database on the client device; and

if the version associated with the database on the client device is not the version of the database available from the remote device, updating the database on the client device to include the portion of the most recent database via the host device, wherein updating the database on the client device comprises

requesting at least a portion of the most recent database available from the remote device via the host device, and

transferring the at least a portion of the most recent database available from the host device to the client device via the primary connection if the primary connection is idle and there are no requests from applications of the host device and the client device to use the primary connection or the secondary connection otherwise.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein periodically determining the version associated with the most recent database available from the remote device comprises periodically sending a query from the host device to the remote device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary connection comprises a wireless connection according to a first wireless protocol and the secondary connection comprises a wireless connection according to a second wireless protocol.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first wireless protocol conforms to an IEEE 802.11 standard and the second wireless protocol conforms to a Bluetooth standard.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary connection comprises a wireless connection according to a first wireless protocol and the secondary connection comprises a wired connection according to a second protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the database includes a listing of names corresponding to geographical locations.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the database includes a listing of names corresponding to stock symbols.

8. An article comprising a tangible computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

determine whether a primary connection exists to allow communication between a host device and a client device having a database with an associated version;

periodically determine a version associated with a most recent database available from a remote device;

determine automatically, in response to detecting a secondary connection between the host device and client device, the version associated with the database on the client device, the secondary connection comprising a lower bandwidth connection with respect to the primary connection;

compare the version associated with the database on the client device with the version of the most recent database available from the remote device in response to determining the version associated with the database on the client device; and

if the version associated with the database on the client device is not the version of the database available from the remote device, update the database on the client device to include the portion of the most recent database via the host device, wherein updating the database on the client device comprises

requesting at least a portion of the most recent database available from the remote device via the host device, and

transferring the at least a portion of the most recent database available from the host device to the client device via the primary connection if the primary connection is idle and there are no requests from applications of the host device and the client device to use the primary connection or the secondary connection otherwise.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to periodically determine the version associated with the most recent database available from the remote device comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to periodically send a query from the host device to the remote device.

10. The article of claim 8 wherein the primary connection comprises a wireless connection according to a first wireless protocol and the secondary connection comprises a wireless connection according to a second wireless protocol.

11. The article of claim 10 wherein the first wireless protocol conforms to an IEEE 802.11 standard and the second wireless protocol conforms to a Bluetooth standard.

12. The article of claim 8 wherein the primary connection comprises a wireless connection according to a first wireless protocol and the secondary connection comprises a wired connection according to a second protocol.

13. The article of claim 8 wherein the database includes a listing of names corresponding to geographical locations.

14. The article of claim 8 wherein the database includes a listing of names corresponding to stock symbols.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a primary connection exists to allow communication between a host device and a client device having a database with an associated version;

means for periodically determining a version associated with a most recent database available from a remote device;

means for determining automatically, in response to detecting a secondary connection between the host device and client device, the version associated with the database on the client device, the secondary connection comprising a lower bandwidth connection with respect to the primary connection;

means for comparing the version associated with the database on the client device with the version of the most recent database available from the remote device in response to determining the version associated with the database on the client device; and

means for, if the version associated with the database on the client device is not the version of the database available from the remote device, updating the database on the client device to include the portion of the most recent database via the host device, wherein updating the database on the client device comprises

requesting at least a portion of the most recent database available from the remote device via the host device, and

transferring the at least a portion of the most recent database available from the host device to the client device via the primary connection if the primary connection is idle and there are no requests from applications of the host device and the client device to use the primary connection or the secondary connection otherwise.