Method and system for server synchronization with a computing device

• US 8,533,154 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Xiao Fei, Vejlstrup, Magnus, Rabbers, David L., Chung, Pi-Yu, Susser, Martin, Hansen, Aaron B., Scott, Brian, George, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, KIET G
• Application Number:
  US11/753,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,301 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709/248, 707/103, 707/610, 707/201
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing a main database of a server and a local database of a handheld device. A user can use an application residing in the handheld device to make transactions in the local database. During a synchronization operation, the handheld device and server are coupled. The system then determines whether the application should be updated and, if so, causes the server to provide an update. The system also causes the handheld device to provide to the server information related to the transactions made by the user to the local database. The system causes the server to perform transactions on the main database based on the transaction information. The system also causes the server to extract data from the main database. The server can then provide at least some of the extracted data to the handheld device to update the local database.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a connection between a server and a synchronization client, wherein

a handheld device comprises the synchronization client,

the server comprises a first database,

the first database comprises a plurality of groups of data, and

the handheld device comprises a second database;

receiving, from the synchronization client, filter information, wherein

the filter information indicates a first group of the plurality of groups of data;

filtering data from the first database using the filter information to obtain first data, wherein

the filtering comprises selecting the first group of data in accordance with the filter information; and

providing the first data to the synchronization client to update the second database, wherein

the first data comprises the first group of data;

receiving, from the synchronization client, information of transactions performed on the second database via the handheld device; and

providing metadata to the synchronization client to update an application on the handheld device when the application has not been updated since a previous synchronization operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the synchronization client first information indicative of a structure of the first database; and

determining whether the structure of the first database has been updated since the previous synchronization operation.

3. method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the structure of the first database has been updated since the previous synchronization operation comprises:

receiving, from the synchronization client, second information stored on the handheld device that is indicative of the structure of the first database when the previous synchronization operation was performed; and

comparing the first information with the second information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein

the providing the first data comprises:

providing to the synchronization client second data from the first database when the structure of the first database has not been updated since the previous synchronization operation, wherein

the second data comprises the first data that was filtered from the first database using the filter information, and

the second data further comprises data that has changed in the second database since the previous synchronization operation was performed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising

providing to the synchronization client first information indicative of a version of the application, wherein

the handheld device comprises the application, and

the application is configured to access the second database;

and

determining whether the application has been updated since the previous synchronization operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving information of transactions performed on the second database comprises:

providing an identifier of a last received transaction to the synchronization client; and

receiving, from the synchronization client, transaction information that comprises an identifier for each transaction made after the last received transaction.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first transaction from the handheld device;

receiving a second transaction from a second handheld device, wherein

the second transaction conflicts with the first transaction; and

modifying one or more portions of the second transaction, wherein

the modifying eliminates a conflict with the first transaction.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first data comprises data from the first database that is visible by the handheld device, and

the first database comprises other data that is not visible by the handheld device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the server verifying the filter information to ensure the filter settings are proper, wherein

the verifying is performed prior to the filtering.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing initial filter information to the synchronization client, wherein

the providing the initial filter information is performed prior to the receiving the filter information, and

the filter information is configured to be updated using the initial filter information.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

establishing a connection between the computer and a synchronization client, wherein

a handheld device comprises the synchronization client,

the computer comprises a first database,

the first database comprises a plurality of groups of data, and

the handheld device comprises a second database;

receiving, from the synchronization client, filter information, wherein

the filter information indicates a first group of the plurality of groups of data;

filtering data using the filter information to obtain first data, wherein

the filtering comprises selecting the first group of data in accordance with the filter information; and

providing the first data to the synchronization client to update the second database, wherein

the first data comprises the first group of data;

receiving, from the synchronization client, information of transactions performed on the second database via the handheld device; and

providing metadata to the synchronization client to update an application on the handheld device when the application has not been updated since a previous synchronization operation.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing to the synchronization client first information indicative of a structure of the first database; and

determining whether the structure of the first database has been updated since a previous synchronization operation.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the synchronization client, second information stored on the handheld device that is indicative of the structure of the first database when the previous synchronization operation was performed; and

comparing the first information with the second information.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the providing the first data further comprises:

providing to the synchronization client a first set of filtered data from the first database when the structure of the first database has been updated since the previous synchronization operation, wherein

the first set of data comprises data that has changed in the second database since the previous synchronization operation was performed.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing to the synchronization client a second set of filtered data from the first database when the structure of the first database has not been updated since the previous synchronization operation, wherein

the second set of data comprises data from the second database that has changed since the previous synchronization operation was performed.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing to the synchronization client first information indicative of a version of the application, wherein

the handheld device comprises the application, and

the application allows access to the second database; and

determining whether the application has been updated since the previous synchronization operation.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing an identifier of a last received transaction to the synchronization client; and

receiving, from the synchronization client, transaction information comprising an identifier for each transaction made after the last received transaction.

14. A system comprising:

a main database;

a transaction processor coupled to the main database, wherein

the transaction processor is configured to receive information during a synchronization operation from a synchronization client,

the information relates to transactions performed on a local database via a handheld device comprising the local database, and

the transaction processor is further configured to perform the transaction on the main database using the information; and

a data extractor coupled to the main database, wherein

the data extractor is configured to receive, from the synchronization client, filter information, and

the filter information indicates a first group of a plurality of groups of data,

the data extractor is further configured to provide first data during the synchronization operation to the synchronization client using the filter information,

the first data comprises the first group of data;

a module for providing metadata to the synchronization client to update an application on the handheld device when the application has not been updated since a previous synchronization operation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the data extractor is further configured to determine whether a structure of the main database has been changed since the previous synchronization operation.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the data extractor is further configured to store the extracted data provided to the synchronization client.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein

the data extractor is further configured to provide a first set of data extracted from the main database when the structure of the main database has changed since the previous synchronization operation, and

the first set of data comprises data that has not changed in the main database since the previous synchronization operation was performed.