Method of data synchronization

• US 8,762,578 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Van Gassel, Jozef Pieter, Van Den Brink, Hendrikus Bernardus
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/569,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,339 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221, 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

There is described a method of synchronization in a personal information entertainment product (10) for periodically updating data content stored in memory (50) of the product (10). Moreover, apparatus (10), for example advanced personal information entertainment products, capable of operating according to the method are elucidated. A system and software operable to implement the method are also disclosed. The method relates to data synchronization in a personal information-entertainment device (10) operable to present data content to a user (20) of the device (10), the method including steps of: (a) arranging for the device (10) to determine one or more contexts (410) in which it is to be used; and (b) updating data content stored in the device (10) in response to the one or more contexts (410).

Claims

1. A method of data synchronization in a personal information-entertainment device operable to present data content to a user of the device, the method including:

determining, by the device, one or more contexts in which the device is to be used; and

initiating, by the device, an update of data content stored in the device in response to the one or more contexts

wherein the determining of the one or more contexts is based on at least one of;

calendar data associated with the user,

heuristic data regarding patterns of selection of data content exercised by the user; and

wherein items of the data content are prioritized according to a probability of relevance with reference to each of the one or more contexts and presented, when invoked by one or more contexts, to the user in an order dependent upon such prioritizing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating includes at least one of:

downloading at least a part of the data content from one or more data sources remote from the device into a memory of the device;

at least partially deleting data content stored in the memory of the device; and

uploading at least a part of the data content from the memory of the device to one or more remote data stores.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the one or more contexts is based on at least one of:

personal information manager data (PIM);

temporal information; and

device spatial position information.

4. The method of claim 1, including deriving the one or more contexts from temporal and/or location entries made in the calendar data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more contexts are derived by inference from a plurality of entries in the calendar data.

6. The method of claim 1, recording a position whereat an interruption in user viewing and/or listening of one or more items of data content occurs, for enabling subsequent resumption of viewing and/or listening from the position where the interruption occurred.

7. The method of claim 1, including providing at least one of:

an electronic calendar;

an address and/or telephone number archive; and

a communication interface for supporting text messages, audio dialogue and/or video dialogue.

8. A system including at least one device and at least one data server mutually couplable for supporting data content transfer therebetween, the system being arranged to function according to the method of claim 1.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes a computer program for executing, on computer hardware, the method according to claim 1.

10. An apparatus arranged to synchronize data content to one or more remote data servers according to a method of data synchronization in a personal information-entertainment device operable to present data content to a user of the device, comprising:

a processor, and

a non-transitory memory element coupled to the processor;

wherein the method includes;

determining, by the processor, one or more contexts in which the device is to be used; and

initiating, by the processor, an update of data content stored in the memory element in response to the one or more contexts;

wherein the determining of the one or more contexts is based on at least one of;

calendar data associated with the user, and

heuristic data regarding patterns of selection of data content exercised by the user.

11. A method comprising:

determining, on a portable electronic device, one or more future contexts associated with a user, without immediate input from the user specifying the context, the future contexts being relative to a current time, and

initiating, by the portable electronic device at the current time, an update of content data on the device based on the one or more future contexts.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more future contexts are based on one or more of:

an anticipated future location of the user, and calendar data associated with the user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more future contexts are based on prior contexts of the user.

14. A device comprising:

a memory,

an interface that is configured to communicate with an external device, and

a controller that is configured to determine a future context of a user relative to a current time, without an immediate input from the user specifying the future context, and to initiate transfer of content data at the current time to the memory from the external device based on the future context.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine the future context of the user based on an anticipated future location of the user.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine the future context of the user based on calendar data associated with the user.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to determine the future context of the user based on prior contexts of the user.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the device is a personal data assistant (PDA).

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the device is a personal computer (PC).