Data synch notification using a notification gateway

• US 9,477,734 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2011
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tewari, Ashutosh, Vaithilingam, Gandhi
• Primary Examiner(s): RECEK, JASON D
• Application Number:
  US13/104,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: 709/242, 709/246, 709/248, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for facilitating synchronizing of data between one or more servers and a mobile device. The mobile device can establish which servers comprise data that is to be synchronized, and inform the servers that a push notification gateway should be used to send notifications of a data state change. A connection can be opened between the mobile device and the push notification gateway so that when a data state change is detected by a server the server can send the notification to the gateway, which can forward it to the mobile device. The mobile device may then choose to initiate a data synchronization with the server. In this manner, an open connection is merely maintained between the mobile device and the gateway, as opposed to multiple resource intensive connections between the mobile device and multiple servers.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating synchronization via a push notification gateway, comprising:

registering a first server with the push notification gateway based upon a first notification forward request from a device, the first notification forward request being transmitted from the device to the first server via at least one transmission channel that does not include the push notification gateway;

registering a second server with the push notification gateway based upon a second notification forward request from the device, the second notification forward request being transmitted from the device to the second server via at least one transmission channel that does not include the push notification gateway;

receiving at the push notification gateway a first notification of a first data state change from the first server;

responsive to receiving at the push notification gateway the first notification, synchronizing a first portion of the push notification gateway to correspond to the first server;

receiving at the push notification gateway a second notification of a second data state change from the second server;

responsive to the receiving a second notification, synchronizing a second portion of the push notification gateway to correspond to the second server; and

connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel;

sending one or more additional notifications, based upon at least one of the first notification or the second notification, from the push notification gateway to the device via the communication channel such that a first portion of the device is synchronized with the first portion of the push notification gateway and a second portion of the device is synchronized with the second portion of the push notification gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising maintaining the communication channel in an open state relative to the device.

3. The method of claim 1, the device comprising a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, the one or more additional notifications comprise at least one of a first indication of a first server ID corresponding to the first server or a second indication of a second server ID corresponding to the second server.

5. The method of claim 1, the one or more additional notifications comprise an indication of a device token corresponding to the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first server comprises a first exchange active synch server, and the second server comprises a second exchange active synch server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel comprises:

connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel responsive to receiving at least one of the first notification or the second notification at the push notification gateway.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more processing units; and

memory comprising one or more instructions that when executed by at least one of the one or more processing units, perform operations including at least;

registering a first server with a push notification gateway based upon a first notification forward request to monitor at least some of the first server for one or more changes to data, the first notification forward request being transmitted from a device to the first server via at least one transmission channel not including the push notification gateway;

receiving a first notification of a first data state change from the first server, the first data state change made by a second device different than the device;

responsive to the receiving the first notification, synchronizing a first portion of the push notification gateway to correspond to the first server;

connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel; and

sending one or more additional notifications, based upon the first notification, to the device via the communication channel such that a first portion of the device is synchronized with the first portion of the push notification gateway.

9. The system of claim 8, the method comprising maintaining the communication channel in an open state relative to the device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel comprises:

connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel responsive to receiving the first notification at the push notification gateway.

11. The system of claim 8, the one or more additional notifications comprise a first indication of a first server ID corresponding to the first server.

12. The system of claim 8, the one or more additional notifications comprise an indication of a device token corresponding to the device.

13. The system of claim 8, the first server comprising an exchange active synch server.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

registering a second server with the push notification gateway based upon a second notification forward request to monitor at least some of the second server for one or more changes to data, the second notification forward request being transmitted from the device to the second server at least one transmission channel not including the push notification gateway;

receiving a second notification of a second data state change from the second server, the second data state change corresponding to a mobile application resident on the device; and

responsive to the receiving a second notification, synchronizing a second portion of the push notification gateway to correspond to the second server;

and wherein sending one or more additional notifications further includes;

sending one or more additional notifications based upon the second notification to the device via the communication channel such that a second portion of the device is synchronized with the second portion of the push notification gateway.

15. A computer readable storage memory comprising one or more instructions that when executed, perform operations comprising:

registering a first server with a push notification gateway based upon a first notification forward request to monitor at least some of the first server for one or more changes to data, the first notification forward request being transmitted from a device to the first server via at least one transmission channel not including the push notification gateway;

receiving a first notification of a first data state change from the first server, the first data state change made by a second device different than the device;

responsive to the receiving the first notification, synchronizing a first portion of the push notification gateway to correspond to the first server;

connecting the push notification gateway to the device via a communication channel; and

sending one or more additional notifications, based upon the first notification, to the device via the communication channel such that a first portion of the device is synchronized with the first portion of the push notification gateway.

16. The computer readable storage memory of claim 15, the operations comprising maintaining the communication channel in an open state relative to the device.

17. The computer readable storage memory of claim 15, the device comprising a mobile device.

18. The computer readable storage memory of claim 15, the one or more additional notifications comprising a first indication of a first server ID corresponding to the first server.

19. The computer readable storage memory of claim 15, the one or more additional notifications comprising an indication of a device token corresponding to the device.

20. The computer readable storage memory of claim 15, the first server comprising an exchange active synch sever.