Synchronization methods and systems

• US 9,652,518 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Freedman, Gordon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHONG H
• Application Number:
  US14/508,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 707621, 707622, 707638, 707695, 707610, 707620
• 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: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Synchronization architectures, methods, systems, and computer readable media are described. One exemplary embodiment includes a first software component which is configured to cause retrieval and storage of structured data for a first data class from a first store of the structured data on a device, such as a first data processing system, and is configured to synchronize structured data for the first data class in the first store with structured data of the first data class in a second store on a host, such as a second data processing system. The first software component is separate from an application software which provides a user interface to allow a user to access and edit the structured data. The first software component synchronizes the structured data through a second software component which interfaces with the host and the device and which controls an order of synchronizing and a plurality of data classes including the first data class.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

determining whether a first software component is available on a first data processing system, the first software component being one of a plurality of software components configured to cause synchronization of structured data of respective data classes during a synchronization session;

requesting concurrent access to structured data of a first data class currently being used by a user application, wherein the user application is configured to use the structured data of the first data class concurrently with the synchronization session; and

implementing, in response to determining the first software component is available, an order of synchronizing structured data of the respective data classes during the synchronization session based on whether concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class is acquired, wherein the order of synchronizing structured data includes synchronizing structured data of a second data class prior to synchronizing structured data of the first data class when concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class is not acquired.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software component is configured to cause synchronization of the structured data of the first data class during the synchronization session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of software components include one or more data sources, and wherein the respective data classes include one or more of:

(a) calendar data, (b) contact data, (c) email account setup information, (d) bookmarks, (e) notes, or (f) To Do items.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising sending, by the first software component, a message specifying a next device anchor and a previous host anchor to cause, if synchronization of the structured data of the first data class is successful, saving of the next device anchor and a next host anchor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein implementing the order of synchronizing structured data of the respective data classes during the synchronization session is further based on version identifiers for the plurality of software components and version identifiers for corresponding data class handler software components on a host.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of software components are independently updateable.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of software components are configured to provide respective identifiers to the host for respective records having structured data of respective data classes, and wherein the respective identifiers are capable of being different than identifiers for each record maintained on the host.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing executable program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

determining whether a first software component is available on the data processing system, the first software component being one of a plurality of software components configured to cause synchronization of structured data of respective data classes during a synchronization session;

requesting concurrent access to structured data of a first data class currently being used by a user application, wherein the user application is configured to use the structured data of the first data class concurrently with the synchronization session; and

implementing, in response to determining the first software component is available, an order of synchronizing structured data of the respective data classes during the synchronization session based on whether concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class is acquired, wherein the order of synchronizing structured data includes synchronizing structured data of a second data class prior to synchronizing structured data of the first data class when concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class is not acquired.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the first software component is configured to cause synchronization of the structured data of the first data class during the synchronization session.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of software components include one or more data sources, and wherein the respective data classes include one or more of:

(a) calendar data, (b) contact data, (c) email account setup information, (d) bookmarks, (e) notes, or (f) To Do items.

11. The medium of claim 10 containing executable program instructions, which when executed by the data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform the method further comprising:

sending, by the first software component, a message specifying a next device anchor and a previous host anchor to cause, if synchronization of the structured data of the first data class is successful, saving of the next device anchor and a next host anchor.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein implementing the order of synchronizing structured data of the respective data classes during the synchronization session is further based on version identifiers for the plurality of software components and version identifiers for corresponding data class handler software components on a host.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the plurality of software components are independently updateable.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of software components are configured to provide respective identifiers to the host for respective records having structured data of respective data classes, and wherein the respective identifiers are capable of being different than identifiers for each record maintained on the host.

15. A data processing system having one or more processors coupled with a memory, the data processing system comprising:

a plurality of software components configured to cause synchronization of structured data of respective data classes during a synchronization session;

a user application configured to use structured data of a first data class concurrently with the synchronization session; and

a synchronization software component configured to;

determine whether a first software component is available on the data processing system, the first software component being one of the plurality of software components,

request concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class currently being used by the user application, and

implement, in response to determining the first software component is available, an order of synchronizing structured data of the respective data classes during the synchronization session based on whether concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class is acquired, wherein the order of synchronizing structured data includes synchronizing structured data of a second data class prior to synchronizing structured data of the first data class when concurrent access to the structured data of the first data class is not acquired.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the first software component includes a data source configured to cause synchronization of the structured data of the first data class during the synchronization session, and wherein the respective data classes include one or more of:

(a) calendar data, (b) contact data, (c) email account setup information, (d) bookmarks, (e) notes, or (f) To Do items.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the first software component is configured to send a message specifying a next device anchor and a previous host anchor to cause, if synchronization of the first data class is successful, saving of the next device anchor and a next host anchor.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the synchronization software component is further configured to implement the order of synchronizing structured data of the respective data classes during the synchronization session based on version identifiers for the plurality of software components and version identifiers for corresponding data class handler software components on a host.

19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of software components are independently updateable.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of software components are configured to provide respective identifiers to the host for respective records having structured data of respective data classes, and wherein the respective identifiers are capable of being different than identifiers for each record maintained on the host.