Method and apparatus for adaptive synchronization of network devices

• US 20020099772A1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Dohrmann, Stephen H., Deshpande, Nikhil, Eastman, Greg F., Lee, Ben H. III
• Granted Patent: US 6,931,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method and apparatus for synchronizing data on a network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a method including establishing a wireless communications channel between a first mobile computer device belonging to a workgroup and a second device and determining if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device. If the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device, then the method further includes receiving data at the first device from the second device through the wireless communications channel and resolving conflicts between the received data and data of The first device.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing data comprising:

establishing a wireless communications channel between a first mobile computer device belonging to a workgroup and a second device;

determining if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device;

if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device, then receiving data at the first device from the second device through the wireless communications channel; and

resolving conflicts between the received data and data of the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a channel comprises polling from the first device on a communications channel for a second device from which to obtain data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a channel comprises scanning a radio channel for transmissions from other devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a channel comprises receiving identification signals at the first device sent in response to a polling message and wherein determining if the second device belongs to the same workgroup comprises comparing an identification signal from the second device to a list of identification signals at the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a channel comprises broadcasting a polling message and receiving acknowledgement messages sent in response.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising overwriting data of the first device using the received data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device comprises determining at the first device if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device

8. The method of claim 1, wherein resolving conflicts comprising comparing a date of the received data to a date of the data of the first device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein resolving conflicts comprises displaying any conflicting data to a user with a request for the user to indicate how to resolve the conflict.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is coupled to a server in a network and wherein the received data comprises a modification to a file on the server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a mobile computer device and wherein the received data comprises data received by the second device from a server in a network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a mobile computer system and wherein the received data comprises data entered by a user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection with a server on a network;

synchronizing the received data with the server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing a connection with a server comprises transmitting a server access request message and receiving an access request acknowledgment from the server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing a connection with a server comprises scanning for a server broadcast message containing a server identification signal;

comparing the server identification signal to an stored identification; and

if the server identification signal corresponds to the stored identification, then transmitting an access request message to the server.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

identifying further devices based on the polling;

obtaining data from the further devices;

resolving conflicts between the obtained data and data of the first device; and

overwriting data of the first device using the obtained data.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising establishing a channel further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising receiving identification signals at the first device sent in response to a polling message and wherein the instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising determining if the second device belongs to the same workgroup further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising comparing an identification signal from the second device to a list of identification signals at the first device.

19. The medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising establishing a channel further comprise instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising broadcasting a polling message and receiving acknowledgement messages sent in response.

20. The medium of claim 17, wherein the second device is coupled to a server in a network and wherein the received data comprises a modification to a file on the server.

21. The medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions causing the machine to perform operations comprising:

establishing a connection with a server on a network;

synchronizing the received data with the server.

17. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

establishing a wireless communications channel between a first mobile computer device belonging to a workgroup and a second device;

determining if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device;

if the second device belongs to the workgroup of the first device, then receiving data at the first device from the second device through the wireless communications channel; and

resolving conflicts between the received data and data of the first device.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a data file memory;

an input device to receive data file changes for storage in the data file memory;

a wireless communication interface to exchange data file changes with other devices in a computer system network;

a workgroup identification memory to use in determining if other devices in the network belong to a workgroup;

a processor coupled to the wireless communication interface, the workgroup identification memory and the data file memory to command the wireless communication interface to establish connections with other devices in the network and transmit data file changes to other devices with which a connection is established after a data file change is made to the data file memory.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the workgroup identification memory contains identification numbers of other devices in the workgroup.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the input device comprises a user input device.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a scanner in the wireless communication interface to listen for polling signals from other devices received through the wireless communication interface and wherein the processor is operable to compare received polling signals with values in the workgroup identification memory and to communicate data file changes to other devices in the workgroup from which polling signals are received.