Data updating method and related information processing device

• US 20030154187A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nebashi, Isao, Kai, Masaru, Hayakawa, Motomu
• Granted Patent: US 7,280,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

In a case where application data stored in a PC database 300a are edited by a PC 300, and the edited contents are to be reflected to contents of the memory of a terminal database 200a, PC 300 refers to a synchronization profile SP including item IDs and ID numbers of a most recent synchronization communication and communication time information of the synchronization communication, thereby detecting which items have been edited at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication.

Claims

1. A data updating method comprising:

use of a first information processing device containing a first database;

a second information processing device containing a second database;

each of said first and second database storing application data consisting of one or a plurality of data units generated by a given application;

a memory contained in either one of said first or second information processing device storing an update file including communication time information indicating a date and time of a synchronization communication initiated by said first information processing device, by which said second information processing device is notified of data updated in said first database to be updated in said second database for synchronization with said updated data in said first database, said update file also including identification numbers assigned to each of data units which comprise application data in said first database;

said first information processing device, if required, adding a new data unit, changing or deleting a data unit of said application data; and

when a new data unit is added to the application data in said first database or when the contents of one of said one or a plurality of data units are changed, storing edit time data indicating a date and time of an addition or change of a data unit, the edit time corresponding to an identification number of an added or changed data unit;

said first information processing device, upon initiation of a synchronization communication with said second information processing device for notifying data updated in said first database to be updated in said second database for synchronization with said updated data in said first database, comparing said identification numbers of said data units and said communication time of the synchronization communication, said identification numbers and communication time being stored in said update file, with the identification numbers of data units and edit time data of each of said data units stored in said first database, to thereby detect among said plurality of data units which comprise said application data stored in said first database, any data units that have been added, changed, or deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication;

said first information processing device, in a case where a newly added or changed data unit is detected, transmitting to said second information processing device the data unit with its identification number, and an instruction to add or change the data unit and storing the identification number in said update file;

said first information processing device, in a case where deletion of a data unit is detected, transmitting to said second information processing device the identification number of the deleted data unit with an instruction to delete a data unit corresponding to the identification number and deleting the identification number from said update file; and

said second information processing device updating the application data in said second database on the basis of information transmitted from said first information processing device.

2. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said second information processing device is a handheld information processing terminal.

3. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein detection of data units further comprises:

when a data unit which is stored in said first database has no corresponding identification number stored in said update file, determining that the data unit was created at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication; and

when a data unit exists, in said first database, which has an identification number stored in said update file, but the edit time data of which indicates a time later than that of communication time data contained in said update file, determining that the data unit was changed at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication; and

further

when a data unit exists which is not stored in said first database, but which has an identification number stored in said update file, determining that the subject data unit was deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication.

4. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the step of updating application data in said second database further comprises:

in the case that edit add information is transmitted, adding said transmitted data unit and its identification number in said second database;

in the case that edit change information is transmitted, overwriting the transmitted data unit onto a data unit, in said second database, identified by the transmitted identification number of the data unit; and

in the case that edit delete information is transmitted, deleting a data unit that is stored in said second database and is identified by the transmitted identification number.

5. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

in the case that application data relates to a date and time, detecting not only data units that have been added or changed at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication but also data units that have been deleted at a time subsequent to completion of the most recent synchronization communication, from among data units existing in said first database at the beginning of this synchronization communication and having dates falling within a prescribed time period.

6. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein data units include one or more subordinate secondary data units,

the method further comprising:

in the case that a data unit stored in each of said first and second databases includes secondary data units which differ in number between the said data units stored in each of said first and second databases, and when in one of said databases a one of said data units which includes a larger number of secondary data units is updated on the basis of the other of said data units including a smaller number of secondary data units, and which said other of said data units is stored in the other of said databases, preventing any secondary data unit of the data unit including a larger number of secondary data units, said any secondary data unit not being included in said other data unit including a smaller number of secondary data units, from being deleted.

7. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein data units include one or more subordinate secondary data units,

the method further comprising:

in the case that a maximum data size of a subordinate secondary data unit differs between said data units stored in each of said first or said second database, and when data size of a said secondary data unit stored in a data unit of a one of said databases with a larger maximum data size is larger than the maximum data size of a said secondary data unit allowed in a data unit of the other of said databases with a smaller maximum data size, preventing said secondary data unit of a larger data size stored in said one database of a larger maximum data size from being deleted in updating said one database on the basis of the memory of said other database.

8. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said first information processing device stores in said first database application data edited by a plurality of applications,

further comprising a step of converting data in a plurality of different formats edited by said plurality of applications into one data format.

9. A data updating method as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising:

in the case that a synchronization communication is initiated, user information stored in each of said first and second information processing device is compared; and

when said user information is determined to be the same, updating the memory of said second database.

10. A data updating method comprising:

use of a first information processing device containing a first database;

a second information processing device containing a second database;

each of said first and second database storing application data consisting of one or a plurality of data units generated by a given application;

a memory contained in one of either said first or second information processing device storing an update file including communication time information indicating a date and time of a synchronization communication initiated by one of either said first or said second information processing device, by which the other of said first or said second information processing device is notified of data updated in a database of said one device to be updated in a database of said other device for synchronization with said updated data in said database of said one device, said update file also including identification numbers assigned to each of data units which comprise synchronized application data in a database of said one or said other device;

said first information processing device, if required, adding a new data unit, changing or deleting a data unit of said application data; and

when a new data unit is added to the application data in said first database or when the contents of one of said one or a plurality of data units are changed, storing edit time data indicating a date and time of an addition or change of a data unit, the edit time corresponding to an identification number of an added or changed data unit;

said second information processing device, when application data stored in said second database is edited to add a new data unit, change or delete one of said one or plurality of data units, recording edit information as to which editing operation has been performed, which edit information corresponds to an identification number of edited data unit, in said second database;

said first information processing device, when a synchronization communication is performed by one of either said first or said second information processing device notifying data updated in a database of said one device to be updated in a database of the other of said first or said second information processing device for synchronization with said updated data in said database of said one device, comparing said identification numbers of said data units and said communication time of the synchronization communication, said identification numbers and communication time being stored in said update file, with the identification numbers of data units and edit time data of each of said data units stored in said first database, to thereby detect among said plurality of data units which comprise said application data stored in said first database, any data units that have been added, changed, or deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication;

said first information processing device, in a case where a newly added or changed data unit is detected, transmitting to said second information processing device the data unit with its identification number, and an instruction to add or change the data unit;

said first information processing device, in a case where deletion of a data unit is detected, transmitting to said second information processing device the identification number of the deleted data unit with an instruction to delete a data unit corresponding to the identification number;

said second information processing device updating application data in said second database on the basis of the data transmitted from said first information processing device;

said second information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that a new data unit has been added, transmitting to said first information processing device the additional data unit and the identification number of the additional data unit, with data instructing an addition of the data unit; and

said second information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been changed, transmitting the changed data unit and the identification number of the changed data unit, with data instructing a change of the changed data unit, to said first information processing device;

said second information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been deleted, transmitting the identification number of the deleted data unit, with data instructing a deletion of the data unit corresponding to the identification number, to said first information processing device;

said first information processing device updating application data in said first database on the basis of the data transmitted from said second information processing device; and

said first information processing device, after the updating of the application data in said first database is completed, updating said identification numbers and said communication time information stored in said update file on the basis of application data stored in its own database and a date and time of this synchronization communication.

11. A data updating method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein said second information processing device is a handheld information processing device.

12. A data updating method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein detection of data units by said first information processing device further comprises:

when a data unit which is stored in said first database has no corresponding identification number stored in said update file, determining that the data unit was created at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication; and

when a data unit exists, in said first database, which has an identification number stored in said update file, but the edit time data of which indicates a time later than that of communication time data contained in said update file, determining that the data unit was changed at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication; and

further when a data unit exists which is not stored in said first database, but which has an identification number stored in said update file, determining that the subject data unit was deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication.

13. A data updating method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein the step of updating application data, performed by in one of either said first or said second information processing device, in its own database on the basis of information transmitted from the other of said first or second information processing device, further comprises:

in the case that edit add information is transmitted, adding said transmitted data unit and its identification number in its said own database;

in the case that edit change information is transmitted, overwriting the transmitted data unit onto a data unit, in its said own database, identified by the transmitted identification number of the data unit; and

in the case that edit delete information is transmitted, deleting a data unit, identified by the transmitted identification number, that is stored in its said own database and is identified by the transmitted identification number.

14. A data updating method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

said first information processing device, when a data unit created at said second database at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication is transmitted to said first information processing device to be written into said first database, assigning a new identification number to the data unit to be written in and transmitting said assigned new identification number to the second information processing device; and

said second information processing device storing said assigned new identification number in said second database, relating said new identification number to the data unit created at the time subsequent to completion of the most recent synchronization communication.

15. A data updating method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein data units include one or more subordinate secondary data units,

the method further comprising:

in the case that a data unit stored in each of said first and second databases includes secondary data units which differ in number between the said data units stored in each of said first and second databases, and when in one of said databases a one of said data units which includes a larger number of secondary data units is updated on the basis of the other of the said data units including a smaller number of secondary data units, and which said other of said data units is stored in the other of said databases, preventing any secondary data unit of the data unit including a larger number of secondary data units, said any secondary data unit not being included in said other data unit including a smaller number of secondary data units, from being deleted.

16. A data updating method as claimed in claim 10,

wherein data units include one or more subordinate secondary data units,

the method further comprising:

in the case that a maximum data size of a subordinate secondary data unit differs between said data units stored in each of said first or said second database, and when data size of a said secondary data unit stored in a data unit of a one of said databases with a larger maximum data size is larger than the maximum data size of a said secondary data unit allowed in a data unit of the other of said databases with a smaller maximum data size, preventing said secondary data unit of a larger data size stored in said one database of a larger maximum data size from being deleted in updating said one database on the basis of the memory of said other database.

17. A data updating method comprising:

use of a first information processing device containing a first database;

a second information processing device containing a second database;

each of said first and second database storing application data consisting of one or plurality of data units generated by a given application;

said first information processing unit, when application data stored in said first database is edited to add a new data unit, change or delete one of said one or plurality of data units, recording edit information as to which editing operation has been performed, which edit information corresponds to an identification number of edited data unit, in said first database;

said first information processing device, upon initiation of a synchronization communication with said second information processing device for notifying data updated in said first database to be updated in said second database for synchronization with said updated data in said first database, in a case where said edit information indicates that a new data unit has been added, transmitting to said second information processing device the additional data unit and the identification number of the additional data unit, with data instructing an addition of the data unit; and

said first information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been changed, transmitting the changed data unit and the identification number of the changed data unit, with data instructing a change of the changed data unit, to said second information processing device;

said first information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been deleted, transmitting the identification number of the deleted data unit, with data instructing a deletion of a data unit corresponding to the identification number to said second information processing device; and

said second information processing device updating application data in said second database on the basis of the data transmitted from said first information processing device.

18. A data updating method as claimed in claim 17,

wherein said first information processing device is a handheld information processing device.

19. A data updating method comprising:

use of an information processing device being one of a network-connected plurality of information processing devices sharing a database storing application data containing one or plurality of data units;

a handheld information processing device containing a database for storing application data containing one or plurality of data units,

said handheld information processing device storing an update file including communication time information indicating a date and time of a synchronization communication initiated by one of either said information processing device or said handheld information processing device, by which the other of said information processing device or said handheld information processing device is notified of data updated in a database of said one device to be updated in a database of said other device for synchronization with said updated data in said database of said one device, said update file also including identification numbers assigned to data units which comprise synchronized application data in a database of said one or said other device;

said information processing device, if required, adding a new data unit, changing or deleting a data unit of said application data; and

when a new data unit is added to the application data in its own database or when the contents of one of said one or a plurality of data units are changed, storing edit time data indicating a date and time of an addition or change of a data unit, the edit time corresponding to an identification number of an added or changed data unit;

said handheld information processing device, when application data stored in its own database is edited to add a new data unit, change or delete one of said one or plurality of data units, recording edit information as to which editing operation has been performed, which edit information corresponds to an identification number of edited data unit in the database;

said information processing device, when a synchronization communication is performed by one of either said information processing device or said handheld information processing device notifying data updated in said database of said one device to be updated in said database of said other device for synchronization with said updated data in the database of said one device, comparing said identification numbers of said data units and said communication time of the synchronization communication, said identification numbers and communication time being stored in said update file, with the identification numbers of data units and edit time data of each of said data units stored in the database of said information processing device, to thereby detect among said plurality of data units which comprise said application data stored in said database of said information processing device, any data units that have been added, changed, or deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication;

said information processing device, in a case where a newly added or changed data unit is detected, transmitting to said handheld information processing device the data unit with its identification number, and either add edit or change edit information to prompt addition or change of the data unit;

said information processing device, in a case where deletion of a data unit is detected, transmitting to said handheld information processing device the identification number of the deleted data unit with an instruction to delete a data unit corresponding to the identification number;

said handheld information processing device updating application data in its own database on the basis of data transmitted from said information processing device;

said handheld information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that a new data unit has been added, transmitting to said information processing device the additional data unit and the identification number of the additional data unit, with edit add information for the data unit; and

said handheld information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been changed, transmitting the changed data unit and the identification number of the changed data unit, with edit change information for the changed data unit, to said information processing device;

said handheld information processing device, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been deleted, transmitting the identification number of the deleted data unit, with edit delete information for the data unit to said information processing device;

said information processing device updating application data in its own database on the basis of data transmitted from said handheld information processing device; and

said handheld information processing device updating said identification numbers and said communication time information stored in said update file on the basis of application data stored in its own database and a date and time of this synchronization communication.

20. A data updating method as claimed in claim 19,

wherein detection of data units by said information processing device further comprises:

when a data unit which is stored in said first database has no corresponding identification number stored in said update file, determining that the data unit was created at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication; and

when a data unit exists, in said database of said information processing device, which has an identification number stored in said update file, but the edit time data of which indicates a time later than that of communication time data contained in said update file, determining that the data unit was changed at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication; and

further

when a data unit exists which is not stored in said first database, but which has an identification number stored in said update file, determining that the subject data unit was deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication.

21. A data updating method as claimed in claim 19,

wherein the step of updating application data, performed by one of either said information processing device or said handheld information processing device, in its own database on the basis of information transmitted from the other of said information processing device or said handheld information processing device further comprises:

in the case that edit add information is transmitted, adding said transmitted data unit and its identification number in its said own database;

in the case that edit change information is transmitted, overwriting the transmitted data unit onto a data unit in its said own database identified by the transmitted identification number of the data unit; and

in the case that edit delete information is transmitted, deleting a data unit that is stored in its said own database and is identified by the transmitted identification number.

22. A data updating method as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said information processing device transmits its stored updated update file to said handheld information processing device; and

said handheld information processing device stores in its memory the transmitted updated said update file.

23. A data updating method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

upon initiation of a synchronization communication between said information processing device and said handheld information processing device, comparing user information prestored in said update file contained in each of the devices; and

in the case where the user information stored in one device is determined to be the same as the user information stored in the other device, updating each of the databases so as to synchronize the memory of the database of said one device and the memory of the database of said other device.

24. An information processing device comprising:

a first database storing application data consisting of one or a plurality of data units generated by a given application;

a memory storing an update file including communication time information indicating a date and time of a synchronization communication initiated by the information processing device, by which a second information processing device is notified of data updated in said first database to be updated in a second database of said second information processing device for synchronization with said updated data in said first database, said update file also including identification numbers assigned to each of data units which comprise application data in said first database;

means for, if required, adding a new data unit, changing or deleting a data unit of said application data; and

storing means, at the time of adding a new data unit to the application data in said first database or changing contents of a data unit in said first database, for storing edit time data indicating a date and time of an addition or change of a data unit, the edit time corresponding to an identification number of an added or changed data unit,

the device further comprising;

as means for performing a synchronization communication with said second information processing device for notifying data updated in said first database to be updated in said second database for synchronization with said updated data in said first database,

detecting means for comparing said identification numbers of said data units and said communication time of the synchronization communication, said identification numbers and communication time being stored in said update file, with the identification numbers of data units and edit time data of each of said data units stored in said first database, to thereby detect among said plurality of data units which comprise said application data stored in said first database, any data units that have been added, changed, or deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication;

transmitting and storing means, in a case where a newly added or changed data unit is detected, for transmitting to said second information processing device the data unit with its identification number, and either edit add or edit change information for the data unit and storing the identification number in said update file; and

transmitting and deleting means, in a case where deletion of a data unit is detected, for transmitting to said second information processing device the identification number of the deleted data unit with edit delete information for a data unit corresponding to the identification number, and deleting the identification number from said update file.

25. An information processing device as claimed in claim 24,

as means as to when a data unit created at said second database at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication is transmitted to said first information processing device to be written into said first database,

the device further comprising:

means for assigning a new identification number to the data unit to be written in and transmitting said assigned new identification number to said second information processing device; and

means for instructing said second information processing device to store said assigned new identification number in said second database in relation to the data unit created at the time subsequent to completion of the most recent synchronization communication.

26. An information processing device as claimed in claim 24, further comprising means for transmitting updated said update file to said second information processing device and instructing said second information processing device to store the transmitted updated said update file in itself.

27. An information processing device as claimed in claim 24, further comprising means, in the case where said update file is stored in said second information processing device, for implementing a synchronization communication by referring to said update file stored in said second information processing device.

28. An information processing device as claimed in claim 24,

wherein the information processing device is capable of storing application data edited by said given application of a plurality of kinds in said first database,

the device further comprising interface means which converts a plurality of data sets in different data formats for each of said plurality of kinds of applications, each set of data being edited by a corresponding application, into one data format that can be treated in said synchronization communication.

29. An information processing device, comprising:

a first database storing application data consisting of one or a plurality of data units generated by a given application; and

recording means, when application data stored in said first database is edited to add a new data unit, change or delete one of said one or plurality of data units, for recording edit information as to which editing operation has been performed, which edit information corresponds to an identification number of edited data unit in said first database,

the device further comprising;

as means for performing a synchronization communication with a second information processing device for notifying data updated in said first database to be updated in a second database of said second information processing device for synchronization with said updated data in said first database,

transmitting means, in a case where said edit information indicates that a new data unit has been added, for transmitting to said second information processing device the additional data unit and the identification number of the additional data unit, with edit add information for the data unit;

transmitting means, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been changed, for transmitting the changed data unit and the identification number of the changed data unit, with edit change information for the changed data unit, to said second information processing device; and

transmitting means, in a case where said edit information indicates that one of said one or plurality of data units has been deleted, for transmitting the identification number of the deleted data unit, with edit delete information for the data unit to said second information processing device.

30. A computer program product for causing a first information processing device to execute:

a process of storing application data consisting of one or a plurality of data units generated by a given application in a first database of the first information processing device;

a process of storing in a memory an update file including communication time information indicating a date and time of a synchronization communication initiated by said first information processing device, by which a second information processing device is notified of data updated in said first database to be updated in a second database of said second information processing device for synchronization with said updated data in said first database, said update file also including identification numbers assigned to each of data units which comprise application data in said first database;

a process of, if required, adding a new data unit, changing or deleting a data unit of said application data; and

a process of storing, at the time of adding a new data unit to the application data in said first database or changing contents of a data unit in said first database, edit time data indicating a date and time of an addition or change of a data unit, the edit time corresponding to an identification number of an added or changed data unit,

the computer program product for causing the first information processing device to further execute;

as process of a synchronization communication with said second information processing device for notifying data updated in said first database to be updated in said second database for synchronization with said updated data in said first database,

a process of comparing said identification numbers of said data units and said communication time of the synchronization communication, said identification numbers and communication time being stored in said update file, with the identification numbers of data units and edit time data of each of said data units stored in said first database, to thereby detect among said plurality of data units which comprise said application data stored in said first database, any data units that have been added, changed, or deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication;

a process, in a case where a newly added or changed data unit is detected, of transmitting to said second information processing device the data unit with its identification number, and edit add or edit change information for the data unit, and storing the identification number in said update file; and

a process, in a case where deletion of a data unit is detected, of transmitting to said second information processing device the identification number of the deleted data unit with edit delete information for a data unit corresponding to the identification number, and deleting the identification number from said update file.

31. A computer readable program recording medium which stores a program for causing a first information processing device to execute:

a process of storing application data consisting of one or a plurality of data units generated by a given application in a first database of a first information processing device;

a process of storing in a memory an update file including communication time information indicating a date and time of a synchronization communication initiated by said first information processing device, by which a second information processing device is notified of data updated in said first database to be updated in a second database of said second information processing device for synchronization with said updated data in said first database, said update file also including identification numbers assigned to each of data units which comprise application data in said first database;

a process of, if required, adding a new data unit, changing or deleting a data unit of said application data; and

a process of storing, at the time of adding a new data unit to the application data in said first database or changing contents of a data unit in said first database, edit time data indicating a date and time of an addition or change of a data unit, the edit time corresponding to an identification number of an added or changed data unit,

wherein the program for causing the first information processing device further executes;

as process of a synchronization communication with said second information processing device for notifying data updated in said first database to be updated in said second database for synchronization with said updated data in said first database,

a process of comparing said identification numbers of said data units and said communication time of the synchronization communication, said identification numbers and communication time being stored in said update file, with the identification numbers of data units and edit time data of each of said data units stored in said first database, to thereby detect among said plurality of data units which comprise said application data stored in said first database, any data units that have been added, changed, or deleted at a time subsequent to completion of a most recent synchronization communication;

a process, in a case where a newly added or changed data unit is detected, of transmitting to said second information processing device the data unit with its identification number, and edit add or edit change information for the data unit, and storing the identification number in said update file; and

a process, in a case where deletion of a data unit is detected, of transmitting to said second information processing device the identification number of the deleted data unit with edit delete information for a data unit corresponding to the identification number, and deleting the identification number from said update file.