Deleting objects from a store of a device

• US 20060031645A1
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Friedman, Greg S., Flanagin, Stephen D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/159
• 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: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1336 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for deleting objects from device stores without deleting corresponding objects from one or more synchronization partners. A device has a device sync module for each synchronization partner and each device sync module maintains tracking data. Alternatively, a single device sync module manages the tracking data of each synchronization partner. When an object does not meet parameters of a synchronization filter, a soft delete request is made to the wireless device. A sync manager receives the soft delete request and determines from the other device sync modules that have registered with the sync manager whether they continue to synchronize the object. If none of the other device sync modules protest, the object is deleted. If one of the device sync modules objects to the delete request, then the delete is denied. The tracking data for all of the device sync modules is appropriately modified.

Claims

1. A computing device that synchronizes with one or more synchronization partners, wherein a delete request for an object stored on the device can inadvertently delete corresponding objects from stores of the one or more synchronization partners, the computing device comprising a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media of the computing device and that are configured for implementing a method for deleting the object from a store of the device without deleting the corresponding objects on the one or more synchronization partners, the method comprising:

an act of synchronizing the device with a synchronization partner using a filter, wherein the filter excludes the object from the synchronization;

an act of requesting that the object be deleted from the device;

an act of determining by a sync manager whether other synchronization partners are synchronizing the object in response to the request; and

an act of deleting the object from the device if the sync manager determines that either the object is not synchronized with the other synchronization partners or the other synchronization partners allow the object to be deleted.

2. A computing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of synchronizing the device further comprises an act of the user specifying parameters of the filter.

3. A computing device as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising an act of preventing the object from being deleted if the sync manager determines that at least one of the other synchronization partners does not grant permission to delete the object.

4. A computing device as defined in claim 1, wherein the act of requesting that the object be deleted further comprises an act of sending a soft delete request from a first device sync module associated with the first synchronization partner to the sync manager.

5. A computing device as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising an act of updating the tracking data of a first device sync module such that the first device sync module does not subsequently synchronize the object with associated with the first synchronization partner even if the object is not deleted.

6. A computing device as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising an act of the sync manager identifying other device sync modules that synchronize the store of the wireless device.

7. A computing device as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising an act of the sync manager determining if the other device sync modules synchronize the object, wherein the other device sync modules that synchronize the store register with the sync manager.

8. A computing device as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising an act of updating the tracking data associated with the other synchronization partners such that the object is not subsequently synchronized with the other synchronization partners even if the object is not deleted.

9. A computing device as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising an act of the other device sync modules notifying the other synchronization partners that the object was soft deleted.

10. A computing device having a store, wherein the store is synchronized with one or more synchronization partners, wherein a delete request for an object in the store can result in a deletion of corresponding objects on the one or more synchronization partners, the computing device also comprising a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media of the computing device and that are configured for implementing a method for deleting an object from the store of the device that is excluded by a filter during synchronization between the device and a first synchronization partner, the method comprising:

an act of a first device sync module sending a soft delete request to a sync manager, wherein the first device sync module is associated with the first synchronization partner;

an act of the sync manager determining whether other synchronization partners are synchronizing the object;

an act of deleting the object from the store if the other synchronization partners are not synchronizing the object; and

an act of not deleting the object from the store if at least one of the other synchronization partners is synchronizing the object.

11. A computing device as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising an act of receiving the soft delete request from the first synchronization partner, wherein the soft delete request informs the first device sync module that the object is excluded by the filter and may be deleted from the store of the device.

12. A computing device as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of the first device sync module sending a soft delete request further comprises an act of the first device sync module updating the tracking data of the first device sync module that is associated with the first synchronization partner such that the object is no longer synchronized by the first synchronization partner.

13. A computing device as defined in claim 10, wherein the other synchronization partners that synchronize the store of the device are registered in a table of the sync manager.

14. A computing device as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising an act of not synchronizing the object in future synchronizations between the device and the first synchronization partner.

15. A computing device as defined in claim 10, wherein the act of deleting the object from the store further comprises an act of other device sync module updating their tracking data such that the deletion of the object is not propagated to the corresponding objects of the other synchronization partners.

16. A computing device as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising:

an act of the first device module tracking that the object was soft deleted; and

an act of ensuring that the other synchronization partners do not delete corresponding objects from stores of the synchronization partners.

17. A computing device as defined in claim 10, the method further comprising:

an act of allowing the other synchronization partners to delete the object from their stores; and

an act of preventing the object from being deleted from a store of the first synchronization partner.

18. A computing device having a device store, wherein the store of the device is synchronized with stores of one or more synchronization partners, the computing device also comprising a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media of the computing device and for implementing a method for automatically deleting a data object from the store of the device without deleting corresponding data objects from the stores of the one or more synchronization partners during future synchronizations, the method comprising:

a step for synchronizing the device store with a store of a first synchronization partner, wherein the synchronization generates a soft delete request for the data object;

a step for querying other device sync modules to determine if the data object is synchronized by the one or more synchronization partners;

a step for granting the soft delete request if the one or more synchronization partners do not synchronize the data object or if the one or more synchronization partners grant permission for the soft delete request; and

a step for denying the soft delete request if one of the one or more synchronization partners objects to the soft delete request.

19. A computing device as defined in claim 18, wherein the step for synchronizing the device store further comprises:

an act of detecting that the data object does not meet parameters of a filter used during the synchronization of the device store with the store of the first synchronization partner;

an act of updating the tracking data of a first device sync module for the data object such that the object is no longer synchronized, the first device sync module associated with the first synchronization partner; and

an act of the first device sync module sending the soft delete request to a sync manager.

20. A computing device as defined in claim 18, wherein the step for querying other device sync modules further comprises:

an act of a sync manager, which receives the soft delete request, determining if the other device sync modules track the data object;

an act of determining whether the other device sync modules object to the deletion of the data object;

an act of not deleting the data object when one of the other device sync modules objects to the deletion of the data object; and

an act of updating the tracking data of the other device sync modules that do not object to the deletion of the data object such that the object is no longer synchronized through the other device sync modules.