APPARATUS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD, FOR FACILITATING SYNCHRONIZATION OF A WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20110289238A1
• Filed: 05/21/2010
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: HOLBEIN, MARC EDWARD, USISKI, ANGELA D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/10
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

An apparatus, and an associated method, facilitates synchronization of a wireless device, such as a portable mobile station. The wireless device is positioned at a support dock, such as a charging cradle of a charging assembly. Positioning of the wireless device at the support dock is detected, such a through detection of application of charging current to the wireless device. Detection of the positioning causes automatic initiation of synchronization operations. Synchronization operations are initiated and then carried out.

Claims

1. An apparatus for facilitating synchronization of a database of a wireless device, said apparatus comprising:

a detector configured to detect support-cradle positioning of the wireless device;

a synchronization initiator configured to initiate wireless synchronization of the database of the wireless device responsive to detection by said detector of the support-cradle positioning of the wireless device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector is configured to detect the support-cradle-positioning of the wireless device by detecting application of charging current to the wireless device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said synchronization initiator is configured to generate a synchronization request to request synchronization of the database of the wireless device with a remote database.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the synchronization request generated said synchronization initiator comprises a wireless synchronization request.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said detector is further configured to detect a response to the synchronization request.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a synchronizer configured to synchronize the database of the wireless device with a remote database.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the wireless device further comprises a wireless transceiver and wherein said synchronization initiator is further configured to initiate operation of the wireless transceiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said synchronization is further figured to terminate operation of the wireless transceiver upon completion of synchronization.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said detector comprises of presence detector.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said synchronization initiator is configured to automatically initiate the wireless synchronization upon the detection by said detector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said synchronization initiator is configured to initiate wireless synchronization via a Wi-Fi link.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said synchronization initiator is configured to initiate wireless synchronization via a Bluetooth link.

13. A method for facilitating synchronization of a database of a wireless device, said method comprising:

detecting support-cradle positioning of the wireless device; and

initiating wireless synchronization of the database of the wireless device responsive to detection during said detecting of support-cradle positioning of the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said detecting comprises detecting application of charging current to the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said synchronizing comprises generating a synchronization request to request synchronization of the database of the wireless device with a remote database.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising detecting a response to the synchronization request.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising synchronizing the database by way of a wireless interface.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising powering a local-area transceiver of the wireless device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising de-powering the local-area transceiver upon completion of synchronization.

20. A method for synchronizing a wireless-device database of a wireless device with a system-based database, said method comprising:

positioning the wireless device at a charging cradle;

detecting application of charging current to the wireless device; and

synchronizing the wireless-device database with the system-based database by way of a radio interface responsive to detection, during said detecting, of the charging current.