Method and apparatus for displaying personal digital assistant synchronization data using primary and subordinate data fields

• US 6,879,996 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pineapple34, LLC
• Original Assignee: Edward W. Laves
• Inventors: Laves, Edward W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US09/660,613
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 379 9301- 9337
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

The method and apparatus described herein provides a system for displaying personal information management (PIM) data on a personal digital assistant (PDA). The PIM data may be shared by multiple users and modified at the PDA displaying the data, at another PDA, and/or at a personal computer. When the same data field is changed by more than one device, the system displays the most recent version of the data as the primary data field with a symbol to indicate a subordinate data field is available in memory. By selecting the symbol, the user may swap the primary and subordinate data fields.

Claims

1. A method for displaying first personal information management data (first PIM data) entered on a personal digital assistant (PDA) and second personal information management data (second PIM data) entered on a computing device, the first PIM data being associated with a first field identifier, the second PIM data being associated with a second field identifier, the PDA including a display device, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving a first time stamp generated when the first PIM data was entered;

retrieving a second time stamp generated when the second PIM data was entered;

comparing the first field identifier and the second field identifier;

comparing the first time stamp and the second time stamp;

selecting the first PIM data as a primary data field and the second PIM data as a subordinate data field if the first field identifier matches the second field identifier and the first time stamp is later than the second time stamp;

displaying the primary data field on the display of the PDA; and

displaying a symbol on the display of the PDA to indicate that the subordinate data field is available.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a user input associated with the symbol;

removing the primary data field from the display of the PDA in response to the detection of the user input associated with the symbol; and

displaying the subordinate data field on the display of the PDA in response to the detection of the user input associated with the symbol.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step swapping the primary data field and the subordinate data field.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of notifying a user during a PDA synchronization session that a subordinate data field exists.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of paging through a plurality of subordinate data fields in response to a user command.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of reading a changed record flag to determine if the first PIM data changed.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of synchronizing a clock associated with the PDA and a clock associated with the computing device during a PDA synchronization session.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a synchronization request to a plurality of PDAs listed in a field specific work group, the field specific work group being associated with the first field identifier.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving a work group selection from a user.

10. A method as defined in claim 8,

wherein the step of transmitting a synchronization request to a plurality of PDAs listed in a field specific work group comprises the step of transmitting a synchronization request via an e-mail message, and:

the method further comprises the step of receiving a synchronization initiation message via a TCP/IP protocol from one of the plurality of PDAs listed in the field specific work group.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of archiving data including the primary data field and the subordinate data field at a host during a PDA synchronization session.

12. A method as defined in claim 11, wherein the host comprises the computing device.

13. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising the steps of browsing the archived data using the PDA and retrieving selected archived data for storage in the PDA.

14. A method as defined in claim 11, further comprising the step of automatically deleting a portion of the archived data after an aging period.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the aging period comprises a user settable aging period.

16. A personal digital assistant comprising:

a display device;

a memory device storing a software program, a primary data field, and a subordinate data field; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display device and the memory device, the processor executing the software program stored in the memory device;

the processor retrieving the primary data field and the subordinate data field from the memory device, the primary data field being associated with a first field identifier and a first time stamp, the subordinate data field being associated with a second field identifier and a second time stamp, the first field identifier being equal to the second field, the first time stamp being more recent than the second time stamp, the processor causing the display device to hide the primary data field and display the subordinate data field in response to a user input.

17. A personal digital assistant as defined in claim 16, wherein the memory device comprises a non-volatile component storing the software program and a volatile component storing the primary data field and the subordinate data field.

18. A personal digital assistant as defined in claim 16, wherein:

the processor causes the display device to display the primary data field and a symbol indicative of the subordinate data field; and

the user input comprises a selection of the symbol.

19. A personal digital assistant as defined in claim 16, wherein:

the processor receives a notification that a subordinate data field exists; and

the processor causes the display device to display the notification.

20. A personal digital assistant as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor receives a clock synchronization signal from a computing device during a synchronization session between the personal digital assistant and the computing device.

22. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, further comprising:

a seventh program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to detect a user input associated with the symbol;

an eighth program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to remove the primary data field from the display of the PDA in response to the detection of the user input associated with the symbol; and

a ninth program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to display the subordinate data field on the display of the PDA in response to the detection of the user input associated with the symbol.

21. A computer readable medium storing a software program for displaying first personal information management data (first PIM data) entered on a personal digital assistant (PDA) and second personal information management data (second PIM data) entered on a computing device, the first PIM data being associated with a first field identifier, the second PIM data being associated with a second field identifier, the PDA including a display device, the software program being capable of execution by a processor, the software program comprising:

a first program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to retrieve (i) a first time stamp generated when the first personal information management data was entered, and (ii) a second time stamp generated when the second PIM data was entered;

a second program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to compare the first field identifier and the second field identifier;

a third program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to compare the first time stamp and the second time stamp;

a fourth program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to select the first PIM data as a primary data field and the second PIM data as a subordinate data field if the first field identifier matches the second field identifier and the first time stamp is later than the second time stamp;

a fifth program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to display the primary data field on the display of the PDA; and

a sixth program portion which when executed by the processor causes the processor to display a symbol on the display of the PDA to indicate that the subordinate data field is available.