Method of synchronising three or more electronic devices and a computer system for implementing that method

• US 7,689,698 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Noyau, Eric, Hullot, Jean-Marie, Cerveau, Laurent, Guiheneuf, Bertrand
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Khanh Q
• Application Number:
  US11/580,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 710/201, 709/206, 709/220, 709/224, 709/228, 709/203, 709/207, 709/227, 709/24, 709/328, 455/442, 370/342
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• 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: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

Methods, systems and machine readable media for synchronising three or more electronic devices.

In one exemplary method of synchronising three or more electronic devices, said method comprises:

• • a) selecting at least one category of record for synchronisation;
  • b) storing an original value and a changed value of each changed record from a selected record category;
  • c) establishing an electronic connection between at least two devices;
  • d) comparing the records of the selected record categories;
  • e) determining any changed record;
  • f) identifying the updated device with the changed record having an original value the same as the value of the record in the other previous device; and
  • g) changing the value of the record in the previous device to the changed value.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a second device, information through a first electronic connection with a first device having a first record and a first pair of values, the first record including a first value, the first pair of values having a first original value and a first changed value, the first pair of values representing a change of the first record from the first original value to the first changed value at an instance of time prior to the receiving of the information through the first electronic connection;

comparing, at the second device, a value of a record with the first original value, the record being identified to correspond to the first record;

determining, at the second device, a new value for the record based on the first pair of values according to the comparison;

changing, at the second device, the value of the record based on the new value;

creating a store corresponding to a third device, storing a pair of values in the store, the pair of values having an original, value and a changed value, the store including a plurality of pairs of values;

establishing a second electronic connection with the third device having a second record with a second value, the third record being identified to correspond to the record;

providing the plurality of pairs of values to the third device;

deleting the pair of values from the store;

reviewing the store to detect at least two pairs of values including a third pair of values and a fourth pair of values, the third pair of values having a third original value and a third changed value, the fourth pair of values having a fourth original value and a fourth changed value, whereby the third changed value is the same as the fourth original value; and

,

compressing the third pair of values and the fourth pair of values to form a compressed pair of values having the third original value and the fourth changed value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining comprises:

copying the first value as the new value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein there are three or more pairs of values suitable for compression.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying a maximum number of pairs of values suitable for compression for the store.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting the number of the plurality of pairs of values in the store reaching the maximum number;

deleting all of the plurality pairs of values in the store; and

providing the value to the third device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the establishing the first electronic connection comprises:

determining a connection preference between the first electronic connection and the second electronic connection; and

selecting the first electronic connection based on the connection preference.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the connection preference is based on a speed of an electronic connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the connection preference is based on a hierarchy of electronic connections associated with the first device and the third device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the new value is the same as the changed value, and wherein the second electronic connection is established subsequent to the establishing the first electronic connection.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a category for the record; and

displaying a user interface including a preference.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the preference includes categories of the record, types of electronic connection, the maximum number of changes suitable for compression, and the connection preference.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the categories of the record include computer programs and data comprising calendar, email, audio, graphic, notes and personal information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the types of electronic connection include USB, serial ports, firewire, bluetooth, infrared and over the Internet.

14. A machine readable storage medium or media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by one or more data processing systems causes said systems to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, at a second device, information through a first electronic connection with a first device having a first record and a first pair of values, the first record including a first value, the first pair of values having a first original value and a first changed value, the first pair of values representing a change of the first record from the first original value to the first changed, value at an instance of time prior to the receiving of the information through the first electronic connection;

comparing, at the second device, a value of a record with the first original value, the record being identified to correspond to the first record;

determining, at the second device, a new value for the record based on the first pair of values according to the comparison;

changing, at the second device, the value of the record based on the new value;

creating a store corresponding to a third device, storing a pair of values in the store, the pair of values having an original value and a changed value, the store including a plurality of pairs of values;

establishing a second electronic connection with the third device having a second record with a second value, the third record being identified to correspond to the record;

providing the plurality of pairs of values to the third device;

deleting the pair of values from the store;

reviewing the store to detect at least two pairs of values including a third pair of values and a fourth pair of values, the third pair of values having a third original value and a third changed value, the fourth pair of values having a fourth original value and a fourth changed value, whereby the third changed value is the same as the fourth original value; and

,

compressing the third pair of values and the fourth pair of values to form a compressed pair of values having the third original value and the fourth changed value.

15. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 14, wherein the determining comprises:

copying the first value as the new value.

16. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 14, wherein there are three or more pairs of values suitable for compression.

17. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 14, further comprising:

specifying a maximum number of pairs of values suitable for compression for the store.

18. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting the number of the plurality of pair of values in the store reaching the maximum number;

deleting all of the plurality of pairs of values in the store; and

providing the value to the third device.

19. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 14, wherein the establishing the first electronic connection comprises:

determining a connection preference between the first electronic connection and the second electronic connection; and

selecting the first electronic connection based on the connection preference.

20. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 19, wherein, the connection preference is based on a speed of an electronic connection.

21. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 20, wherein the connection preference is based on a hierarchy of electronic connections associated with the first device and the third device.

22. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 19, wherein the new value is the same as the changed value, and wherein the second electronic connection is established subsequent to the establishing the first electronic connection.

23. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 19, further comprising:

selecting a category for the record; and

displaying a user interface including a preference.

24. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 23, wherein the preference includes categories of the record, types of electronic connection, the maximum number of changes suitable for compression, and the connection preference.

25. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 24, wherein the categories of the record include computer programs and data comprising calendar, email, audio, graphic, notes and personal information.

26. The machine readable storage medium or media of claim 24, wherein the types of electronic connection include USB, serial ports, firewire, bluetooth, infrared and over the Internet.

27. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, at a second device, information through a first electronic connection with a first device having a first record and a first pair of values, the first record including a first value, the first pair of values having a first original value and a first changed value, the first pair of values representing a change of the first record from the first original value to the first changed value at an instance of time prior to the receiving of the information through the first electronic connection;

means for comparing, at the second device, a value of a record with the first original value, the record being identified to correspond to the first record;

means for determining, at the second device, a new value for the record based on the first pair of values according to the comparison;

means for changing, at the second device, the value of the record based on the new value;

means for creating a store corresponding to a third device, storing a pair of values in the store, the pair of values having an original value and a changed value, the store including a plurality of pairs of values;

means for establishing a second electronic connection with the third device having a second record with a second value, the third record being identified to correspond to the record;

means for providing the plurality of pairs of values to the third device;

means for deleting the air of values from the store;

means for reviewing the store to detect at least two pairs of values including a third pair of values and a fourth pair of values, the third pair of values having a third original value and a third changed value, the fourth pair of values having a forth original value and a fourth changed value, whereby the third changed value is the same as the fourth original value; and

,

means for compressing the third pair of values and the fourth pair of values to form a compressed pair of values having the third original value and the fourth changed value.

28. The apparatus claim 27, wherein the means for determining comprises:

means for copying the first value as the new value.