Single ended synchronization agents

• US 7,707,175 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Pivowar, Alvin I., Poddar, Jayita, Butler, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehichioya; Fred I
• Application Number:
  US10/159,321
• Time in Patent Office: 2,888 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/260, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/8, 707/10, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/104.1, 707/201, 707/999.001, 707/999.1, 707/999.2, 707/999.201, 707/999.203, 707/999.204, 709/203, 709/204, 709/208, 709/209
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• 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: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A single ended synchronization agent which communicates with a single endpoint. Responsive to instructions from a synchronization manager, a single ended synchronization agent transfers information between its endpoint and a common synchronization engine. Endpoints may include databases, hand held computers, communication links and the like. These novel single ended agent programs in cooperation with a common synchronization engine are able to synchronize databases. The agent programs need not implement synchronization logic and agent programs are required to understand only a single database. These aspects of the single ended agent programs greatly simplify the design, construction and maintenance of this software when compared with the prior art.

Claims

1. A system of information transfer for synchronizing information between a plurality of endpoints comprising:

one or more computing systems having at least one memory coupled to at least one computing system, said memory configured to store a plurality of single ended synchronization agents, each agent including a module tailored to interact with and to extract update information from a specific first endpoint database wherein at least one of said single ended synchronization agents incorporates pedigree capabilities to record endpoint changes;

one or more processors coupled to said one or more computing systems, said one or more processors configured to implement a first synchronization manager for controlling the plurality of single ended synchronizing agents wherein said first synchronization manager is distributed into multiple modules of one or more computing systems by using a synchronization manager on a first computing system as an endpoint of a synchronization agent coupled to a second synchronization manager on another computing system and wherein said synchronization manager functions as a notification agent to notify of synchronization;

said one or more processors configured to implement a common synchronizing engine coupled to the synchronization manager for reconciliation of transferred information; and

a communication link adapted to communicate data between the first endpoint database and a second endpoint database,

wherein within the transfer, the plurality of single ended synchronization agents return update information to the synchronization engine via the synchronization manager, and the synchronization engine provides reconciliation between the first endpoint database and the second endpoint database.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein a single ended synchronization agent may be called multiple times during a single synchronization session.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein databases are synchronized between a plurality of computing systems.

4. A system according to claim 3 further including a computing system in the form of a handheld computer having a database.

5. A system according to claim 3 further including a computing system having multiple databases for synchronization.

6. A system according to claim 1 further including a computing system and wherein said communication link comprises an asynchronous serial data link.

7. A system according to claim 1 further including a computing system and wherein said synchronizing engine comprises one common synchronization engine.

8. A system according to claim 1 further including a computing system wherein at least one of said synchronization modules associates corresponding objects in said synchronization engine and endpoints.

9. A system according to claim 1 further including a computing system wherein said synchronizing engine includes a coaching agent for writing new files.

10. A system according to claim 1 further including a computing system further including a conflict resolution agent for resolving data conflicts.

11. A system according to claim 1 further including a computing system wherein the operation of the communication link defines interfaces with said synchronizing manager and said synchronizing engine.