User-input scheduling of synchronization operation on a mobile device based on user activity

• US 7,996,028 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vargas, Sandra I., Williamson, David R., Foster, Michael A., Hall, Gary W., Esteve Balducci, Juan V.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US12/872,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 455/501, 455/502, 455/503, 370/324, 370/350, 370/395.62, 370/479, 370/503, 370/509, 375/356, 709/212, 709/213, 709/216, 709/248
• US Class Current: 455/502
• 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: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

Data is synchronized between a mobile device and a computing device over a wireless link. Synchronization operations are scheduled according to a synchronization schedule that is based on a current time of day. In one embodiment, the day can be divided into different time periods by the user. The user can also specify the frequency with which synchronization operations are to be performed during each specified period. Further, the user can specify an override schedule which overrides the ordinary synchronization schedule established by the user when override criteria are present. For instance, if the mobile device is roaming, the synchronization schedule will be dictated by the override schedule, which may sync much less often, or not until a specific user synchronization request has been received. The present invention can be embodied both as a method and as a apparatus. Also, the user interface associated with the present invention provides for user input to specify time periods during the day, synchronization frequency information, and an override schedule.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a synchronization component configured to perform synchronization operations that synchronize data between the mobile device and a computing device over a wireless link;

a synchronization schedule comprising a peak time period and a non-peak time period for performing the synchronization operations;

a user interface, comprising;

a first input component configured to designate a time period throughout a day as the peak time period or the non-peak time period; and

a second input component configured to set at least one frequency at which the synchronization operations are to be performed during the peak time period, during the non-peak time period, or during both the peak time period and the non-peak time period; and

a processor configured to be utilized by the synchronization component to facilitate the performance of the synchronization operations.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first input component is configured designate the time period throughout the day as the peak time period.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the user interface further comprises a third input component configured to designate a second time period throughout the day as the non-peak time period.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the at least one frequency with which the synchronization operations are to be performed comprises:

a first frequency at which the synchronization operations are to be performed during the peak time period; and

a second frequency at which the synchronization operations are to be performed during the non-peak time period.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the first frequency is greater than the second frequency such that the synchronization operations are scheduled to be performed more frequently during the peak time period than during non-peak time period.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the synchronization schedule is further configured to performs the synchronization operations according to an over-ride schedule when over-ride criteria are present.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the wireless link comprises a cellular communication link, and wherein the over-ride criteria comprises an identification that the mobile device is in a roaming state.

8. A mobile device, comprising:

a synchronization schedule, comprising;

a peak time period in which synchronization operations that synchronize data between the mobile device and a computing device over a wireless link are performed at a first frequency; and

a non-peak time period in which the synchronization operations are performed at a second frequency; and

a user interface, comprising;

a first input component configured to designate a first time period throughout the day as the peak time period in response to a first user input; and

a second input component configured to set at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency in response to a second user input; and

a processor configured to facilitate the performance of the synchronization operations.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the user interface further comprises a third input component configured to designate a second time period throughout the day as the non-peak time period in response to a third user input.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first frequency is greater than the second frequency such that the wireless synchronization operations are scheduled to be performed more frequently during the peak time period than during non-peak time period.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the first frequency is based on a first time value indicative of a first time period between successive synchronization operations during the peak time period.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second frequency is based on a second time value indicative of a second time period between successive synchronization operations during the non-peak time period.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the synchronization schedule is further configured to performs the synchronization operations according to an over-ride schedule when over-ride criteria are present.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the wireless link comprises a cellular communication link, and wherein the over-ride criteria comprises an identification that the mobile device is in a roaming state.

15. A method for synchronizing data between a mobile device and a computing device over a wireless link, the method comprising:

accessing a synchronization schedule, wherein the synchronization schedule comprises a peak time period and a non-peak time period for performing synchronization operations that synchronize data between the mobile device and the computing device;

designating a time period throughout a day as the peak time period or the non-peak time period;

setting at least one frequency at which the synchronization operations are to be performed during the peak time period, during the non-peak time period, or during both the peak time period and the non-peak time period; and

utilizing a processor to perform at least one of the synchronization operations.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the time period is selected as the peak time period, and wherein the method further comprises selecting a second time period throughout the day as the non-peak time period.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein setting the at least one frequency comprises setting a first frequency at which the synchronization operations are to be performed during the peak time period.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein setting the at least one frequency further comprises setting a second frequency at which the synchronization operations are to be performed during the non-peak time period.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first frequency is greater than the second frequency such that the synchronization operations are scheduled to be performed more frequently during the peak time period than during non-peak time period.

20. The method of claim 15, and further comprising:

identifying whether over-ride criteria are present; and

performing the synchronization operations according to an over-ride schedule when the presence of the over-ride criteria is identified.