Multi-device communication method and system

• US 8,606,927 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pierce, Jeffrey Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKENZIE, MARCUS A
• Application Number:
  US12/050,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-207, 709213-216, 709/220, 709/222, 709/227, 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A communication method and system. The method includes receiving, by a computing system, user identification data identifying a first user. The computing system receives first device identification data identifying a first device belonging to the user and second device identification data identifying a second device belonging to the first user. The computing system associates the first device identification data and the second device identification data with the first user identification data. The computing system transmits connection data and the second device identification data to the first device. The computing system receives first informational data for the user. The computing system transmits to the first device and the second device, copies of the first informational data.

Claims

1. A communication method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, first user identification data identifying a first user, said computing system comprising a memory device;

storing, said first user identification data in said memory device;

receiving, by said computing system, first device identification data identifying a first device belonging to said first user;

storing said first device identification data in said memory device;

associating, by said computing system, said first device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a first connection between said first device and said computing system;

receiving, by said computing system, second device identification data identifying a second device belonging to said first user;

storing said second device identification data in said memory device;

associating, by a computer processor of said computing system, said second device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a second connection between said second device and said computing system;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device in response to said second connection, said second device identification data;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device, connection data associated with said second connection;

receiving, by said computing system, first informational data for said first user;

storing, said first informational data in said memory device, wherein said first informational data is queued on said computing system, and wherein said first informational data comprises an extension for performing functions associated with data;

setting, by said computing system in response to a first command from said user, sharing permissions associated with said first informational data, wherein said sharing permissions indicate that said first informational data may be transmitted to additional users;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, copies of said first informational data;

receiving, by said computing system from said first user, a search command for locating specified data located in said first device, said second device, or a third device belonging to said first user;

accessing, by said computing system in response to said search command, said first device, said second device, and said third device in order to locate said specified data;

locating, by said computing system, said specified data on said first device;

retrieving, by said computing system, said specified data from said first device;

transmitting, by said computing system to said second device and said third device, said specified data retrieved from said first device;

after said transmitting said specified data, canceling by said computing system, said first informational data queued on said computing system;

updating, by said computing system based on said extension, said specified data stored in a cache of said computing system;

enabling, by said computing system, a notebooks service enabling said first user to keep a set of shared notebooks across said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said enabling said notebooks service comprises generating a graphical user interface (GUI) displaying a list presenting said set of shared notebooks so that said first user may add, delete, and rename said shared notebooks resulting in messages detailing any changes being automatically transmitted to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein said messages comprise first extensions causing said computing system to automatically store said changed data;

enabling, by said computing system, a shared lists service enabling said first user to maintain a set of lists across said first device, said second device, and said third device such that when said first user makes a change to content of a list of said set of lists, said shared lists service automatically transmits update messages to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein said update messages comprise second extensions causing said computing system to automatically store updated contents resulting from said change to content; and

enabling, by said computing system, a file synchronization service enabling said first user to specify synchronization groups of files and/or directories to be automatically synchronized across said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said file synchronization service automatically exchanges, between said first device, said second device, and said third device, information associated with changes to files within said synchronization groups.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disassociating, by said computing system, said second device identification data from said first user identification data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by said computing system, second informational data for said first user;

removing, by said computing system, said first informational data from said memory device; and

storing, said second informational data in said memory device after said removing said first informational data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing, by said computing system, additional devices associated with additional users to access said first informational data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by said computing system, third device identification data identifying a third device belonging to said first user;

storing said third device identification data in said memory device;

associating, by said computing system, said third device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a third connection between said third device and said computing system;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, said third device identification data; and

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, connection data associated with said third connection.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting, by said computing system to said third device, an additional copy of said first informational data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by said computing system from said first user, a search command for locating specified data; and

accessing, by said computing system in response to said search command, said first device and said second device in order to locate said specified data.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling, by said computing system, a service enabling an additional GUI automatically displaying results associated with recent contact information, recently received attachments, and recently used files shared across said first device, said second device, and said third device.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling, by said computing system, a multi-device search service enabling said first user to initiate a search across said first device, said second device, and said third device from any of said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said multi-device search service automatically transmits messages to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein each of said first device, said second device, and said third device performs a local search for candidate matches and returns a list of candidates to a requesting device of said first device, said second device, and said third device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling, by said computing system, a send-a-file service enabling said first user to send a file from one of said first device, said second device, and said third device to any other of said first device, said second device, and said third device.

8. A computing system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the computer processor implement a communication method, said method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, first user identification data identifying a first user;

storing said first user identification data in said memory unit;

receiving, by said computing system, first device identification data identifying a first device belonging to said first user;

storing said first device identification data in said memory unit;

associating, by said computing system, said first device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a first connection between said first device and said computing system;

receiving, by said computing system, second device identification data identifying a second device belonging to said first user;

storing said second device identification data in said memory unit;

associating, by said computer processor, said second device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a second connection between said second device and said computing system;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device in response to said second connection, said second device identification data;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device, connection data associated with said second connection;

receiving, by said computing system, first informational data for said first user;

storing, said first informational data in said memory unit, wherein said first informational data is queued on said computing system, and wherein said first informational data comprises an extension for performing functions associated with data;

setting, by said computing system in response to a first command from said user, sharing permissions associated with said first informational data, wherein said sharing permissions indicate that said first informational data may be transmitted to additional users;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, copies of said first informational data;

receiving, by said computing system from said first user, a search command for locating specified data located in said first device, said second device, or a third device belonging to said first user;

accessing, by said computing system in response to said search command, said first device, said second device, and said third device in order to locate said specified data;

locating, by said computing system, said specified data on said first device;

retrieving, by said computing system, said specified data from said first device;

transmitting, by said computing system to said second device and said third device, said specified data retrieved from said first device;

after said transmitting said specified data, canceling by said computing system, said first informational data queued on said computing system;

updating, by said computing system based on said extension, said specified data stored in a cache of said computing system;

enabling, by said computing system, a notebooks service enabling said first user to keep a set of shared notebooks across said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said enabling said notebooks service comprises generating a graphical user interface (GUI) displaying a list presenting said set of shared notebooks so that said first user may add, delete, and rename said shared notebooks resulting in messages detailing any changes being automatically transmitted to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein said messages comprise first extensions causing said computing system to automatically store said changed data;

enabling, by said computing system, a shared lists service enabling said first user to maintain a set of lists across said first device, said second device, and said third device such that when said first user makes a change to content of a list of said set of lists, said shared lists service automatically transmits update messages to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein said update messages comprise second extensions causing said computing system to automatically store updated contents resulting from said change to content; and

enabling, by said computing system, a file synchronization service enabling said first user to specify synchronization groups of files and/or directories to be automatically synchronized across said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said file synchronization service automatically exchanges, between said first device, said second device, and said third device, information associated with changes to files within said synchronization groups.

9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

disassociating, by said computing system, said second device identification data from said first user identification data.

10. The computing system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said computing system, second informational data for said first user;

removing, by said computing system, said first informational data from said memory unit; and

storing, said second informational data in said memory unit after said removing said first informational data.

11. The computing system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

authorizing, by said computing system, additional devices associated with additional users to access said first informational data.

12. The computing system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said computing system, third device identification data identifying a third device belonging to said first user;

storing said third device identification data in said memory unit;

associating, by said computing system, said third device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a third connection between said third device and said computing system;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, said third device identification data; and

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, connection data associated with said third connection.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting, by said computing system to said third device, an additional copy of said first informational data.

14. The computing system of claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said computing system from said first user, a search command for locating specified data; and

accessing, by said computing system in response to said search command, said first device and said second device in order to locate said specified data.

15. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code adapted to implement a communication method within a computing system comprising a computer processor, said method comprising:

receiving, by a computing system, first user identification data identifying a first user;

storing said first user identification data in said computer usable medium;

receiving, by said computing system, first device identification data identifying a first device belonging to said first user;

storing said first device identification data in said computer usable medium;

associating, by said computing system, said first device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a first connection between said first device and said computing system;

receiving, by said computing system, second device identification data identifying a second device belonging to said first user;

storing, said second device identification data in said computer usable medium;

associating, by said computer processor, said second device identification data with said first user identification data;

accepting, by said computing system, a second connection between said second device and said computing system;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device in response to said second connection, said second device identification data;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device, connection data associated with said second connection;

receiving, by said computing system, first informational data for said first user;

storing, said first informational data in said computer readable storage medium, wherein said first informational data is queued on said computing system, and wherein said first informational data comprises an extension for performing functions associated with data;

setting, by said computing system in response to a first command from said user, sharing permissions associated with said first informational data, wherein said sharing permissions indicate that said first informational data may be transmitted to additional users;

transmitting, by said computing system to said first device and said second device, copies of said first informational data;

receiving, by said computing system from said first user, a search command for locating specified data located in said first device, said second device, or a third device belonging to said first user;

accessing, by said computing system in response to said search command, said first device, said second device, and said third device in order to locate said specified data;

locating, by said computing system, said specified data on said first device;

retrieving, by said computing system, said specified data from said first device;

transmitting, by said computing system to said second device and said third device, said specified data retrieved from said first device;

after said transmitting said specified data, canceling by said computing system, said first informational data queued on said computing system;

updating, by said computing system based on said extension, said specified data stored in a cache of said computing system;

enabling, by said computing system, a notebooks service enabling said first user to keep a set of shared notebooks across said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said enabling said notebooks service comprises generating a graphical user interface (GUI) displaying a list presenting said set of shared notebooks so that said first user may add, delete, and rename said shared notebooks resulting in messages detailing any changes being automatically transmitted to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein said messages comprise first extensions causing said computing system to automatically store said changed data;

enabling, by said computing system, a shared lists service enabling said first user to maintain a set of lists across said first device, said second device, and said third device such that when said first user makes a change to content of a list of said set of lists, said shared lists service automatically transmits update messages to said first device, said second device, and said third device, and wherein said update messages comprise second extensions causing said computing system to automatically store updated contents resulting from said change to content; and

enabling, by said computing system, a file synchronization service enabling said first user to specify synchronization groups of files and/or directories to be automatically synchronized across said first device, said second device, and said third device, wherein said file synchronization service automatically exchanges, between said first device, said second device, and said third device, information associated with changes to files within said synchronization groups.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

disassociating, by said computing system, said second device identification data from said first user identification data.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said computing system, second informational data for said first user;

removing, by said computing system, said first informational data from said computer usable medium; and

storing, said second informational data in said computer usable medium.