Mail server based application record synchronization

• US 8,880,735 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Tosey, Joseph Peter Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US10/656,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,078 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/248
• 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: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A solution is provided wherein standard mail servers may be used to assist the synchronization of application data across multiple devices. This allows the synchronization of application data without requiring contemporaneous operation of the synchronization partner devices. This may be accomplished by generating a record for each change to a database on a first device. Upon synchronization of the first device with the mail server, the changes since the last synchronization may be uploaded to the mail server and stored in a mailbox for a user associated with the device. If a second device associated with the user then attempts to synchronize with the mail server, the records may be downloaded and the corresponding changes implemented in the database on the second device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

by a mail server, receiving information from a first user computing device regarding every change made to an application database located on the first user computing device;

by the mail server, storing the information in a mail folder on the mail server, the mail folder corresponding to a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device maintaining a copy of the application database;

by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device; and

responsive to the synchronization request, forwarding, by the mail server, the information from the mail folder to the second user computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a record for each change made to the application database since a last synchronization.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the user computing device where the change took place.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the record is synchronized with the mail server.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the record.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the corresponding change to the database was made.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the record for each change includes a location and identity of attachment documents associated with a change-action-queue record.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting the information from the mail folder after the forwarding.

9. A computer implemented method comprising:

by a first user computing device, generating a record each time an application database located on the first user computing device is changed, the record containing information regarding the change;

by the first user computing device, uploading each of the records generated since a last synchronization to a mail server;

by the mail server, storing each of the records in a mailbox on the mail server, the mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

responsive to the synchronization request, downloading, by the mail server, each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

by the second user computing device, modifying an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the uploading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the first user computing device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the downloading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the second user computing device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the user computing device where the change took place.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the record is synchronized with the mail server.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the record.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the corresponding change to the database was made.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the record for each change includes a location and identity of attachment documents associated with a change-action-queue record.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

deleting the records from the mailbox after the downloading.

18. A computer implemented method comprising:

by a first user computing device, generating a list of records of each change to an application database located on the first user computing device since a last synchronization, each record containing information regarding the corresponding change;

by the first user computing device, uploading each of the records to a mail server;

by the mail server, storing each of the records in a mailbox on the mail server, the mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

responsive to the synchronization request, downloading, by the mail server, each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

by the second user computing device, modifying an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the uploading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the first user computing device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the downloading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the second user computing device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the user computing device where the change took place.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the record is synchronized with the mail server.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the record.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the corresponding change to the database was made.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the record for each change includes a location and identity of attachment documents associated with a change-action-queue record.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

deleting the records from the mailbox after the downloading.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a first user computing device database change information receiver configured to receive information from a first user computing device regarding every change made to an application database located on the first user computing device;

a first user computing device database change information mail folder storer coupled to the first user computing device database change information receiver and to the memory and configured to store the information in a mail folder corresponding to a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device, the apparatus further configured to receive a synchronization request from the second user computing device; and

a first user computing device database change information forwarder coupled to the memory and configured to, responsive to the synchronization request, forward the information from the mail folder to the second user computing device, the second user computing device further configured to maintain a copy of the application database.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a first device database change information deleter coupled to the first device database change information second device forwarder.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a first device application database change record generator configured to generate a record each time an application database is changed on a first user computing device, the record containing information regarding the change;

a mail server change record uploader coupled to the first device application database change record generator and configured to upload each of the records generated since a last synchronization to a mail server;

a memory;

a change record mailbox storer coupled to the memory and configured to store each of the records in a mailbox on the mail server, the mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device, the apparatus further configured to receive a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

a change record second device downloader coupled to the memory and configured to, responsive to the synchronization request, download each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

a second device application database modifier coupled to the change record second device downloader and configured to modify an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a change record deleter coupled to the change record second device downloader and to the memory.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a first device application database change record list generator and configured to generate a list of records of each change to an application database located on a first user computing device since a last synchronization, each record containing information regarding the corresponding change;

a mail server change record uploader coupled to the first device application database change record list generator and configured to upload each of the records to a mail server;

a memory;

a change record mailbox storer coupled to the memory and configured to store each of the records in a mailbox on the mail server, the mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device, the apparatus further configured to receive a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

a change record second device downloader coupled to the memory and configured to, responsive to the synchronization request, download each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

a second device application database modifier coupled to the change record second device downloader and configured to modify an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a change record deleter coupled to the change record second device downloader and to the memory.

33. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, by a mail server, information from a first user computing device regarding every change made to an application database located on the first user computing device;

means for storing, by the mail server, the information in a mail folder corresponding to a user

associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

means for receiving, by the mail server, a synchronization request from the second user computing device; and

means for forwarding, by the mail server, the information from the mail folder to the second user computing device, the second user computing device maintaining a copy of the application database.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the information includes a record for each change made to the application database since a last synchronization.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the user computing device where the change took place.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the record is synchronized with the mail server.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the record.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the corresponding change to the database was made.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising:

means for deleting the records from the mailbox after the downloading.

40. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

means for deleting the information from the mail folder after the forwarding.

41. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating, by a first user computing device, a record each time an application database is changed on a first user computing device, the record containing information regarding the change;

means for uploading, by the first user computing device, each of the records generated since a last synchronization to a mail server;

means for storing, by the mail server, each of the records in a mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

means for receiving, by the mail server, a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

means for, responsive to the synchronization request, downloading, by the mail server, each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

means for modifying, by the second user computing device, an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the uploading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the first user computing device.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the downloading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the second user computing device.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the user computing device where the change took place.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the record is synchronized with the mail server.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the record.

47. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the corresponding change to the database was made.

48. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the record for each change includes a location and identity of attachment documents associated with a change-action-queue record.

49. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for deleting the records from the mailbox after the downloading.

50. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising:

means for deleting the records from the mailbox after the downloading.

51. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating, by a first user computing device, a list of records of each change to an application database located on the first user computing device since a last synchronization, each record containing information regarding the corresponding change;

means for uploading, by the first user computing device, each of the records to a mail server;

means for storing, by the mail server, each of the records in a mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

means for, by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

means for, responsive to the synchronization request, downloading, by the mail server, each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

means for, by the second user computing device, modifying an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the uploading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the first user computing device.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the downloading occurs in response to a request for synchronization on the second user computing device.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the user computing device where the change took place.

55. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the record is synchronized with the mail server.

56. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the record for each change includes an identification of the record.

57. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the record for each change includes a time stamp indicating the time the corresponding change to the database was made.

58. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the record for each change includes a location and identity of attachment documents associated with a change-action-queue record.

59. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

means for deleting the records from the mailbox after the downloading.

60. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

by a mail server, receiving information from a first user computing device regarding every change made to an application database located on the first user computing device;

by the mail server, storing the information in a mail folder on the mail server, the mail folder corresponding to a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device maintaining a copy of the application database;

by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device and

responsive to the synchronization request, forwarding, by the mail server, the information from the mail folder to the second user computing device.

61. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

by a first user computing device, generating a record each time an application database located on the first user computing device is changed, the record containing information regarding the change;

by the first user computing device, uploading each of the records generated since a last synchronization to a mail server;

by the mail server, storing each of the records in a mailbox on the mail server, the mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

responsive to the synchronization request, downloading, by the mail server, each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

by the second user computing device, modifying an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.

62. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

by a first user computing device, generating a list of records of each change to an application database located on the first user computing device since a last synchronization, each record containing information regarding the corresponding change;

by the first user computing device, uploading each of the records to a mail server;

by the mail server, storing each of the records in a mailbox on the mail server, the mailbox for a user associated with the first user computing device and a second user computing device;

by the mail server, receiving a synchronization request from the second user computing device;

responsive to the synchronization request, downloading, by the mail server, each of the records from the mailbox to the second user computing device; and

by the second user computing device, modifying an application database located on the second user computing device with changes indicated by each of the downloaded records.