Techniques for database updates

• US 8,903,368 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Williamson, Richard John
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/343,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20120102065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 4554141-4144, 455/425, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/502, 455/412.1, 455418-420, 455/434, 455/445, 455/514, 455/517, 455/528, 455/550.1, 455557-558, 455560-561, 707/638, 707/640, 707769-771, 707781-782, 707/803, 707/E17, 707/5, 707/E17.014, 707/E17.044, 707/E17.115, 707/E17.117, 709202-203, 709218-219, 709/221, 709/FOR.122, 709/FOR.106
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Techniques for updating databases stored on mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a query from a host device requesting a version identifier corresponding to a database on a client device;

responding to the query with the version identifier and a location identifier corresponding to a source of a most recent database to which the version of the database stored on the client device is compared, wherein the location identifier corresponding to the source of the most recent database comprises one or more Universal Resource Locators (URLs) for the host device to utilize to determine whether the database on the client device matches the most recent database;

determining that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from applications installed on the client device;

determining, by a network traffic module, whether the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is for the requests from the applications on the client device;

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, requesting an update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database on the client device does not match the most recent database; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, waiting for a idle network before requesting the update to the database on the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the database stored on the client device includes a listing of names corresponding to geographical locations.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the database stored on the client device includes a listing of names corresponding to stock symbols.

4. An article comprising a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive a query from a host device to request a version identifier corresponding to a database stored on a client device;

respond to the query with the version identifier and a location identifier corresponding to a source of a most recent database to which the version of the database stored on the client device is compared, wherein the location identifier corresponding to the source of the most recent database comprises one or more Universal Resource Locators (URLs) for the host device to utilize to determine whether the database stored on the client device matches the most recent database;

determine that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from applications installed on the client device;

determining whether the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is for the requests from the applications on the client device;

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, request an update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database stored on the client device does not match the most recent database; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, waiting for a idle network before requesting the update to the database on the client device.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein the database stored on the client device includes a listing of names corresponding to geographical locations.

6. The article of claim 4 wherein the database stored on the client device includes a listing of names corresponding to stock symbols.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a query from a host device requesting a version identifier corresponding to a database on a client device;

means for responding to the query with the version identifier and a location identifier corresponding to a source of a most recent database to which the version of the database on the client device is compared, wherein the location identifier corresponding to the source of the most recent database comprises one or more Universal Resource Locators (URLs) for the host device to utilize to;

determine whether the database stored on the client device matches the most recent database,

determine that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from applications installed on the client device;

determine whether the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is for the requests from the applications on the client device;

means for requesting an update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database on the client device does not match the most recent database if the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from applications on the client device;

means for waiting for a idle network before requesting update to the database on the client device when the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device.

8. A client device apparatus comprising:

a database to store information; and

a client agent coupled with the database, the client agent to respond to a query from a host device to request a version identifier corresponding to the database with the version identifier and a location identifier corresponding to a source of a most recent database to which the version of the database stored on the client device is compared, wherein the location identifier corresponding to the source of the most recent database comprises one or more Universal Resource Locators (URLs) for the host device to utilize to;

determine whether the database stored on the client device matches the most recent database,

determine that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from applications installed on the client device;

determine whether the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is for the requests from the applications on the client device,

if the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from applications on the client device, request an update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database stored on the client device does not match the most recent database and cause the database to be updated; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, waiting for a idle network before requesting the update to the database on the client device.

9. The mobile apparatus of claim 8 wherein the database stored on the client device includes a listing of names corresponding to geographical locations.

10. The mobile apparatus of claim 8 wherein the database stored on the client device includes a listing of names corresponding to stock symbols.

11. An application agent comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium resident on a client device having a database with an associated version identifier and one or more location identifiers corresponding to an indication of a most recent version of the database, the application agent to utilize the database to provide information to a user of the client device, the application agent further to provide the version identifier and the one or more location identifiers to a host device, wherein the one or more location identifiers comprise one or more Universal Resource Locators (URLs), and, to request the most recent version of the database from the host device if the database resident on the client device is not the most recent version of the database and upon determining:

that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from applications installed on the client device;

whether the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is for the requests from the applications on the client device; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, requesting an update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database on the client device does not match the most recent database; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, waiting for a idle network before requesting the update to the database on the client device.

12. The hardware-implemented application agent of claim 11 wherein the database includes a listing of geographical location names.

13. The hardware-implemented application agent of claim 11 wherein the database includes stock names.

14. The hardware-implemented application agent of claim 11 wherein the version identifier and the one or more location identifies are communicated to the host device over a wireless interface that complies with an IEEE 802.11 standard.

15. The hardware-implemented application agent of claim 11 wherein the version identifier and the one or more location identifies are communicated to the host device over a wireless interface that complies with a Bluetooth standard.

16. The hardware-implemented application agent of claim 11 wherein the version identifier and the one or more location identifies are communicated to the host device over a wired interface that complies with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard.

17. A host device comprising:

a first wireless network interface;

a secondary interface configured to allow communications with a client device;

an update agent to configured to communicate with the client device to update a database on the client device by;

determining a version associated with the database stored on the client device;

determining at least one location identifier associated with the database stored on the client device, wherein a location identifier includes at least one Universal Resource Locator (URL);

determining whether the database stored on the client device should be updated by comparing the version associated with the database and a version associated with a current database, wherein the current database is associated with the location identifier;

determining that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from the applications installed on the client device;

determining, by a network traffic module, whether the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is for the requests from the applications on the client device;

if the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, requesting the update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database on the client device does not match the most recent database; and

if the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, waiting for a idle network before requesting the update to the database on the client device.

18. The host device of claim 17 wherein the database includes a listing of geographical locations.

19. The host device of claim 17 wherein the database includes stock names.

20. The host device of claim 17 wherein the client device comprises a cellular-enabled client device.

21. The host device of claim 17 wherein the first wireless interface complies with an IEEE 802.11 standard.

22. The host device of claim 17 wherein the secondary interface comprises a wireless interface that complies with a Bluetooth standard.

23. The host device of claim 17 wherein the secondary interface comprises a wired interface that complies with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard.

24. An interface, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, coupled between a host device and a client device, the interface to carry a database version corresponding to a database stored on the client device and location information to the host device, wherein the location information includes at least one Universal Resource Locator (URL), the version and the location information to be used by the host device to determine whether the database stored on the client device is a most recent version of the database and to determine;

that a connection between the host device and the client device is established on a same network used by the client device to communicate with a server that handles requests from applications installed on the client device;

whether the network established for communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is not being used for the requests from applications on the client device, requesting an update to the database on the client device when the version identifier indicates that the database on the client device does not match the most recent database; and

if the network established for the communication between the host device and the client device is being used for the requests from the applications on the client device, waiting for a idle network before requesting the update to the database on the client device.

25. The interface of claim 24 wherein the database includes a listing of geographical location names.

26. The interface of claim 24 wherein the database includes stock names.

27. The interface of claim 24 wherein the client device comprises a cellular-enabled client device.

28. The interface of claim 24 wherein communication over the interface complies with a Bluetooth standard.

29. The interface of claim 24 wherein communication over the interface complies with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard.