Starfish Software, Inc.

Intellisync Corporation

Pumatech, Inc.

Chris LaRue

Bryan Dube

Eric O Bodnar

Shekhar Kirani

Sethuraman Suresh

Chiahua George Yu

Roy W Feague

Jeff Gray

Quowong Peter Liu

Theodore Allen Huck

Chong-Kwan Tan

Mary Edith Ingraham

A system and methods for synchronizing datasets are provided that are especially suitable and efficient for a user who has three or more datasets that need to be occasionally synchronized, with no one dataset or synchronization system being guaranteed to participate in every synchronization. Synchronization status information, such as correspondences between data records of particular multiple datasets, is stored with more than one of the datasets. When two datasets that contain synchronization status information synchronize with each other, they not only synchronize user data and exchange status information involving each other, but they also synchronize and exchange status information involving 'third-party' datasets that may not be participating in the synchronization. In this way, synchronization status information collected in an earlier synchronization is made available in a later synchronization, even if the earlier and later synchronizations are not conducted by a same synchronization system or do not both include a common, permanently-designated 'hub' dataset. Further, when datasets being synchronized are found to contain mutually-duplicative data records, the data records are intelligently mapped to each other as being corresponding so as to avoid or minimize causing of changes to be made, in the data records, that would make synchronization status information stored in another dataset to become obsolete.

System and methods for synchronizing datasets using cooperation among multiple synchronization engines

A dynamic application environment or system is described that includes a client, a run-time system, and a back-end database. The client comprises a workstation or desktop PC running browser software, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The back-end database comprises a back-end (e.g., server-based) database system, such as an SQL-based database system. The run-time system includes a collection or repository module for storing 'presentation templates,' a Template Services Module or engine, a Template Parameters Module, and a Database Accessor Module. The presentation templates are employed for presentation of the application to the user interface (at the client). At application run-time, the templates are provided to the Template Services Module, which includes a Template Manager and a Template Parser. These provide generic processing of the templates, which may be assembled to complete a finished product (i.e., run-time application). For instance, the Template Services Module knows how to load and parse a template and then look up its parameters, regardless of the application-specific details (e.g., user interface implementation) embodied by the template. In use, the system is deployed with presentation templates that represent the various client views of the target application, for the various platforms that the application is deployed to. In this manner, when new functionality needs to be added to the system, it may simply be added by expanding the run-time library portion of the system.

System and methodology for dynamic application environment employing runtime execution templates

A method and system for synchronizing data between a dataset and a data subset, in which filter criteria determine which data records in the dataset are excluded from the data subset. However, the filter is not applied to every record of the dataset during each synchronization. Instead, during a synchronization, the filter is applied to incoming changes received from the data subset and to outgoing changes that are intended to be sent to the data subset. Appropriate actions are taken on these changes to implement the filter parameters. When a filter is changed or newly activated, a method is performed which prepares the synchronization system so that, when the next synchronization is performed, the dataset and the data subset will automatically be synchronized according to the new filter, due to the standard application of the filter parameters during a standard synchronization.

Method and system for implementing a filter in a data synchronization system

A user is allowed to inherit data from parent datasets into the user's own child dataset. The parent datasets can further inherit data from each other, so that the user can inherit data from a parent dataset, which inherits the data from a grandparent dataset. Such inheritance may be on a record level or on a dataset level, or a combination of the two. For example, a child dataset may inherit a data record from a parent dataset, which inherited that data record from a grandparent dataset on a dataset level, along with all the other records of the grandparent dataset. Pointers are used to keep track of data inheritances and local copies of data may be made as necessary. For example, if a user enters a change to an inherited data record, the child dataset may make a local copy of the data record and enter the change into the local copy. Data may also be synchronized between the child dataset and an alter-ego dataset. In this case, copies of data that have been inherited into the child dataset will be sent to the alter-ego dataset on synchronization. Changes may be made to the child dataset, the parent datasets, or the alter-ego dataset. During subsequent synchronizations, any such changes will undergo conflict and duplicate resolution before entering the changes into the child dataset or propagating the changes to the alter-ego dataset.

System and methods for inheriting information into a dataset

A synchronization system providing multi-client synchronization is described. By storing the data that is actually being synchronized (i.e., storing the actual physical body of a memo, for instance) inside an extra database, 'Grand Unification Database' (GUD), (or by specially-designated client data set) under control of a central or core synchronization engine, rather than transferring such data on a point-to-point basis, the system of the present invention provides a repository of information that is available at all times and does not require that any other synchronization client (e.g., PIM client or hand-held device) be connected. The GUD provides a super-set of the other client data sets. Therefore, if the user now includes an additional client, such as a server computer storing user information, the synchronization system has all the information necessary for synchronizing the new client, regardless of whether any of the other clients are currently available. The system can, therefore, correctly propagate information to any appropriate client without having to 'go back' to (i.e., connect to) the original client from which that data originated.

Data processing environment with methods providing contemporaneous synchronization of two or more clients

Methods for synchronizing PIM data between a wireless telephone and a synchronization server. A communication in interface is established between the telephone and the server, using a wireless network and the Internet. The telephone initiates the synchronization by placing a data call to the server and logging on to the server. A sync client within the telephone sends recent changes to its dataset to the server and requests an acknowledgement of these changes. In an acknowledgement message, the server specifies which changes were actually received. Based on this acknowledgment, the client continues resending changes until it receives confirmation that the server has received all of its changes. The server performs conflict and duplicate resolution between the changes received from the client and other changes of which the server is aware, and enters into its dataset those changes that survive the resolutions. The client also requests that the server send changes that have been made to the server's dataset. The server identifies all changes that should be sent to the client and that have survived the conflict and duplicate resolutions. The server then sends its changes to the client, requests acknowledgement, and resends changes until it confirms that the client has received all of the changes. The client enters the changes from the server into its dataset without any further conflict or duplicate resolution. The client then logs off of the server and ends the data call.

System and methods for synchronizing data between multiple datasets

A sync server responds to messages from a client to synchronize data between a client dataset and a reference dataset. Various messages may be received from the client, including changes to the client dataset, requests for confirmation of received changes, or requests for changes to the reference dataset. When the server receives client changes, the server reads record ID's from the messages, writes the ID's into a change ID list, and places the changes into a queue for processing. When the server receives a request for confirmation of changes, the server uses the change ID list to confirm receipt of changes, including changes that have not yet been processed. If the server receives a message that requires that the reference dataset be up-to-date, such as a request for changes from the reference dataset, the sync server processes all of the changes in the queue before processing the new message.

System and methods for a fast and scalable synchronization server

A system and methods for synchronizing information in datasets via a communication medium are provided that are suitable for synchronizing even across communication mediums that are susceptible to high latency, non-FIFO (non-First-In-First-Out) delivery order, or other adverse characteristics. According to an aspect of the invention, in an information processing system, a method for synchronizing a first dataset with at least a second dataset via a communication medium includes a step of storing information that is indicative of a first version of user data of the first dataset, wherein the first version has been involved in prior use for synchronizing with the second dataset. The method further includes steps of identifying a change in the second dataset that is new relative to the first version of the user data of the first dataset; via the communication medium, communicating the change in the second dataset and indicating the first version based on the stored information; determining whether user data currently in the first dataset has changed relative to the first version that was indicated in the communicating and indicating step; deciding whether to commit the communicated change to the first dataset based at least in part on the determining step; and committing the communicated change to the first dataset if the communicated change is decided to be committed in the deciding step.

System and methods for exchanging messages between a client and a server for synchronizing datasets

A system and methods for synchronizing information in datasets via a communication medium are provided that are suitable for synchronizing even across communication mediums that are susceptible to high latency, non-FIFO (non-First-In-First-Out) delivery order, or other adverse characteristics. According to an aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method is for synchronizing user data in a first dataset with user data in at least a second dataset via a communication medium. The user data in the first dataset and the user data in the second dataset are capable of having been independently modified prior to the synchronization. The method includes sending a dataset change from the first dataset, receiving the dataset change via the communication medium, and determining whether the received dataset change, hereinafter referred to as the just-received change, was sent earlier than another dataset change, hereinafter referred to as the previously-received change, from the first dataset that was received earlier than the receiving step. The method further includes performing synchronization of the first and the second datasets based at least in part on the determining step. The performing step includes refraining from propagating the just-received change into the second dataset, if the just-received change is determined in the determining step to have been sent earlier than the previously-received change. The performing step further includes propagating the just-received change into the second dataset at least to an extent needed for reconciling the just-received change with the second dataset, otherwise.

System and methods for communicating between multiple devices for synchronization

Synchronization of databases is made to allows use of already-received changes in target datasets even if the synchronization session fails, and even before the failed synchronization session is re-performed or resumed to completion. Further, already-received changes received in a synchronization session are handled such that the need to re-send them in a subsequent synchronization session is minimized, even if the present synchronization should fail before completion. In synchronizing datasets to a reference dataset, after receipt of some number of changes from a dataset, changes are propagated into the reference dataset, to the extent that they can be reconciled with the reference dataset, without requiring that all changes from the dataset have already been received.

System and methods for robust synchronization of datasets

System and methods for synchronizing datasets in a communication environment having high-latency or other adverse characteristics

A system and methods for synchronizing information in datasets via a communication medium are provided that are suitable for synchronizing even across communication mediums that are susceptible to high latency, non-FIFO (non-First-In-First-Out) delivery order, or other adverse characteristics. According to an aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method is for synchronizing user data in a first dataset with user data in at least a second dataset via a communication medium. The user data in the first dataset and the user data in the second dataset are capable of having been independently modified prior to the synchronization. The method includes sending a dataset change from the first dataset, receiving the dataset change via the communication medium, and determining whether the received dataset change, hereinafter referred to as the just-received change, was sent earlier than another dataset change, hereinafter referred to as the previously-received change, from the first dataset that was received earlier than the receiving step. The method further includes performing synchronization of the first and the second datasets based at least in part on the determining step. The performing step includes refraining from propagating the just-received change into the second dataset, if the just-received change is determined in the determining step to have been sent earlier than the previously-received change. The performing step further includes propagating the just-received change into the second dataset, at least to an extent needed for reconciling the just-received change with the second dataset, otherwise.

System and methods for synchronizing datasets when dataset changes may be received out of order

A system and methods for synchronizing datasets are provided that are especially suitable and efficient for a user who has three or more datasets that need to be occasionally synchronized, with no one dataset or synchronization system being guaranteed to participate in every synchronization. Synchronization status information, such as correspondences between data records of particular multiple datasets, is stored with more than one of the datasets. When two datasets that contain synchronization status information synchronize with each other, they not only synchronize user data and exchange status information involving each other, but they also synchronize and exchange status information involving &ldquo;third-party&rdquo; datasets that may not be participating in the synchronization. In this way, synchronization status information collected in an earlier synchronization is made available in a later synchronization, even if the earlier and later synchronizations are not conducted by a same synchronization system or do not both include a common, permanently designated &ldquo;hub&rdquo; dataset. Further, when datasets being synchronized are found to contain mutually-duplicative data records, the data records are intelligently mapped to each other as being corresponding so as to avoid or minimize causing of changes to be made, in the data records, that would make synchronization status information stored in another dataset to become obsolete.

Synchronization system and associated methods provide synchronization of an arbitrary number of datasets, including more than two datasets. To achieve this, a reference dataset is used to store a super-set of the latest or most-recent data from all user datasets to provide a repository of information that is available at all times. Therefore, if the user later wishes to synchronize a new user dataset, such as one in a server computer that stores user information, the system already has all the information necessary for synchronizing the new dataset, regardless of whether any of the other datasets are then available. Further, to simplify use, a unified user interface is provided that allows the user to easily determine which of his or her datasets are currently set to be synchronized and allows the user to conveniently alter the current settings to select one, two, or even more than two clients for synchronization. Various &ldquo;conflict&rdquo; or &ldquo;duplicate&rdquo; resolution strategies are described for intelligently handling complexities resulting from allowing synchronization for an arbitrary number of datasets and allowing synchronization using even data from datasets that are not available. Architectural support for &ldquo;plug-in&rdquo; client accessors and type modules is also provided. This allows support to be added for new datasets or new types of data merely by developing and plugging in new, compact client accessors or type modules, without updating or replacing the core synchronization engine.

System and methods for synchronizing two or more datasets

A synchronization system providing multi-client synchronization is described. By storing the data that is actually being synchronized (i.e., storing the actual physical body of a memo, for instance) inside an extra database, &ldquo;Grand Unification Database&rdquo; (GUD), (or by specially-designated client data set) under control of a central or core synchronization engine, rather than transferring such data on a point-to-point basis, the system of the present invention provides a repository of information that is available at all times and does not require that any other synchronization client (e.g., PIM client or hand-held device) be connected. The GUD provides a super-set of the other client data sets. Therefore, if the user now includes an additional client, such as a server computer storing user information, the synchronization system has all the information necessary for synchronizing the new client, regardless of whether any of the other clients are currently available. The system can, therefore, correctly propagate information to any appropriate client without having to &ldquo;go back&rdquo; to (i.e., connect to) the original client from which that data originated.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Chris LaRue