US6442570B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Object identification and data communication during an object synchronization process
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1999-06-04
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Granted: 2002-08-27
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Expires: 2019-06-04
Abstract
Abstract A synchronization system synchronizes objects between a portable computer and a desktop computer. Prior to synchronization, the system selects objects to be synchronized between the two computers. A synchronization manager in the portable computer calls an object identification function which identifies a volume that is accessible to the portable computer. The object identification function also identifies objects that are associated with the identified volume and that have been modified since previously synchronizing the identified volume. The object identification function then identifies the identified objects to the synchronization manager, which is able to synchronize the identified objects between the portable computer and the desktop computer. The identification of objects is performed for each accessible volume in the portable computer. The system also provides for the communication of arbitrary data between the portable computer and the desktop computer during a synchronization process. The desktop computer requests communication of a particular set of data between the two computers. The particular set of data is not associated with the pre-defined data exchanged during the synchronization process. The set of data is then communicated between the two computers as requested during the synchronization process.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Wu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/27; G06F16/273; G06F16/23; G06F16/2308; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/922; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of selecting objects to be synchronized between a first device and a second device, the method comprising: calling an object identification function from a synchronization manager in the first device; in response to being called, the object identification function identifying a first volume that is accessible to the first device and identifying objects associated with the first volume that have been modified since previously synchronizing the first volume; and the object identification function identifying the identified objects to the synchronization manager, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize the identified objects between the first device and the second device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of selecting objects to be synchronized between a first device and a second device, the method comprising: calling an object identification function from a synchronization manager in the first device; in response to being called, the object identification function identifying a first volume that is accessible to the first device and identifying objects associated with the first volume that have been modified since previously synchronizing the first volume; and the object identification function identifying the identified objects to the synchronization manager, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize the identified objects between the first device and the second device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the synchronization manager does not identify the first volume to the object identification function.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the method is performed for each volume that is currently accessible to the first device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the object identification function also returns a volume ID.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the method is performed for each volume that is currently accessible to the first device, wherein the object identification function further identifies a next volume in the first device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the objects are databases.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first device is a portable computing device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second device is a desktop computer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising calling the object identification function a second time to identify additional volumes that are accessible to the first device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: calling a data communication function to request communication of a particular set of data between the first device and the second device, wherein the particular set of data is not associated with any pre-defined data exchanged during a synchronization process; and in response to being called, the data communication function communicating the particular set of data between the first device and the second device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1 .
Claim 13
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of communicating data between a portable computer and a desktop computer during a synchronization process, wherein the synchronization process causes the exchange of pre-defined data between the portable computer and the desktop computer, the method comprising: calling a data communication function to request communication of a particular set of data between the portable computer and the desktop computer, wherein the particular set of data is not associated with the pre-defined data exchanged during the synchronization process; and in response to being called, the data communication function communicating the particular set of data between the portable computer and the desktop computer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of communicating data between a portable computer and a desktop computer during a synchronization process, wherein the synchronization process causes the exchange of pre-defined data between the portable computer and the desktop computer, the method comprising: calling a data communication function to request communication of a particular set of data between the portable computer and the desktop computer, wherein the particular set of data is not associated with the pre-defined data exchanged during the synchronization process; and in response to being called, the data communication function communicating the particular set of data between the portable computer and the desktop computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the step of calling a data communication function is performed by the desktop computer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the call to the data communication function includes a parameter that indicates whether the particular set of data is to be communicated from the desktop computer to the portable computer or from the portable computer to the desktop computer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising: calling an object identification function from a synchronization manager in the portable computer; in response to being called, the object identification function identifying objects that have been modified since a previous synchronization cycle; and the object identification function identifying the identified objects to the synchronization manager.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 12 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program comprising the following steps: receiving a request to identify objects that have been modified since a previous object synchronization process, wherein the request is generated by a synchronization manager; identifying objects that have been modified since a previous object synchronization process; and identifying the identified objects to the synchronization manager, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize the identified objects between a first device and a second device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
80 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program comprising the following steps: receiving a request to identify objects that have been modified since a previous object synchronization process, wherein the request is generated by a synchronization manager; identifying objects that have been modified since a previous object synchronization process; and identifying the identified objects to the synchronization manager, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize the identified objects between a first device and a second device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein the objects are stored on a plurality of volumes in the first device, and wherein the steps are performed for each volume that is currently accessible to the first device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein the step of identifying objects that have been modified since a previous synchronization process further comprises identifying a volume associated with the identified objects.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein the synchronization manager does not identify the location of the objects to be identified.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 , further comprising receiving a second request to identify objects, wherein the second request to identify objects identifies additional volumes that are accessible to the first device.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 , further comprising identifying a volume ID to the synchronization manager.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
61 words
One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 17 , further requesting communication of a particular set of data between the first device and the second device, wherein the particular set of data is not associated with any pre-defined data exchange during a synchronization process; and communicating the particular set of data between the first device and the second device.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus comprising: a communications interface; a synchronization manager coupled to the communications interface, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize e objects between the apparatus and a computing device; and an application synchronization module having a function that is callable by where synchronization manager, wherein the application synchronization module responds by identifying objects that have been modified since a previous synchronization process, and wherein the application synchronization module is further configured to identify the identified objects to the synchronization manager.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
82 words
An apparatus comprising: a communications interface; a synchronization manager coupled to the communications interface, wherein the synchronization manager is configured to synchronize e objects between the apparatus and a computing device; and an application synchronization module having a function that is callable by where synchronization manager, wherein the application synchronization module responds by identifying objects that have been modified since a previous synchronization process, and wherein the application synchronization module is further configured to identify the identified objects to the synchronization manager.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the apparatus is a portable computing device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the computing device is a desktop computer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 24 , wherein the function also returns a volume ID.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 24 , further comprising: calling a data communication function to request communication of a particular set of data between a first device and a second device, wherein the particular set of data is not associated with any pre-defined data exchanged during a synchronization process; and in response to being called, the data communication function communicating the particular set of data between the first device and the second device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
107 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program comprising the following steps: accepting a function call that activates an associated function; returning a set of parameters, the set of parameters comprising: an indicator of whether additional volumes remain to be analyzed for objects that require synchronization; an indicator of the type of object being identified; a pointer to a list of object IDs stored on a particular volume; an indicator of which objects in the list of object IDs have changed since previously synchronizing the particular volume; an indicator of a volume ID of the particular volume; and a pointer to the particular volume.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
107 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program comprising the following steps: accepting a function call that activates an associated function; returning a set of parameters, the set of parameters comprising: an indicator of whether additional volumes remain to be analyzed for objects that require synchronization; an indicator of the type of object being identified; a pointer to a list of object IDs stored on a particular volume; an indicator of which objects in the list of object IDs have changed since previously synchronizing the particular volume; an indicator of a volume ID of the particular volume; and a pointer to the particular volume.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
111 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program comprising the following steps: accepting a set of parameters, the set of parameters comprising: a direction indicator indicating whether data is to be communicated from a first device to a second device or from the second device to the first device; an indicator of the type of data to be communicated between the first device and the second device; a pointer identifying the beginning of the data to be communicated; and an indicator of the number of bytes of data to be communicated returning the identified data to the first device or the second device depending on the direction indicator.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
111 words
One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program comprising the following steps: accepting a set of parameters, the set of parameters comprising: a direction indicator indicating whether data is to be communicated from a first device to a second device or from the second device to the first device; an indicator of the type of data to be communicated between the first device and the second device; a pointer identifying the beginning of the data to be communicated; and an indicator of the number of bytes of data to be communicated returning the identified data to the first device or the second device depending on the direction indicator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-08-26 | 2006-02-25 | 2006-08-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-02-25 | 2010-08-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-26 | 2014-02-25 | 2014-08-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |