Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-20
2004-05-18
Kindred, Alford (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C715S252000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06738791
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology that is effectively applied to synchronization processing of personal data which is distributively managed by a plurality of systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
An application program namely called PIM (Personal Information Manager) is known for managing personal information such as a personal schedule and an address book on a personal computer. A PIM of this type connects to and shares data with portable information devices called PDA (Personal Data Assistant).
On the other hand, systems referred to as groupware for managing personal information integrally by means of a server between the terminals connected by a network are starting to be exploited effectively.
In groupware such as this, the problem arises of how to synchronize the group management information of the server with the information managed by the PIM on each terminal such as a personal computer.
Here, synchronization means making additions, alterations or deletions of data items on the server or terminal side be reflected in the data on the other side. For example, in the case that a new personal schedule item was added in the PIM on the terminal side, sychronization means adding this added schedule item to the group management information on the server, too.
Synchronization programs introduced so far of this sort compare the data on the server side with the data on the side of the terminals and generate a standard set of data having no inconsistencies. These programs adopted the form of writing simultaneously on all the systems to be the object (server and terminals).
In such a case as this form is adopted, there was a problem that in systems requiring time to write to the server, the processes of writing to the server caused the PIM system on the terminal side to be restricted more than necessary.
Specifically, the above-mentioned problem could become particularly evident in systems that originally place a large load on their server, and in situations where the server and the synchronization program, that is devices to be the object of the synchronization processing are connected by a low-speed line such as a telephone line. Additionally, in the case that the server and the synchronization program are connected by telephone lines, the problem has been pointed out of a danger of lines disconnecting due to noise and the like, an occurrence of data errors due to noise and the like and also of communication cost produced by redialing, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in light of such issues, and shortens the time restricting one of the devices when the synchronization process is being conducted. More specifically, the technical object of the present invention is to provide a data synchronization technology that shortens the time restricting the PIM system side during the synchronization process, and also makes recovery processes easier in the event that an obstruction has occurred while writing data on the server side.
The present invention is a system for retaining, via a network, each data group consisting of two pieces or more of data in the same format, in which upon performing synchronization of each data group, the system compares a first data group and a second data group and generates synchronized data; sequentially stores synchronized data in a storing means each time synchronized data is produced; on the one hand, renews the first data group based on the synchronized data each time synchronized data is generated, while on the other hand, waiting for generation of all the synchronized data and reading the synchronized data group from the storage means and updating the second data group.
Here, a data group refers to, for example, personal management information, for example, in a PIM, such as a schedule or an address book, and the first data group is the personal management information used by the PIM program installed on a terminal such as a personal computer. The second data group is, for example, group management information that is managed on the server as groupware. The personal management information and the group management information undergo synchronization processing, and become synchronized data without inconsistencies.
When this synchronized data is to be reflected on the PIM side, that is the first data group, the first data group is sequentially rewritten each time the synchronization processing is performed.
On the other hand, when this synchronized data is to be reflected on the group management information side, that is the second data group, the second data group is rewritten after all the synchronization processing is completed.
In this way, the rewriting of the first data group and rewriting of the second data group are each carried out independently. Therefore, even if there is a difference in the access speed for the two data groups, the data update can be completed without the processing of one influencing the processing of the other.
According to the present invention, it is possible to write the synchronized data to the PIM side and to the server as separate processes. Therefore, the process is not influenced by delays in writing to the server side, and the time restricting the PIM is shortened.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6449622 (2002-09-01), LaRue et al.
patent: 6611849 (2003-08-01), Raff et al.
Hirano Yuuichi
Ueda Yuzuru
Kindred Alford
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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