Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Sector and block layers for a database management system improve the integrity of data in a flash memory in view of possible data corruptions caused by power interruptions. The sector layer implements a reclaiming function for copying valid data from a source to a destination so that the source sector can be erased. A sector state register indicates whether a sector is in use, in a first reclaiming state, in a second reclaiming state or in a reclaimed state. A destination sector register for a reclaiming source points to a reclaiming destination. A limitation is placed on permissible reclaiming sources for a given reclaiming destination, so that, if a first sector is a permissible source for a second sector, then the second sector cannot be a permissible source for the first sector.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An enhanced “Camel-back” or “Companion” Digital Organizer (CDO) is described that is designed to interface to a cellular telephone. The CDO is preferably implemented as an add-on component which can be easily attached and detached from a phone by a user and, once in place, can dramatically enhance the phone's functionality by converting the phone into a “smart” phone. Exemplary features of the CDO include an ability for the user to initiate a voice call on the phone from the CDO. Preferably, the user may initiate the voice call from any of multiple modules of the user's data, and not merely from a phone-book module. The CDO is also capable of stand-alone use as a personal organizer device, apart from the phone. The CDO preferably includes a docking unit that removably mates to particular model(s) of phones, and a main unit that removably docks to the docking unit.

Abstract: An enhanced “Camel-back” or “Companion” Digital Organizer (CDO) is described that is designed to interface to a cellular telephone. The CDO is preferably implemented as an add-on component which can be easily attached and detached from a phone by a user and, once in place, can dramatically enhance the phone's functionality by converting the phone into a “smart” phone. Exemplary features of the CDO include an ability for the user to initiate a voice call on the phone from the CDO. Preferably, the user may initiate the voice call from any of multiple modules of the user's data, and not merely from a phone-book module. The CDO is also capable of stand-alone use as a personal organizer device, apart from the phone. The CDO preferably includes a docking unit that removably mates to particular model(s) of phones, and a main unit that removably docks to the docking unit.

Abstract: An electronic Personal Information Manager (PIM) including a calendar/scheduling system with an EarthTime™ module is described. In operation, the system tracks different types of times: “local” time, “home” time, and “remote” time. Home time is the time zone of where the user typically spends most of his or her time; this is usually the time zone for the user's home office. Local time is the time for the locality where the user is located physically at any particular instance in time. “Remote” time represents the time zones of the other individuals (i.e., other than the user). The system may show events and appointments in the user's own “local” time (or other user-selected type of time), regardless of where the user is presently located. Using these three types of time (i.e.

Abstract: An enhanced “Camel-back” or “Companion” Digital Organizer (CDO) is described that is designed to interface to a cellular telephone. The CDO is preferably implemented as an add-on component which can be easily attached and detached from a phone by a user and, once in place, can dramatically enhance the phone's functionality by converting the phone into a “smart” phone. Exemplary features of the CDO include an ability for the user to initiate a voice call on the phone from the CDO. Preferably, the user may initiate the voice call from any of multiple modules of the user's data, and not merely from a phone-book module. The CDO is also capable of stand-alone use as a personal organizer device, apart from the phone. The CDO preferably includes a docking unit that removably mates to particular model(s) of phones, and a main unit that removably docks to the docking unit.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A computer system having a “browse” connected to an on-line service (e.g., Internet) is providing with a “Quick” marks utility, which lets a user easily organize programs, Web sites, and other items in tabs, and start them with a single click. The utility provides an interface having a manageable lists of marks organized by tabs, folders, and visual icons. Buttons on the Quick marks utility let the user start programs or jump to a Web site. When the user clicks an Internet Quick marks button, the system launches the user's Web browser and connects the user to that Web site. After the browser is launched, the user can continue to click different Quick marks buttons to connect quickly to desired sites. The utility includes an abstraction layer which operates in conjunction with various drivers. The abstraction layer provides an interface allowing applications to communicate with the system and request Quick mark services.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A “Camel-Back” Digital Organizer (CDO) system is described that is designed to attach to a cellular phone in the same manner as an auxiliary battery, and to interface with the phone through contact points available in the phone's interface port. The CDO system is preferably implemented as an add-on component which can be easily attached and detached from a phone by a user and, once in place, can dramatically enhance the phone's functionality, converting the phone into a “smart” phone. The CDO unit includes a main housing supporting, on its back or upper surface, a set of input/navigation buttons and a display screen. The set of buttons comprise a circular pad or circular configuration of buttons, placed at the bevel end of the unit, which are designed as a directional navigation disc or “NaviDisc.” The NaviDisc provides for LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, and SELECT buttons (i.e., five buttons total).

Abstract: A rule-based methodology is described which supports automatic mapping of data fields between different data sets in a data processing environment. If a field cannot be mapped or matched based on name alone (e.g., an identical match), the methodology employs rules to determine a type for the field, based on the field's name. The determined type of the field is then used for matching. The methodology can be employed to match fields which appear dissimilar phonetically but are otherwise appropriate for matching. In the currently-preferred embodiment, rules are stated in form of: regular expression=type. Here, the regular expression member lists the text strings or substring(s) for the field. The rules are ordered in descending preference according to the likelihood that a given rule will correctly identify a field. In this mariner, the methodology allows the task of mapping fields from one data set to another to be entirely automated.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.