Patents by Inventor Stephen Flanagin

Stephen Flanagin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060059208
    Abstract: A system and method is described for resolving a conflict detected while synchronizing a first data object in a first store associated with a mobile device and a second data object in a second store associated with a server. Once the conflict is detected, properties of the first data object are compared with corresponding properties of the second data object. If the properties and the corresponding properties that differ are designated as mergeable properties, the properties and the corresponding properties are merged. Merging the properties involves sending a preferred state associated with each of the properties and the corresponding properties to the mobile device and the server for updating the first data object and second data object, respectively, when an initial state for the properties and the corresponding properties is different than the preferred state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James Chen, Stephen Flanagin, Mike Foster, Steven Miles, Brian Moore
  • Publication number: 20060031645
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for deleting objects from device stores without deleting corresponding objects from one or more synchronization partners. A device has a device sync module for each synchronization partner and each device sync module maintains tracking data. Alternatively, a single device sync module manages the tracking data of each synchronization partner. When an object does not meet parameters of a synchronization filter, a soft delete request is made to the wireless device. A sync manager receives the soft delete request and determines from the other device sync modules that have registered with the sync manager whether they continue to synchronize the object. If none of the other device sync modules protest, the object is deleted. If one of the device sync modules objects to the delete request, then the delete is denied. The tracking data for all of the device sync modules is appropriately modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Flanagin, Greg Friedman
  • Publication number: 20050216441
    Abstract: A method and system for synchronization of data stores is described. A synchronization initiator sends a sync key to a synchronization partner requesting to synchronize to some checkpoint. An integer is used as the sync key. When the sent sync key is zero the synchronization partner performs an initial synchronization. When the sent sync key is a value other than zero, the synchronization partner attempts to synchronize to the desired state. The value of the sync key is incremented only upon successful synchronization. A sync server can also include a sync key with change update notifications sent to a sync client, which the client can use to determine if the update notification is a valid update from the current sync state or is a delayed and obsolete update that should be discarded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation located at One Microsoft Way
    Inventors: Edward Thomas, Stephen Flanagin