Method, device and system for synchronizing of data providing for the handling of an interrupted synchronization process

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, a network device and a system for allowing for resuming a preceding incomplete synchronization session is provided, wherein the preceding incomplete synchronization session has been interrupted during its performing. In principle the resuming of the preceding incomplete synchronization session is based on the following operations according to the inventive concept. A communication connection for synchronization of data between a first and a second device is establishing. The first and the second device comprise each a predefined set of data records to be synchronized. A first and a second update identifier are communicated between the first and the second device. The first update identifier specifies a preceding complete synchronization session having been performed between them and the second update identifier specifies a preceding incomplete synchronization session having been performed between them. Synchronization related information is exchanged between the first and the second device. The herein exchanged synchronization related information comprises that part of synchronization related information which has not been exchanged during the preceding incomplete synchronization session. Data in the first device and the second device is synchronized in accordance with the exchanged synchronization related information. The contents of the first update identifier is updated with the contents of the second update identifier.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Method for synchronizing, comprising: 
 establishing a communication connection for synchronization of data between a first device and a second device each comprising a set of data to be synchronized;    transmitting a first update identifier and a second update identifier, said first update identifier denoting a preceding complete synchronization event having been performed between said first device and said second device, a value of said first update identifier having been stored at least in said first device, said second update identifier denoting a preceding incomplete synchronization event having been started between said first device and said second device, a value of said second update identifier having been stored at least in said first device;    retrieving or forming an indication of data that has been successfully synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event;    using said indication, synchronizing data that has not been successfully synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event; and    at least in said first device, updating said value of said first update identifier with said value of said second update identifier.    
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises: 
 transmitting additional information relating to said preceding incomplete synchronization event and comprising at least one information out of a group comprising information about said preceding incomplete synchronization, and information about data successfully synchronized in accordance with received synchronization related information.    
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 in at least one of said first device and said second device: 
 in a first comparison, comparing a value of said first update identifier transmitted from the first device with a value of the second update identifier of the first device stored in the second device;  
 in a second comparison, comparing a value of said second update identifier transmitted from the first device with a value of the second update identifier of the first device stored in the second device;  
 carrying out at least one of the following options: 
 in case said second comparison yields a value of true, synchronizing data between said first device and said second device, said data comprising data that has not been exchanged during said preceding incomplete synchronization event;  
 in case said second comparison yields a value of false, synchronizing data between said first device and said second device, said data comprising at least data that has been synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event;  
 in case said first comparison yields a value of false, synchronizing data between said first device and said second device, said data comprising data that has been synchronized during said preceding complete synchronization event; and  
 
   in case said first comparison yields a value of true: 
 synchronizing data between said first device and said second device, said data that has not been synchronized during said preceding complete synchronization event.  
   
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein establishing a communication connection for synchronization further comprises: 
 transmitting an initial message instructing at least one of said first device and said second device to prepare for resuming said preceding incomplete synchronization.    
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein said synchronization is based on a synchronization protocol in accordance with the SyncML standard, said first update identifier being a LAST synchronization anchor.  
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein said second update identifier is at least one of a NEXT synchronization anchor and a PAUSE synchronization anchor.  
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein said additional information relating to said preceding incomplete synchronization event comprises at least one information out of a group of a synchronization event session identifier (session ID), a synchronization message identifier (message ID), and one or more identifiers of acknowledged data and their respective data store.  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein said additional information has been stored at least in said first device before transmitting said first and second update identifiers.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein data has been successfully synchronized if the acknowledgement for the data or the message containing the data has been successfully received, wherein the acknowledgement indicates either a positive or a negative status of the synchronization of the data or the message.  
     
     
         10 . Software tool for synchronizing, comprising program portions for carrying out the operations of the method of  claim 1 , wherein said software tool is for being implemented in a computer program for being executed on a processing device, a terminal device, a communication terminal device or a network device.  
     
     
         11 . Computer program for synchronizing, comprising program code sections for carrying out the operations of the method of  claim 1 , wherein said computer program is for being executed on a processing device, a terminal device, a communication terminal device or a network device.  
     
     
         12 . Computer program product for synchronizing, said computer program product comprising program code sections stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of the method of  claim 1 , wherein said computer program product is for being executed on a processing device, a terminal device, a communication terminal device or a network device.  
     
     
         13 . A device for use in a network and capable of synchronizing data, comprising: 
 a storage medium comprising predefined sets of data to be synchronized;    a communication interface for establishing a communication connection for synchronization of data to another device for use in a network, for communicating a first update identifier and a second update identifier with said other network device and for exchanging data with said other network device, 
 wherein said first update identifier denotes a preceding complete synchronization event having been performed with said other network device, said first update identifier having been stored at least in said network device, said second update identifier denoting a preceding incomplete synchronization event, said second update identifier having been stored at least in said network device,  
 wherein said data comprises at least data that has not been synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event;  
   a retrieving or a forming component for retrieving or forming an indication of data that has been synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event, said indication having been stored in said network device;    a synchronizing component for synchronizing of data in accordance with said indication; and    an updating component for updating contents of said first update identifier stored with contents of said second update identifier stored.    
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein 
 said communication interface is adapted for transmitting supplementary additional information relating to said preceding incomplete synchronization event,    wherein said additional information comprises at least one information out of a group comprising information about said preceding incomplete synchronization, information about a last successful exchange of synchronization related information and information about data successfully synchronized in accordance with received synchronization related information.    
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a component for comparing, in a first comparison, a value of said first update identifier transmitted from the device with a value of the second update identifier of the device stored in the other device, and for comparing, in a second comparison, a value of said second update identifier transmitted from the first device with a value of the second update identifier of the device stored in the other device, said component for carrying out at least one of the following options: 
 in case said second comparison yields a value of true, synchronizing data between said device and said other device, said data comprising data that has not been exchanged during said preceding incomplete synchronization event;  
 in case said second comparison yields a value of false, synchronizing data between said device and said other device, said data comprising at least data that has been synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event;  
 in case said first comparison yields a value of false, synchronizing data between said device and said other device, said data comprising data that has been synchronized during said preceding complete synchronization event; and  
   in case said first comparison yields a value of true: 
 synchronizing data between said device and said other device, said data that has not been synchronized during said preceding complete synchronization event.  
   
     
     
         16 . System for synchronizing, comprising a first network device and a second network device, wherein said first network device comprises: 
 a storage medium comprising predefined set of data to be synchronized;    a communication interface for establishing a communication connection for synchronization of data to said second network device for use in a network, for communicating a first update identifier and a second update identifier to said second network device and for exchanging data with said second network device;    a retrieving or a forming component for retrieving or forming an indication of data that has been synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event, said indication having been stored in said first network device;    a synchronizing component for synchronizing of data in accordance with said indication; and    an updating component for updating contents of said first update identifier stored with contents of said second update identifier stored;    wherein said second network device comprises: 
 a storage medium comprising predefined set of data to be synchronized;  
 a communication interface for establishing a communication connection for synchronization of data to said first network device for use in a network, for communicating a first update identifier and a second update identifier to said first network device and for exchanging data with said first network device, said second update identifier and said second update identifier being stored,  
 a synchronizing component for synchronizing of data in accordance with said indication;  
 an updating component for updating contents of said first update identifier stored with contents of said second update identifier stored; and  
 a component for comparing, in a first comparison, a value of said first update identifier transmitted from said first network device with a value of said first update identifier stored in said second network device, and for comparing, in a second comparison, a value of said second update identifier transmitted from said first network device with a value of said second update identifier stored in the second network device;  
   wherein said first update identifier denotes a preceding complete synchronization event having been performed with said second network device, said first update identifier having been stored at least in one network device, said second update identifier denoting a preceding incomplete synchronization event having been performed with said second network device, said second update identifier having been stored at least in one network device; and    wherein said data comprises at least data that has not been synchronized during said preceding incomplete synchronization event in case that said comparing yields the same identifiers, said exchanged information being based on said indication.