Safeguarding User Data Stored in Mobile Communications Devices

Abstract

A docking apparatus for a portable communications device includes a cradle adapted to receive and hold a portable communications device, a memory card slot adapted to receive an erasable nonvolatile memory card, and circuitry configured to synchronize private user data stored in a memory of the portable communications device with private user data stored in the erasable nonvolatile memory card. The private user data is synchronized when the portable communications device is being held in the cradle of the portable communications device and after the erasable nonvolatile memory card is inserted in the memory card slot of the docking apparatus.

1 . A method of creating a backup of user data stored in a memory of a mobile communications device, comprising:
 when said mobile communications device is coupled to a recharging cradle, downloading to a cradle memory integrated in said recharging cradle user data stored in a memory of said mobile communications device that is not stored in the cradle memory; and   uploading a complete backup of user data stored in the cradle memory to a backup memory card plugged into a memory card slot of the recharging cradle.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if said mobile communications device is lost or stolen, downloading to the cradle memory user data stored in the backup memory card; and   uploading to a memory of a second mobile communications device the user data in the backup memory card that has been downloaded to the cradle memory.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the backup memory card comprises a memory card adapted to be inserted into a memory slot of a second mobile communications device, in the event the first mobile communications device is lost or stolen. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein user data stored in the memory of said mobile communications device, cradle memory and backup memory card comprises private user data. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said private user data comprises one or more telephone numbers. 
   
   
       6 . A docking apparatus for a communications device, comprising:
 a cradle having an electrical interface adapted to couple to an electrical connection of a communications device and a memory card slot adapted to receive a backup memory card;   a cradle memory configured within said cradle operable to store private user data;   means for downloading private user data stored in a memory device of the communications device but not in the cradle memory from the memory device of the communications device to the cradle memory when the electrical connection of the communications device is coupled to the electrical interface of the cradle; and   means for uploading a complete backup copy of the private user data stored in the cradle memory in a backup memory card plugged into the memory card slot of the cradle.   
   
   
       7 . The docking apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising means for uploading private user data stored in the cradle memory but not in the memory device of the communications device from the cradle memory to the memory device of the communications device when the electrical connection of the communications device is coupled to the electrical interface of the cradle. 
   
   
       8 . The docking apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the communications device comprises a mobile communications device. 
   
   
       9 . The docking apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said private user data comprises one or more telephone numbers. 
   
   
       10 . A docking apparatus for a portable communications device, comprising:
 a cradle adapted to receive and hold a portable communications device;   a memory card slot adapted to receive an erasable nonvolatile memory card; and   circuitry operable to synchronize private user data stored in a memory of said portable communications device with private user data stored in the erasable nonvolatile memory card when the erasable nonvolatile memory card is inserted in said memory card slot and the portable communications device is being held in said cradle.   
   
   
       11 . A method of recovering private user data stored in a communications device, in the event that the communications device is lost or stolen, said method comprising:
 docking a first communications device in a cradle, said cradle having a cradle memory and circuitry for synchronizing private user data stored in a memory of a first communications device with private user data stored in the cradle memory;   synchronizing the private user data stored in said first communications device with the private user data stored in the cradle memory;   creating a duplicate of the synchronized private user data in a memory card;   storing the memory card in a location separate from the first communications device; and   in the event that the first communications device is lost or stolen, inserting the memory card in a second communications device to recover the synchronized private user data.