Patent Publication Number: US-10313436-B2

Title: Maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices as well as maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications without requiring periodic synchronization

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to state synchronization, and more particularly to maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices (e.g., between a mobile computing device and a desktop computing device) as well as maintaining state synchronization of common information (e.g., user information) between different applications without requiring periodic synchronization. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Today, users may often use multiple computing devices, such as mobile computing devices and desktop computing devices. In addition, such users may utilize multiple instances of an application on these computing devices. For example, instances of an e-mail application may be loaded onto a laptop computer, a smartphone and a desktop computer. In this way, the user may have access to the same application and/or application data on multiple devices. For instance, the user may check an e-mail account on the user&#39;s desktop computer at home and then later check the e-mail account on the user&#39;s smartphone while running errands. 
     As a result of having multiple instances of an application on multiple devices, the application state, such as application settings, for each of the instances of the application needs to be synchronized in order for the user to be provided with a seamless and consistent experience. That is, the application state, such as application settings, for each of the instances of the application needs to be synchronized in order for each application to perform consistently regardless of which device the user is using. For example, if the user configures a new e-mail account within an e-mail application on a laptop computer, then the new e-mail account should be reflected within the e-mail application on the user&#39;s desktop computer. As a result, the application state for each of the instances of the application needs to be synchronized. 
     Currently, such instances of an application become synchronized by creating an interface with a remote service (e.g., web services, such as JAX-RS services) and have those instances periodically synchronize in order to maintain consistency. Unfortunately, such a synchronization process occurs at unpredictable times. Furthermore, such a synchronization process may have unpredictable results depending on which application instance is synchronized first. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications comprises receiving a request to access a scope from a first client device, where the scope comprises a data store storing state information. The method further comprises receiving an update to the state information stored within the scope from the first client device. The method additionally comprises notifying, by a processor, a second client device that has access to the scope regarding the update to the state information stored within the scope. 
     Other forms of the embodiment of the method described above are in a system and in a computer program product. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather generally the features and technical advantages of one or more embodiments of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the present invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be described hereinafter which may form the subject of the claims of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a network system configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a hardware configuration of a server in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a client device accessing state information stored in a shared state scope in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates synchronizing state information of an application among multiple instances of the application in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  illustrates synchronizing state information of an application among multiple instances of the application as well as synchronizing common information used by different applications in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention comprises a method, system and computer program product for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications. In one embodiment of the present invention, a server receives a request from a client device to access a shared state scope. A shared state scope is a data store (e.g., map, database) that physically resides on the server, where the data store stores state information and includes rules directed to defining the type of state information (e.g., user-wide state information, device-wide state information, application-specific state information) stored within the data store as well as rules directed to defining the lifecycle of the state information (e.g., duration of time that the state information is valid). The state information stored in these shared state scopes can be shared among multiple instances of an application residing on multiple client devices. Furthermore, the state information may include common information (e.g., user information) that is shared among different applications. Upon the server providing access to the state information stored within the requested shared state scope to the requesting client device, the server receives an update to the state information that was performed by the requesting client device. The server then notifies one or more other client devices regarding the update to the state information that have access to the shared state scope. In this manner, the state information of an application is synchronized among multiple instances of the application without requiring periodic synchronization. Furthermore, the state information containing common information used by different applications can be synchronized among these applications without requiring periodic synchronization. 
     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details considering timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
     Referring now to the Figures in detail,  FIG. 1  illustrates a network system  100  for practicing the principles of the present invention in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Network system  100  includes client devices  101 A- 101 C (identified as “Client Device A,” “Client Device B,” and “Client Device C,” respectively, in  FIG. 1 ) connected to a server  102  via a network  103 . Client devices  101 A- 101 C may collectively or individually be referred to as client devices  101  or client device  101 , respectively. Client device  101  may be any type of computing device (e.g., portable computing unit, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), smartphone, laptop computer, mobile phone, navigation device, game console, desktop computer system, workstation, Internet appliance and the like) configured with the capability of connecting to network  103  and consequently communicating with other client devices  101  and server  102 . Client devices  101  and server  102  may communicate with each other using any protocol, including, but not limited to, client devices  101  using a Representational State Transfer (REST) service to communicate with server  102  and server  102  using a push channel to communicate with clients  101 . 
     In one embodiment, server  102  is configured to store state information (e.g., application settings) in multiple partitions or “shared state scopes” (also referred to as simply “scopes”). As will be discussed in further detail below, a shared state scope is a data store (e.g., map, database) that physically resides on server  102 , where the data store includes rules directed to defining the type of state information (e.g., user-wide state information, device-wide state information, application-specific state information) stored within the data store as well as rules directed to defining the lifecycle of the state information (e.g., duration of time that the state information is valid). Furthermore, the principles of the present invention cover all different types of scopes, including a user scope (partition with user-wide state information), an application scope (partition with application-specific state information), a device scope (partition with device-wide state information) and a global scope (partition of data that any application can access). The state information stored in these shared state scopes can be shared among the multiple instances of an application residing on multiple client devices  101 . For example, the state information in a shared state scope can be shared among an instance of an application on a laptop computer and an instance of the application on a desktop computer. Furthermore, the state information may include common information (e.g., user information) that is shared among different applications. For example, common user information may be shared among multiple different applications thereby negating the requirement of each application maintaining a separate copy of common user information. In this manner, the state information of an application having multiple instances on multiple client devices  101  can be synchronized among these client devices  101  (e.g., between a mobile computing device and a desktop computing device) without requiring periodic synchronization as discussed further below. Furthermore, in this manner, the state information containing common information used by different applications can be synchronized among these applications without requiring periodic synchronization as discussed further below. A description of the hardware configuration of server  102  is provided below in connection with  FIG. 2 . 
     Network  103  may be, for example, a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless wide area network, a circuit-switched telephone network, a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) network, a WiFi network, an IEEE 802.11 standards network, various combinations thereof, etc. Other networks, whose descriptions are omitted here for brevity, may also be used in conjunction with system  100  of  FIG. 1  without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     While  FIG. 1  illustrates three clients  101 A- 101 C and a single server  102 , network system  100  may include any number of clients  101  and servers  102 . The embodiments of network system  100  are not to be limited in scope to the depiction of  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  illustrates a hardware configuration of server  102  ( FIG. 1 ) which is representative of a hardware environment for practicing the present invention. Server  102  has a processor  201  coupled to various other components by system bus  202 . An operating system  203  runs on processor  201  and provides control and coordinates the functions of the various components of  FIG. 2 . An application  204  in accordance with the principles of the present invention runs in conjunction with operating system  203  and provides calls to operating system  203  where the calls implement the various functions or services to be performed by application  204 . Application  204  may include, for example, a program for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications as discussed further below in association with  FIGS. 3-6 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , read-only memory (“ROM”)  205  is coupled to system bus  202  and includes a basic input/output system (“BIOS”) that controls certain basic functions of server  102 . Random access memory (“RAM”)  206  and disk adapter  207  are also coupled to system bus  202 . It should be noted that software components including operating system  203  and application  204  may be loaded into RAM  206 , which may be server&#39;s  102  main memory for execution. Disk adapter  207  may be an integrated drive electronics (“IDE”) adapter that communicates with a disk unit  208 , e.g., disk drive. In one embodiment, disk unit  208  stores the shared state scopes (data stores) as discussed further below. It is noted that the program for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications, as discussed further below in association with  FIGS. 3-6 , may reside in disk unit  208  or in application  204 . 
     Server  102  may further include a communications adapter  209  coupled to bus  202 . Communications adapter  209  interconnects bus  202  with an outside network (e.g., network  103  of  FIG. 1 ) thereby enabling server  102  to communicate with client  101  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. 
     The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. 
     Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. 
     Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. 
     Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. 
     These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
     As stated in the Background section, as a result of having multiple instances of an application on multiple devices, the application state, such as application settings, for each of the instances of the application needs to be synchronized in order for the user to be provided with a seamless and consistent experience. That is, the application state, such as application settings, for each of the instances of the application needs to be synchronized in order for each application to perform consistently regardless of which device the user is using. For example, if the user configures a new e-mail account within an e-mail application on a laptop computer, then the new e-mail account should be reflected within the e-mail application on the user&#39;s desktop computer. As a result, the application state for each of the instances of the application needs to be synchronized. Currently, such instances of an application become synchronized by creating an interface with a remote service (e.g., web services, such as JAX-RS services) and have those instances periodically synchronize in order to maintain consistency. Unfortunately, such a synchronization process occurs at unpredictable times. Furthermore, such a synchronization process may have unpredictable results depending on which application instance is synchronized first. 
     The principles of the present invention provide a means for synchronizing the state information of an application among multiple instances of the application without requiring periodic synchronization as discussed further below in connection with  FIGS. 3-6 . Furthermore, the state information containing common information used by different applications can be synchronized among these applications without requiring periodic synchronization as discussed further below in connection with  FIGS. 3-6 .  FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications.  FIG. 4  illustrates a client device accessing state information stored in a shared state scope.  FIG. 5  illustrates synchronizing state information of an application among multiple instances of the application.  FIG. 6  illustrates synchronizing state information of an application among multiple instances of the application as well as synchronizing common information used by different applications. 
     As stated above,  FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method  300  for maintaining state synchronization of an application between computing devices and maintaining state synchronization of common information between different applications in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-2 , in step  301 , server  102  receives a request from client device  101  (e.g., client device  101 A) to access a shared state scope, where the shared state scope is a data store (e.g., map, database) configured to store state information. State information, as used herein, refers to information used/accessed by an application, including, but not limited to, user-wide state information, device-wide state information and application-specific state information. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the data store includes rules directed to defining the type of state information (e.g., user-wide state information, device-wide state information, application-specific state information) stored within the data store as well as rules directed to defining the lifecycle of the state information (e.g., duration of time that the state information is valid). The state information stored in these shared state scopes can be shared among the multiple instances of an application residing on multiple client devices  101 . For example, the state information in a shared state scope can be shared among an instance of an application on a laptop computer and an instance of the application on a desktop computer. Furthermore, the state information may include common information (e.g., user information) that is shared among different applications. For example, common user information may be shared among multiple different applications thereby negating the requirement of each application maintaining a separate copy of common user information. An illustration of client device  101  requesting to access a shared state scope is provided in connection with  FIG. 4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  illustrates client device  101  accessing state information stored in a shared state scope in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , client device  101  issues a request (identified by the arrow labeled “request access to scope”) to access a shared state scope  401 A- 401 D (identified as “Scope A,” “Scope B,” “Scope C,” and “Scope D,” respectively, in  FIG. 4 ) in server  102 , such as in disk unit  208 . Shared state scopes  401 A- 401 D may collectively or individually be referred to as shared state scopes  401  or shared state scope  401 , respectively. As discussed above, each shared state scope  401  may correspond to a partition of data, where each scope  401  corresponds to a data store. 
     Returning to  FIG. 3 , in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-2 and 4 , in step  302 , a determination is made by server  102  as to whether the requesting client device  101  is authorized to access the requested shared state scope  401 . For example, client device  101  may have to provide configuration information to server  102  in order to be granted access to an instance of the requested shared state scope  401 . For instance, if client device  101  is requesting the shared state scope  401  for a particular user, then client device  101  would have to identify the user in question. 
     If client device  101  is not authorized to access the requested shared state scope  401 , then, in step  303 , server  102  does not provide access to the requested shared state scope  401  to the requesting client device  101 . 
     If, however, client device  101  is authorized to access the requested shared state scope  401 , then, in step  304 , server  102  provides access to the state information (e.g., user-wide state information, device-wide state information, application-specific state information) stored within the requested shared state scope  401  to the requesting client device  101  as illustrated in  FIG. 4  (identified by the arrow labeled “state information of scope”). 
     In step  305 , server  102  receives an update to the state information by the requesting client device  101 . For example, once client device  101  obtains the state information stored in the requested shared state scope  401 , client device  101  may perform various operations on the state information. For example, if the user of client device  101  configures a new e-mail account within an e-mail application, then the state information directed to application settings is modified/updated to reflect the new e-mail account. Client device  101  may immediately send the update to the state information to server  102  or after a period of time, such as in the case where shared state scope  401  is defined as only being accessible by one client device  101  at a time. In such a scenario (where shared state scope  401  is defined as only being accessible by one client device  101  at a time), client device  101  may simply send all of its updates to server  102  at one particular time. 
     In step  306 , a determination is made by server  102  as to whether there are other instances of the application, whose state information was updated, being used by other client devices  101  with access to the requested shared state scope  401 . 
     If there are other instances of the application, whose state information was updated, being used by other client devices  101  with access to the requested shared state scope  401 , then, in step  307 , server  102  notifies those client device(s)  101  with access to the requested shared state scope  401  regarding the update to the state information for the application as illustrated in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  illustrates synchronizing state information of an application among multiple instances of the application in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , if client device  101 A had previously received access to the state information from the requested shared state scope  401 A and such state information was updated, then client device  101 A sends an update to the state information to server  102  (identified by the arrow labeled as “update Scope A”). If there is another client device  101 B using an instance of the application whose state information was updated and has access to the updated shared state scope  401 A, then server  102  notifies that client device  101 B regarding the update to the state information for the application (identified by the arrow labeled as “Scope A updated”). For instance, referring to the example discussed above, if the user of client device  101 A (e.g., laptop computer) configures a new e-mail account within an e-mail application, then the state information directed to application settings is modified/updated to reflect the new e-mail account. Such updates will then be notified by server  102  to other client devices  101  (e.g., client device  101 B, such as a desktop computer) using another instance of the application. In this manner, the new e-mail account will be reflected within the e-mail application on client device  101 B without requiring periodic synchronization. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 3 , in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-2 , if, however, there are no other instances of the application, whose state information was updated, being used by other client devices  101  with access to the requested shared state scope  401 , then, in step  308 , a determination is made by server  102  as to whether the updated state information corresponds to common information (e.g., user information) used by different applications from client devices  101  with access to the requested shared state scope  401 . That is, in step  308 , a determination is made by server  102  as to whether the updated state information corresponds to common information (e.g., user information) that is shared among different applications. 
     If the updated state information corresponds to common information that is shared among different applications from client devices  101  with access to the requested shared state scope  401 , then, in step  309 , server  102  notifies other client device(s)  101  with access to the requested shared state scope regarding the update to the common information used by other application(s) of the notified client device(s)  101  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates synchronizing state information of an application among multiple instances of the application as well as synchronizing common information used by different applications in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , client device  101 A includes an instance of an application designated as “Application A”  601  and an instance of an application designated as “Application B”  602 A. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 6 , another client device  101 , client device  101 B, includes a second instance of “Application B”  602 B. Additionally, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , client device  101 A updates the state information directed to user-wide state information, such as updating the “lastName” of a user, which is used by “Application A”  601  of client device  101 A. As discussed above, client device  101 A sends the update to server  102  (indicated by the arrow labeled as “update “lastName””). If such state information is “common information” that is shared among different applications, such as “Application B”  602 A- 602 B, then server  102  notifies other client device(s)  101 , such as client devices  101 A,  101 B, regarding the update to the common information used by other application(s), such as the instances of “Application B”  602 A,  602 B of client device  101 A,  101 B, respectively, as illustrated in  FIG. 6  (indicated by the arrow labeled as ““lastName” updated”). In this manner, the state information containing common information used by different applications can be synchronized among these applications without requiring periodic synchronization as opposed to requiring each application to maintain their own separate copy of common information. 
     Furthermore,  FIG. 6  illustrates an update to an applications&#39; state information where such an update needs to be reflected among the other instances of the application. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a feature of “Application B”  602 A of client device  101 A was updated, and, as a result, client device  101 A sends the update to server  102  (indicated by the arrow labeled as “update “feature””). As discussed above in connection with step  307 , server  102  notifies those client device(s)  101 , such as client device  101 B, containing other instance(s) of the application, such as “Application B”  602 B, whose state information was updated (indicated by the arrow labeled as ““feature” updated.” In this manner, the state information of an application is synchronized among multiple instances of the application without requiring periodic synchronization. 
     Referring again to step  308  of  FIG. 3 , in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-2 , if, however, the updated state information does not correspond to common information that is shared among different applications from client devices  101  with access to the requested shared state scope, then, in step  310 , server  102  does not notify other client devices  101  regarding such an update to the state information. 
     In some implementations, method  300  may include other and/or additional steps that, for clarity, are not depicted. Further, in some implementations, method  300  may be executed in a different order presented and that the order presented in the discussion of  FIG. 3  is illustrative. Additionally, in some implementations, certain steps in method  300  may be executed in a substantially simultaneous manner or may be omitted. 
     The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.