Patent ID: 7493130

Claim:
A mobile computing device comprising the following: a data store; a networking module; and a processing module configured to access the data store of the mobile device as well as communicate with the synchronization server over the network using the networking module of the mobile device, wherein the processing device of the mobile device is configured to perform the following: determine that a data item is to be synchronized; identify which of a plurality of synchronization mechanisms, including one or more hardwired or wireless communication connections, are available to use for synchronization; consult a set of one or more flexible selection rules to select a synchronization mechanism, the set of one or more flexible rules taking into consideration value, from having access to synchronized data, relative to at least one of (i) an economic cost for synchronization using each available synchronization mechanism, (ii) network security for each available synchronization mechanism, (iii) security of a computer system, or (iv) value of data being synchronized, and thereby select an available synchronization mechanism appropriate for the data item given the one or more flexible selection rules; and use the selected synchronization mechanism to synchronize the data item.