Patent ID: 8121585

Claim:
A method for a mobile device to synchronize data comprising: permitting users via a graphical user interface to define a plurality of different custom contexts independent of a plurality of applications of the mobile device, wherein each custom context is able to be evaluated by a context engine of the mobile device as being true or false, wherein each custom context permits a user to establish via the graphical user interface a plurality of different dynamic conditions of the mobile device and user configurable thresholds for the dynamic conditions; associating via the graphical user interface each custom context with a user selected synchronization action, wherein the synchronization actions apply to any of the plurality of applications of the mobile device; a resource monitor continuously monitoring values of the dynamic conditions of the mobile device; a context engine running on the mobile device continuously evaluating the custom contexts utilizing the values of the dynamic conditions provided by the resource monitor; whenever any custom context evaluates as TRUE, the mobile device triggering the associated set of synchronization actions, wherein at least one of the set of synchronization actions are application-specific actions to be taken by a specific one of the plurality of applications executing upon the mobile device, wherein application specific synchronization rules are overridden by those established by the custom contexts and associated with synchronization actions; and wherein the context engine, a synchronization engine, and the resource monitor are computer program products that are stored in a tangible medium executing on hardware of the mobile device and that are implemented independent of any of the plurality of applications of the mobile device.