Automatic data synchronization between a handheld and a host computer using pseudo cache including tags and logical data elements

Claim 2

A handheld computer adapted to communicate with a host computer, the host computer having a data set including logical data elements of a user database, the handheld computer comprising: a processor; a common data set which is a shared version of the host computer data set, the common data set including the logical elements of the user database; a communication port coupled to said processor, said communication port adapted to link said processor with the host computer; and a data synchronization engine coupled to said processor and said communication port, said data synchronization engine including: one or more tags, each of said tags corresponding to one of the logical data elements in the user database, each of said tags including at least a modified flag; and a pseudo cache engine coupled to the processor that maintains the states of each of said tags responsive to changes to corresponding ones of the logical data elements in the user database; wherein said data synchronization engine initiates a synchronization of a logical data element with the host computer over the communication port when an associated one of the tags is modified in the pseudo cache.

Claim 3

The handheld computer of claim 1, wherein said communication port is a serial port.

Claim 4

The handheld computer of claim 2, wherein each of said tags points to an entry in said signature table and further points to an entry to said field mapping table.

Claim 5

The handheld computer of claim 1, wherein each of said tags has a signature table record and a field mapping table record.

Claim 6

The handheld computer of claim 1, further comprising an application programming interface coupled to said communication port.

Claim 7

The handheld computer of claim 1, each of said tags further including an exclusive flag and a deleted flag.

Claim 8

The handheld computer of claim 1, wherein each of said tags points to logical data elements that are associated with applications include a calendar, a phone list, a to-do list, a browser, a clock, and an electronic mail (E-mail).

Claim 9

An integrated information system, comprising: a host computer comprising: a data set including logical data elements of a user database; and a handheld computer adapted to communicate with the host computer comprising: a processor; a common data set which is a shared version of the host computer data set, the common data set including the logical elements of the user database; a communication port coupled to said processor, said communication port adapted to link said processor with the host computer; and a data synchronization engine coupled to said processor and said communication port, said data synchronization engine including: one or more tags, each of said tags corresponding to one of the logical data elements in the user database, each of said tags including at least a modified flag; and a pseudo cache engine coupled to the processor that maintains the states of each said tags responsive to changes to corresponding ones of the logical data elements in the user database; wherein said data synchronization engine initiates a synchronization of a logical data element with the host computer over the communication port when an associated one of the tags is modified in the pseudo cache.

Claim 10

An integrated information system, comprising: a host computer comprising: a data set including logical data elements of a user database; and a handheld computer adapted to communicate with the host computer comprising: a processor; a common data set which is a shared version of the host computer data set, the common data set including the logical elements of the user database; a communication port coupled to said processor, said communication port adapted to link said processor with the host computer; and a data synchronization engine coupled to said processor and said communication port, said data synchronization engine including: one or more tags, each of said tags corresponding to one of the logical data elements in the user database, each of said tags including at least a modified flag; and a pseudo cache engine coupled to the processor that maintains the states of each said tags responsive to changes to corresponding ones of the logical data elements in the user database; wherein said data synchronization engine initiates a synchronization of a logical data element with the host computer over the communication port when an associated one of the tags is modified in the pseudo cache.

Claim 11

The integrated information system of claim 8, further comprising a signature table and a field map table coupled to said tags.

Claim 12

The integrated information system of claim 9, wherein each of said tags points to an entry in said signature table and further points to an entry to said field mapping table.

Claim 13

The integrated information system of claim 8, wherein each of said tags has a signature table record and a field mapping table record.

Claim 14

The integrated information system of claim 8, further comprising an application programming interface coupled to said communication port.

Claim 15

The integrated information system of claim 8, each of said tags further including an exclusive flag and a deleted flag.

Claim 16

The integrated information system of claim 8, wherein each of said tags points to logical data elements that are associated with applications include a calendar, a phone list, a to-do list, a browser, a clock, and an electronic mail (E-mail).

Claim 19

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of looking up a signature table record and a field map table record from each of the tag entries.

Claim 20

The method of claim 16, wherein said looking up steps further comprises the steps of indexing into an entry in the signature table and indexing into an entry to the field mapping table.

Claim 21

The method of claim 15, wherein each of the tag entries has a signature table and a field mapping table.

Claim 22

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of interfacing with software on the host computer through an application programming interface.

Claim 23

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of verifying a coherency protocol.

Claim 24

The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of storing one or more applications in a memory device.

Claim 25

The method of claim 21, wherein the applications have one or more data records and the host computer has corresponding data records, further comprising the step of synchronizing said data records with corresponding records on the host computer.

Claim 26

The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of executing one or more applications, including a calendar, a phone list, a to-do list, a browser, a clock, and an electronic mail (E-mail).

Claim 27

A desktop computer adapted to communicate with a handheld computer, the handheld computer having a data set including logical data elements in user database, the desktop computer comprising: a processor; a common data set which is a shared version of the handheld computer data set including the logical elements of the user database; a communication port coupled to said processor, said communication port adapted to link said processor with the handheld computer; and a data synchronization engine coupled to said processor and said communication port, said data synchronization engine including: one or more tags each corresponding to one of the logical data elements in the user database; wherein said data synchronization engine receives a synchronization of a logical data element within the host computer over the communication port when an associated one of the tags is written to a pseudo cache engine in the handheld computer with a set modified bit, the pseudo cache engine in the handheld computer maintaining the states of the associated ones of the tags in the handheld computer responses to changes to corresponding ones of the logical data elements in the user database in the handheld computer, and wherein the synchronization of a logical data element reflects a change in the state of an associated one of the tags in the handheld computer.

Claim 28

A desktop computer adapted to communicate with a handheld computer, the handheld computer having a data set including logical data elements in user database, the desktop computer comprising: a processor; a common data set which is a shared version of the handheld computer data set including the logical elements of the user database; a communication port coupled to said processor, said communication port adapted to link said processor with the handheld computer; and a data synchronization engine coupled to said processor and said communication port, said data synchronization engine including: one or more tags each corresponding to one of the logical data elements in the user database; wherein said data synchronization engine receives a synchronization of a logical data element within the host computer over the communication port when an associated one of the tags is written to a pseudo cache engine in the handheld computer with a set modified bit, the pseudo cache engine in the handheld computer maintaining the states of the associated ones of the tags in the handheld computer responses to changes to corresponding ones of the logical data elements in the user database in the handheld computer, and wherein the synchronization of a logical data element reflects a change in the state of an associated one of the tags in the handheld computer.

Claim 29

The desktop computer of claim 24, wherein each of said tags points to logical data elements that are associated with applications include a calendar, a phone list, a to-do list, a browser, a clock, and an electronic mail (E-mail).