Contact Synchronization via Presence Server Mediator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems struggle to synchronize contact information across different types of devices, such as cellular communication devices and browser-enabled devices, which are associated with the same account or line, without allowing browser-enabled devices to access or modify contact data stored on cellular devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where browser-enabled devices can register with a service to share the same account or line as cellular devices, enabling access to contact data and facilitating synchronization through a presence server that manages sharing policies and modifications across related devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If browser-enabled devices are allowed to access contact data stored on cellular devices, then contact synchronization between devices is improved, but device security and data protection are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a presence server as an intermediary between cellular communication devices and browser-enabled devices. The presence server stores contact data centrally and manages access requests, allowing browser-enabled devices to access contact information without directly connecting to cellular devices. This mediator architecture enables contact synchronization while maintaining security boundaries, as the presence server controls and monitors all data access operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments contact data management into separate functional components: cellular communication devices that store and manage contact data, a presence server that hosts and distributes the data, and browser-enabled devices that consume the data. This segmentation allows browser-enabled devices to access contact information through the presence server without compromising the security of the original storage location on cellular devices.
2Productivity
If contact data is synchronized across multiple device types, then communication efficiency is improved, but system complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The presence server provides universal access to contact data for multiple types of devices including cellular communication devices, browser-enabled devices, and other connected devices. Instead of implementing separate synchronization mechanisms for each device type, the system uses a single multi-functional presence server that handles all contact data requests, thereby improving communication efficiency across diverse devices while avoiding the complexity of multiple specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of contact data stored on cellular devices and hosts these copies on the presence server. Browser-enabled devices then access these copied versions rather than connecting directly to source devices. This copying approach enables efficient contact synchronization across multiple devices without requiring complex real-time synchronization protocols, as each device can independently access the copied data from the presence server.
3Ease of operation
If browser-enabled devices can modify contact data, then user accessibility is improved, but data integrity control is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where modification requests from browser-enabled devices are sent to the presence server, which then coordinates with cellular communication devices to verify and approve changes. The presence server monitors and tracks all modifications, ensuring that data integrity rules are enforced while still allowing users to make necessary updates. This feedback loop maintains data reliability by validating changes before they are committed.
Solution Approach 2:
The presence server acts as an intermediary that receives modification requests from browser-enabled devices, validates them against data integrity rules, and coordinates with cellular communication devices for final approval. This mediator role allows users to easily request modifications while maintaining strict control over data integrity, as the presence server filters and manages all change operations before they reach the source devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Synchronization between related devices is described. A group of related devices includes devices that are associated with the same subscriber account, share the same cellular telephone line, and so forth. In an example, a related device that is a browser-enabled device may register with a service that enables the browser-enabled device to share a same account and/or same line with other related device(s). Based partly on the browser-enabled device registering with the service, the browser-enabled device may retrieve data associated with contacts (i.e., contact data) that is associated with at least one other related device that is a cellular communication device. Additionally, a user associated with the browser-enabled device and/or a user associated with the at least one other related device may make modifications to the contact data and techniques described herein may enable synchronization of such modifications between the related devices.