Group activity session synchronization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12160472-B2
Application number	US-202318375454-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	Feb 2, 2023
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to synchronizing copies of a data object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
by a first electronic device:
joining an activity session associated with a data object; and
while joined to the activity session:
synchronizing, using a first data transfer channel, a first copy of the data object with a storage resource;
receiving an indication that a second electronic device has joined the activity session associated with the data object; and
subsequent to receiving the indication that the second electronic device has joined the activity session:
establishing a second data transfer channel separate from the first data transfer channel; and
synchronizing, using the first data transfer channel, the first copy of the data object with the storage resource;
synchronizing, using the second data transfer channel without using the first data channel, a second copy of the data object with the second electronic device while continuing to separately synchronize, using the first data transfer channel, the first copy of the data object with the storage resource.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that the second electronic device is editing the data object, wherein establishing the second data transfer channel is performed in response to receiving the indication that the second electronic device is editing the data object.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
subsequent to receiving the indication that the second electronic device has joined the activity session, and prior to receiving the indication that the second electronic device is editing the data object, increasing a synchronization rate of synchronization using the first data transfer channel.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to establishing the second data transfer channel, and while the second data transfer channel is established, decreasing a synchronization rate of synchronization using the first data transfer channel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to establishing the second data transfer channel, and while the second data transfer channel is established:
synchronizing, using the second data transfer channel, a third copy of the data object with the second electronic device at a first synchronization rate; and
synchronizing, using the first data transfer channel, a fourth copy of the data object with the storage resource at a second synchronization rate, wherein the first synchronization rate is different from the second synchronization rate.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
subsequent to establishing the second data transfer channel, and in accordance with a determination that no other electronic devices are active in the activity session, closing the second data transfer channel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage resource is remote from the first electronic device and from the second electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing, using the second data transfer channel without using the first data channel, the second copy of data object with the second electronic device includes directly synchronizing the second copy of the data object with the second electronic device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a first electronic device, the one or more programs includes instructions for:
joining an activity session associated with a data object; and
while joined to the activity session:
synchronizing, using a first data transfer channel, a first copy of the data object with a storage resource;
receiving an indication that a second electronic device has joined the activity session associated with the data object; and
subsequent to receiving the indication that the second electronic device has joined the activity session:
establishing a second data transfer channel separate from the first data transfer channel; and
synchronizing, using the second data transfer channel without using the first data channel, a second copy of the data object with the second electronic device while continuing to separately synchronize, using the first data transfer channel, the first copy of the data object with the storage resource.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more programs includes instructions for:
receiving an indication that the second electronic device is editing the data object, wherein establishing the second data transfer channel is performed in response to receiving the indication that the second electronic device is editing the data object.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , the one or more programs includes instructions for:
subsequent to receiving the indication that the second electronic device has joined the activity session, and prior to receiving the indication that the second electronic device is editing the data object, increasing a synchronization rate of synchronization using the first data transfer channel.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more programs includes instructions for:
subsequent to establishing the second data transfer channel, and while the second data transfer channel is established, decreasing a synchronization rate of synchronization using the first data transfer channel.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more programs includes instructions for:
subsequent to establishing the second data transfer channel, and while the second data transfer channel is established:
synchronizing, using the second data transfer channel, a third copy of the data object with the second electronic device at a first synchronization rate; and
synchronizing, using the first data transfer channel, a fourth copy of the data object with the storage resource at a second synchronization rate, wherein the first synchronization rate is different from the second synchronization rate.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , the one or more programs includes instructions for:
subsequent to establishing the second data transfer channel, and in accordance with a determination that no other electronic devices are active in the activity session, closing the second data transfer channel.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the storage resource is remote from the first electronic device and from the second electronic device.

16. A first electronic device, the first electronic device comprises one or more processors and memory storing one or more program configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs includes instructions for:
joining an activity session associated with a data object; and
while joined to the activity session:
synchronizing, using a first data transfer channel, a first copy of the data object with a storage resource;
receiving an indication that a second electronic device has joined the activity session associated with the data object; and
subsequent to receiving the indication that the second electronic device has joined the activity session:
establishing a second data transfer channel separate from the first data transfer channel; and
synchronizing, using the second data transfer channel without using the first data channel, a second copy of the data object with the second electronic device while continuing to separately synchronize, using the first data transfer channel, the first copy of the data object with the sto

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Syed Adam Y
• Etzine Justin R
• De Filippis Pierre J
• Circosta Nicholas J
• Williams Ryan A
• Browning David J
• Lu Chieh
• Lucas Matthew C
• Sarma Bhaskar P
• Lozano Hinojosa Jose A
• Geiger Sean
• Evans David S
• Pollack Daniel B
• Shah Priya

Classifications

• H04L67/142

  Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms · CPC title

• G06F16/178

  Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems · CPC title

• G06F16/27

  Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor · CPC title

• H04L69/18

  Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols · CPC title

• H04L67/1095 Primary

  Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes · CPC title