System for automatic synchronization of common file between portable computer and host computer via communication channel established with user

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A handheld computer for communication with a host computer,

both the handheld and host computers having a plurality of files including at least one common file, each computer having a copy of the common file, the handheld computer comprising:

a handheld computer housing;

an infrared port disposed in the housing, the infrared port operable to establish a communication channel with the host computer;

at least one other communications port including a modem operable to establish a communication channel with the host computer;

a display screen disposed in an upper surface of the handheld computer housing; a processor disposed in said handheld computer housing;

a pen device to interface with the display screen to provide user input to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing:

a set of computer instructions for causing a synchronization routine with the host computer to be initiated by establishing a communication channel with the host computer and to receive approval from a user to establish a communication channel via the modem and the host computer before incurring a charge if establishing a communication channel via the modem includes a charge; and

a set of computer instructions including common file comparison initiation instructions that, when executed, (a) effect comparison between corresponding entries in the handheld computer common file and in the host computer common file, (b) displays conflicting entries in said common files on said display screen, and (c) in response to user selection of one of said conflicting entries updates the common file which did not contain the user selected entry, thereby to synchronize that entry in both of said common files.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein the memory further contains a set of computer instructions for scanning a plurality of communication channels to find a communications link with the host computer.

3. The computer of claim 2 wherein the plurality of communication channels also include a serial port.

4. The computer of claim 1 and further comprising said modem disposed within the handheld computer housing.

5. The computer of claim 1 wherein the memory further contains a set of computer instructions for automatically comparing copies of the common file in the host computer and the handheld computer in response to establishment of a communication link between the handheld computer and the host computer.

6. The computer of claim 1 wherein the set of computer instructions is operable in conjunction with copies of a second common file stored in the hand held computer and in the host computer, to (a) effect comparison between corresponding entries in the handheld computer copy of the second common file and in the host computer copy of the second common file, and (b) automatically update any differences in the copies of each second common file and for causing identical updated copies of the second common file to be stored in the host computer and in the handheld computer.

7. The computer of claim 1 wherein the common file includes appointment information.

8. A handheld computer for communication with a host computer, both the handheld and host computers having a plurality of files including at least one common file, each computer having a copy of the common file, the handheld computer comprising:

a handheld computer housing;

at least one communications port operable to establish a communication channel with the host computer;

a touch sensitive display screen disposed in an upper surface of the handheld computer housing to enable user input to the processor;

a processor disposed in said handheld computer housing; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory containing:

a set of computer instructions for causing a synchronization routine with the host computer to be initiated by establishing a communication channel with the host computer and to receive approval from a user to establish a communication channel via said communication port and the host computer before incurring a charge if establishing a communication channel via said communication port includes a charge; and

a set of computer instructions including common file comparison initiation instructions that, when executed, (a) effect comparison between corresponding entries in the handheld computer common file and in the host computer common file, (b) displays conflicting entries in said common files on said display screen, and (c) in response to user selection of one of said conflicting entries updates the common file which did not contain the user selected entry, thereby to synchronize that entry in both of said common files.

9. The computer of claim 8 wherein the memory contains a further set of computer instructions operable in conjunction with copies of a second common file stored in the handheld computer and in the host computer, said further set of computer instructions operable automatically to resolve any differences in the copies of the second common file by updating the copy of the second common file stored in the host computer to correspond with the copy of the second common file stored in the handheld computer.

10. The computer of claim 8, wherein the set of computer instructions includes instructions automatically operable at a predetermined time to establish a communications channel between the handheld computer and the host computer; and

transmitting a copy of at least one predesignated file stored at the host computer across the established communications channel to the handheld computer and subsequently comparing the corresponding handheld computer copy of the predesignated file with the transmitted copy of the predesignated file, and effecting any changes necessary to synchronize the predesignated file stored at the host computer with the corresponding handheld computer copy of the predesignated file.

11. The computer of claim 8 wherein the set of computer instructions further include instructions operable automatically to respond to non-conflicting entries present in only one of the copies of the common file by determining if user approval for synchronizing both copies of the common file is required and (a) if so, displaying the non-conflicting entry for user selection to effect synchronization, (b) if not, automatically effecting synchronization so that both copies of the common file contain the non-conflicting entry.