Dual-phase content synchronization

Abstract

Metadata is synchronized between a mobile device and a remote node over a first network, where the metadata specifies media content to be synchronized between the mobile device and the remote node. Subsequently a network connection is established with the remote node over a second network. The media content is bi-directionally synchronized between the mobile device and the remote node over the second network based on the metadata that was synchronized over the first network.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 synchronizing metadata between a mobile device and a remote node over a first network, the metadata specifying media content to be synchronized between the mobile device and the remote node;   subsequently establishing a network connection with the remote node over a second network; and   bi-directionally synchronizing the media content between the mobile device and the remote node over the second network based on the metadata that was synchronized over the first network, wherein the media content is synchronized in a plurality of segments at different times.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote node is one of a host computer coupled to the mobile device via a local connection and a content provider server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the Internet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising downloading at least one of an application, music, a movie, and a book from a remote node over the second network, wherein the at least one of an application, music, a movie, and a book was purchased from the remote node and described by the metadata synchronized over the first network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network is a wired connection coupled to a host computer which is communicatively coupled to the remote node over the Internet, and wherein the second network is a wireless network communicatively coupling the mobile device with the remote node. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a copy of the synchronized metadata in a destination storage area that is invisible to a user of the mobile device, such that the media content synchronization can continue even if an original metadata has been accidentally deleted by the user from a content database of the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein bi-directionally synchronizing the media content comprises:
 synchronizing a first portion of the media content with the remote node over the second network based on the metadata prior to an interruption;   subsequently establishing a network connection with the remote node over a third network; and   synchronizing a second portion of the media content with the remote node over the third network based on the metadata, without having to re-synchronizing the first portion of the media content.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the network connection of the third network with the remote node is automatically established in response to detecting availability of the third network, and wherein the second portion of the media content is automatically synchronized without user intervention. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
 synchronizing metadata between a mobile device and a remote node over a first network, the metadata specifying media content to be synchronized between the mobile device and the remote node;   subsequently establishing a network connection with the remote node over a second network; and   bi-directionally synchronizing the media content between the mobile device and the remote node over the second network based on the metadata that was synchronized over the first network, wherein the media content is synchronized in a plurality of segments at different times.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the remote node is one of a host computer coupled to the mobile device via a local connection and a content provider server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the Internet. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises downloading at least one of an application, music, a movie, and a book from a remote node over the second network, wherein at least one of an application, music, a movie, and a book was purchased from the remote node and described by the metadata synchronized over the first network. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the first network is a wired connection coupled to a host computer which is communicatively coupled to the remote node over the Internet, and wherein the second network is a wireless network communicatively coupling the mobile device with the remote node. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises maintaining a copy of the synchronized metadata in a destination storage area that is invisible to a user of the mobile device, such that the media content synchronization can continue even if an original metadata has been accidentally deleted by the user from a content database of the mobile device. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein bi-directionally synchronizing the media content comprises:
 synchronizing a first portion of the media content with the remote node over the second network based on the metadata prior to an interruption;   subsequently establishing a network connection with the remote node over a third network; and   synchronizing a second portion of the media content with the remote node over the third network based on the metadata, without having to re-synchronizing the first portion of the media content.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the network connection of the third network with the remote node is automatically established in response to detecting availability of the third network, and wherein the second portion of the media content is automatically synchronized without user intervention. 
     
     
         15 . A data processing system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions which when executed from the memory, cause the processor to
 synchronize metadata between a mobile device and a remote node over a first network, the metadata specifying media content to be synchronized between the mobile device and the remote node, 
 subsequently establish a network connection with the remote node over a second network, and 
 bi-directionally synchronize the media content between the mobile device and the remote node over the second network based on the metadata that was synchronized over the first network, wherein the media content is synchronized in a plurality of segments at different times. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the remote node is one of a host computer coupled to the mobile device via a local connection and a content provider server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the Internet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first network is a wired connection coupled to a host computer which is communicatively coupled to the remote node over the Internet, and wherein the second network is a wireless network communicatively coupling the mobile device with the remote node. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 in response to establishing a network connection between a mobile device and a remote node over a first network, examining synchronization metadata stored in the mobile device to determine whether a content synchronization session with a remote node was started but was not completed previously over a second network; and   restarting the synchronization session with the remote node based on the synchronization metadata to bi-directionally synchronize remaining content that has not been synchronized over the first network, without having to re-synchronize content that has been previously synchronized over the second network, wherein the media content is synchronized in a plurality of segments at different times.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the synchronization metadata was synchronized between the mobile device and the remote node over a third network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein synchronization session is restarted automatically based on the synchronization metadata without user intervention, in response to a detection of the network connection with the remote node over the first network. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first network is public network via a WiFi hotspot and the second network is a local network.