Method and system for synchronizing multiple user revisions to a shared object

• US 20060161516A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Clarke, Simon P., Rasmussen, David, Kofman, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Many different users may access, revise and update the same shared object simultaneously through several different transports. Revisions to the shared object are automatically synchronized such that all users can view the revisions to the shared object. Conflicting revisions are reconciled and merged into a current version of the shared object. A client may request the current version of the shared object from a store when the current version of the shared object is not available from the store. The current version of the shared object is synchronized with the client when the store receives the current version of the share object.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing multiple user revisions to a shared object, comprising:

receiving a revision to the shared object;

determining whether the revision conflicts with a synchronized revision on a master page of the shared object; and

synchronizing the revision with the shared object when the revision is determined to be associated with a current version of the shared object and when the revision is determined to be not conflicting with a synchronized revision.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the revision on a conflict page associated with the master page when the revision is determined to be conflicting with a synchronized revision;

displaying a conflict indicator on the master page, wherein the conflict indicator indicates that the master page is associated with the conflict page; and

merging the revision into the shared object.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein displaying the revision further comprises:

displaying the revision on the conflict page in a location corresponding to the location where the synchronized revision is displayed on the master page; and

highlighting the revision on the conflict page.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising displaying the conflict page and the associated master page when the conflict indicator is selected.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the revision is irrelevant; and

purging the revision that is determined to be irrelevant.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a client request for a current version of the shared object at a store;

receiving the current version of the shared object at the store; and

synchronizing the current version of the shared object with the client.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein receiving a client request further comprises assigning a request tag and client information to the store.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein receiving the current version of the shared object further comprises receiving the current version of the shared object when another client accesses the store with the current version of the shared object.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for synchronizing multiple user revisions to a shared object, comprising:

receiving a revision to the shared object;

determining whether the revision conflicts with a synchronized revision on a master page of the shared object; and

synchronizing the revision with the shared object when the revision is determined to be associated with a current version of the shared object and when the revision is determined to be not conflicting with a synchronized revision.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the revision on a conflict page associated with the master page when the revision is determined to be conflicting with a synchronized revision;

displaying a conflict indicator on the master page, wherein the conflict indicator indicates that the master page is associated with the conflict page; and

merging the revision into the shared object.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein displaying the revision further comprises:

displaying the revision on the conflict page in a location corresponding to the location where the synchronized revision is displayed on the master page; and

highlighting the revision on the conflict page.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising displaying the conflict page and the associated master page when the conflict indicator is selected.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether the revision is irrelevant; and

purging the revision that is determined to be irrelevant.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising determining whether the revision is associated with a current version of the shared object.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a client request for a current version of the shared object at a store;

receiving the current version of the shared object at the store; and

synchronizing the current version of the shared object with the client.

16. A system for synchronizing multiple user revisions to a shared object, comprising:

means for receiving a revision to the shared object;

means for determining whether the revision conflicts with a synchronized revision on a master page of the shared object; and

means for synchronizing the revision with the shared object when the revision is determined to be associated with a current version of the shared object and when the revision is determined to be not conflicting with a synchronized revision.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for receiving a client request for a current version of the shared object at a store;

means for receiving the current version of the shared object at the store; and

means for synchronizing the current version of the shared object with the client.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein means for receiving a client request further comprises means for assigning a request tag and client information to the store.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein means for receiving the current version of the shared object further comprises means for receiving the current version of the shared object when another client access the store with the current version of the shared object.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for determining whether the revision is associated with a current version of the shared object.