Content router repository

• US 20070014277A1
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Venkatachary, Schulz, Torsten, Boerries, Marco, Ebbesen, Bjorn
• Application Number:
  US11/182,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20070014277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/566 Routing instructions carried by the data packet, e.g. active networks

Abstract

A content router including a repository is provided for synchronizing information among a plurality of dissimilar content nodes, such as user devices and user accounts. Some content nodes may include similar content types but in incompatible forms. The content router may strip off or transform incompatible sections of an incoming command when forming an outgoing command to be sent a content node. The content router may use the repository to hold a section of content related to content sent to a content node where that section is incompatible with the content node. If the content is return, the content router may restore the incompatible section before propagating the content to other content nodes.

Claims

1. A content routing system for routing changes to information among a plurality of dissimilar content nodes, the content routing system comprising:

a repository for holding a segment of an incoming command apart from the incoming command; and

processing logic operable for;

receiving the incoming command from a first content node;

selecting a second content node based on a content type of the incoming command and at least one routing parameter related to the second content node;

selecting the segment from the incoming command based on a transformation parameter related to the second content node;

saving the segment to the repository;

generating an abridged outgoing command excluding the segment, wherein the abridged outgoing command is based on the incoming command;

receiving an abridged incoming command from the second content node;

determining the abridged incoming command is associated with the segment;

retrieving the segment from the repository; and

generating a second outgoing command including the segment, wherein the second outgoing command is based on the abridged incoming command.

2. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the abridged outgoing command includes an abridged segment different from the segment.

3. The content routing system of claim 2, wherein the abridged segment includes a modified form of the segment.

4. The content routing system of claim 2, wherein the abridged segment includes a reference to the segment.

5. The content routing system of claim 2, wherein the second outgoing command excludes the abridged segment.

6. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the incoming command includes a contact content type.

7. The content routing system of claim 6, wherein the segment includes a mailing address field.

8. The content routing system of claim 6, wherein the segment includes a note.

9. The content routing system of claim 6, wherein the segment includes a first name field and a last name field.

10. The content routing system of claim 9, wherein the abridged outgoing command includes an abridged segment including a concatenation of the first and second name fields.

11. The content routing system of claim 10, wherein the concatenation is limited to a predetermined string length.

12. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the incoming command includes a PIM content type.

13. The content routing system of claim 12, wherein the segment includes a note.

14. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the incoming command includes an email content type.

15. The content routing system of claim 14, wherein the segment includes a file.

16. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the incoming command includes a library item content type.

17. The content routing system of claim 16, wherein segment includes a photograph file.

18. The content routing system of claim 16, wherein segment includes a document file.

19. The content routing system of claim 16, wherein segment includes a video file.

20. The content routing system of claim 16, wherein the segment includes an audio file.

21. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the processing logic is further operable for:

sending the abridged outgoing command to the second content node; and

sending the second outgoing command to the first content node.

22. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the store and forward logic further including a command memory, coupled to the processing logic, for holding the incoming command, the abridged outgoing command, the abridged incoming command, and the second outgoing command.

23. The content routing system of claim 22, wherein the command memory includes a database.

24. The content routing system of claim 23, wherein the database includes a relational database.

25. The content routing system of claim 22, wherein the processing logic is further operable for:

saving the incoming command to the command memory;

saving the abridged outgoing command to the command memory;

saving the abridged incoming command to the command memory; and

saving the second outgoing command to the command memory.

26. The content routing system of claim 22, wherein the command memory includes a database.

27. The content routing system of claim 26, wherein the database includes a relational database.

28. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the repository includes a database.

29. The content routing system of claim 28, wherein the database includes a relational database.

30. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dissimilar content nodes includes one or more user devices and one or more user accounts.

31. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the routing parameter indicates a capability of the second content node.

32. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the routing parameter indicates an ability to receive an attachment at the second content node.

33. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the routing parameter indicates a limitation of the second content node.

34. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the routing parameter indicates an inability to receive an attachment at the second content node

35. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the transformation parameter indicates a maximum size of a command acceptable at the second content node.

36. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the routing parameter indicates an availability of free memory at the second content node.

37. The content routing system of claim 1, wherein the transformation parameter indicates an access speed of the second content node.

38. The content routing system of claim 1, further comprising store and forward logic including the processing logic.

39. The content routing system of claim 1, further comprising a connected data set configuration, coupled to the processing logic, for holding the routing parameter and the transformation parameter.

40. A method of routing changes to information among a plurality of dissimilar content nodes using a content routing system, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming command from a first content node;

selecting a second content node based on a content type of the incoming command and at least one routing parameter related to the second content node;

selecting the segment from the incoming command based on a transformation parameter related to the second content node;

saving the segment to the repository;

generating an abridged outgoing command excluding the segment, wherein the abridged outgoing command is based on the incoming command;

receiving an abridged incoming command from the second content node;

determining the abridged incoming command is associated with the segment;

retrieving the segment from the repository; and

generating a second outgoing command including the segment, wherein the second outgoing command is based on the abridged incoming command.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the abridged outgoing command includes an abridged segment different from the segment.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the abridged segment includes a modified form of the segment.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the abridged segment includes a reference to the segment.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the second outgoing command excludes the abridged segment.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the incoming command includes a contact content type.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the segment includes a mailing address field.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the segment includes a note.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the segment includes a first name field and a last name field.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the abridged outgoing command includes an abridged segment including a concatenation of the first and second name fields.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the concatenation is limited to a predetermined string length.

51. The method of claim 40, wherein the incoming command includes a PIM content type.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the segment includes a note.

53. The method of claim 40, wherein the incoming command includes an email content type.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the segment includes a file.

55. The method of claim 40, wherein the incoming command includes a library item content type.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein segment includes a photograph file.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein segment includes a document file.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein segment includes a video file.

59. The method of claim 55, wherein the segment includes an audio file.

60. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

sending the abridged outgoing command to the second content node; and

sending the second outgoing command to the first content node.

61. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

saving the incoming command to a command memory;

saving the abridged outgoing command to the command memory;

saving the abridged incoming command to the command memory; and

saving the second outgoing command to the command memory.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the command memory includes a database.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the database includes a relational database.

64. The method of claim 40, wherein the repository includes a database.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the database includes a relational database.

66. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of dissimilar content nodes includes one or more user devices and one or more user accounts.

67. The method of claim 40, wherein the routing parameter indicates a capability of the second content node.

68. The method of claim 40, wherein the routing parameter indicates an ability to receive an attachment at the second content node.

69. The method of claim 40, wherein the routing parameter indicates a limitation of the second content node.

70. The method of claim 40, wherein the routing parameter indicates an inability to receive an attachment at the second content node

71. The method of claim 40, wherein the transformation parameter indicates a maximum size of a command acceptable at the second content node.

72. The method of claim 40, wherein the routing parameter indicates an availability of free memory at the second content node.

73. The method of claim 40, wherein the transformation parameter indicates an access speed of the second content node.

74. A computer program product comprising program code for use in a content routing system, the content routing system including a repository for holding a segment of an incoming command apart from the incoming command, and processing logic, the computer program product comprising:

program code for receiving the incoming command from a first content node;

program code for selecting a second content node based on a content type of the incoming command and at least one routing parameter related to the second content node;

program code for selecting the segment from the incoming command based on a transformation parameter related to the second content node;

program code for saving the segment to the repository;

program code for generating an abridged outgoing command excluding the segment, wherein the abridged outgoing command is based on the incoming command;

program code for receiving an abridged incoming command from the second content node;

program code for determining the abridged incoming command is associated with the segment;

program code for retrieving the segment from the repository; and

program code for generating a second outgoing command including the segment, wherein the second outgoing command is based on the abridged incoming command.

75. The computer program product of claim 74, further comprising:

program code for sending the abridged outgoing command to the second content node; and

program code for sending the second outgoing command to the first content node.

76. The computer program product of claim 74, further comprising:

program code for saving the incoming command to a command memory;

program code for saving the abridged outgoing command to the command memory;

program code for saving the abridged incoming command to the command memory; and

program code for saving the second outgoing command to the command memory.

77. A content routing system for maintaining an inventory of content routed among a plurality of content nodes, the content routing system comprising:

logic for receiving, from a plurality of content nodes, one or more incoming commands of a content type, wherein each incoming command includes a payload;

logic for determining, for each of the incoming commands, if content in the payload is associated with a record in an inventory;

logic for storing, in a record in the inventory, a segment from the payload for uniquely identifying the content associated with the payload, if no associated record exists;

logic for updating the record with a set of segments from the payload that differ from corresponding segments in the record, if the record exists; and

logic for initiating manipulation on a first content node content corresponding to a set of records in the inventory that satisfy a condition.

78. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the content type is an email content type, and wherein the segment from the payload for uniquely identifying the content includes an email message identifier extracted from the payload for uniquely identifying an email message.

79. The content routing system of claim 78, further comprising logic for storing, in the record, a segment including an email flag extracted from the payload, if no associated record exists.

80. The content routing system of claim 79, wherein the email flag includes a follow-up flag of the email message.

81. The content routing system of claim 79, wherein the email flag includes a priority flag of the email message.

82. The content routing system of claim 78, further comprising logic for storing, in the record, a date and time of the email message, if no associated record exists.

83. The content routing system of claim 82, wherein the condition includes records having a date within a selected date range.

84. The content routing system of claim 82, wherein the condition includes records having a date within a selected date range wherein the records correspond to email messages not residing on the first content node.

85. The content routing system of claim 84, further comprising logic for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to add email messages to the first content node satisfying the condition.

86. The content routing system of claim 82, wherein the condition includes records having a date outside of a selected date range.

87. The content routing system of claim 82, wherein the condition includes records having a date outside of a selected date range wherein the records correspond to email messages residing on the first content node.

88. The content routing system of claim 87, further comprising logic for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete email messages from the first content node satisfying the condition.

89. The content routing system of claim 78, wherein the condition includes records having an email folder identifier equal to a selected folder identifier.

90. The content routing system of claim 89, wherein the condition includes records having an email folder identifier equal to the selected folder identifier and not residing on the first content node.

91. The content routing system of claim 90, further comprising logic for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to add email messages satisfying the condition.

92. The content routing system of claim 78, wherein the condition includes records having an email folder identifier equal to a selected identifier and residing on the first content node.

93. The content routing system of claim 92, further comprising logic for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete email messages satisfying the condition.

94. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the content type is a contact content type.

95. The content routing system of claim 94, wherein the first segment includes a name field of a contact associated with the payload and the second segment includes a category identifier of the contact.

96. The content routing system of claim 94, further comprising:

logic for storing, in the record, a checksum computed from a contact associated with the payload, if no associated record exists; and

logic for updating the checksum in the record if the checksum associated with the payload differs from the checksum in the record, if the record exists.

97. The content routing system of claim 94, further comprising:

logic for storing, in the record, a Boolean flag of a contact associated with the payload, if no associated record exists; and

logic for updating the Boolean flag in the record if the Boolean flag associated with the payload differs from the Boolean flag in the record, if the record exists.

98. The content routing system of claim 97, wherein the Boolean flag represents whether the contact includes a phone number.

99. The content routing system of claim 97, wherein the Boolean flag represents whether the contact includes an email address.

100. The content routing system of claim 97, wherein the Boolean flag represents whether the contact includes an instant messenger identifier.

101. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the content type is a task content type.

102. The content routing system of claim 101, wherein the first segment includes a due date of a task and the second segment includes a Boolean flag indicating whether the task is complete.

103. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the content type is a calendar event content type.

104. The content routing system of claim 103, wherein the first segment includes a start date of an event and the second segment includes a Boolean flag indicating whether the event is recurring.

105. The content routing system of claim 103, further comprising:

logic for storing, in the record, an end date of the event, if no associated record exists; and

logic for updating the end date in the record if the end date of the event differs from the end date in the record, if the record exists.

106. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the logic for initiating manipulation on the first content node content corresponding to the set of records in the inventory that satisfy the condition includes logic for adding to the first content node content associated with each record satisfying the condition.

107. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the logic for initiating manipulation on the first content node content corresponding to the set of records in the inventory that satisfy the condition includes logic for deleting from the first content node content associated with each record satisfying the condition.

108. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the inventory includes a database.

109. The content routing system of claim 77, wherein the inventory includes a relational database.

110. A method of maintaining an inventory of content routed among a plurality of content nodes, the method comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of content nodes, one or more incoming commands of a content type, wherein each incoming command includes a payload;

determining, for each of the incoming commands, if content in the payload is associated with a record in an inventory;

if no associated record exists;

storing, in a record in the inventory, a segment from the payload for uniquely identifying the content associated with the payload;

if the record exists;

updating the record with a set of segments from the payload that differ from corresponding segments in the record; and

initiating manipulation on a first content node content corresponding to a set of records in the inventory that satisfy a condition.

111. The method of claim 110, wherein the content type is an email content type, and wherein the segment from the payload for uniquely identifying the content includes an email message identifier extracted from the payload for uniquely identifying an email message.

112. The method of claim 111, further comprising, if no associated record exists:

storing, in the record, a segment including an email flag extracted from the payload.

113. The method of claim 112, wherein the email flag includes a follow-up flag of the email message.

114. The method of claim 112, wherein the email flag includes a priority flag of the email message.

115. The method of claim 111, further comprising, if no associated record exists:

storing, in the record, a date and time of the email message.

116. The method of claim 115, wherein the condition includes records having a date within a selected date range.

117. The method of claim 115, wherein the condition includes records having a date within a selected date range wherein the records correspond to email messages not residing on the first content node.

118. The method of claim 117, further comprising sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to add email messages to the first content node satisfying the condition.

119. The method of claim 115, wherein the condition includes records having a date outside of a selected date range.

120. The method of claim 115, wherein the condition includes records having a date outside of a selected date range wherein the records correspond to email messages residing on the first content node.

121. The method of claim 120, further comprising sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete email messages from the first content node satisfying the condition.

122. The method of claim 111, wherein the condition includes records having an email folder identifier equal to a selected folder identifier.

123. The method of claim 122, wherein the condition includes records having an email folder identifier equal to the selected folder identifier and not residing on the first content node.

124. The method of claim 123, further comprising sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to add email messages satisfying the condition.

125. The method of claim 111, wherein the condition includes records having an email folder identifier equal to a selected identifier and residing on the first content node.

126. The method of claim 125, further comprising sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete email messages satisfying the condition.

127. The method of claim 110, wherein the content type is a contact content type.

128. The method of claim 127, wherein the first segment includes a name field of a contact associated with the payload and the second segment includes a category identifier of the contact.

129. The method of claim 127, further comprising:

if no associated record exists;

storing, in the record, a checksum computed from a contact associated with the payload; and

if the record exists;

updating the checksum in the record if the checksum associated with the payload differs from the checksum in the record.

130. The method of claim 127, further comprising:

if no associated record exists;

storing, in the record, a Boolean flag of a contact associated with the payload; and

if the record exists;

updating the Boolean flag in the record if the Boolean flag associated with the payload differs from the Boolean flag in the record.

131. The method of claim 130, wherein the Boolean flag represents whether the contact includes a phone number.

132. The method of claim 130, wherein the Boolean flag represents whether the contact includes an email address.

133. The method of claim 130, wherein the Boolean flag represents whether the contact includes an instant messenger identifier.

134. The method of claim 110, wherein the content type is a task content type.

135. The method of claim 134, wherein the first segment includes a due date of a task and the second segment includes a Boolean flag indicating whether the task is complete.

136. The method of claim 110, wherein the content type is a calendar event content type.

137. The method of claim 136, wherein the first segment includes a start date of an event and the second segment includes a Boolean flag indicating whether the event is recurring.

138. The method of claim 136, further comprising:

if no associated record exists;

storing, in the record, an end date of the event; and

if the record exists;

updating the end date in the record if the end date of the event differs from the end date in the record.

139. The method of claim 110, wherein initiating manipulation on the first content node content corresponding to the set of records in the inventory that satisfy the condition includes adding to the first content node content associated with each record satisfying the condition.

140. The method of claim 110, wherein initiating manipulation on the first content node content corresponding to the set of records in the inventory that satisfy the condition includes deleting from the first content node content associated with each record satisfying the condition.

141. The method of claim 110, wherein the inventory includes a database.

142. The method of claim 110, wherein the inventory includes a relational database.

143. The method of claim 110, wherein the condition includes a number of records in excess of a threshold number of records.

144. The method of claim 110, wherein the condition includes one or more records relating to one or more commands sent to the first content node in excess of a threshold number of records.

145. The method of claim 144, further comprising sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete content associated with the one or more commands from the first content node satisfying the condition.

146. The method of claim 145, wherein the content type is an email content type, and wherein the one or more commands to delete content includes one or more commands to delete email messages in excess of the threshold number of records.

147. The method of claim 145, wherein the content type is an event content type, and wherein the one or more commands to delete content includes one or more commands to delete events in excess of the threshold number of records.

148. The method of claim 145, wherein the content type is a task content type, and wherein the one or more commands to delete content includes one or more commands to delete tasks in excess of the threshold number of records, wherein a flag indicates the task is completed.

149. A computer program product comprising program code for use in a content routing system, the content routing system including an inventory for holding segments of incoming commands apart from the incoming commands, and processing logic, the computer program product comprising:

program code for receiving, from a plurality of content nodes, one or more incoming commands of a content type, wherein each incoming command includes a payload;

program code for determining, for each of the incoming commands, if content in the payload is associated with a record in an inventory;

program code for storing, in a record in the inventory, a segment from the payload for uniquely identifying the content associated with the payload, if no associated record exists;

program code for updating the record with a set of segments from the payload that differ from corresponding segments in the record, if the record exists; and

program code for initiating manipulation on a first content node content corresponding to a set of records in the inventory that satisfy a condition.

150. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising program code for storing, in the record, a segment including an email flag extracted from the payload, if no associated record exists.

151. The content routing system of claim 150, further comprising program code for storing, in the record, a date and time of the email message, if no associated record exists.

152. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising program code for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to add email messages to the first content node satisfying the condition.

153. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising program code for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete email messages from the first content node satisfying the condition.

154. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising program code for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to add email messages satisfying the condition.

155. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising program code for sending, to the first content node, one or more commands to delete email messages satisfying the condition.

156. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising:

program code for storing, in the record, a checksum computed from a contact associated with the payload, if no associated record exists; and

program code for updating the checksum in the record if the checksum associated with the payload differs from the checksum in the record, if the record exists.

157. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising:

program code for storing, in the record, a Boolean flag of a contact associated with the payload, if no associated record exists; and

program code for updating the Boolean flag in the record if the Boolean flag associated with the payload differs from the Boolean flag in the record, if the record exists.

158. The content routing system of claim 149, further comprising:

program code for storing, in the record, an end date of an event, if no associated record exists; and

program code for updating the end date in the record if the end date of the event differs from the end date in the record, if the record exists.

159. The content routing system of claim 149, wherein the program code for initiating manipulation on the first content node content corresponding to the set of records in the inventory that satisfy the condition includes program code for adding to the first content node content associated with each record satisfying the condition.

160. The content routing system of claim 149, wherein the program code for initiating manipulation on the first content node content corresponding to the set of records in the inventory that satisfy the condition includes program code for deleting from the first content node content associated with each record satisfying the condition.