SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING DATABASES

• US 20090265393A1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Yukawa, Steven J., Jain, Rajit, Anstey, Tim W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

A method for synchronizing information shared by a subsystem on-board a mobile platform and a subsystem remote from the mobile platform. The method may involve designating one of the subsystems as a first system having a first database, and designating one of the subsystems as a second system having a second database. The first subsystem may be used to transmit a synchronization request to the second subsystem, with the synchronization request including a synchronization point to be used as a reference for future synchronization operations between the subsystems. The second subsystem may be used to receive the synchronization request and to check the second database for any records that have been created or modified since a previously performed synchronization operation. Information may then be transmitted back to the first subsystem that includes information concerning the new or modified records.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing information shared by a subsystem on a mobile platform and a subsystem remote from the mobile platform, method comprising:

designating one of the subsystems as a first subsystem having a first database;

designating one of the subsystems as a second subsystem having a second database;

using the first subsystem to transmit a synchronization request to said second subsystem, said synchronization request including a synchronization point to be used as a reference for future synchronization operations between said subsystems;

using said second subsystem to receive said synchronization request and to check said second database for any records that have been created, modified, or missing since a previously performed synchronization operation; and

transmitting information back to said first subsystem that includes information concerning said new or modified records.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a message payload list that includes said synchronization point, and a list of records stored in said first database that each have an associated identification number, and further that have been created since said previously performed synchronization operation; and

transmitting said message payload list to said second subsystem.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

using said second subsystem to compare said list of records in said message payload list to records stored in said second database since said previously performed synchronization event, to identify any one of said records in said message payload list that do not have a corresponding record stored in said second database; and

sending a subsequent communication to said first subsystem to request data associated with any one of said records in said message payload request that does not include a corresponding record in said second database.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising using said second subsystem to identify a new record in said second database that was created subsequent to said previously performed synchronization event, and that does not have a corresponding record listed on said message payload list;

and

forwarding data concerning said new record to said first subsystem.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a plurality of first subsystems each having an associated first database to form a first peer domain, and performing a synchronization operation by which each one of said first databases is updated with all other ones of said first data sources before using one of said first subsystems to transmit said synchronization request to said second subsystem.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a plurality of second subsystems each having an associated second database, to form a second peer domain, and performing a synchronization operation by which each one of said second databases is updated with all other ones of said second databases before any one of said second database is allowed to respond to said synchronization request from said first subsystem.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a new synchronization point for each message payload list that is generated.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising using said second subsystem to generate a subsequent message payload list having a new synchronization point, at a point in time subsequent to said second subsystem receiving said message payload list from said first subsystem.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein communications between said first and second subsystems are performed asynchronously.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein communications between said first and second subsystems are performed synchronously.

11. A method for synchronizing information shared by a subsystem within a mobile platform and a subsystem remote from the mobile platform, the method comprising:

designating one of the subsystems as a first system having a first database;

designating one of the subsystems as a second system having a second database;

using the first subsystem to generate and transmit a message payload list that includes a synchronization point and at least one record, with said one record including a unique identification code;

using said second subsystem to receive said message payload list and to update said second database using said one record; and

using said second subsystem to notify said first subsystem of all records stored in said database that have been created since a previously defined synchronization point between said first and second subsystems.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein using said second subsystem to update said second database comprises using said second subsystem to compare said identification number of said record included in said message payload list with identification codes of records stored in said second database, and transmitting a message to said first subsystem to request data corresponding to said at least one record when a match does not exist in said second database for said at least one record.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising using said second subsystem to check said database for any record stored therein that was created subsequent to said previously defined synchronization point.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying any particular record that was created subsequent to said previously defined synchronization point and transmitting data corresponding to said particular record to said first subsystem for storage in said first database.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using a plurality of said first subsystems each having a database associated therewith and identifying said first subsystems as a domain of peer data sources; and

performing a synchronization operation to synchronize data stored in all of said first databases before performing a synchronization between any one of said first subsystems and said second subsystem.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

using a plurality of said second subsystems each having a database associated therewith and identifying said second subsystems as a domain of peer data sources; and

performing a synchronization operation to synchronize data stored in all of said second databases before performing a synchronization between any one of said second subsystems and said first subsystem.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising using said second subsystem to generate a subsequent message payload list having a new synchronization point, at a time subsequent to responding to said message payload request, and transmitting said subsequent message payload list to said first subsystem.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein communications between said subsystems are performed in accordance with at least one of asynchronous and synchronous communications protocols.

19. A system for synchronizing information shared between a mobile platform and a facility remote from the mobile platform, the system comprising:

a first subsystem located on-board the mobile platform and having a first database;

a second subsystem located at the facility remote from the mobile platform, the second subsystem having a second database;

the first subsystem adapted to generate and transmit a synchronization request to said second subsystem, said synchronization request including a synchronization point to be used as a reference for future synchronization operations between said subsystems; and

said second subsystem adapted to receive said synchronization request and to check said second database for any records that have been created or modified since a previously performed synchronization operation, and to transmit information back to said first subsystem that includes information concerning said new or modified records.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first subsystem is adapted to generate a message payload list that includes said synchronization point, and a list of records stored in said first database that each have an associated identification number, and further that have been created since said previously performed synchronization operation, and to transmit said message payload list to said second subsystem.