METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SPLITTING AND MERGING INFORMATION SPACES

• US 20100306278A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Balandin, Sergey, Boldyrev, Sergey, Oliver, Ian Justin
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24554 Unary operations; Data partitioning operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence

Abstract

An approach is provided for managing split and merge operations for information spaces with respect to their information content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving an information space that is represented by a graph;

receiving a request to split the information space into a first new information space and a second new information space, wherein the first new information space is represented by a first sub-graph and the second new information space is represented by a second sub-graph;

determining one or more broken links of the graph;

identifying one or more nodes of the graph that are to be grounded;

grounding the graph based on the identified nodes;

creating a first set of rules for the first new information space and a second set of rules for the second new information space using rules for the information space;

defining a first boundary for the first new information space and a second boundary for the second new information space along the broken links; and

updating history of the first new information space and history of the second new information space based on the respective boundaries.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the information space is subscribed by a plurality of agents, the method further comprising:

determining which of the agents are to be subscribers of the first new information space and/or the second new information space.

3. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

updating subscription lists of the respective agents.

4. A method of claim 2, further comprising:

updating lists of the subscribed agents for the respective new information spaces.

5. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a query from an agent subscribed to the first new information space; and

generating a response specifying an answer found in the first new information space or indicating that the answer may exist in the second new information space.

6. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

retrieve an information space that is represented by a graph,

receive a request to split the information space into a first new information space and a second new information space, wherein the first new information space is represented by a first sub-graph and the second new information space is represented by a second sub-graph,

determine one or more broken links of the graph,

identify one or more nodes of the graph that are to be grounded,

ground the graph based on the identified nodes,

create a first set of rules for the first new information space and a second set of rules for the second new information space using rules for the information space,

define a first boundary for the first new information space and a second boundary for the second new information space along the broken links, and

update history of the first new information space and history of the second new information space based on the respective boundaries.

7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the information space is subscribed by a plurality of agents, the apparatus being further caused to:

determine which of the agents are to be subscribers of the first new information space and/or the second new information space.

8. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

update subscription lists of the respective agents.

9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

update lists of the subscribed agents for the respective new information spaces.

10. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

receive a query from an agent subscribed to the first new information space; and

generate a response specifying an answer found in the first new information space or indicating that the answer may exist in the second new information space.

11. A method comprising:

retrieving a plurality of information spaces that are represented, respectively, by a plurality of graphs;

receiving a request to merge the information spaces into a new information space;

unifying the graphs and associated histories to create a new graph;

unifying histories of the information spaces for the new information space;

removing portions of histories that each of the information spaces holds about other ones of the information spaces;

retrieving rules corresponding to the information spaces; and

generating a resultant set of rules for the new information space based on resolving inconsistencies of the retrieved rules.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein the information spaces are subscribed by a plurality of agents, the method further comprising:

unifying the agents for subscription to the new information space.

13. A method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating subscription lists of the respective agents.

14. A method of claim 12, further comprising:

updating lists of the subscribed agents for the new information space.

15. A method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining priority of the rules, based on heuristics, for the generation of the resultant set of rules.

16. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

retrieve a plurality of information spaces that are represented, respectively, by a plurality of graphs for the new information space,

receive a request to merge the information spaces into a new information space,

unify the graphs and associated histories to create a new graph,

unify histories of the graphs,

remove portions of histories that each of the graphs holds about other ones of the graphs,

retrieve rules corresponding to the information spaces, and

generate a resultant set of rules for the new information space based on resolving inconsistencies of the retrieved rules.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the information spaces are subscribed by a plurality of agents, the apparatus being further caused to:

unify the agents for subscription to the new information space.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

update subscription lists of the respective agents.

19. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

update lists of the subscribed agents for the new information space.

20. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine priority of the rules, based on heuristics, for the generation of the resultant set of rules.