ENABLING SYNCHRONIZATION WITH A DIFFERENCE UNAWARE DATA SOURCE

• US 20110289053A1
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plaxo Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Plaxo Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Smarr, Joseph, King, Ryan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/625
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• 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 system and a method are disclosed for updating a master data list with data from a difference unaware information repository and a difference aware information repository. A master synchronization engine may synchronize to the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository via connectors coupled to each information repository. The difference unaware information repository exports all the data stored within the repository to its respective connector. The connecter determines the changes made to the data since the last synchronization and the changes are forwarded to the master synchronization engine. The difference aware information repository is capable of determining the changes made to the stored data since the last synchronization and forwards the changes to its connector. Each connector forwards the changes to the data in their respective information repositories to a database which updates the master data list.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a synchronization computer, a request for changes in data records;

requesting, by a first computer, an export of current data records from a difference unaware information repository;

receiving, from the difference unaware information repository, the export of the current data records from the difference unaware information repository;

comparing, at the first computer, fields from the export of the current data records with corresponding fields from a previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository; and

determining, by the first computer, changes from the previous export of data records.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, in a memory associated with the first computer, the export of the current data records from the difference unaware information repository.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the first computer, changes from the previous export of data records further comprises:

determining added data records;

determining deleted data records; and

determining revisions to data records from the previous export of data records.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising exporting the determined changes from the previous export of data records to the synchronization computer.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product configured to store instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive, from a synchronization computer, a request for changes in data records;

request an export of current data records from a difference unaware information repository;

receive, from the difference unaware information repository, the export of the current data records from the difference unaware information repository;

compare fields from the export of the current data records with corresponding fields from a previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository; and

determine changes from the previous export of data records.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to store in a memory the export of the current data records from the difference unaware information repository.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein determining changes from the previous export of data records further comprises:

determine added data records;

determine deleted data records; and

determine revisions to data records from the previous export of data records.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to export the determined changes from the previous export of data records to the synchronization computer.

9. A method comprising:

requesting, from a first synchronization computer, changes in data records, associated with a master data records list, of a difference unaware information repository;

receiving, from the first synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of associated data records from the difference unaware information repository, the changes from the previous export of associated data records being changes between a difference unaware current state of associated data records and the previous export of associated data records from the difference unaware information repository;

mapping, by a first computer, the received changes to corresponding form fields in the master data records list to create an updated master data records list; and

saving, by the first computer, the updated master data records list.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

requesting, from a second synchronization computer, changes in data records, associated with the master data records list, from a first information repository;

receiving, from the second synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of associated data records stored in the first information repository;

mapping, by the first computer, the received changes since the previous export of associated data records from the first information repository to corresponding form fields in the updated master data records list to create a second updated master data records list; and

saving, by the first computer, the second updated master data records list.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first information repository is a difference aware information repository configured to track changes in data records for each data records entry within its own repository.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing a time and date of the previous exports of data records from the first information repository and the difference unaware information repository.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing a time and date of the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product configured to store instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

request, from a first synchronization computer, changes in data records, associated with a master data records list, of a difference unaware information repository;

receive, from the first synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of associated data records from the difference unaware information repository, the changes from the previous export of associated data records being changes between a difference unaware current state of associated data records and the previous export of associated data records from the difference unaware information repository;

map the received changes to corresponding form fields in the master data records list to create an updated master data records list; and

save the updated master data records list.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:

request, from a second synchronization computer, changes in data records, associated with the master data records list, from a first information repository;

receive, from the second synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of associated data records stored in the first information repository;

map the received changes since the previous export of associated data records from the first information repository to corresponding form fields in the updated master data records list to create a second updated master data records list; and

save the second updated master data records list.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to determine a most recent synchronization time with the first information repository.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first information repository is a difference aware information repository configured to track changes in data records for each data records entry within its own repository.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to store a time and date of the previous exports of data records from the first information repository and the difference unaware information repository.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to determine a most recent synchronization time with the difference unaware information repository.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to store a time and date of the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository.