Two-way and multi-master synchronization over web syndications

• US 7,653,640 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pfenning, Thomas, Novik, Lev, Khosravy, Moe, Lee, Oliver, Clark, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, CECILE H
• Application Number:
  US11/461,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/8, 707100-1041, 707201-205, 705/14, 705/51, 709203-227, 715/229, 717120-123, 717168-173, 717174-178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Synchronization of a web syndication item over a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) format between a publisher and a subscriber. The publisher creates the web syndication item by including a media content associated therewith. The synchronization metadata is defined to include a first virtual clock value associated with the created web syndication item. The first virtual clock value indicates when the web syndication item was last updated. A request for subscribing the published web syndication item is received from the subscriber. In response to the received request, the published web syndication item is transmitted to a location remote from the publisher and accessible by the subscriber. The first virtual clock value is provided to the subscriber for use by the subscriber to modify the first virtual clock value when the subscriber modifies the media content associated with the web syndication item.

Claims

1. A computerized method for updating a web syndication channel over a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) format, said method comprising:

transmitting a web syndication item from a computing device to a first user based on a web subscription of the web syndication item over the web syndication channel, said web syndication item including web synchronization metadata with original update metadata, said web synchronization metadata being provided to the first user for modification when updating the web syndication item to a first version of the web syndication item;

transmitting the web syndication item from the computing device to a second user based on a web subscription of the web syndication item over the web syndication channel, said web syndication item including the web synchronization metadata with the original update metadata, said web synchronization metadata being provided to the second user for modification when updating the web syndication item to a second version of the web syndication item;

receiving at the computing device the first version of the web syndication item from the first user and the second version of the web syndication item from the second user, said computing device having a processor executing the computerized method, said first version of the web syndication item indicating a first update to the web syndication item and said second version of the web syndication item indicating a second update to the web syndication item, said first version being different from the second version and the first version being received at the same time when the second version is received, said web syndication channel being a RSS syndication channel, said web syndication item being a RSS syndication item;

determining if a synchronization summary for the web syndication channel is present at the computing device, said synchronization summary for the web syndication channel being a RSS synchronization summary and describing synchronization information associated with the web syndication item;

if the synchronization summary is not present, defining the synchronization summary for the web syndication channel, said defined synchronization summary describing information associated with the web syndication item, said defined synchronization summary including at least the following information;

a web syndication item number, and an identifier of a user who last updated the web syndication item, said update metadata including a list of updates having at least the following information;

a user of the update and a time value indicating when the update is recorded;

if the synchronization summary is present, identifying the synchronization summary for the web syndication channel;

aggregating the web synchronization metadata associated with first version from the first user and the second version of the web syndication item from the second user to be stored in the synchronization summary;

determining an order of the aggregated web synchronization metadata of the versions in the synchronization summary as a function of the indicated first update and the indicated second update; and

updating the synchronization summary according to the determined order such that the one or more aggregated versions are provided to users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining comprises analyzing synchronization metadata associated with the first version and the second version of the web syndication item, said synchronization metadata including virtual clock values corresponding to versions of the web syndication item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing comprises comparing each of the virtual clock values of each of the versions of the web syndication item to determine the order of the one or more aggregated versions in the syndication summary.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a conflict between the first version and the second version of the web syndication item, said conflict indicating that the versions of the web syndication item is different as a function of the first version, the second version, the first virtual clock value, the second virtual clock value and a user who last updates the web syndication item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein updating comprises merging the web synchronization metadata of the first version with the web synchronization metadata of the second version in the web syndication summary if there is no conflict.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing to the users a result of conflict resolution performed by the users.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a user interface (UI) for the user to enter the update metadata.

8. A system for synchronizing a web syndication item transmitted based on a web syndication subscription over a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) format, said system comprising:

a data store for storing a web syndication summary for the web syndication subscription and web synchronization metadata for one or more versions of the web syndication item, said web syndication subscription being a RSS syndication subscription, said web syndication item being a RSS syndication item, said synchronization summary for a web syndication channel being a RSS synchronization summary and describing synchronization information associated with the web syndication item, said web syndication item including at least one of the following;

a text file, an image file, and a multimedia file;

a processor configured for executing computer-executable instructions for;

transmitting the web syndication item from a computing device to one or more users based on a web subscription of the web syndication item over the web syndication channel, said web syndication item including a web synchronization metadata with original update metadata;

providing the web synchronization metadata to users for modification when updating the web syndication item to one or more versions of the web syndication item;

defining the synchronization summary for the web syndication subscription to include information associated with the web syndication item, said defined synchronization summary web including at least the following information;

a web syndication item number, and an identifier of a user who last updated the web syndication item, said web synchronization update metadata including a list of updates having at least the following information;

a user of the update and a time value indicating when the update is recorded;

aggregating the web synchronization metadata of the one or more versions of the web syndication item from the users in the web synchronization summary, said one or more versions of the web syndication item indicating one or more updates by the users at various time periods;

determining an order of the one or more aggregated web synchronization metadata of the versions in the synchronization summary as a function of the indicated first update and the indicated second update and the various time periods; and

updating the web synchronization summary according to the determined order such that the one or more aggregated versions are provided to the users.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a user interface (UI) for providing the one or more aggregated versions in the determined order to the users.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the versions of the web syndication item includes the web synchronization metadata describing a history of updates to the web syndication item by the users.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the web synchronization metadata includes metadata identifying a user who last updates the web syndication item and metadata describing a time period when the last update is performed.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to merge the web synchronization metadata of the one or more versions with the web syndication item in the web syndication summary.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the UI provides entry forms for the users to enter the update metadata.