Synchronous peer-to-peer multipoint database synchronization

• US 7,966,285 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ionaphal Data LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Spaay, Henricus Gerardus, Block, Andrew Edward, Sawadsky, Nicholas Justin, Shi, Daniel Yilin, Rodriguez, Desiree Paula, Blackstock, Michael Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US12/077,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 707/616, 707/619, 707/633, 707/704, 707/803
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method of synchronizing databases between multiple users in a peer-to-peer network is disclosed. The method comprises extracting changes from a source database of one of the users. Next, the changes are compressed and sent to the other users in the peer-to-peer network in parallel. Finally, the changes are decompressed and replicated on the database of each of the other users. In this respect, the databases of the other users will contain all changes from the source database.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture containing a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having software stored thereon, the software comprising:

software for receiving a synchronization request;

software for determining that the synchronization request is to be accepted or refused;

software for extracting changes from a local database in response to accepting the synchronization request;

software for sending the extracted changes;

software for receiving aggregated changes, wherein the aggregated changes incorporate the extracted changes; and

software for updating the local database with the aggregated changes.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the extracted changes are compressed before being sent.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the aggregated changes are decompressed before updating the local database.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the extracted changes are expunged after being sent.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the aggregated changes are expunged after updating the local database.

6. An article of manufacture containing a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having software stored thereon, the software comprising:

software for sending a synchronization request;

software for receiving extracted changes in response to acceptance of the synchronization request;

software for updating a local database with the extracted changes;

software for extracting aggregated changes from the local database, wherein the aggregated changes comprise the extracted changes; and

software for sending the aggregated changes.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the software for updating the local database comprises software for updating the local database with a first set of extracted changes in the local database before beginning to update the local database with a second set of extracted changes.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the aggregated changes are compressed before being sent.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the extracted changes are decompressed before updating the local database.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the extracted changes are expunged after updating the local database.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 6, wherein the aggregated changes are expunged after being sent.

12. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a synchronization request;

means for determining that the synchronization request is to be accepted or refused;

means for extracting changes from a local database in response to accepting the synchronization request;

means for sending the extracted changes;

means for receiving aggregated changes, wherein the aggregated changes incorporate the extracted changes; and

means for updating the local database with the aggregated changes.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the extracted changes are compressed before being sent.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the aggregated changes are decompressed before updating the local database.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the extracted changes are expunged after being sent.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the aggregated changes are expunged after updating the local database.

17. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing data;

means for sending a synchronization request;

means for receiving extracted changes in response to acceptance of the synchronization request;

means for updating the means for storing data with the extracted changes;

means for extracting aggregated changes from means for storing data, wherein the aggregated changes comprise the extracted changes; and

means for sending the aggregated changes.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein means for updating comprise means for updating the means for data storage with a first set of extracted changes before beginning to update the means for data storage with a second set of extracted changes.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the aggregated changes are compressed before being sent.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the extracted changes are decompressed before updating the means for data storage.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the extracted changes are expunged after updating the means for data storage.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the aggregated changes are expunged after being sent.

23. A method comprising:

at a computer, receiving a synchronization request;

at the computer, determining that the synchronization request is to be accepted or refused;

at the computer, extracting changes from a local database in response to accepting the synchronization request;

sending the extracted changes from the computer;

receiving aggregated changes at the computer, wherein the aggregated changes incorporate the extracted changes; and

at the computer, updating the local database with the aggregated changes.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the computer is associated with a plurality of computers, and wherein the aggregated changes comprise changes from at least one computer in the plurality of computers other than the computer.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the extracted changes are compressed at the computer before being sent.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the aggregated changes are decompressed at the computer before updating the local database.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the extracted changes are expunged at the computer after being sent.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the aggregated changes are expunged after updating the local database.

29. A method comprising:

sending a synchronization request from an initiating computer;

receiving extracted changes at the initiating computer, in response to acceptance of the synchronization request;

at the initiating computer, updating a local database with the extracted changes;

at the initiating computer, extracting aggregated changes from the local database, wherein the aggregated changes comprise the extracted changes; and

sending the aggregate changes from the initiating computer.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein updating the local database comprises updating the local database with a first set of extracted changes before beginning to update the local database with a second set of extracted changes.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the initiating computer is associated with a plurality of computers, and wherein sending the aggregate changes comprises sending the aggregate changes from the initiating computer to each computer in the plurality of computers.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the aggregated changes are compressed by the initiating computer before being sent.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the extracted changes are decompressed by the initiating computer before updating the local database.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the extracted changes are expunged by the initiating computer after updating the local database.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the aggregated changes are expunged by the initiating computer after being sent.