Synchronization of database changes among multiple devices

• US 8,751,444 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wallace, Alexander David, Flisakowski, Shawn Patrick, Milito, Craig Matthew, Rauenbuehler, Keith Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khong, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/559,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 707/621
• US Class Current: 707/620
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for synchronizing database changes among multiple devices. In one aspect, a method includes determining one or more primary differences between a primary database and a local synchronization database; receiving, from a secondary device, one or more secondary differences associated with a secondary database; merging the primary differences and the secondary differences to generate a set of merged differences; providing the set of merged differences to the secondary device; receiving, from the secondary device, an acknowledgment indicating receipt of the set of merged differences; and updating the primary database in accordance with the set of merged differences after receipt of the acknowledgment. Further, at least one conflict can be detected between the primary differences and the secondary differences, and can be resolved prior to generating the set of merged differences.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of synchronizing databases, the method comprising:

determining, by a primary device, one or more primary differences between a primary database and a local synchronization database;

receiving, from a secondary device, one or more secondary differences associated with a secondary database;

detecting, with the primary device, at least one conflict between the primary differences and the secondary differences;

resolving, by the primary device, the at least one conflict resolution based on a primary database timestamp and a secondary database timestamp;

merging the primary differences and the secondary differences and accounting for the at least one conflict resolution to generate a set of merged differences;

providing the set of merged differences to the secondary device;

determining whether an acknowledgement indicating receipt of the set of merged differences is received within a threshold period of time;

updating the primary database in accordance with the set of merged differences in the event that the acknowledgment is received within the threshold period of time; and

initiating an error recovery mechanism in the event that the acknowledgement is not received within the threshold period of time, wherein the error recovery mechanism determines a first portion of the merged differences that were received by the secondary device and schedules retransmission of a second portion of the merged differences that were not received.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing, at the secondary device, the secondary database with a secondary synchronization database to determine the one or more secondary differences.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the local synchronization database in accordance with the set of merged differences, wherein the local synchronization database is updated before the primary database.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the primary database is updated in substantially real-time.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the secondary database comprises a subset of the primary database.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the set of merged differences further comprises:

transmitting the set of merged differences to the secondary device over a wireless communications path.

7. A computer program product, encoded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

determining, by a primary device, one or more primary differences between a primary database and a local synchronization database;

receiving, from a secondary device, one or more secondary differences associated with a secondary database;

detecting, with the primary device, at least one conflict between the primary differences and the secondary differences;

resolving, by the primary device, the at least one conflict resolution based on a primary database timestamp and a secondary database timestamp;

merging the primary differences and the secondary differences to generate a set of merged differences;

providing the set of merged differences to the secondary device;

determining whether an acknowledgement indicating receipt of the set of merged differences is received within a threshold period of time;

updating the primary database in accordance with the set of merged differences in the event that the acknowledgment is received within the threshold period of time; and

initiating an error recovery mechanism in the event that the acknowledgement is not received within the threshold period of time, wherein the error recovery mechanism determines a first portion of the merged differences that were received by the secondary device and schedules retransmission of a second portion of the merged differences that were not received.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

comparing, at the secondary device, the secondary database with a secondary synchronization database to determine the one or more secondary differences.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

updating the local synchronization database in accordance with the set of merged differences, wherein the local synchronization database is updated before the primary database.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

updating the primary database in substantially real-time.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the secondary database comprises a subset of the primary database.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

transmitting the set of merged differences to the secondary device over a wireless communications path.

13. A system comprising:

a secondary device including a secondary database stored on a storage device; and

a primary device communicatively coupled to the secondary device and including a primary database and a local synchronization database stored on a storage device, wherein the primary device further includes processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

determining one or more primary differences between the primary database and the local synchronization database;

receiving, from the secondary device, one or more secondary differences associated with the secondary database;

detecting, with the primary device, at least one conflict between the primary differences and the secondary differences;

resolving, by the primary device, the at least one conflict resolution based on a primary database timestamp and a secondary database timestamp;

merging the primary differences and the secondary differences to generate a set of merged differences;

transmitting the set of merged differences to the secondary device;

determining whether an acknowledgement indicating receipt of the set of merged differences is received within a threshold period of time;

updating the primary database in accordance with the set of merged differences in the event that the acknowledgment is received within the threshold period of time; and

initiating an error recovery mechanism in the event that the acknowledgement is not received within the threshold period of time, wherein the error recovery mechanism determines a first portion of the merged differences that were received by the secondary device and schedules retransmission of a second portion of the merged differences that were not received.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary device further includes processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising:

comparing the secondary database with a secondary synchronization database to determine the one or more secondary differences.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

updating the local synchronization database in accordance with the set of merged differences, wherein the local synchronization database is updated before the primary database.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

updating the primary database in substantially real-time.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary database comprises a subset of the primary database.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the primary device further includes:

a transmitter configured to transmit the set of merged differences to the secondary device over a wireless communications path.