Cross-pollination of multiple sync sources

• US 20050172296A1
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ramani, Preethi, Esteve Balducci, Juan V., Foster, Mike, Yang, Zhidong, Schleifer, Jason Evan, Hall, Gary, Rajeev, Byrisetty
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/310
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention allows a user to synchronize a device with at least two data sources that may cross-pollinate. The user'"'"'s device is used to shuttle changes between the sources and resolves conflicts when changes are made to an item on multiple sources concurrently. The user'"'"'s device keeps track of which version of the item each sync source has and synchronizes each of the sources to the latest version of an item.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a device with data sources and allowing cross-pollination of the data sources, comprising:

creating a first data source and a second data source;

connecting the device to a first data source;

synchronizing the device with the first source;

connecting the device to a second source; and

synchronizing the device with the second source, wherein the device may be used to cross-pollinate between the first data source and the second data source.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a duplicate detection check to determine when an item has already been synchronized.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein performing the duplicate detection check further comprises performing a property comparison.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein performing the duplicate detection check further comprises calculating a sync hash value.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the item when the item has already been synchronized.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a delete command and performing the delete command, wherein the delete command is selected from a soft delete and a hard delete.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising restricting cross-pollination between the data sources.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein creating the first data source and the second data source further comprises indicating a data source type and storing an identifier associated with each of the first data source and the second data source.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein synchronizing the device with the first data source may use a first synchronization protocol and synchronizing the device with the second protocol may use a second synchronization protocol.

10. A computer-readable medium for cross-pollinating data sources, comprising:

creating at least two data sources to synchronize with a device;

synchronizing the device with the at least two data sources; and

cross-pollinating data between the at least two data sources.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising performing a duplicate detection check to determine when an item has already been synchronized.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein performing the duplicate detection check further comprises calculating a sync hash value.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising receiving a delete command and performing the delete command, wherein the delete command is selected from a soft delete and a hard delete.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising restricting cross-pollination between the data sources.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein creating the at least two data sources further comprises indicating a data source type and storing an identifier associated with each of the at least two data sources.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein synchronizing the device with the at least two data sources may use more than one synchronization protocol.

17. A system for cross-pollinating data sources, comprising:

at least two data sources that may cross-pollinate each other;

a device that is configured to act a shuttle between the at least two data sources to cross-pollinate, and that is configured to synchronize with the at least two data sources.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the device is further configured to perform a duplicate detection check to determine when an item has already been synchronized.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein performing the duplicate detection check further comprises calculating a sync hash value.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the device is configured to process a soft delete command and a hard delete command.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the device is further configured to restrict cross-pollination between the at least two data sources.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein synchronizing the device with the at least two data sources may use more than one synchronization protocol.