CONFIGURABLE DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM

• US 20090070401A1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Routesync LLC
• Original Assignee: Routesync LLC
• Inventors: Welch, Charles D. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A configurable distributed information sharing system includes a process for controlling the sharing of data entities among a plurality of interconnected computers including one or more servers and a plurality of client computers. As transactions are processed by the client computers, the client computers log new data records, modified data records, and deleted data records. During communication sessions with servers, the client computers convey the changed data entities to the server for relay to other client computers according to a data sharing table. The data sharing table includes a data source column listing all data sending computers, a data destination column matching all data receiving computers with data sending computers from which they will receive changed data, and a data identification column matching all the types of data that will be shared among specific data sending and data receiving computers.

Claims

1. A process for controlling the sharing of data entities among a plurality of intercommunicating computers, at least one of said computers being a server computer storing a large set of said data entities of a plurality of data types, each computer which is not a server computer being a client computer storing a small set of said data entities of selected data types, said client computers periodically communicating new, modified, or deleted data entities to said server computer, said process comprising the steps of:

(a) storing on said server computer a data sharing table including;

(1) a source column listing each data sending computer which is to communicate data entities with any other of said computers;

(2) a destination column listing each data receiving computer matched with each data sending computer from which data entities are to be communicated to a given data receiving computer; and

(3) a data identification column matching each data type with each data sending computer which will communicate data entities of a given data type and each data receiving computer which will receive data entities of said given data type from selected data sending computers; and

(b) upon any client data sending computer communicating a new, modified, or deleted data entity to said server computer, said server computer communicating said new, modified, or deleted data entity to any data receiving computer designated by said data sharing table to receive a data entity of the data type of said new, modified, or deleted data entity from said client data sending computer.

2. A process as set forth in claim 1 and including the step of:

(a) upon any client data sending computer communicating a new, modified, or deleted data entity to said server computer, said server computer storing said new, modified, or deleted data entity on said server computer.

3. A process as set forth in claim 1 and including the steps of:

(a) expanding said plurality of intercommunicating computers by adding at least one new client computer communicating with said server computer;

(b) adding a source entry to said source column identifying said new client computer;

(c) adding a respective destination entry in said destination column listing any data receiving computer to which said new client computer is to communicate data entities; and

(d) adding a respective data type entry in said data identification column listing any data type of data entity which said new client computer is to communicate to any of said data receiving computers.

4. A process as set forth in claim 1 and including the steps of:

(a) reducing said plurality of intercommunicating computers by removing at least one excess client computer from communication with said server computer;

(b) deleting any source entry in said source column identifying said excess client computer;

(c) deleting any destination entry in said destination column related to said excess client; and

(d) deleting any data type entry in said data identification column related to said excess client computer.

5. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said server is a first server and including the steps of:

(a) providing one of said intercommunicating computers as a second server;

(b) storing said data sharing table on said second server; and

(c) providing entries in said data sharing table to cause selected data entities communicated to said second server to be communicated to selected other computers of said intercommunicating computers.

6. A process as set forth in claim 5 and including the step of:

(a) communicating at least some of said data entities between said first server and said second server.

7. A process as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first server operates as a client computer relative to said second server and including the step of:

(a) providing entries in said data sharing table to cause said first server to communicate selected new, modified, or deleted data entities received from selected ones of said data sending computers to said second server for further communication to selected ones of said data receiving computers.

8. A process as set forth in claim 5 and including the steps of:

(a) providing at least one data non-receiving computer communicating with one of said servers; and

(b) said data non-receiving computer periodically communicating new, modified, or deleted data entities to said one of said servers.

9. A process as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of:

(a) each of said client computers logging each respective new, modified, or deleted data entity occurring thereon;

(b) upon each of said client computers next communicating with said server, each client computer communicating only new, modified, or deleted data entities to said server; and

(c) said server communicating only said new, modified, or deleted data entities to said data receiving computers according to said data sharing table when a respective data receiving computer next communicates with said server.

10. A process for controlling the sharing of data entities among a plurality of intercommunicating computers, at least one of said computers being a server computer storing a large set of said data entities of a plurality of data types, each computer which is not a server computer being a client computer storing a small set of said data entities of selected data types, said client computers periodically communicating new, modified, or deleted data entities to said server computer, said process comprising the steps of:

(a) storing on said server computer a data sharing table including;

(1) a source column listing each data sending computer which is to communicate data entities with any other of said computers;

(2) a destination column listing each data receiving computer matched with each data sending computer from which data entities are to be communicated to a given data receiving computer; and

(3) a data identification column matching each data type with each data sending computer which will communicate data entities of a given data type and each data receiving computer which will receive data entities of said given data type from selected data sending computers;

(b) each of said client computers logging each respective new, modified, or deleted data entity occurring thereon;

(c) upon each of said client computers next communicating with said server, each client computer communicating only new, modified, or deleted data entities to said server; and

(d) said server communicating only said new, modified, or deleted data entities to said data receiving computers according to said data sharing table when a respective data receiving computer next communicates with said server.

11. A process as set forth in claim 10 and including the step of:

(a) upon any client data sending computer communicating a new, modified, or deleted data entity to said server computer, said server computer storing said new, modified, or deleted data entity on said server computer.

12. A process as set forth in claim 10 and including the steps of:

(a) expanding said plurality of intercommunicating computers by adding at least one new client computer communicating with said server computer;

(b) adding a source entry to said source column identifying said new client computer;

(c) adding a respective destination entry in said destination column listing any data receiving computer to which said new client computer is to communicate data entities; and

(d) adding a respective data type entry in said data identification column listing any data type of data entity which said new client computer is to communicate to any of said data receiving computers.

13. A process as set forth in claim 10 and including the steps of:

(a) reducing said plurality of intercommunicating computers by removing at least one excess client computer from communication with said server computer;

(b) deleting any source entry in said source column identifying said excess client computer;

(c) deleting any destination entry in said destination column related to said excess client; and

(d) deleting any data type entry in said data identification column related to said excess client computer.

14. A process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said server is a first server and including the steps of:

(a) providing one of said intercommunicating computers as a second server;

(b) storing said data sharing table on said second server; and

(c) providing entries in said data sharing table to cause selected data entities communicated to said second server to be communicated to selected other computers of said intercommunicating computers.

15. A process as set forth in claim 14 and including the step of:

(a) communicating at least some of said data entities between said first server and said second server.

16. A process as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first server operates as a client computer relative to said second server and including the step of:

(a) providing entries in said data sharing table to cause said first server to communicate selected new, modified, or deleted data entities received from selected ones of said data sending computers to said second server for further communication to selected ones of said data receiving computers.

17. A process as set forth in claim 14 and including the steps of:

(a) providing at least one data non-receiving computer communicating with one of said servers; and

(b) said data non-receiving computer periodically communicating new, modified, or deleted data entities to said one of said servers.

18. A process for controlling the sharing of data entities among a plurality of intercommunicating computers, at least one of said computers being a server computer storing a large set of said data entities of a plurality of data types, each computer which is not a server computer being a client computer storing a small set of said data entities of selected data types, said client computers periodically communicating new, modified, or deleted data entities to said server computer, said process comprising the steps of:

(a) storing on said server computer a data sharing table including;

(1) a source column listing each data sending computer which is to communicate data entities with any other of said computers;

(2) a destination column listing each data receiving computer matched with each data sending computer from which data entities are to be communicated to a given data receiving computer; and

(3) a data identification column matching each data type with each data sending computer which will communicate data entities of a given data type and each data receiving computer which will receive data entities of said given data type from selected data sending computers;

(b) each of said client computers logging each respective new, modified, or deleted data entity occurring thereon;

(c) upon each of said client computers next communicating with said server, each client computer communicating only new, modified, or deleted data entities to said server;

(d) said server communicating only said new, modified, or deleted data entities to said data receiving computers according to said data sharing table when a respective data receiving computer next communicates with said server;

(e) providing one of said intercommunicating computers as a second server;

(f) storing said data sharing table on said second server; and

(g) providing entries in said data sharing table to cause selected data entities communicated to said second server to be communicated to selected other computers of said intercommunicating computers.

19. A process as set forth in claim 18 and including the step of:

(a) communicating at least some of said data entities between said first server and said second server.

20. A process as set forth in claim 18 wherein said first server operates as a client computer relative to said second server and including the step of:

(a) providing entries in said data sharing table to cause said first server to communicate selected new, modified, or deleted data entities received from selected ones of said data sending computers to said second server for further communication to selected ones of said data receiving computers.

21. A process as set forth in claim 18 and including the steps of:

(a) providing at least one data non-receiving computer communicating with one of said servers; and

(b) said data non-receiving computer periodically communicating new, modified, or deleted data entities to said one of said servers.

22. A process as set forth in claim 18 and including the step of:

(a) upon any client data sending computer communicating a new, modified, or deleted data entity to one of said first and second server computers, storing said new, modified, or deleted data entity on at least one of said server computers.

23. A process as set forth in claim 18 and including the steps of:

(a) expanding said plurality of intercommunicating computers by adding at least one new client computer communicating with one of said server computers;

(b) adding a source entry to said source column identifying said new client computer;

(c) adding a respective destination entry in said destination column listing any data receiving computer to which said new client computer is to communicate data entities; and

(d) adding a respective data type entry in said data identification column listing any data type of data entity which said new client computer is to communicate to any of said data receiving computers.

24. A process as set forth in claim 18 and including the steps of:

(a) reducing said plurality of intercommunicating computers by removing at least one excess client computer from communication with said server computers;

(b) deleting any source entry in said source column identifying said excess client computer;

(c) deleting any destination entry in said destination column related to said excess client; and

(d) deleting any data type entry in said data identification column related to said excess client computer.