ENABLING SYNCHRONIZATION WITH A DIFFERENCE UNAWARE DATA SOURCE

• US 20140164319A1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plaxo Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Plaxo Incorporated (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Smarr, Joseph, King, Ryan A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,298,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• 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

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for updating a master data list with data from a difference unaware information repository and a difference aware information repository. A master synchronization engine may synchronize to the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository via connectors coupled to each information repository. The difference unaware information repository exports all the data stored within the repository to its respective connector. The connector determines the changes made to the data since the last synchronization and the changes are forwarded to the master synchronization engine. The difference aware information repository is capable of determining the changes made to the stored data since the last synchronization and forwards the changes to its connector. Each connector forwards the changes to the data in their respective information repositories to a database which updates the master data list.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving differences in data records from an earlier state of the data records and a current state of the data records in a difference unaware information repository; and

merging the received differences in data records to a master data records list to create an updated master data records list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the differences in data records include at least one of additions, deletions, and modifications.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding the updated master data records list to a synchronization computer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the merging includes determining duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and a difference aware information repository.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the merging step further comprises merging the received differences in data records that are from a same data record of the difference aware information repository.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging includes determining duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and a difference aware information repository.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the merging step further comprises merging the received differences in data records that are from a same data record of the difference aware information repository.

8. A method comprising:

determining a frequency with which a difference unaware information repository is updated; and

requesting, by a computing device, changes from a previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository based upon the determined frequency, the changes from the previous export of data records being changes between a difference unaware current state of associated data records and the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising mapping the received changes from the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository to corresponding form fields in a master data records list to create an updated master data records list.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a frequency with which a difference aware information repository is updated.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising requesting, by the computing device, changes of data records from the difference aware information repository based upon the determined frequency with which the difference aware information repository is updated.

12. The method of claim 11, the mapping step further comprising mapping the received changes of data records from the difference aware information repository to corresponding form fields in the master data records list to create the updated master data records list.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mapping includes identifying duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising merging data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository that are from a same data record.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a notification that at least one data record has been added, deleted, or modified in a difference unaware information repository;

requesting, by a computing device, changes from a previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository based upon the received notification, the changes from the previous export of data records being changes between a difference unaware current state of associated data records and the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising mapping the received changes from the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository to corresponding form fields in a master data records list to create an updated master data records list.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving a notification that at least one data record has been added, deleted, or modified in a difference aware information repository.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising requesting changes of data records from the difference aware information repository based upon the received notification.

19. The method of claim 18, the mapping step further comprising mapping the received changes of data records from the difference aware information repository to corresponding form fields in the master data records list to create the updated master data records list.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising merging data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository that are from a same data record.