Networked facilities management system with time stamp comparison for data base updates
First Claim
1. A method of synchronizing a plurality of data bases stored in a network, the network including a plurality of nodes communicating over at least one communication link, each of the nodes including a storage means for storing at least one of the data bases, the method comprising steps of:
- storing in a first storage means of a first node of the nodes a first time stamp indicating a most recent time of updating a first data base stored in the first node;
automatically and periodically transmitting from the first node the first time stamp stored in the first node;
receiving a second time stamp from a second node of the nodes and comparing the second time stamp with the first time stamp, the second time stamp being stored in a second storage means of the second node and indicating a most recent time of updating a second data base stored in the second node; and
automatically requesting the second node to transmit the second data base stored in the second node to the first node if the second time stamp is later than the first time stamp.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A networked system having a wide variety of applications and particularly applicable to facilities management systems has multiple levels of software in processing nodes. The levels include a "features" processing level which communicates requests for data to a software object level containing databases of processes and attributes and database managers. The database managers in the software object level operate to provide data to the high level features in the same format. The software object level communicates with a hardware object level which also contains databases and database managers to mask differences between operational hardware units. By categorizing operational units by type, additional units of a known type can be added with only low level hardware object database changes. Adding units of a new type is facilitated by software changes confined to the lower level hardware and software objects, avoiding software changes at high level features. Individual software objects are tailored for typical types of inputs and output devices encountered by facilities management systems. Universal drive circuitry also provides applicability to a broad range of devices. In each node a time stamp indicates the most recent update of the node'"'"'s data base. Periodically each node transmits its time stamp. When a node receives a time stamp later than its own, the receiving node requests the transmitting node to transmit its data base to update the receiving node with the earlier time stamp.
250 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of synchronizing a plurality of data bases stored in a network, the network including a plurality of nodes communicating over at least one communication link, each of the nodes including a storage means for storing at least one of the data bases, the method comprising steps of:
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storing in a first storage means of a first node of the nodes a first time stamp indicating a most recent time of updating a first data base stored in the first node; automatically and periodically transmitting from the first node the first time stamp stored in the first node; receiving a second time stamp from a second node of the nodes and comparing the second time stamp with the first time stamp, the second time stamp being stored in a second storage means of the second node and indicating a most recent time of updating a second data base stored in the second node; and automatically requesting the second node to transmit the second data base stored in the second node to the first node if the second time stamp is later than the first time stamp. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for synchronizing data bases in a network, the network including a plurality of nodes communicating over at least one communication link, each node comprising:
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storage means for storing a first data base and a transmit time stamp indicating a most recent time of updating the first data base; communication means for periodically and receiving a received time stamp from at least one other node in the network; means for comparing the received time stamp with the transmitted time stamp, the received time stamp being indicative of a most recent time of updating a second data base stored in the one other node and automatically requesting the one other node to transmit the second data base if the received time stamp is later than the transmit time stamp. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A storage medium including stored indicia of a plurality of instructions synchronizing data bases stored in storage means of a plurality of nodes communicating over a network, the instructions including instructions for:
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storing in the storage means of each node of the nodes a stored time stamp indicating a most recent time of updating a data base stored in the node; periodically transmitting from the node the stored time stamp; receiving a periodically transmitted time stamp at the node and comparing the transmitted time stamp with the stored time stamp; automatically requesting the data base from another node if the transmitted time stamp is later than the stored time stamp. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification