Database updates over a network
First Claim
1. A method for updating data objects stored in a storage of a client with data objects of a database stored in a server, the method comprising:
- the client providing a last update time to the server, wherein the last update time indicates a last time at which the client received an update from the server; and
the server providing a plurality of data objects stored in the database to the client, a value of the data objects having been updated in the database at a time later than the last update time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for performing database updates in a distributed system having an originating database stored in a server and a partial or complete copy of the database stored in a client. In one embodiment, a database update system includes a server having a database, a network, and a client having a storage and software for accessing the database over the network. The client maintains the last update time of each table stored in its storage. The server maintains the modification time as an integral field of each record in the database. The modification time of a record indicates the last time at which the record was modified in the database. The client software requests copies of all records of a table stored in the client'"'"'s storage that have a modification time that is later than the last update time of the table. In another embodiment, the server also maintains a modification table that includes a record for each table in the database. Each record in the modification table includes a table modification time that indicates the last time at which any record in the associated table was modified in the database.
129 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for updating data objects stored in a storage of a client with data objects of a database stored in a server, the method comprising:
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the client providing a last update time to the server, wherein the last update time indicates a last time at which the client received an update from the server; and the server providing a plurality of data objects stored in the database to the client, a value of the data objects having been updated in the database at a time later than the last update time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising a client having a storage, a server having a database, a network coupling the client to the server, and executable programs comprising:
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an executable program on the client for providing a last update time to the server, wherein the last update time indicates a last time at which the client received an update from the server; and an executable program on the server for maintaining a modification time for each data object in the database, wherein the modification time is an integral value of each data object that indicates a last time at which a value of the data object was modified in the database, and for providing a plurality of data objects stored in the database to the client, each of the plurality of data objects having a modification time greater than the last update time. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable storage medium storing software executable by a computer system, the software including instructions for:
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providing a last update time stored in a storage of a client to a server, wherein the last update time indicates the last time at which the client received an update of the storage with data objects of a database stored in the server; and providing a plurality of data objects stored in the database to the client, a value of the data objects having been modified in the database at a time later than the last update time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification