Database synchronization on a network
First Claim
1. A data processing system for synchronizing a database on a network, the system comprising:
- a plurality of computer systems each having one or more processors in communication with the network and a local database, the computer systems being capable of transmitting a transaction e-mail, the transaction e-mail comprising an indication of a modification by the user to a local database of the user'"'"'s computer system;
a central database in communication with the network and having a firewall that prevents access to the central database by users of the plurality of computer systems; and
an e-mail listener in communication with the network, the e-mail listener being capable of receiving a transaction e-mail transmitted from one of the plurality of computer systems via the network, wherein the e-mail listener analyzes received transaction e-mail by determining if the transaction e-mail contains a pre-defined string of characters associated with the central database and, in response to determining that the pre-defined string of characters is present, determining whether the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database; and
wherein the e-mail listener modifies the central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail to synchronize the central database with the local database, wherein;
the user'"'"'s computer system, prior to the transmitting, modifying of a record in the local database and creating the transaction email;
the e-mail listener determining, in response to receiving the transaction e-mail, whether the transaction e-mail is written in a second language different from a first language of entries in the central database, and translating the transaction e-mail to the first language if the transaction e-mail is written in the second language;
the e-mail listener updating a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail and transmitting the transaction log to the user'"'"'s computer system through a server computer system firewall; and
the user'"'"'s computer system receiving the transaction log and modifying the local database based on the receiving of the transaction log.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods and media for database synchronization on a network are disclosed. More particularly, hardware and/or software for database synchronization on a network protected with firewalls are disclosed. Embodiments include an e-mail listener for receiving e-mails from a plurality of computer systems and modifying a central database based on the received e-mails. In one embodiment, the computers systems and central database are protected by a firewall. Other embodiments provide for a transaction log that includes information about received e-mails. In these embodiments, the transaction log may optionally be used to synchronize other databases, including local databases located at the computer systems.
26 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A data processing system for synchronizing a database on a network, the system comprising:
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a plurality of computer systems each having one or more processors in communication with the network and a local database, the computer systems being capable of transmitting a transaction e-mail, the transaction e-mail comprising an indication of a modification by the user to a local database of the user'"'"'s computer system; a central database in communication with the network and having a firewall that prevents access to the central database by users of the plurality of computer systems; and an e-mail listener in communication with the network, the e-mail listener being capable of receiving a transaction e-mail transmitted from one of the plurality of computer systems via the network, wherein the e-mail listener analyzes received transaction e-mail by determining if the transaction e-mail contains a pre-defined string of characters associated with the central database and, in response to determining that the pre-defined string of characters is present, determining whether the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database; and wherein the e-mail listener modifies the central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail to synchronize the central database with the local database, wherein; the user'"'"'s computer system, prior to the transmitting, modifying of a record in the local database and creating the transaction email; the e-mail listener determining, in response to receiving the transaction e-mail, whether the transaction e-mail is written in a second language different from a first language of entries in the central database, and translating the transaction e-mail to the first language if the transaction e-mail is written in the second language; the e-mail listener updating a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail and transmitting the transaction log to the user'"'"'s computer system through a server computer system firewall; and the user'"'"'s computer system receiving the transaction log and modifying the local database based on the receiving of the transaction log. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing a central database on a network, the method comprising:
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modifying, by a user'"'"'s computer system, a record in a local database associated with the user'"'"'s computer system; creating, by the user'"'"'s computer system, a transaction e-mail; by an e-mail listener executing on one or more processors of a server computer system, receiving the transaction e-mail from the user'"'"'s computer system through a firewall that prevents access to a central database by the user'"'"'s computer system, the transaction e-mail comprising an indication of the modification to the local database; analyzing the transaction e-mail, by the e-mail listener, by determining if the transaction e-mail contains a pre-defined string of characters associated with the central database and, in response to determining that the pre-defined string of characters is not present, deleting the transaction e-mail; in response to determining that the pre-defined string of characters is present in the transaction e-mail, determining, by the e-mail listener, whether the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database; in response to determining that the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database, modifying, by the e-mail listener, a central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail to synchronize the central database with the local database, wherein modifying the central database comprises determining, by the e-mail listener, whether the transaction e-mail is written in a second language different from a first language of entries in the central database, and translating, by the e-mail listener, the transaction e-mail to the first language if the transaction e-mail is written in the second language; updating, by the e-mail listener, a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail and transmitting, by the e-mail listener, the transaction log to the user'"'"'s computer system through a server computer system firewall; receiving, by the user'"'"'s computer system, the transaction log; and modifying, by the user'"'"'s computer system, the local database subsequent to, and based on, the received transaction log. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A machine-accessible medium of a storage device containing instructions effective, when executing in a data processing system, to cause said data processing system to perform operations comprising:
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modifying, by a user'"'"'s computer system, a record in a local database associated with the user'"'"'s computer system; creating, by the user'"'"'s computer system, a transaction e-mail; by an e-mail listener executing on one or more processors of a server computer system, receiving the transaction e-mail from the user'"'"'s computer system through a firewall that prevents access to a central database by the user'"'"'s computer system, the transaction e-mail comprising an indication of the modification to the local database; analyzing the transaction e-mail, by the e-mail listener, by determining if the transaction e-mail contains a pre-defined string of characters associated with the central database and, in response to determining that the pre-defined string of characters is not present, deleting the transaction e-mail; in response to determining that the pre-defined string of characters is present in the transaction e-mail, determining, by the e-mail listener, whether the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database; in response to determining that the transaction e-mail adds information to the central database, modifying by the e-mail listener the central database based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail to synchronize the central database with the local database, wherein modifying the central database comprises determining, by the e-mail listener, whether the transaction e-mail is written in a second language different from a first language of entries in the central database, and translating, by the e-mail listener, the transaction e-mail to the first language if the transaction e-mail is written in the second language; updating, by the e-mail listener, a transaction log based on the analysis of the transaction e-mail and transmitting, by the e-mail listener, the transaction log to the user'"'"'s computer system through a server computer system firewall; receiving, by the user'"'"'s computer system, the transaction log; and modifying, by the user'"'"'s computer system, the local database subsequent to, and based on, the received transaction log. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification