Apparatus, and associated method, for synchronizing databases connected by way of a radio air interface

• US 8,126,842 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yach, David Paul, Linkert, Barry Warren, Zhu, Jie, Omar, Salim Hayder, Tysowski, Piotr K, Hecht-Enns, Albert, Phillips, Catherine, Pereira, Kathy Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): TIMBLIN, ROBERT M
• Application Number:
  US10/776,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,940 Days
• Field of Search: 707/610, 707/697, 707/698, 707/999.2
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A synchronization process, and associated apparatus, for placing database copies in match with one another by way of communications effectuated upon an air interface of a radio communication system. Hash functions are performed at a mobile node and at a network part upon mobile and network copies of database information. Comparison of the hash information formed therefrom provides a preliminary indication of whether the databases are in match with one another. If a determination is made that the databases are out of match, the data is compared, and the data is placed in match with one another responsive to such additional comparisons.

Claims

1. A mobile node of a radio communication system having a network part and the mobile node, the network part having a network-copy of a database containing database records and database values of the database and the mobile node having a mobile-copy of the database containing database records and database values of the database, the database records and database values of the database of the network-copy and the mobile-copy of the database, respectively, correspond to each other when the network-copy and the mobile-copy of the database are in match with one another, said mobile node comprising:

processing circuitry coupled to the mobile-copy database, said processing circuitry configured to;

i) generate a first hash pursuant to a first hash technique of a first computational intensity and based upon the database values of the mobile-copy database, and communicate said first hash to the network part in a first message on a communications channel of the radio communication system, whereby an out of match condition between the mobile-copy database values and the network-copy database values is determined,

ii) generate, upon a determination of an out of match condition between mobile-copy database values and network-copy database values, a second hash pursuant to a second hash technique of a second computational intensity and based upon the database records in the mobile-copy database, and communicate the entirety of said second hash to the network part in a second message on said communications channel, in which said second computational intensity is greater than said first computational intensity and requires a greater amount of communication channel capacity to communicate said second message than said first message, whereby an out of match condition between a record of the mobile-copy database records and a corresponding record of the network-copy database records is determined, and

iii) retrieve the out of match database record from the mobile-copy database upon a determination of an out of match condition between said mobile-copy database record and said corresponding network-copy database record for communication to the network part, whereby the network-copy database records and the mobile-copy database records are matched to each other;

wherein the radio communication system provides bi-directional data communications services to said mobile node, and wherein data is communicated from the mobile node to the network part by an up-link and, data is communicated from the network part to the mobile node by a down-link.

2. The mobile node of claim 1 wherein said processing circuitry generates said first hash responsive to an external triggering event, occurrence of which is detectable at the mobile node.

3. The mobile node of claim 1 wherein the database records maintained at the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database are comprised of at least a first key field and at least a first record field for each database record, and wherein said second hash comprises a hash of said first key field of each database record.

4. The mobile node of claim 3 wherein the determination that the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database are out of match is made responsive to said second hash.

5. The mobile node of claim 3 wherein the out of match database record retrieved by said processing circuitry comprises both said field and said record field.

6. The mobile node of claim 1 wherein hashes generated by a network part processing circuitry include a first hash pursuant to a first hash technique of a first computational intensity and based upon the database values of the network-copy database, and a second hash pursuant to a second hash technique of a second computational intensity and based upon the database records in the network-copy database.

7. The mobile node of claim 1 further comprising circuitry configured to receive out of match data records responsive a comparison of a second hash of said network-copy database records with a second hash of said mobile-copy database records.

8. The mobile node of claim 7 further comprising database updater circuitry, configured to alter at least one record of a selected one of the mobile-copy database and the network-copy database.

9. The mobile node of claim 8 wherein said database value updater circuitry operates pursuant to a selected conflict resolution protocol.

10. The mobile node of claim 1 wherein said first hash technique comprises a checksum process.

11. A method of communicating in a radio communication system having a network part that maintains at least a network-copy of a database containing database records and database values of the database and a mobile node that maintains a mobile-copy of the database containing database records and database values of the database, the database records and database values of the database of the network-copy and the mobile-copy of the database, respectively, correspond when the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database are in match with one another, the method altering at least one database record of at least one of the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database to place the network-copy and the mobile-copy in match with each other, the method comprising:

generating at the mobile node a first hash pursuant to a first hash technique of a first computational intensity and based upon the database values of the mobile-copy database, when the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database are suspected of being out of synchronization with each other;

sending said first hash value from the mobile node to the network part in a first message on a communications channel of the radio communication system, whereby an out of match condition between the mobile-copy database values and the network-copy database values is determined;

receiving, at the mobile node, indication of results of a comparison at the network part, of said first hash value sent during said operation of sending, to a corresponding network-copy of said first hash value; and

when said indication of results of the comparison of said first hash value generated at the mobile node to a corresponding network-copy of said first hash value indicates that the mobile-copy database and the network copy database are out of match, thereafter generating a second hash at the mobile node pursuant to a second hash technique of a second computational intensity and based upon the database records in the mobile-copy database, in which said second computational intensity is greater than said first computational intensity and requires a greater amount of communication channel capacity to communicate said second hash than said first hash; and

sending said second hash value in its entirety from the mobile node to the network part in a second message on said communications channel for comparison to a corresponding network-copy of the second hash value, whereby an out of match condition between a record of the mobile-copy database records and a corresponding record of the network-copy database records is determined;

wherein the radio communication system provides bi-directional data communications services to the mobile node, and wherein data is communicated from the mobile node to the network part by an up-link and, data is communicated from the network part to the mobile node by a down-link.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the operations of delivering the mobile-copy database records to the network part, comparing said delivered records with corresponding records of the network-copy database records, and causing overwriting of at least portions of a selected one of the network-copy database records and the mobile-copy database records responsive to a determination of an out of match condition between a record of the mobile-copy database records and a corresponding record of the network-copy database records.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the selected one of the network-copy database records and the mobile-copy database records of which said portions thereof are caused to be overwritten is selected according to a conflict resolution scheme.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the operation of creating a change-history by indicating overwriting of the portions selectively caused during said operation of selectively causing.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said generating a first hash further comprises generating a first hash pursuant to a checksum process.

16. A mobile node of a radio communication system having a network part and the mobile node, the network part having a network-copy of a database containing database records and database values of the database and the mobile node having a mobile-copy of the database containing database records and database values of the database, the database records and database values of the database of the network-copy and the mobile-copy of the database, respectively, in correspondence with each other when the network-copy database and the mobile-copy database are in match with one another, said mobile node comprising:

receive circuitry configured to receive signals transmitted by a network part transmitter;

transmit circuitry configured to transmit signals to a network part on a communications channel;

a memory element storing at least one mobile-copy database; and

processing circuitry coupled to said receive circuitry, said transmit circuitry, and said memory element, and including;

a request detector,

a hash generator to generate, in response to said request detector detecting an external triggering event, a first hash pursuant to a first hash technique of a first computational intensity and based upon the database values of the mobile-copy database, said first hash being communicated to the network part in a first message via said transmit circuitry on said communications channel, whereby an out of match condition between the mobile-copy database values and the network-copy database values is determined, and to generate, upon a determination of an out of match condition between mobile-copy database values and network-copy database values being received from the network part via said receive circuitry, a second hash pursuant to a second hash technique of a second computational intensity and based upon the database records in the mobile-copy database, said second hash being communicated in its entirety to the network part in a second message via said transmit circuitry on said communications channel, in which said second computational intensity is greater than said first computational intensity and requires a greater amount of communication channel capacity to communicate said second hash second message than said first hash first message, whereby an out of match condition between a record of the mobile-copy database records and a corresponding record of the network-copy database records is determined, and

a content retriever to retrieve the out of match database record from the mobile-copy database upon reception via said receive circuitry of a determination of an out of match condition between said mobile-copy database record and said corresponding network-copy database record for communication to the network part, whereby the network-copy database records and the mobile-copy database records are matched to each other.

17. The mobile node of claim 16 wherein said first hash technique comprises a checksum process and wherein said second hash comprises a hash of a first key field of said database record.

18. The mobile node of claim 16 wherein said transmit circuitry and said processing circuitry are configured to deliver mobile-copy database records to the network part, responsive to a determination of an out of match condition between a record of the mobile-copy database records and a corresponding record of the network-copy database records.