Enabling synchronization with a difference unaware data source

• US 8,620,860 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIM T
• Application Number:
  US13/174,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 707/610
• 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:

requesting, by a first computer, changes in current data records;

receiving, from a first synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of data records from a difference unaware information repository, 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;

receiving, from a second synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of data records stored in a difference aware information repository configured to track changes in data records for each data records entry within its own repository;

mapping, by the first computer, the received changes from the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository and the received changes since the previous export of data records from the difference aware information repository to corresponding form fields in a master data records list to create an updated master data records list;

saving, by the first computer, the updated master data records list; and

forwarding, from the first computer to the second synchronization computer, the updated master data records list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising forwarding, from the first computer to the first synchronization computer, the updated master data records list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mapping includes identifying duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising merging data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository that are from a same data record.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mapping includes identifying duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising merging data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository that are from a same data record.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

request changes in current data records;

receive, from a first synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of data records from a difference unaware information repository, 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;

receive, from a second synchronization computer, changes from a previous export of associated data records stored in a difference aware information repository configured to track changes in data records for each data records entry within its own repository;

map the received changes from the previous export of data records from the difference unaware information repository and the received changes since the previous export of associated data records from the difference aware information repository to corresponding form fields in a master data records list to create an updated master data records list;

save the updated master data records list; and

forward to the second synchronization computer, the updated master data records list.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to forward to the first synchronization computer the updated master data records list.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the mapping includes identifying duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to merge data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository that are from a same data record.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the mapping includes identifying duplicate updates in data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to merge data records from the difference unaware information repository and the difference aware information repository that are from a same data record.