Dependency Rules for Data Consistency in Sharing Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining a unified database in business organizations is complex due to the need for consistent data handling across various locations and sub-divisions, with existing systems requiring extensive user intervention and knowledge of dependencies between data objects.
Innovation Solution
A data sharing system that employs dependency rules to couple object type identifiers and attributes, allowing for centralized management and minimizing user actions, ensuring data consistency and quality by defining these rules centrally, and enabling efficient maintenance and duplication of data across locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is maintained centrally in a unified database, then data consistency and quality are improved, but system complexity and difficulty of maintenance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dependency rules as an intermediary mechanism that mediates between central data storage and distributed data usage. These rules automatically determine which data objects depend on which master data objects, eliminating the need for users to manually manage complex dependencies while maintaining centralized data consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the database system to automatically identify and update dependent data objects when master data changes. The dependency rules engine autonomously traverses the data model, identifies affected objects, and propagates updates without requiring user intervention, thereby reducing maintenance complexity.
2Reliability
If users manually maintain data objects and their dependencies, then data quality can be ensured, but user effort and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining dependency rules that specify relationships between master data objects and other data objects before any actual data maintenance occurs. When a master data object is created or modified, the system proactively identifies all dependent objects and prepares update actions, eliminating the need for users to manually trace dependencies later.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback mechanisms that automatically notify users and systems when data objects are affected by master data changes. The dependency rules engine continuously monitors data relationships and provides real-time feedback about which objects need updating, ensuring data quality without requiring manual checking by users.
3Reliability
If users need to understand all dependencies between data objects, then data integrity can be maintained, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complexity of dependency management from the user's responsibility and places it into the system's dependency rules engine. Users no longer need to understand or manually manage the complex web of dependencies between data objects. The system automatically extracts and processes dependency information based on pre-defined rules, maintaining data integrity while simplifying user operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The dependency rules act as an intermediary layer between users and the complex data dependency structure. Instead of users directly interacting with and understanding all dependencies, the rules engine mediates by automatically interpreting dependency relationships and handling update propagation, thereby preserving data integrity while making the system easier to operate.
4Adaptability or versatility
If data objects are updated across multiple locations, then data sharing is improved, but the risk of errors and inconsistencies increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a controlled copying mechanism where changes to master data objects are automatically copied to all dependent data objects across multiple locations. The dependency rules engine identifies all locations where copies of the data object exist and propagates updates systematically, ensuring that all copies remain consistent with the master data while enabling widespread data sharing.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of handling data in a data sharing system is provided. The data sharing system includes a set of data objects. Each data object includes an object type identifier and a set of attributes. The method includes coupling at least one set of object type identifier and attribute in accordance with a set of dependency rules.