Distributed Data Synchronization for Mobile Group Projects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for sharing data among multiple entities are hindered by the need for centralized servers, which incur additional hardware, administrative, and infrastructure costs, raise privacy concerns, and suffer from low bandwidth and high latency issues, especially when accessing data wirelessly.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where shared data is stored and managed by each group member individually, using a peer-to-peer messaging service to multicast updates, allowing each member to maintain a common copy of the data without a central database, and employing atomic changes to resolve collisions and handle out-of-coverage situations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized server and database are used to share data among multiple entities, then data consistency and accessibility are improved, but hardware costs, administrative overhead, and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the centralized database and server infrastructure from the data sharing system, replacing them with distributed local storage on each mobile device. Each device maintains its own copy of the shared data structure, eliminating the need for centralized data storage and reducing infrastructure overhead while maintaining data accessibility through peer-to-peer synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the centralized database into multiple distributed copies stored locally on each mobile device. Rather than having one central repository, the data structure is divided and replicated across multiple devices, with each device maintaining a local version that can be accessed and updated independently, then synchronized with others in the group.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized server is used to manage shared data, then version control and data updates are streamlined, but privacy concerns and susceptibility to hacking increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized data storage into distributed local copies on each device, so that no single point of failure or attack exists. Each device maintains its own encrypted local database, and version control is implemented through distributed consensus mechanisms rather than centralized authority, reducing privacy risks while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary synchronization protocol that mediates between local devices without requiring a centralized server. This intermediary layer handles version control and conflict resolution through automated algorithms, maintaining ease of operation while eliminating the privacy risks associated with centralized data storage and access.
3Ease of operation
If wireless access to a central database is provided, then data accessibility is improved, but low bandwidth and high latency constrain system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data access architecture so that each device accesses its own local copy of the data rather than querying a central database over the network. This eliminates network latency for read operations, while write operations use efficient incremental synchronization protocols that minimize bandwidth consumption, thereby improving both accessibility and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary local storage of data on each device, so that data is already available locally before it is needed. This preliminary action eliminates the need for real-time network access during data retrieval, significantly improving access speed while reducing bandwidth requirements for synchronization updates.
4Reliability
If a central server maintains a master copy of shared data, then data consistency is maintained, but administrative overhead increases with group size and data volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the administrative burden of maintaining a master copy from the system by distributing this responsibility across all participating devices. Each device independently maintains its own copy and participates in synchronization, eliminating the need for administrative intervention to manage version control and data consistency, thereby improving administrative efficiency while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service synchronization mechanisms where each device automatically manages its own data consistency and participates in group synchronization without external administrative intervention. The system autonomously handles conflict resolution, version control, and data propagation, reducing administrative overhead while maintaining data consistency across the distributed network.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system are provided for sharing data amongst a group of a plurality of mobile devices to manage tasks in a group project. To manage updates, the shared data is atomized such that individual databases in the shared data are separated or otherwise delineated into one or more records, each record having associated therewith, a value.