Distributed Mobile Data Sharing via Multicast Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized database systems for sharing data among mobile devices are cumbersome, requiring additional hardware, administration, and infrastructure, and pose privacy concerns, with issues like low bandwidth and high latency affecting data consistency.
Innovation Solution
A method where shared data is stored and updated on each mobile device individually, using a message exchange service for multicast updates, allowing for atomic changes and collision resolution, and tolerating out-of-coverage situations by holding or resenting messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized database system is used to share data among mobile devices, then data accessibility and consistency are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the centralized database server from the system architecture and replaces it with distributed local storage on each mobile device. Each device maintains its own copy of the data locally, eliminating the need for centralized server infrastructure while maintaining data accessibility through peer-to-peer synchronization mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the centralized data storage function into multiple distributed copies across individual mobile devices. Instead of one central database, each device holds a segment of the data, and synchronization is achieved through selective updates between devices rather than centralized control.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized server is used to manage shared data, then data control and version management are improved, but privacy concerns and security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing each mobile device to maintain local copies of data with local control over version management. Each device can independently manage its own data versions and apply updates locally, reducing the need to expose sensitive data to centralized servers and thereby addressing privacy concerns while maintaining version control capabilities.
3Ease of operation
If wireless access to a central database is provided, then data accessibility is improved, but bandwidth constraints and latency affect system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-loading and caching data locally on each mobile device before it is needed. Devices maintain local copies of frequently accessed data, so when data is needed, it can be retrieved immediately from local storage rather than waiting for wireless transmission from a central server, thereby reducing latency while maintaining accessibility.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized database system is implemented, then data sharing capability is improved, but administrative overhead and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling each mobile device to independently participate in data sharing without requiring centralized administration. Devices automatically synchronize data with each other through peer-to-peer communication, performing their own version control and conflict resolution, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated server administration and reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and system are provided for sharing data amongst a group of a plurality of mobile devices without requiring a database or server to centrally store the shared data. The shared data is instead stored by each group member individually while controlling the manner in which the shared data is updated. To manage such 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. To maintain a common copy of the shared data at each device, any update is sent to all group members using an intermediate message exchange service that is capable of transmitting a sent message to more than one recipient if necessary. In this way, the updates are multicast to the group. To manage the content of the shared data, each update comprises one or more changes to a current copy of a corresponding record.