Healthcare Data Synchronization via Staging Platform

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Solution Overview

Problem

Computing platforms that process healthcare data face challenges such as increased resource consumption and hosting costs due to the need for duplicate data uploads across geographically disparate data centers, and the risk of data loss from natural or man-made disasters.

Innovation Solution

A cloud computing platform synchronizes healthcare data across multiple data centers using a data collector service that stores data in a staging platform with durable, short-term storage and replicates it across multiple servers for quick access and low-latency processing, while also storing it in long-term storage for disaster recovery, eliminating the need for re-crawling data sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If healthcare data is replicated across multiple geographically-disparate data centers, then data availability and disaster recovery capability are improved, but processing resources and bandwidth usage at the source increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidprocessing resources
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a staging platform with short-term storage at the data source that proactively holds replicated copies of healthcare data before they are needed. This allows processing nodes at different data centers to access data without triggering repeated crawls from the source, thus improving data availability while avoiding additional processing overhead at the source.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements copying by creating and maintaining duplicate copies of healthcare data across multiple data centers through a centralized staging platform. Instead of having processing nodes crawl the source repeatedly, the system pre-creates copies and distributes them to multiple locations, ensuring data availability while eliminating redundant processing at the source.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If processing nodes are located at geographically-disparate data centers, then data access flexibility is improved, but data center hosting costs increase due to duplicate data storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access flexibilityVSAvoiddata center hosting costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the data storage and distribution function into a centralized staging platform that serves multiple data centers. Instead of each data center maintaining independent copies from separate crawls, the staging platform consolidates the replication function, allowing multiple processing nodes at different locations to access data from a single source of truth, thus reducing duplicate storage overhead while maintaining access flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The staging platform performs multiple functions: it serves as the primary data repository, the replication source for multiple data centers, and the access point for processing nodes. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate data collection and distribution systems at each location, reducing overall hosting costs while maintaining universal access for all processing nodes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If data is stored in long-term storage data stores at multiple data centers, then disaster recovery capability is improved, but data synchronization complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisaster recovery capabilityVSAvoiddata synchronization complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The staging platform acts as an intermediary between the data source and multiple long-term storage data stores at different data centers. It centralizes the replication logic and data distribution function, managing synchronization to multiple locations from a single point. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system architecture by eliminating the need for complex peer-to-peer synchronization between multiple data centers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10692592B2Synchronization of healthcare data across disparate data centers
Publication Date: 2020.06.23 CERNER INNOVATION INC
  • US10692592B2 patent drawing
  • US10692592B2 patent drawing
  • US10692592B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for synchronizing healthcare data across disparate data centers. Healthcare data from healthcare data sources is received by a collector service that operates in a cloud computing platform. The data is sent to a staging platform associated with a first data center that is hosting the collector service. From here, the data is stored in association with a long-term storage data store associated with the first data center. As well, it is communicated to processing nodes associated with the first data center that subscribe to the data. The staging platform also communicates the data to a staging platform associated with a second data center. This staging platform also stores the data in association with a long-term storage data store located at the second data center and communicates the data to processing nodes located at the second data center that subscribe to the data.