Per-user aggregation system for partitioned database content

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in navigating and retrieving information from databases that are partitioned across multiple URL-addressable locations, leading to increased data return rates and cumbersome navigation.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a per-user aggregation system with a personalized user site that utilizes a per-user cache and asynchronous update function, allowing users to access and interact with content from multiple sources through a single URL, and providing APIs for building and updating customized data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If database content is partitioned among multiple URL-addressable locations, then data storage flexibility is improved, but navigation complexity and data retrieval time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata storage flexibilityVSAvoiddata retrieval time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges content from multiple partitioned database locations into a single personalized user site. The system aggregates content groups from different URL-addressable locations and presents them through a unified interface, allowing users to access all their content through one location rather than navigating multiple separate URLs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The personalized user site acts as an intermediary between the user and the partitioned database content. This intermediary layer aggregates content from multiple sources and manages updates asynchronously, shielding the user from the complexity of navigating multiple locations while maintaining access to all partitioned content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If database content is partitioned among multiple URL-addressable locations, then data storage flexibility is improved, but navigation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata storage flexibilityVSAvoidnavigation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The personalized user site provides a universal access point that handles multiple functions: it serves as a single URL入口 to access content from multiple partitioned locations, manages asynchronous updates from various sources, and provides a unified navigation interface. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for users to navigate multiple specialized locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If entire site is reloaded to update content, then data freshness is improved, but data retrieval time and system resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata freshnessVSAvoiddata retrieval time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the personalized user site into multiple independent content groups, each associated with specific database locations. Instead of reloading the entire site, the system updates only the specific content groups that have changed. This segmentation allows for granular, targeted updates rather than full-site refreshes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic asynchronous updates for individual content groups based on change detection. Rather than continuous or periodic full-site reloading, the system periodically checks for changes in specific content groups and updates only those that have modified, reducing overall update frequency and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

4Reliability

If metadata verification is performed before returning data, then data accuracy is improved, but data retrieval time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accuracyVSAvoiddata retrieval time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining metadata information about content groups, including change detection data and expiration timestamps. Before returning data, the system uses this pre-computed metadata to quickly determine if content needs updating, avoiding the need for comprehensive verification of all data on each request.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial verification by checking only the metadata of specific content groups that may have changed, rather than verifying all data comprehensively. The asynchronous update function performs selective verification based on change detection mechanisms, returning full accuracy for changed content while using partial checks for unchanged content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10678806B2Per-user aggregation of database content

Publication Date: 2020.06.09 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A method for providing per-user aggregation of content accessible via a personalized user site may generally include receiving a request for metadata and determining whether the requested metadata is expired. The method may further include returning at least a portion of queried metadata prior to verifying whether the metadata is expired. The method may then include querying a change log for metadata modifications. The method may further include, if metadata has been modified since a previous query, sending a query to a community site for metadata that meets change criteria. The method may also include receiving the changed metadata and returning the changed metadata to a content group container within the personalized user site.