Patent ID: 7526513
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A network system, comprising: a first computer configured to maintain an object having a first attribute and a second attribute, wherein the first attribute has attribute level data for attribute level replication and conflict resolution, and wherein the second attribute has attribute level data and attribute value level data for replication and conflict resolution at either the attribute level or the attribute value level, and wherein the attribute value level data comprises a plurality of individual linked values, wherein each linked value has non-null conflict-resolution data; a second computer configured to replicate the object to generate a replica object of the object maintained by the first computer and maintain the replica object having the first attribute and the second attribute, wherein the first attribute has attribute level data for attribute level replication and conflict resolution, and wherein the second attribute has attribute level data and attribute value level data for replication and conflict resolution at either the attribute level or the attribute value level, and wherein the attribute value level data comprises a plurality of individual linked values, wherein each linked value has non-null conflict-resolution data; when a change is made to the first attribute of the object maintained by the first computer, the second computer is configured to replicate the first attribute from the first computer at the attribute level and resolve conflicts at the attribute level; when a change is made to the second attribute of the object maintained by the first computer, the second computer is configured to replicate the second attribute from the first computer at the attribute value level and resolve conflicts at the attribute value level, the replication and conflict resolution being accomplished with the conflict-resolution data associated with the individual linked values, wherein the second computer is further configured to compare the conflict-resolution data associated with the linked value of the attribute in the object and the conflict-resolution data associated with the linked value of the attribute in the replica object to resolve each replication conflict; wherein the conflict-resolution data for each linked value comprises a version indicator that corresponds to a version of an individual value, an update timestamp that corresponds to then an individual linked value is updated, and a deletion timestamp; and wherein the deletion timestamp has a zero value if the linked value is present and a non-zero value if the linked value has been identified to be deleted.