Abstract:
A system and method enable the selection of a time range of database records for download from a source database source and for transfer to a recipient database. A specifically bounded time period is selected to limit the number of data records selected for download in a particular action to those records that are individually associated with date time stamp values falling within the specified time period. This limitation of records selected for inclusion in a download process to data records having associations with date time stamps falling within a limited time range reduces a likelihood of overload in transferring data and thereby reduces the incidence of time-outs in the communication of a source database, any intermediary server or software action, and the recipient database in an updating of the recipient database to reflect a current state of the source database. A plurality of threads may be employed to contemporaneously download records associated with date time stamps having values within a requested time range whereby data records may be downloaded in parallel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the relatedness of two or more databases that are at least uni-directionally communicatively coupled within an electronics communications network. More particularly, the invented method relates to revising records of a database by downloading data via an electronics communications network. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. 
         [0003]    The prior art enables the updating of records of software database by downloading updates associated with one or more identified records of the recipient software database. In prior art methods, the quantity of information eligible for downloading to update a recipient database is not optimally estimated or determined by a requesting server in setting a parametric range specified within a record update transmission request. Furthermore, the prior art fails to provide systems and methods that best enable the time-efficient transmission of updates of software database records from a storing server to a networked server. 
         [0004]    There is therefore a long-felt need to provide a method and system that provide increased efficiencies of electronic transmission of updates to database records. 
       SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Towards these objects and other objects that will be made obvious in light of the present disclosure, a system and method are provided that enable the selection of database records for download from a source database source and for transfer to a recipient database on a criteria of each record selected for download being associated with a date time stamp value falling within a bounded time range. The specifically bounded time period of the method of the present invention (hereinafter, “the invented method”) may optionally be selected to limit the number of data records selected for download in a particular action to those records that are individually associated with date time stamp values falling within the specified time period. This limitation of records selected for inclusion in a download process to data records having associations with date time stamps falling within a limited time range reduces a likelihood of overload in transferring data and thereby reduces the incidence of time-outs in the communication of a source database, any intermediary server or software action, and the recipient database in an updating of the recipient database to reflect a current state of the source database. In certain alternate preferred embodiments of invented method, a plurality of threads may be employed to contemporaneously download records associated with date time stamps having values within a requested time range whereby data records may be downloaded in parallel. 
         [0006]    The source database is queried to determine the number of record update occurrences stored by the source database within a first time period. 
         [0007]    If the number of update occurrences occurring within the first time period is determined to be less than a pre-established maximum count, a download of all record updates within the first time period is initiated, wherein all of these selected record updates are communicated from the source database to the recipient database. In the alternative, when the relevant number of occurrences falling within the first time period exceeds the pre-established maximum count, a second, shorter time period is examined. The source database is further applied to determine the number of record update occurrences stored by the source database falling within the second time period. The source database may thus be repeatedly directed to examine time period bounds until a resultant time period is resolved within which an observed count of record updates falling with the resultant time period is less than the pre-specified maximum count, and within which a download process shall be bounded. 
         [0008]    According to an optional aspect of the invented method, the download process may be executed by a multi-threaded technique, wherein the record updates associated with the actually applied time period of a resultant download process are substantively near-simultaneously downloaded to the recipient database via the activity of a plurality of individual threads. 
         [0009]    According to an additional optional aspect of the invented method, the source database is directed by an external server to generate record update counts. 
         [0010]    According to another optional aspect of the invented method, an application server external from the recipient database may determine the resultant time period by querying the source database for relevant record update counts. 
         [0011]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0012]    These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depicting the preferred embodiment, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronic communications network comprising a remote database server, an application server, an alternate application database server, and a local database server; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of certain optional aspects of the invented method relating to the functioning of the application server of  FIG. 1  wherein updates are requested and downloaded; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  a flowchart of further aspects of the invented method relating to the functioning of the remote database server of  FIG. 1  wherein updates are counted and transmitted; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of yet further aspects of the invented method relating to the application server of  FIG. 1 , describing the process by which updates are requested, divided between threads, and downloaded; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart performed by the application server of  FIG. 1  comprising yet alternate optional aspects of the invented method, wherein a requested time range of record updates is developed in accordance with a ratio developed in view of an earlier number of record updates counted and reported preferably within an earlier requested and larger time range; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart performed by the application server of  FIG. 1  comprising additional alternate optional aspects of the invented method, wherein a requested time range of record updates is calculated by application of a denominator factor FR by which an earlier applied time range is divided by the denominator factor FR to generate a shorter time range that resides preferably within the bounds of the earlier applied time range; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of the application server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram of software stored within the application server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram of the local database server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram of software stored within the local database server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a block diagram of the remote database server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a block diagram of software stored within the remote database server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 13A  is a block diagram of a first sample of a software data record stored within the remote database server, the local database server, and optionally the application server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 13B  is a block diagram of a second sample of a software data record stored within the remote database server, the local database server, and optionally the application server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 13C  is a block diagram of a third sample of a software data record stored within the remote database server, the local database server, and optionally the application server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 14A  is a block diagram of a Ucount request message wherein the application server of  FIG. 1  requests a count of data records stored within a remote data base management system of the remote data base server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14B  is a block diagram of an exemplary first Ucount provision message wherein the remote database server of  FIG. 1  provides to the apps server of  FIG. 1  a count of data records stored within the remote data base server of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 14C  is a block diagram of an exemplary first data record download request message wherein the application server of  FIG. 1  requests a plurality of data records stored within the remote data base server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 14D  is a block diagram of an exemplary first data record download message wherein the remote database server of  FIG. 1  provides a plurality of data records to the application server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 14E  is a block diagram of an exemplary first data record download transferal message wherein the application server of  FIG. 1  provides a plurality of data records to the local database server of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 15  is a block diagram of the alternate application database server of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
       [0034]    The Figures depict various embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronic communications network  100  comprising an application server  110 , a local database server  120 , an alternate application database server  130  and a remote database server  140 . The applications server  110 , the local database server  120  the alternate application database server  130  (hereinafter, “the apps DB server”  130 ), and the remote database server  140  each preferably comprise a separate database management system software, respectively an application server DBMS  110 A, a local DBMS  120 A, an apps DBMS  130 A, and a remote DBMS  140 A. 
         [0036]    The application server DBMS  110 A, the local DBMS  120 A, the apps DBMS  130 A and/or the remote DBMS  140 A may be or comprise an object oriented database management system (“OODBMS”) and/or a relational database management system (“RDBMS”), and one or more databases DBS. 1 -DBS.N may be or comprise an object oriented database and/or a relational database. More particularly, the application server DBMS  110 A the local DBMS  120 A, the apps DBMS  130 A, or the remote DBMS  140 A may be or comprise one or more prior art database management systems including, but not limited to, an ORACLE DATABASE™ database management system marketed by Oracle Corporation, of Redwood City, Calif.; an MQSERIES™ database management system marketed by SyBase, Inc. of Dublin, Calif.; a Database 2™, also known as DB2™, relational database management system as marketed by IBM Corporation of Armonk, N.Y.; a Microsoft SQL Server™ relational database management system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; MySQL™ as marketed by Oracle Corporation of Redwood City, Calif.; and a MONGODB™ as marketed by MongoDB, Inc. of New York City, USA; and the POSTGRESQL™ open source object-relational database management system. 
         [0037]    The remote database server  140  may bi-directionally communicate and transfer data with the applications server  110  via the network  100  by suitable electronic communications messaging protocols and methods known in the art including, but not limited to, Simple Object Access Protocol, Representational State Transfer, and/or a webservice adapted to conform with the architecture and structure of the World Wide Web. The applications server  110  may bi-directionally communicate and transfer data with the local database server  120  by suitable electronics communications messaging protocols and methods known in the art including, but not limited to, communications conforming to Structured Query Language, Not Only Structured Query Language (“NoSQL”), flat file transfer, and/or bulk loading of information, data and records. 
         [0038]    It is understood that the application server  110 , the local database server  120 , the apps DB server  130 , and the remote database server  140  may be a software program hosted and/or enabled by, or may be or comprise a bundled computer software and hardware product such as, a.) a network-communications enabled THINKSTATION WORKSTATION™ notebook computer marketed by Lenovo, Inc. of Morrisville, N.C.; (b.) a  NIVEUS  5200 computer workstation marketed by Penguin Computing of Fremont, Calif. and running a LINUX™ operating system or a UNIX™ operating system; (c.) a network-communications enabled personal computer configured for running WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7™ operating system marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; (d.) a MACBOOK PRO™ personal computer as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.; or (e.) other suitable computational system or electronic communications device known in the art capable of providing or enabling a financial web service known in the art. 
         [0039]    It is understood that the apps DB server  130  combines the functionality of the applications server  110  and the local database server  120  of the processes of  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4  through  FIG. 6 . 
         [0040]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method of the current invention describing the process by which the application server  110  requests and downloads updates from the remote database server  140 . It is understood that, as presented in  FIGS. 8 through 13  and applied in the methods of  FIGS. 2 through 7 , each of a plurality of databases RDB. 1 -RDB.N preferably includes a unique record data REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N and an associated date time stamp DTS 0 . 001 -DTS.N. 
         [0041]    In step  2 . 02  the application server  110  initializes and defines a T 0  time start variable value (“T 0 ”) and a T R  time range end variable value (“T R ”) wherein T 0  is a date-time value representing the beginning of a specified time segment and is preferably equivalent to the most recent value date-time stamp DTS. 001 -DTS.N of the record data REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N downloaded from the remote database server  140  to the local database server  120  via the application server  110 . 
         [0042]    The T R  is a date time value representing the end of the specified time segment, and may be a date time value approximately representing a current execution time of a step or aspect of the invented method. In step  2 . 04 , the application server  110  determines whether to request a number of data records REC. 001 -REC.N (“Ucount”) with the date-time stamps DTS. 001 -DTS.N having values falling within the specified time segment defined by T 0  and T R  from the remote database server  140 . If the application server  110  determines not to request the Ucount, it proceeds to step  2 . 06 , wherein it proceeds to perform alternate processes. Alternatively, the application server  110  requests a new Ucount from the remote database server  140 , i.e. wherein the Ucount is derived as a count of the number of data records REC. 001 -REC.N having associated date-time stamp values DTS. 001 -DTS.N within the time segment defined by T 0  and T R . 
         [0043]    In step  2 . 08 , the application server  110  receives a Ucount from the remote database server  140  and determines whether the received Ucount is greater than a specified update capacity number N. If the determination made by the application server  110  in step  2 . 08  is that the most recently received Ucount is greater than the specified update capacity number N, the application server  110  advances to step  2 . 10 , wherein it resets the current date time value of T R  as equal to a date time value closer in time to the current T 0 . 
         [0044]    In step  2 . 10  the T R  is reset to be equal in value to the summation of (a.) the current T 0  and (b.) the delta of the current TR and the current T 0  divided by a specified divisor, for example, but not limited to 2. In other words, T R  is reset by first subtracting the current T 0  from the current T R , then dividing the resultant delta time value by a specified divisor, and then adding the resultant value to the current T 0 . The specified divisor applied in a reset calculation of T R  of step  2 . 10  may be, in various alternate preferred embodiments of the present invention, equal to the whole number two, less than the whole number two, or greater than the whole number two. 
         [0045]    The application server  110  subsequently returns to step  2 . 04  and requests the update count between the initial T 0  and the most recently reset T R . The application server  110  repeats the loop of steps  2 . 04 - 2 . 10  until a determination is made in an execution of step  2 . 08  that the Ucount most recently received from the remote database server  140  is not greater than the specified update capacity number N. The application server  110  subsequently proceeds on to step  2 . 12  and requests and receives downloads of all data records REC. 001 -REC.N from the remote database server  140  that each separately comprising a date time stamp DTS. 001 -DTS.N having a value within the range of the current T 0  and the most recently reset T R . 
         [0046]    The remote database server  140  may transfer one or more data records REC. 001 -REC.N to the applications server  110  in step  2 . 12  via the network  100  by suitable electronic communications messaging protocols and methods known in the art including, but not limited to, Simple Object Access Protocol, Representational State Transfer, and/or a web service adapted to conform with the architecture and structure of the World Wide Web. The applications server  110  transfers all data records REC. 001 -REC.N received in step  2 . 12  to the local database server  120  in step  2 . 13  by suitable electronics communications messaging protocols and methods known in the art including, but not limited to, communications conforming to Structured Query Language, Not Only Structured Query Language (“NoSQL”), flat file transfer, and/or bulk loading of information, data and records. 
         [0047]    In step  2 . 14  the application server  110  resets T 0  to be equal to the most recent T R . In step  2 . 16 , the application server  110  determines whether to terminate the process. If the determination to terminate the process is positive, the application server advances to step  2 . 18 , wherein it proceeds to alternate processes. If the determination in step  2 . 16  is negative, the application server  110  returns to step  2 . 04 , and repeats the loop of steps  2 . 04 - 2 . 16  as necessary. 
         [0048]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a flowchart of further aspects of the invented method by which the remote database server  140  transmits updates to the application server  110 . In optional step  3 . 02  the remote database server  140  optionally initializes and defines a T 0  wherein T 0  is a time-date stamp representing the beginning of a specified time segment, generally representing the most recent value of a date time stamp DTS. 001 -DTS.N of all records REC. 001 -REC.N previously downloaded from the remote database server  140  to the application server  110 . 
         [0049]    In step  3 . 04  the remote database server  140  receives a Ucount request containing the T 0  and a current T R . In step  3 . 06  the remote database server  140  calculates the Ucount to be transmitted to the application server  110 , wherein the Ucount is calculated as the total amount of record information REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N of database records REC. 001 -REC.N that are associated with or comprise date time stamps DTS. 001 -DTS.N having values that fall between the T 0  and the T R  received in step  3 . 04 . 
         [0050]    In step  3 . 08  the remote server database  140  transmits the Ucount to the application server  110 . The remote database server  140  in step  3 . 10  determines whether it has received an update request. If the determination in step  3 . 10  is positive, the remote database server  140  proceeds to step  3 . 14  wherein it downloads to the application server  110  the record information REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N of database records REC. 001 -REC.N that are associated with date time stamps DTS. 001 -DTS.N having values within the specified time frame T 0 :T R  of the Ucount request received in step  3 . 04 . In optional step  3 . 16  the remote database server  140  resets the value of T 0  to the value of T R  received in step  3 . 04 . 
         [0051]    When the optional step  3 . 16  is completed, or if the determination in step  3 . 10  is negative, the remote database server  140  proceeds to step  3 . 12 , and determines whether to terminate the process of the loop of steps  3 . 04  through  3 . 14 . If the remote database server  140  determines in step  3 . 16  to terminate the process of the loop of steps  3 . 04  through  3 . 14 , it continues to alternate processes in step  3 . 18 . If the determination to terminate in step  3 . 12  of the process of the loop of steps  3 . 04  through  3 . 14  is negative, the remote database server  140  proceeds back to step  3 . 04 , wherein the remote database server  140  waits to receive a new Ucount request message, and continues the loop of steps  3 . 04 - 3 . 12  until the determination is made in step  3 . 14  to terminate the process of the loop of steps  3 . 04  through  3 . 14 . 
         [0052]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a yet further optional aspects of the invented method wherein record information REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N are optionally downloaded through one of a plurality of download threads for the purpose of expediting their download from the remote database server  140  via the applications server  110  to the local database server  120 . 
         [0053]    In step  2 . 08  the application server  110  determines whether the Ucount received from the remote database server  140  is greater than the specified update capacity number N. If the determination in step  2 . 08  is positive, the application server  110  repeats step  2 . 12  of  FIG. 2 . In step  4 . 06  the application server initiates and defines a time slice T SL  which is equal to a ΔT divided by C, where C is a constant representing a specified number of authorized threads, and where ΔT is the difference between the current T 0  representing the beginning of a specified time segment, and the current T R , representing the end of a specified time segment. In step  4 . 08  the application server  110  creates a date time variable value T TH  and sets it as a new beginning time-date stamp T 0 , where T TH  represents a per-thread time segment. The application server  110  in step  4 . 10  sets a thread counter a to one. In step  4 . 12  the application server  110  initiates and receives a download thread that transfers data records REC. 001 -REC.N having date time stamps DTS. 001 -DTS.N within the time segment between T TH  and the sum of T TH  and T SL , and in step  4 . 13  transfers data records REC. 001 -REC.N received from the remote database server  140  to the local database server  120 . The applications server  110  may bi-directionally communicate and transfer data to and from the local database server  120  in step  4 . 13  by suitable electronics communications messaging protocols and methods known in the art including, but not limited to, communications conforming to Structured Query Language, Not Only Structured Query Language (“NoSQL”), flat file transfer, and/or bulk loading of information, data and records. 
         [0054]    In step  4 . 14  the application server  110  determines whether the thread counter a is equal to the number of threads C. If the determination in step  4 . 14  is positive, the application server  110  proceeds to step  4 . 16  wherein it continues to alternate processes. If the application server  110  determines in step  4 . 14  that the thread counter a is not equal to the number of threads C, the application server  110  creates a new per-thread time segment T TH , consisting of the sum of the initial T TH  plus the product of the value of the thread counter a and the time slice T SL . In step  4 . 20  the thread counter a is incremented by the application server  110  to be equal to a plus one. The application server  110  then proceeds back to step  4 . 12  and repeats steps  4 . 12 - 4 . 20  until all updates contained within Ucount are assigned to a specified thread. 
         [0055]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a flowchart performed by the application server  110  comprising yet alternate optional aspects of the invented method, wherein update counts Ucount may be developed and requested in accordance with a ratio developed in view of an earlier Ucount value of record information REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N associated with date time stamps DTS. 001 -DTS.N having values falling within a larger and earlier requested time range T 0  to T R . In the method of  FIG. 5 , the application server  110  performs the steps  2 . 00  through  2 . 08  and  2 . 12  through  2 . 18  of the method of  FIG. 2 , and the algorithm of step  2 . 10  of  FIG. 2  is replaced with the ratio based algorithm of step  5 . 00  that generated a new range of T 0  through T R  by the formula of resting T R  to a new value equal to the current T 0  plus the resultant value of (T R −T 0 ) multiplied by (N/Ucount), as presented in the flowchart of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart performed by the application server  110  comprising still alternate optional aspects of the invented method, wherein a requested time range of record updates is developed by application of a denominator factor FR by which an earlier applied time range is divided by the denominator factor FR to generate a shorter time range that resides within the bounds of the earlier applied time range. 
         [0057]    In step  6 . 02  the denominator factor FR is initialized by the application server  110 , wherein the denominator factor FR may be received as a user input or from the local database server  120 . In optional step  6 . 04  the application server  110  determines whether the denominator factor FR shall be reset, wherein the reset of the denominator factor FR to a new value of step  6 . 06  may optionally be directed by user input. In step  6 . 08  the value of the variable T R  is reset by application of the formula of adding the current T 0  to the resultant value of a division of the delta between the current T 0  and the current T R  by the denominator factor FR. It is understood that the denominator factor FR may be a variable that may be in various instances of the invented method (a.) greater in numeric value than the whole number two, (b.) equal to the whole number two, or (c.) lesser in numeric value than the whole number two. 
         [0058]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a block diagram of the application server of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0059]    An application system server operating system software OP.SYS  110 H of the application server  110  may be selected from freely available, open source and/or commercially available operating system software, to include but not limited to a LINUX™ or UNIX™ or derivative operating system, such as the DEBIAN™ operating system software as provided by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.; a WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7 ™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; or the MAC OS X operating system or iPhone G4 OS™ as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
         [0060]    The application server  110  further includes an application central processing unit  110 B (“CPU  110 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by an apps internal communications bus  110 C with (a.) an optional apps user input module  110 D that accepts input, e.g., information and commands, from a user, (b.) an optional apps video display module  110 E that provides visual information rendering output, (c.) an apps network interface  110 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the application server  110  with the local database server  120  and remote database server  140 , and (d.) an apps system memory  110 G. 
         [0061]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 8  is a block diagram of software stored within the apps system memory  110 G of the application server  110 . Stored within the apps system memory  110 G, is the apps operating system  110 H, an apps server software SW.APPS, an apps user module driver UDRV.APPS, an optional apps display driver DIS.APPS, an apps network interface driver NIF.APPS enables the apps network interface  110 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the application server  110  with local database server  120  and the remote database server  140 . 
         [0062]    The app server software SW.APPS enables the application server  110  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 2 through 6  and accompanying descriptions. The apps user input module driver UDRV.APPS enables the apps user module  110 D to input information and commands entered by a user into the application server  110 . The apps display driver DIS.APPS enables the application server  110  to visually render information by means of the apps video display module  110 E. The apps network NIF.APPS enables the apps network interface module  110 F to bi-directionally communicate with local database server  120  and the remote database server  140 . 
         [0063]    Within the apps DBMS  110 A, there are multiple application databases ADB. 1 -ADB.N, each having database records REC. 001 , REC. 002 , REC. 003  and REC.N. These records REC. 001 -REC.N may be shared with other servers  120  &amp;  140  in the network  100 . 
         [0064]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 9 ,  FIG. 9  is a block diagram of the local database server  120 . 
         [0065]    A local database server operating system software OP.SYS  120 H of the local database server  120  may be selected from freely available, open source and/or commercially available operating system software, to include but not limited to a LINUX™ or UNIX™ or derivative operating system, such as the DEBIAN™ operating system software as provided by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.; a WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7 ™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; or the MAC OS X operating system or iPhone G4 OS™ as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
         [0066]    The local database server  120  includes a local central processing unit  120 B (“CPU  120 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by a local internal communications bus  120 C with (a.) a local user input module  120 D that accepts input from a user, (b.) a local video display module  120 E that visually renders information, (c.) a local network interface  120 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the local database server  120  with the application server  110  and optionally with the remote database server  140 , and (a.) a local server system memory  120 G. 
         [0067]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 10  is a block diagram of software stored within the local server system memory  120 G of the local database server  120 . Stored within the local server system memory  120 G, is the local database server operating system software OP.SYS  120 H, a local server software SW.LDB, an optional local user module driver UDRV.LDB, an optional local display driver DIS.LDB, and a local network interface driver NIF.LDB that enables the local network interface  120 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the local database server  120  with the application server  110 . 
         [0068]    The local server software SW.LDB enables the local database server  120  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 2 through 6  and accompanying descriptions. The optional local user input module driver UDRV.LDB enables the optional local user module  120 D to input information and commands entered by a user into the local database server  120 . The local display driver DIS.LDB enables the local database server  120  to visually render information by means of the local video display module  120 E. The local network interface driver NIF.LDB enables the local network interface module  120 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the local database server  120  and application server  110  and optionally the remote database server  140 . 
         [0069]    Within the local DBMS  110 A, there are multiple local databases LDB. 1 -LDB.N, each having database records REC. 001 , REC. 002 , REC. 003  and REC.N. These records REC. 001 -REC.N may be shared with the application server  110  and the remote database server  140 . A first local database LDB. 1  is or comprises a software representation of a table of data (“table”). 
         [0070]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 11  is a block diagram of the remote database server  140 . 
         [0071]    A remote database system server operating system software OP.SYS  140 H of the remote database server  140  may be selected from freely available, open source and/or commercially available operating system software, to include but not limited to a LINUX™ or UNIX™ or derivative operating system, such as the DEBIAN™ operating system software as provided by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.; a WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; or the MAC OS X operating system or iPhone G4 OS™ as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
         [0072]    The remote database server  140  includes a remote central processing unit  140 B (“CPU  140 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by a remote internal communications bus  140 C with (a.) an optional remote user input module  140 D that accepts information and commands input by a user, (b.) a remote video display module  140 E that visually renders information, (c.) a remote network interface  140 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the remote server  140  with application server  110 , and (d.) a remote server system memory  140 G. 
         [0073]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 12 ,  FIG. 12  is a block diagram of software stored within the remote database server  140 . Stored within the remote system memory  140 G is the remote server operating system  140 H, a remote server software SW.RDB, an optional remote user input module driver UDRV.RDB, an optional remote display driver DIS.RDB, a remote network interface driver NIF.RDB, and an optional webserver WEB.RDB. 
         [0074]    The remote server software SW.RDB enables the remote database server  140  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 2 through 7  and accompanying description. The remote server software SW.RDB may comprise one or more prior art of commercially available software adapted for downloading and updating a database, such as SALESFORCE™ database management software marketed by Software.com, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif.; QUICKBOOKS™ database management software marketed by Intuit, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif.; NETSUITE™ database management software of San Mateo, Calif.; and/or other suitable software known in the art. 
         [0075]    The remote user input module driver UDRV.RDB enables the remote user input module  140 D to input information and commands into the remote database server  140 . The remote display driver DIS.RDM enables the remote database server  140  to visually render information by means of the remote video display module  140 E. The remote network interface driver NIF.RDB enables the remote network interface module  140 F to bi-directionally communicate with application server  110 . 
         [0076]    The webserver WEB.RDB enables the remote database server  140  provide and instantiate a web service in conformance with the communications protocols of the World Wide Web to communicate Ucount values to the application server and/or effect downloads of record data REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N to the application server  110  and optionally to the local database server  120 . The webserver WEB.RDB may optionally (a.) communicate Ucount values to the application server  110  in step  3 . 08  of the method of  FIG. 3 , and/or (b.) effect downloads of record data REC.DATA. 001 -REC.DATA.N to the application server  110  and optionally to the local database server  120  in step  3 . 12  of the method of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0077]    Within the remote server DBMS  140 A, there are multiple remote server databases RDB. 1 -RDB.N, each having database records REC. 001 , REC. 002 , REC. 003  and REC.N. These records REC. 001 -REC.N may be shared with other servers  110  &amp;  120  of the network  100 . 
         [0078]      FIG. 13A  through  FIG. 13C  are separate block diagrams of a sampling records REC. 001 -REC.N stored within the remote database server  140 , the local database server  120 , and optionally the application server  110 . An exemplary first database record REC. 001  presented in  FIG. 13A  includes a first record identifier REC.ID. 001 , a first data element REC.DATA. 001  and a date-time stamp DTS. 001 . 
         [0079]    An exemplary second database record REC. 002  presented in  FIG. 13B  includes a second record identifier REC.ID. 002 , a second data element REC.DATA. 002  and a date time stamp DTS. 002 . 
         [0080]    An exemplary Nth database record REC.N presented in  FIG. 13C  presents an Nth record identifier REC.ID.N, an Nth data element REC.DATA.N and an Nth date time stamp DTS.N. 
         [0081]      FIG. 14A  is a block diagram of a unique exemplary first Ucount request message UREQ. 001  wherein the application server  110  requests a Ucount of data records REC. 001 -REC.N stored within the remote DBMS  140 A of the remote data base server  140  that are each associated with a date time stamp DTS. 001 -DTS.N falling within a specified time range defined by the current T0 value and the current TR value. The first Ucount message U.MSG. 001  includes a unique first Ucount request message identifier UREQ.ID. 001 , a remote server network address RDB.ADDR of the remote database server  140  as a destination address, an application server network address APP.ADDR of the application server  110  as a sender address, a Ucount request command UREQ.COM, a T0 value and a TR value. Ucount request messages UREQ. 001 -UREQ.N may be messaged via the network  100  from the application server  110  to the remote database server  140  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  2 . 07  of the process of  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  6 . 
         [0082]      FIG. 14B  is a block diagram of an exemplary first Ucount provision message UMSG. 001  wherein the remote database server  140  provides to the apps server  110  a Ucount of data records REC. 001 -REC.N stored within the remote DBMS  140 A of the remote data base server  140 . 
         [0083]    The first Ucount provision message UMSG. 001  includes a unique exemplary first Ucount provision message identifier UMSG.ID. 001 , the application server network address APP.ADDR of the application server  110  as a destination address, the remote server network address RDB.ADDR of the remote database server  140  as a sender address, optionally the first Ucount request message identifier UREQ.ID. 001  as previously messaged from the application server  110  to the remote database server  140 , an exemplary first Ucount, optionally a T0 value and/or a TR value applied by the remote database server  140  to generate the exemplary first Ucount. Ucount provision messages UMSG. 001 -UMSG.N may be transmitted from the remote database server  140  to the application server  110  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  3 . 08  of the process of  FIG. 3 . Ucount provision messages UMSG. 001 -UMSG.N may be received by the application server  120  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  2 . 08  of the process of  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . 
         [0084]      FIG. 14C  is a block diagram of an exemplary first data record download request message DR.REQ. 001  wherein the application server  110  requests a plurality of data records REC. 001 -REC.N stored within the remote DBMS  140 A of the remote data base server  140  that are each associated with a date time stamp DTS. 001 -DTS.N falling within a specified a time range defined by the current T0 value and the current TR value. 
         [0085]    The first data record download request message DR.REQ. 001  includes a unique first data record download request message identifier DR.REQ.ID. 001 , the remote server network address RDB.ADDR of the remote database server  140  as a destination address, the application server network address APP.ADDR of the application server  110  as a sender address, a data record download request command DR.COM, a T0 value and a TR value. One or more data record download request messages DR.REQ.ID. 001 -DR.REQ.ID.N may be sent from and by the application server  110  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  2 . 12  of the process of  FIG. 2 , and step  4 . 12  of the process of  FIG. 4.12 . One or more data record download request messages DR.REQ.ID. 001 -DR.REQ.ID.N may be received by the remote server  140  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  3 . 10  of the process of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0086]      FIG. 14D  is a block diagram of an exemplary first data record download message DLOAD. 001  wherein the remote database server  140  provides to the application server  110  a plurality of data records REC. 001 -REC.N stored within the remote DBMS  140 A of the remote data base server  140  that are each associated with a date time stamp DTS. 001 -DTS.N falling within a specified a time range defined by the current T0 value and the current TR value. 
         [0087]    The first data record download message DLOAD. 001   a  unique first data record download message identifier DLOAD.ID. 001 , the application server network address APP.ADDR of the application server  110  as a destination address, the remote server network address RDB.ADDR of the remote database server  140  as a sender address, and a plurality of data records REC. 001 -REC.N. 
         [0088]    One or more data record download messages DLOAD. 001 -DLOAD.N may be transmitted by the remote database server  140  to the application server  110  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  3 . 12  of the process of  FIG. 3 . One or more data record download messages DLOAD. 001 -DLOAD.N may be received by the application server  110  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  2 . 12  of the process of  FIG. 2  and step  4 . 12  of the process of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0089]      FIG. 14E  is a block diagram of an exemplary first data record download transferal message TLOAD. 001  wherein the application server  110  provides to the local database server a plurality of data records REC. 001 -REC.N received by the application server  110  from the remote database server  140 . 
         [0090]    The first data record download transferal message TLOAD. 001  includes a unique first data record download transferal message identifier TLOAD.ID. 001 , a local database server network address LDB.ADDR of the local database server  120  as a destination address the application server network address APP.ADDR of the application server  110  as a sender address, and a plurality of data records REC. 001 -REC.N. 
         [0091]    One or more data record download transferal messages TLOAD. 001 -TLOAD.N may be transmitted by the application server  110  and received by the local data base server  120  in various aspects and optional aspects of the invented method, including, but not limited to, step  2 . 13  of the processes of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6 , and step  4 . 13  of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0092]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 15 ,  FIG. 15  is a block diagram of the apps DB server  130 , wherein the apps DB server  130  comprises the local DBMS  120 A and an alternate application server software SW.APP 2 . 
         [0093]    The alternate application server software SW.APP 2  is adapted to enable the apps DB server  130  bi-directionally communicate with both the native local DBMS  120 A and the remote server  140  to practice the aspects of the processes of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6  with the variation that the local DBMS  120 A is updated by the receipt of data records REC. 001 -REC.N in step  2 . 13  of the processes of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6 , and step  4 . 13  of  FIG. 4   
         [0094]    More particularly, the alternate application server software SW.APP 2  is adapted to enable the apps DB server  130  to provide the functionality of the local database server  120  in addition to the functionality of the application server  110  and thereby provide the dual functionality of both the local database server  120  and the application server  110  in a same computational device. 
         [0095]    The apps DB server  130  alternate further includes an alternate DB central processing unit  130 B (“CPU  130 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by an alternate internal communications bus  130 C with (a.) an optional alternate user input module  130 D that accepts input, e.g., information and commands, from a user, (b.) an optional alternate video display module  130 E that provides visual information rendering output, (c.) an alternate network interface  130 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the apps DB server  130  with the remote database server  140 , and (d.) an alternate system memory  130 G. 
         [0096]    Stored within the alternate server system memory  130 G, are the apps DBMS  130 A, an alternate database server operating system software OP.SYS  130 H, the alternate application server software SW.APP 2 , an optional alternate server user module driver UDRV.APP, an optional alternate server display driver DIS.APP, and an alternate server network interface driver NIF.APP that enables the alternate server network interface  130 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the alternate database server  130  with the application server  110 . 
         [0097]    The alternate application server software SW.APP 2  enables the alternate database server  130  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 2 through 6  and accompanying descriptions. The optional alternate user input module driver UDRV.APP enables the optional alternate user module  130 D to input information and commands entered by a user into the apps DB server  130 . The alternate network interface driver NIF.APP enables the alternate network interface module  130 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the apps DB server  130  with the remote database server  140 . 
         [0098]    It is understood that the indicator N of the  FIGS. 8 through 13  represent an arbitrarily large number that has no relevance nor relationship to the value N of step  2 . 08  of the methods of  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . 
         [0099]    The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure. 
         [0100]    Some portions of this description describe the embodiments of the invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof. 
         [0101]    Any of the steps, operations, or processes described herein may be performed or implemented with one or more hardware or software modules, alone or in combination with other devices. In one embodiment, a software module is implemented with a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer program code, which can be executed by a computer processor for performing any or all of the steps, operations, or processes described. 
         [0102]    Embodiments of the invention may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, and/or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, which may be coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, any computing systems referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability. 
         [0103]    Embodiments of the invention may also relate to a product that is produced by a computing process described herein. Such a product may comprise information resulting from a computing process, where the information is stored on a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium and may include any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein. 
         [0104]    Finally, the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based herein. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.