Conflict resolution engine

A computer-implemented method of analyzing proposed alterations to information in a database and generating a request to alter the database, the method comprising:

• receiving first and second alteration requests, the first and second alteration requests specifying first and second proposed alterations, respectively, to information stored in a database;
• analyzing the first and second alteration requests and determining whether or not a conflict exists between them;
• if a conflict exists between the first and second proposed alterations, generating a request to alter the database, the request specifying either the first proposed alteration or the second proposed alteration, wherein the conflict is resolved by removing the other of the first and second proposed alterations from consideration;
• if a conflict does not exist between the first and second proposed alterations, generating a request to alter the database, the request specifying the first proposed alteration and the second proposed alteration;
• and
• forwarding the generated request to alter the database for further processing that determines if and how the database is to be altered.

A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform a method to analyze multiple different requests to alter an electronic knowledge repository and generate a proposed modification to the electronic knowledge repository, the method comprising:

• receiving first and second alteration requests, the first and second alteration requests originating from first and second users, respectively, and specifying first and second proposed alterations, respectively, to information stored in the electronic knowledge repository;
• assigning to each of the first and second alteration requests a validity index value that represents the desirability of the corresponding proposed alteration, each assigned validity index value being determined using data pertaining to the particular user from which the alteration request originated;
• analyzing the first and second alteration requests by computing a degree of inconsistency between the first and second proposed alterations, and determining if the degree of consistency exceeds a specified threshold;
• if the degree of inconsistency exceeds the specified threshold, generating a proposed knowledge repository modification request that includes only one of the first and second proposed alterations, the only one alteration being determined using the validity indexes associated with each of the first and second alteration requests;
• and
• forwarding the generated proposed modification request for further processing that determines if and how the knowledge repository is to be changed.