Methods and apparatus for synchronization of data set representations in a bandwidth-adaptive manner

A bandwidth-adaptive system for synchronizing consumer node representations and a source node representation of a changing data set, the system comprising:

• a source node for transmitting a metadata packet identifying a plurality of data packets that represent a current state of a changing data set at a point in time, and for transmitting at least one of the identified data packets;
• and
• a communications service in communication with the source node, the communications service for:
• a)selecting, in response to the received metadata packet, a first set of the identified data packets for transmission to a first consumer node and a second set of the identified data packets, different from the first set, for transmission to a second consumer node having a different bandwidth connection with the communications service than the first consumer node has with the communications service;
• b) transmitting the first set of the identified data packets, along with the metadata packet, to the first consumer node for synchronization of a first dynamic data set represented at the first consumer node with the state of the changing data set represented at the source node at the point in time;
• and
• c) transmitting the second set of the identified data packets, along with the metadata packet, to the second consumer node for synchronization of a second dynamic data set represented at the second consumer node with the state of the changing data set represented at the source node at the point in time.

A communications service for synchronizing consumer node representations and a source node representation of a changing data set, the service comprising:

• a receiving subsystem for receiving i) metadata packet identifying a plurality of data packets representing a current state of a changing data set and ii) at least one data packet identified by the received metadata packet;
• a synchronization engine for selecting, in response to the received metadata packet, first and second sets of the identified data packets, the first and second sets being different from one another;
• and
• a transmission subsystem for transmitting i) the metadata packet and the first set of identified data packets to a first consumer node, and ii) the metadata packet and the second set of identified data packets to a second consumer node having a different bandwidth connection with the communications service than the first consumer node has with the communications service.

A method for synchronizing a consumer node representation of a dynamic data set and a source node representation of the dynamic data set, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving from a source node a first metadata packet identifying a first plurality of data packets that represent a state of at least a portion of a changing data set at a first point in time;
• (b) receiving from the source node a second metadata packet identifying a second plurality of data packets that represent a state of at least a portion of a changing data set at a second point in time;
• (c) generating, by determining the difference between the first metadata packet and the second metadata packet, a third metadata packet identifying a third plurality of data packets;
• (d) transmitting to a consumer node the third metadata packet;
• and
• (e) transmitting to the consumer node at least one of the identified third plurality of data packets for synchronization of a dynamic data set represented at the consumer node with the state of the changing data set represented at the source node at the second point in time.