US 7587430

US patent 7587430, titled "Backup system for data base," was filed on April 18, 2006, and issued on September 8, 2009. The patent is assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. The inventors are Yoshio Suzuki, Nobuo Kawamura, Satoru Watanabe, Shinji Fujiwara, and Kazuhiko Mizuno.

The abstract describes a database management system designed to complete synchronization processing quickly and cost-effectively, especially over narrow-band networks. It achieves this by having a primary database management system (DBMS) that includes an "unnecessary information removing unit." This unit overwrites unused areas in updated data with a preset character or value (e.g., all zeros). When this data is transferred to a secondary storage system for backup or synchronization, a network device with a data compression unit efficiently compresses these successions of identical values, thus reducing transfer time over the narrow-band network.

A search of the USPTO PatentCenter for patent number 7587430 confirms these details. A search for US7587430 in CAFC 2026 dockets did not yield any specific cases or proceedings related to this patent.

Independent Claims Overview

Claim 1: Database Management System
This claim outlines a database management system (DBMS) consisting of a storage system for a database and a server computer running a database management server. This server handles requests to read or update the database. Crucially, the database management server contains:

• An "update executing unit" for reading and updating data from the storage system based on requests.
• An "unnecessary information removing unit" specifically designed to fill any unused areas within the updated data with a continuous stream of a predefined character or value (e.g., all zeros).
• A "write unit" for storing this processed data back into the storage system.

Claim 7: Storage System
This claim describes a storage system itself, structured with:

• A first interface for connecting to a server computer to manage database access.
• A second interface for connecting to a network.
• A control unit that manages data read/write operations for the database and facilitates data transfer to another storage system via the network.
• A storage unit where the database is kept.
  The control unit within this storage system notably includes:
• An "unnecessary information removing unit" for overwriting unused areas in data written to the database with a preset, repeating character or value.
• A "configuration management unit" which allows the "unnecessary information removing unit" to be activated or deactivated.

Claim 13: Method for Backing Up a Database
This claim details a method for backing up a database from a primary site's storage system to a secondary site over a network. The method involves:

• A database management server at the primary site updating the database.
• During the database update process, an "unnecessary information removing unit" (part of the database management server) overwrites any unused areas in the data intended for storage with a repeating, predefined character or value.
• A "remote copy unit" within the primary storage system then transfers this database to a secondary storage system at the secondary site. This transfer occurs over a network using a "network device" equipped with a "data compression unit" that specializes in compressing consecutive identical values.