Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Nils H Pohlmann

Lev Novik

Michael W Thomas

Darshatkumar A Shah

Justin Denney

Jason C Fluegel

Stephen P Rosato

Edward David Harris

Michael L Torres

Andrei Maksimenka

Sameer S Mahajan

Okechkwu Chima Echeruo

A method, computer-readable medium, and user interface for displaying an inquiry indication related to an inquiring user's inquiry are described. An inquiring user prepares and submits an inquiry in an inquiry application. Upon preparing and submitting an inquiry, a notice of the inquiry is generated and routed to the inquiring user's network contacts. An inquiry indication is generated to notify network contacts that an inquiry has been submitted by the inquiring user. A network contact may select the inquiry indication to display an inquiry feature and may select an inquiry feature to view the inquiry and respond to the inquiry.

Notifying network contacts of inquiries

The subject invention pertains to systems and methods of data item synchronization. More specifically, the invention concerns synchronization of data entities utilizing an intermediary or shared storage system and associated data store. Each client sync device can include or be associated with an interface that facilitates communication between client synchronization devices and the intermediary storage system. The interface can send change information to the shared store utilizing change data packets including a data change attribute, a prerequisite knowledge attribute and a learned knowledge attribute. The data change attribute can specify changes to be made to certain data, while the attribute can include a complete copy or reference to a complete copy or single instance of data.

Client store synchronization through intermediary store change packets

The invention is directed to systems and methods for the synchronization of two clients both utilizing a common storage platform (e.g., the new storage platform of the related inventions) to synchronize through an intermediary that is not using the same common storage platform (e.g., instead using a legacy storage platform that does not itself support synchronization for the new storage platform). Data is synchronized using the existing capabilities of the intermediary but where the data structure of the clients is preserved. An 'adapter' is used to enable a client to interact with an intermediary by compensating for the intermediaries inability to preserve the data structure elements inherent to the client's storage platform. Specific embodiments are directed to either or both upload-syncing data from a client to a intermediary and/or download-syncing data from an intermediary to a client. Certain additional embodiments are further directed to compaction of data on the intermediary.

Systems and methods for synchronizing computer systems through an intermediary file system share or device

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Nils H Pohlmann