Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Roman Sherman

Chad Schwitters

Peter M Mansour

Scott Randall Shell

Alan W Shen

David C Whitney

David L Anson

David L A Anson

Scott R Shell

A method and system for routing messages received by a device is described. The router routes messages to applications associated with a provider that recognizes an incoming message type. Providers register with the router to receive messages of a particular type. The providers are prioritized so that the router delivers messages to the providers based on the assigned priority. The router inquires with the providers in their relative assigned priority. The router stops inquiring the providers once an appropriate provider for the message has been found. If the message does not belong to the provider then the next provider is queried. Before delivering the message to the application, the provider formats the message to the specifications provided by the application.

Method and system for routing SMS messages

A cellular telephone clock is automatically set to correlate to a timestamp contained in a Short Messaging Service (SMS) status report. Accordingly, an exemplary cell phone clock can be properly set any time the cell phone receives a status report. By setting the cell phone device time to correlate to the world time, the exemplary cell phone clock can be automatically set, without requiring any action by the user and without requiring a special time set control message. When the cell phone transmits an SMS message, the cell phone stores the device time corresponding to the time that the message was sent (DTS). When a status report is received, the exemplary cell phone stores the device time corresponding to the time that the status report was received (DTR). Additionally, the cell phone stores the world time that is included in the status report by the SMSC that handled the message (WT). By subtracting the DTR from the WT, the cell phone can determine an approximate difference between the cell phone's device time (and clock) and the world time. By adding this difference to the current device time (DTC), the DTC can be set to closely approximate the WT.

Automated cellular telephone clock setting

A handheld client computing system selectively retrieves items, such as email messages, from a server through either a POP transport or an IMAP transport and selectively maintains the items on the client. The retrieval and maintenance is based on predetermined criteria, such as predetermined date, size or keyword information. Initially, the H/PC (handheld personal computer) downloads item identification information from the server on the client/server network and determines which items are not present on the H/PC. Those items located on the server and not on the H/PC are selected for possible downloading to the H/PC. However, before each item is downloaded to the H/PC in its entirety, the H/PC downloads only the header of the selected item. The header information is analyzed to determine whether to download the entire item based on predetermined criteria, such as date information. Once all server-based items are analyzed, and selected items are downloaded, all local copies of items, that do not satisfy the predetermined criteria, are deleted to maintain a sliding or selective view of the server-based items belonging to the client account.

Maintaining a sliding view of server-based data on a handheld personal computer

Fragmentation and reassembly of a multi-part message for communication over a cellular network. When transmitting a multi-part message, a calling application issues a function call to a short messaging layer via a standardized interface. The function call represents a request to transmit the message. A short messaging layer divides the message into fragments of limited size that meet the size requirements of the cellular network. Each of the short messages is then transmitted across the cellular network. When receiving a multi-part message, a short messaging layer at the receiving device receives various short message fragments corresponding to the multi-part message. The short messaging layer then reassembles the short message fragments into the multi-part message, and then passes the reassembled multi-part message to the receiving application. The short message layer also presents a consolidated delivery report if requested.

Communicating multi-part messages between cellular devices using a standardized interface

A Radio Interface Layer (RIL) is disclosed. The RIL comprises an API set which provides a level of abstraction between the radio on a cell phone and the software of the cell phone. The API set of RIL is roughly based on the GSM AT interface as defined in GSM specifications 07.05 and 07.07. The API set provides access to functionality contained within a cellular telephone, such as a GSM or CDMA compatible telephone. These APIs allow applications running on an operating system in the cellular telephone to issue commands without knowledge of the underlying radio structure of the cellular telephone and specific knowledge of the GSM-type commands. For example, these APIs allow the applications to access to phonebook entries, restrict access to data and functionality using passwords, access file and message storage, and perform many other functions. The RIL is divided into a hardware-independent proxy layer, called by various software components, and a driver layer that is hardware-specific.

Radio interface layer in a cell phone with a set of APIs having a hardware-independent proxy layer and a hardware-specific driver layer

A clean-up system recaptures part of the memory or secondary storage space on a client device, such as a handheld personal computer. E-mail messages are organized in a hierarchy of folders within a database. Each folder may or may not contain e-mail messages. Preferably, a user downloads e-mail messages from a server to the client device. Upon placing e-mail messages into a folder, a flag set module marks the folder with a cleanup flag. The user marks any folders, messages from which he wishes to use upon disconnect from the server, for off-line use. The clean-up system parses the folder hierarchy, beginning with the first folder in the hierarchy. A clean-up module determines if the clean-up flag is set for the first folder. If the cleanup flag is set for the first folder, an off-line module determines if the folder is marked for off-line use. If the folder is marked for off-line use, the messages contained within the folder are retained for later use. If the folder is not marked for off-line use, a delete module deletes the messages contained within the folder, recapturing part of the memory or secondary storage space on the client device. This routine is repeated for each folder within the hierarchy of folders.

Database clean-up system

A device and method for synchronizing information between computer systems is provided. Certain subsets of information may be synchronized, while excluding other information from the synchronization process. The determination of the information subset to synchronize requires no explicit designation by the user. Instead, the subset of information to be synchronized is ascertained through actions of the user that implicitly indicate the user's interest in the information, allowing for an intuitive assumption of the user's synchronization desires, and requiring no user activity outside of the user's normal operational activity.

Selective information synchronization based on implicit user designation

The present invention provides for a virtual serial port (VSP) situated between a serial port in a mobile electronic device, applications that require a serial port connection handle, and other applications that require command-mode access to the serial port. Data-communication applications (e.g. web browsing, e-mail, etc.) connect to the serial port through the VSP. The VSP creates a virtual connection handle that is returned to the application. Command-mode requests (e.g., short messaging requests) are received by the hardware abstraction layer, translated into command-mode messages (e.g., AT commands) and placed in a queue. The VSP multiplexes the serial port between the currently-open data communication session (data-mode) and command-mode messages by periodically suspending the currently-open connection and processing one or more command-mode messages that are in the queue. A buffer continually stores incoming data while the data communication session is suspended. The VSP uses a heuristic calculation to determine the maximum time interval for which the data-communication session can be interrupted. The heuristic calculation takes a percentage of a time-quantum (e.g. 0.5 seconds) based upon the ratio of an average bit rate for air communication (e.g. 7000 bits/sec) and a bit rate for the serial port (e.g. 152,000 bits/sec). This ensures that data-communications are not interrupted for a time interval long enough to result in lost data-packets. The parameter for the time quantum and other parameters may be statically or dynamically adjusted to account for a finite buffer size in the hardware.

System and method for managing a serial port

Maintaining a sliding view of server based data on a handheld personal computer

An apparatus and method for selectively synchronizing a subset of objects of an object set between first and second object stores. A subset of objects is defined as a plurality of selected objects of the object set. A selection identifier corresponding to an exclusive synchronization mode designation is received. Where the selection identifier corresponds to a first identification state, all of the objects of the object set are synchronized. Where the selection identifier corresponds to a second state, only the subset of objects is synchronized, whereby the plurality of objects comprising the subset of objects can be designated for synchronization without individual designation of the objects targeted for synchronization.

Selective information subset synchronization based on single user action

A set of APIs is used in creating and maintaining hierarchical folder structure for the storage of electronic messages in a hand-held computer. Such a folder structure permits the creation of a folder hierarchy for each message service with which the user has an account. As a result, the hand-held message store can organize messages received from different services. The APIs provide the functions necessary for an application process to access messages in the hierarchical folder structure. This set of APIs also provides backwards compatibility with APIs utilized to create and maintain a flat folder structure organization of the message store. This backward compatibility permits a hand-held computer embodying the present invention to be used to execute application processes that were developed to interact with an earlier generation flat folder structure.

Application programming interface functions for supporting an improved message store for hand-held computers

A clean-up system recaptures part of the memory or secondary storage space on a client device, such as a handheld personal computer. E-mail messages are organized in a hierarchy of folders within a database. Each folder may or may not contain e-mail messages. A user downloads e-mail messages from a server to the client device. The user marks any folders that he wishes to use upon disconnect from the server for off-line use. Upon disconnect from the server, the clean-up system begins with the first e-mail message in the database. A test module determines if the e-mail message is linked to a folder in the service hierarchy to be cleaned-up. If the message is linked to a folder in the service hierarchy to be cleaned-up, an off-line module determines if the folder is marked for off-line use. If the folder is marked for off-line use, the message linked to the folder is retained for later use. If the folder is not marked for off-line use, a delete module deletes the message linked to the folder, recapturing part of the memory or secondary storage space on the client device. This routine is repeated for each and every message within the database.

A method of operating a hand-held computer including a database and a data port for communications with a server, the database including a plurality of records that correspond to a folder data structure. The method comprises searching the database for an available folder ID; creating a folder, the folder having a data structure being stored as a record in the database and including folder ID field, a parent folder ID field, and a folder name field, the available folder ID being stored in the folder ID field; and repeating searching and creating thereby creating a plurality of folders, wherein the value stored in the folder ID field for one folder equals the value stored in the parent folder ID field for another folder, thereby creating a parent/child relationship between the folders.

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Roman Sherman