Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Sridhar Sundararaman

Bryan T Starbuck

Gail Giacobbe

Alexander Vaschillo

John Heinrich Lueders

Stephen Thomas Wells

Robert C Combs

Raghavendra Rachamadugu

Hubert Louis Marie Van Hoof

David Andrew Howell

Srinivasa Reddy Manda

Randy Knight Winjum

Darren Arthur Shakib

Patrick Tousignant

James M Lyon

Frank Torsten Bernd Seide

Salim Alam

Thomas W Millett

David T Fong

David C Whitney

Manish Garg

David Joseph Cornfield

Stephen T Wells

Alexander E Vaschillo

Gail Borod Giacobbe

Web-based email systems are enabled to synchronize conversations and conversation properties. Conversations are enumerated to new clients providing folder-specific and global conversation information. After receiving the initial conversation information, clients maintain a conversation state, which is used in updating clients from a web service store through a conversation synchronization command employing an internal application programming interface within the email service.

Synchronizing conversation structures in web-based email systems

The subject invention relates to systems and methods that enable dynamic programming and execution of an electronic communications dialog. In one aspect, a configurable messaging system is provided. The system includes a configuration file to describe interface options of a computerized dialog session, wherein the configuration file specifies interface activities and state transitions between the interface options within the configuration file. A state controller executes the interface options during communications activities with the dialog session. The configuration file can also describe prompt elements to solicit information from users or applications.

Dynamic configuration of unified messaging state changes

The principles of the present invention extend to efficiently and reliably providing message related data. Generally, data fields of electronic messages and attachments are created in accordance with an electronic message schema hierarchy. An electronic message can include links to folder items that represent message folders. An electronic message can also include links to contact items that represent message participants. Message applications can register for folder spaces such that each message application is aware of folders that are primarily controlled by other message applications. A link to a contact item can be selected to access current contact related data for a message participant, even when the contact related data has changed since an electronic message containing the link was received.

Efficiently and reliably providing message related data

The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures for efficiently storing and accessing electronic messages. Generally, electronic messages are created and transformed in accordance with an electronic message schema hierarchy. Electronic messages can be created according to a general message schema that defines a format for data fields that are common to all types of electronic messages (e.g. electronic mail, instant message, fax message). Electronic messages can also be extended according to message extension schemas that define formats for adding protocol specific and/or or application specific data fields to an electronic message. Data fields added in accordance with message extension schemas can differ between electronic messages types. Having some commonly defined fields and other differently defined fields promotes efficient storage and access of electronic messages, while also facilitating message compatibility with existing message protocols and message applications.

Schema hierarchy for electronic messages

Improved systems and methods are provided for transcribing audio files of voice mails sent over a unified messaging system. Customized grammars specific to a voice mail recipient are created and utilized to transcribe a received voice mail by comparing the audio file to commonly utilized words, names, acronyms, and phrases used by the recipient. Key elements are identified from the resulting text transcription to aid the recipient in processing received voice mails based on the significant content contained in the voice mail.

Personalized user specific grammars

Generating a series of digits corresponding to a personal identification number (PIN) of a user for unified messaging access to personal information management (PIM) data. Data involved in the generation of the series of digits along with the series of digits are stored for subsequent use during authentication of the user and PIN updates.

Manipulation of unified messaging pins

The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures for decoupling an attachment from an electronic message that included the attachment. Generally, data fields of electronic messages and attachments are created in accordance with an electronic message schema hierarchy. Attachments are configured to have a data field indicating if the attachment is to persist when a corresponding electronic message is deleted. When an attachment persists, a user may be able to locate and use the attachment after a corresponding electronic message has been deleted (even if the attachment has not been expressly saved). Attachments are configured to include attachment metadata indicating properties of an electronic message that included the attachment. Accordingly, a user can access information (e.g., sender, subject, date, etc) associated with an electronic message (e.g., that included the attachment) even after the electronic message has been deleted.

Decoupling an attachment from an electronic message that included the attachment

The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures for presenting different types of electronic messages at a common interface. Electronic message items are stored in an item database along with other types of items, such as, for example, contact items, folder items, document items, etc. Electronic message items have some common defined data fields and possibly other differently defined data fields that represent protocol and/or application specific properties. Computer systems can query the item database for message related data (e.g., from commonly defined data fields) and display links to message related data at a common messaging interface. Links to different types of electronic messages (as represented by protocol and/or application specific properties) may be displayed simultaneously at the common messaging interface.

Accessing different types of electronic messages through a common messaging interface

A series of recurring events is represented using a computer system that includes a processor and a storage medium readable by the processor. The series is represented by storing on the storage medium a pattern that represents dates on which events in the series of recurring events occur. The pattern includes a first entry that may identify days of a week on which an event in the series of recurring events may occur, a second entry that may provide a measure of a number of days between events in the series of recurring events, and a third entry that may provide a measure of a number of months between events in the series of recurring events. Indicators that indicate whether each of the first, second or third entries are to be considered in extracting occurrences of the series of recurring events from the pattern are also stored on the storage medium. The indicators may be stored within the entries.

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Sridhar Sundararaman