The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 23, 2003
Randy Knight Winjum, Vashon, WA (US);
Gail Borod Giacobbe, Seattle, WA (US);
Bryan T. Starbuck, Redmond, WA (US);
John Heinrich Lueders, Seattle, WA (US);
Alexander E. Vaschillo, Redmond, WA (US);
Stephen T. Wells, Seattle, WA (US);
Robert C. Combs, Redmond, WA (US);
Sridhar Sundararaman, Bellevue, WA (US);
Raghavendra Rachamadugu, Hyderabad, IN;
Hubert Louis Marie Van Hoof, Seattle, WA (US);
Randy Knight Winjum, Vashon, WA (US);
Gail Borod Giacobbe, Seattle, WA (US);
Bryan T. Starbuck, Redmond, WA (US);
John Heinrich Lueders, Seattle, WA (US);
Alexander E. Vaschillo, Redmond, WA (US);
Stephen T. Wells, Seattle, WA (US);
Robert C. Combs, Redmond, WA (US);
Sridhar Sundararaman, Bellevue, WA (US);
Raghavendra Rachamadugu, Hyderabad, IN;
Hubert Louis Marie Van Hoof, Seattle, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
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.