Schema-based services for identity-based access to device data

• US 20040024875A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric J., Shaw, Rhae-Christie, Gehlsen, John M., Fang, Lijiang, Lucovsky, Mark H., Sauntry, David M., Moore, George M., Wu, Winnie C., Pierce, Shaun D., Steckler, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,206,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A schema-based device service that provides centralized access to per-user device data, wherein access to the device data is based on each user'"'"'s identity. The device service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user'"'"'s data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The device schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. A service such as a notification/alerts service accesses data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods, such as in order to customize or modify a notification for a device based on the device characteristics. In one implementation, the device schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user'"'"'s identification, defined role and scope for that role.

Claims

1. In a computer network, a method comprising,

providing a device schema, the device schema having device-related fields arranged into a content document with defined structures for the fields;

receiving a data access request directed to device information, the request including associated identity information; and

in response to the data access request, manipulating at least one set of data in a logical device document that includes data therein according to the associated identity information, each set of data in the logical device document structured to correspond to a field in the content document.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating at least one set of data comprises reading data from at least one field in the logical device document.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating at least one set of data comprises writing data to at least one field in the logical device document.

4. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the schema includes at least one defined field for extending the schema.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 4.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

5. In a computer network, a method comprising,

receiving a request to retrieve device data, the request including associated identity information;

reading from a data store to obtain device data based on the associated identity information;

constructing a device document including at least part of the data, the document arranged according to a defined schema for device data; and

returning the document in response to the request.

8. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a first set of data identifying a device;

a second set of data describing a set of at least one characteristic of the device; and

wherein the first and second sets of data are regularized according to a schema by a notification service such that a recipient of the data structure interprets the data according to the schema to handle information with respect to the device.

9. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the first set of data includes data corresponding to a device name.

10. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the first set of data includes data corresponding to a device identifier.

11. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the first set of data includes data corresponding to a device type.

12. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data identifying an operating system run by the device.

13. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to a set of at least one input method for inputting data to the device.

14. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data identifying hardware in the device

15. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to rendering capabilities of the device.

16. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to alerting capabilities of the device.

17. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to bandwidth for communicating data to and from the device.

18. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to a message limit specified for the device.

19. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to backchannel information associated with the device.

20. The data structure of claim 8 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to confirmation abilities of the device.

21. The data structure of claim 20 wherein the second set of data includes data corresponding to context status of the device.

22. In a computer network in which content is sent from an entity to a recipient device, a method comprising,

providing a device service, the device service providing device data formatted according to a device schema;

receiving from the entity a data access request directed to accessing device information, the request including associated identity information that identifies the recipient device; and

in response to the data access request, providing device data for the recipient device, the device data formatted according to the device schema.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising, at the entity, receiving the device data and modifying the content based on the device data before sending the modified content to the recipient device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein modifying the content comprises filtering the content based on a characteristic of the recipient device.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein modifying the content comprises filtering the content based on a rendering capability of the recipient device.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the content corresponds to an alert, and wherein modifying the content comprises filtering the content based on an alerting capability of the recipient device.