Maintaining structured time data for electronic messages

• US 20040088433A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shewchuk, John P., Kaler, Christopher G., Lucco, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A message processor accesses an electronic message. The message processor identifies from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data associated with the message processor. The message processor determines if a schema-based time marker within the electronic message should be modified. This can include signing a portion of time related message data to indicate to a subsequent message processor that the time related message data can be trusted. The message processor routes the message (either directly or through one or more intermediary message processors) to a destination message processor. The destination message process receives the message and processes the electronic message according to time related message data included in the message. This can include trusting the portion time related data that was singed by the message processor.

Claims

1. In a distributed system including a message processor capable of initiating an electronic message and routing the electronic message along a routing path towards a destination message processor, wherein the routing path may include one or more intermediary message processors, a method for the initiating message processor or any of the one or more intermediary message processors to process time related message data included in an electronic message, the method comprising:

an act of a accessing the electronic message;

an act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data associated with the accessing message processor;

an act of determining if a schema-based time marker within the electronic message should be modified by the accessing message processor; and

an act of routing the electronic message to another message processor included in the routing path.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of accessing the electronic message comprises accessing a SOAP Envelope.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises an act of identifying a schema-based time marker defined in accordance with an XML schema.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying encrypted time related message data.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying signed time related message data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that references the accessing message processor by URI.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates when the electronic message expires.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates when the electronic message can be ignored.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates when the electronic message was received.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates when the electronic message was sent.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates when the electronic message was created.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates a processing delay associated with the electronic message.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates that the electronic message was notarized.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data that indicates signatures within the electronic message should be validated.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data comprises identifying time related message data included in XML instructions in the header portion of a SOAP message.

16. The message as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of determining if the configuration of a schema-based time marker within the electronic message should be modified comprises an act of determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises changing time related message data included in the schema-based time marker in accordance with the schema used to define the schema-based time maker.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker within the message is to be modified comprises changing time related message data within a SOAP envelope.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises encrypting time related message data in the header of the electronic message.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises decrypting time related message data in the header of the electronic message.

21. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises signing time related message data in the header of the electronic message.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein signing time related message data in the header of the electronic message comprises adding a signature to time related message data that already includes signatures for one or more other message processors.

23. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises placing a portion of time related message data in escrow.

24. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises indicating that a portion of time related message data is to be processed by a particular message processor in the routing path by including a URI that references the particular message processor in a header portion of the electronic message.

25. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein determining that the configuration of the schema-based time marker is to be modified comprises notarizing a portion of time related message data.

26. In an intermediary message processor capable of receiving an electronic message and routing the electronic message along a routing path towards a destination message processor that trusts the intermediary message processor, wherein the routing path may include one or more other intermediary message processors, a method for the intermediary message processor to indicate to the destination message processor that a portion of time related message data included in an electronic message is valid, the method comprising:

an act of accessing an electronic message that is to be routed to the destination message processor, the electronic message containing at least a first schema-based time marker including time related message data, wherein the time related message data was inserted into the electronic message by a prior message processor;

an act of inserting a signature into the electronic message, wherein the signature, if processed by the destination message processor, indicates to the destination message processor that at least a portion of the time related message data within the first schema-based time marker should be trusted; and

an act of routing the message along the routing path to the destination message processor.

27. In a destination message processor capable of receiving an electronic message that was routed to the destination message processor along a routing path including one or more other intermediary message processors, a method for the destination message processor to process the electronic message in accordance with a schema, the method comprising:

an act of receiving an electronic message having at least one schema-based time marker including time related message data targeted to the destination message processor; and

an act of processing the electronic message according to the schema used to define the at least one schema-based time marker included in the electronic message.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the act of processing the electronic message according to the schema used to define the at least one schema-based time marker included in the electronic message comprises processing time related message data inserted into the electronic message by a first message processor as trusted time related message data because the time related message data was signed by a second message processor that is trusted by the destination message processor.

29. A computer program product for use in a distributed system including a message processor capable of initiating an electronic message and routing the electronic message along a routing path towards a destination message processor, the routing path including one or more intermediary message processors, the computer program product for implementing a method for the initiating message processor, any of the one or more intermediary message processors, or the destination message processor to process time related message data included in an electronic message, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for accessing the electronic message;

computer-executable instructions for identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data associated with the accessing message processor; and

computer-executable instructions for determining if a schema-based time marker within the message should be modified by the accessing message processor.

30. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein computer-executable instructions for accessing the electronic message further comprise computer-executable instructions for accessing a SOAP envelope.

31. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein computer-executable instructions for identifying from within the electronic message any schema-based time markers including time related message data further comprise computer-executable instructions for identifying time related message data structured in accordance with an XML schema.

32. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, wherein computer-executable instructions for determining if the configuration of schema-based time markers within the message should be modified further comprise computer-executable instructions for determining if XML instructions should be changed according to the XML schema that defines the schema-based time marker.

33. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

computer-executable instructions for routing the electronic message to a another message processor included in the routing path.

34. The computer program product as recited in claim 29, further compromising:

computer-executable instructions for terminating the message.

35. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure, the data structure comprising:

a first field representing the contents of an electronic message; and

a second field representing at least one schema-based time marker including structured time related message data associated with processing the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field.

36. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an immutable data field representing immutable time related message data structured in accordance with an XML schema, wherein the immutable time related message data is associated with processing the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field.

37. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

a mutable data field representing mutable time related message data structured in accordance with an XML schema, wherein the mutable time related message data is associated with processing the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field.

38. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an actor field representing at least one message processor to which at least a portion of the structured time related message data represented in the second field is directed.

39. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

a signature field representing that a portion of the structured time related message data in the second field was signed by at least one message processor.

40. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an encryption field representing that a portion of the structured time related message data in the second field is encrypted for at least one message processor.

41. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an expiration time field representing a time after which the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field expire.

42. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an ignore time field representing a time after which the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field can be ignored by message processors that receive the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field.

43. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

a processing delays field representing the amount of time between when a message processor received the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field and when the message processor sent the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field.

44. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an notary field representing that a portion of time related message data in the second field was notarized by a message processor.

45. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

a received time field representing a time when the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field were received at a message processor.

46. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an sent time field representing a time the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field were sent from a message processor.

47. The one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a data structure in accordance with claim 35, wherein the second field is comprised of:

an creation time field representing a time the contents of the electronic message represented in the first field were created.