Schema packaging, distribution and availability

• US 20070050404A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Xue, Song, Hunter, Jason, Nettleton, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A system and/or methodology that enables schema packaging, distribution and availability. Aspects of the invention employ signing technology to facilitate secure definition of a schema package. The system and/or methodology can also include the schema package as a resource in a client-side assembly thereby guaranteeing that exactly the same infrastructure used to discover the assembly will be leverageable in discovery of the schema package(s). Other aspects can include the schema package as a satellite assemble or as a separate file. In these scenarios, the invention can facilitate constructing and distributing the schema package and information necessary to enable the client to interact with the store with regard to uninstalled schemas.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates availability of a schema package, comprising:

a packaging component that signs a strong name for the schema package; and

a distribution component that locates the schema package and facilitates availability of the schema package for injection into a store.

2. The system of claim 1, the packaging component creates an intrinsic relationship between the schema package and a client-side assembly.

3. The system of claim 2, the packaging component embeds the signed schema package into the client-side assembly as a resource.

4. The system of claim 2, the packaging component deploys the signed schema package as a satellite assembly.

5. The system of claim 2, the packaging component deploys the signed schema package as a separate file.

6. The system of claim 2, the distribution component comprises:

a discovery component that facilitates locating the schema package based at least in part upon the intrinsic relationship with the client-side assembly; and

a loading component that facilitates access to the schema package.

7. The system of claim 2, the packaging component signs the schema package and the client-side assembly using a common cryptographic key.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising an authenticode component that associates the signed schema package with at least one of an individual and an organization.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising a compression component that compresses the signed schema package component and decreases transmission overhead of the schema package.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising an encryption component that facilitates encryption of the signed schema package.

11. A computer-implemented method of distributing a schema, comprising:

signing a schema package with a cryptographic key;

signing a client-side assembly with the cryptographic key; and

distributing the schema package based at least in part upon the cryptographic key.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising embedding the signed schema package as a resource in the client-side assembly.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising designating the schema package as a satellite assembly related to the client-side assembly.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising generating a separate file from the schema package and relating the separate file to the client-side assembly.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, the act of distributing further comprises:

discovering the schema package based at least in part upon the cryptographic key; and

loading the schema package for use by an application.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising associating the schema package to at least one of a specific individual and an organization.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising compressing the schema package prior to the act of distributing.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising, encrypting the schema package prior to the act of distributing.

19. A system that facilitates distribution of a schema package, comprising:

means for signing a schema package with a cryptographic key;

means for signing a client-side assembly with the cryptographic key;

means for embedding the schema package into a client-side assembly as a resource of the client-side assembly; and

means for automatically discovering the schema package for use by an application.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for automatically accessing the schema package upon instantiation of a schematized type included within the schema package.