Enhanced Client And Server Systems for Operating Collaboratively Within Shared Workspaces

• US 20090327405A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: FitzGerald, Maura Janet, Richardson, Ransom Lloyd, Zircher, Dana, Fischer, Edward J., Ramkumar, Nithya, Slapikoff, Gail Elaine
• Application Number:
  US12/163,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327405A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Tools and techniques are described for enhanced client and server systems for operating collaboratively within shared workspaces. These tools may provide methods that include receiving document content associated with a workspace that is shared with one or more client systems. The client system may facilitate and manage the shared workspace. These methods may include receiving search commands that reference a search string, and searching the document content within the shared workspace for the search string. If the search string occurs anywhere within the shared workspace, the methods may report where the search string occurs within the shared workspace.

Claims

1. At least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a client system operable with at least one server system, cause the client system to perform a method comprising:

accessing a library maintained by the server system, wherein the library includes at least one folder that further includes at least one document, wherein the document is associated with binary content and metadata;

syncing the binary content and the metadata for the document from the server system to the client system;

revising the binary content and the metadata on the client system;

syncing the revised binary content and metadata to the server system, or to a further client system in a peer-to-peer relationship with the client system;

receiving an indication of at least one conflict involving the revisions made on the client system to the binary content or metadata, wherein the conflict further involves revisions made to the document on at least the further client system; and

enabling resolution of the conflict on the client system.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the library defines a plurality of content types that are available within the library, wherein the content types define respective sets of properties.

3. The storage medium of claim 2, wherein the library includes at least one folder, and wherein the library specifies for that folder at least a subset of the content types.

4. The storage medium of claim 3, wherein the folder specifies a value for at least one of the properties.

5. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the content types defines a document template.

6. The storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions creating a new document on the client system, based on a document template synced from the server system to the client system.

7. The storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions enabling the client system to specify that all updates to the binary content of the document are to be synced automatically to the client system.

8. The storage medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions enabling the client system to specify that all updates to the binary content of all documents within the folder are to be synced automatically to the client system.

9. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for receiving an indication of at least one conflict include instructions for receiving an indication of at least one conflicting edit made to the document on the client system and at least the further client system.

10. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for receiving an indication of at least one conflict include instructions for receiving an indication of at least one hierarchical conflict made to the document on the client system and at least the further client system.

11. The storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for receiving an indication of at least one hierarchical conflict include instructions for receiving a conflict arising between revisions made to the document on the client system and further revisions made to the folder on the further client system.

12. At least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a server system operable with at least one client system, cause the server system to perform a method comprising:

provide a library that includes at least one folder, wherein the folder further includes at least one document;

associating a public view with the folder, wherein the public view specifies how information associated with the folder is to be presented in a user interface displayed on the client system;

detecting that a user accessing the client system has navigated into the folder;

sending a representation of the public view to the client system; and

enabling the client system to present the public view associated with the folder to the user.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions enabling the client system to apply a view that was previously selected by the user, when presenting the folder to the user.

14. The storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for providing a preview pane on the client system, in response to detecting that the user has navigated into the folder.

15. The storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions for detecting that the user has selected the document, and wherein the instructions for providing a preview pane include instructions for providing a preview of content included within the selected document.

16. The storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for maintaining versioning information associated with at least the document.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for maintaining versioning information include instructions enabling the server system to define a first part of the version information, and enabling the client system to define a second part of the version information.

18. At least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a client system operable with at least one server system, cause the client system to perform a method comprising:

receiving document content associated with a workspace shared with at least a further client system, as facilitated by the server system;

receiving at least one search command that references a search string;

searching the document content within the workspace for the search string; and

reporting any occurrences of the search string within the workspace.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions enabling the user to navigate to any occurrences of the search string within the workspace.

20. The storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions for presenting at least one link on the client system, wherein the link is responsive to user input to navigate to at least one occurrence of the search string within the workspace.