System and Method for Improved Synchronization Between a Server and a Client

• US 20110161448A1
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lemarchand, Remi A., Gray, Ronald E., Curtis, Brent, Bonilla, Nicole A., Hartwell, Aaron, Warren, Joseph R., Novitskey, Robert R., Froelich, Karl, Power, Brendan
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A system and method for improved client and server communications, more particularly, an improved protocol that may be used for communication between a client and a server, such as in an email environment. Many features are provided for improved communications. An email server may provide the best message body available for an email message, may transfer an entire data object if requested property or properties are not well defined within the data object, may provide progress data for use in tracking download progress, and may send error information for a data object having an error. Email changes may be optimized at an email server component, even if the email changes occurred at another email server component. An email server may maintain a table of changes that occur to folders at an associated data store, and may notify a subscribed email client component of changes that occur in the table.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method of delivering email messages from an email server component to an email client component, the method comprising:

receiving at an email server component a request for delivery of one or more messages from an email client component, the request including an identifier of a body format preference;

for each of the one or more messages, selecting a body formatted according to the identifier;

transmitting the one or more messages from the email server component to the email client component, wherein the one or more messages each include a header and the selected body, the selected body based on the identifier.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the body of the messages is formatted according to a body format selected from a group of email message body formats comprising:

a Rich text format (RTF);

a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) format; and

a plain text format.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving at an email server component a second request for delivery of one or more messages from an email client component, the second request including a second identifier of a second body format preference different from the body format preference;

for each of the one or more messages responsive to the second request, selecting a body formatted according to the second identifier;

transmitting the one or more messages responsive to the second request from the email server component to the email client component, wherein the one or more messages each include a header and a body based on the second identifier.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the identifier is included in the request as a BEST_BODY flag.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the body has a non-standard body format.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein selecting a body for the one or more messages includes selecting a preexisting body formatted according to the identifier.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein transmitting the one or more messages from the email server component to the email client component comprises, for each of the one or more messages, transmitting the header prior to transmitting the body.

29. A method of requesting email messages from an email server component at an email client component, the method comprising:

transmitting from the email client component a request for delivery of one or more messages to an email server component, the request including an identifier of a body format preference; and

receiving one or more messages from the email server component at the email client component, wherein the one or more messages each include a header and a body, the body having the body format selected based on the identifier;

wherein the body format is a format selected from the group of email message body formats comprising a Rich text format (RTF), a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) format, and a plain text format.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising, at the email client component, converting the body to a second format different from the body format selected based on the identifier.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

transmitting to an email server component a second request for delivery of one or more messages from an email client component, the second request including a second identifier of a second body format preference different from the body format preference;

receiving one or more messages responsive to the second request from the email server component at the email client component, wherein the one or more messages each include a header and a body based on the second identifier.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the body of the messages received responsive to the second request is formatted according to a body format selected from the group of email message body formats comprising:

a Rich text format (RTF);

a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) format; and

a plain text format.

33. A method of synchronizing email messages between an email server component and an email client component, the method comprising:

receiving at an email server component a subscription request from an email client component, the subscription request representing a subscription to receive notification of changes in a plurality of folders;

upon detection of a change in any of the plurality of folders, transmitting a change notification identifying a change occurring within any one or more of the plurality of folders.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving at the email server component a request for delivery of one or more messages, the request identifying the one or more of the plurality of folders in which changes occurred and also including an identifier of a body format preference;

transmitting the one or more messages from the email server component to the email client component, wherein the one or more messages each include a header and a body, the body having the body format selected based on the identifier.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the subscription request comprises a single subscription request for all change notifications associated with a deep hierarchy table representing a user'"'"'s email message store.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein changes to a user'"'"'s email message store results in a change in the deep hierarchy table.

37. The method of claim 33, further comprising, upon detecting that no changes have occurred within a predetermined amount of time, transmitting a null response to the email client component.

38. A method of obtaining email messages from an email server component at an email client component, the method comprising:

transmitting to an email server component a subscription request from an email client component, the subscription request representing a subscription to receive notification of changes in a plurality of folders;

upon occurrence of a change in any of the plurality of folders, receiving a change notification identifying a change occurring within any one or more of the plurality of folders.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

transmitting to the email server component a request for delivery of one or more messages, the request identifying the one or more of the plurality of folders in which changes occurred and also including an identifier of a body format preference;

receiving the one or more messages from the email server component at the email client component, wherein the one or more messages each include a header and a body, the body having the body format selected based on the identifier.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising, upon occurrence of a predetermined amount of time, receiving a null response at the email client component indicating that no changes occurred in the plurality of folders.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the subscription request comprises a single subscription request for all change notifications associated with a deep hierarchy table representing a user'"'"'s email message store.