WEB SERVICE API FOR UNIFIED CONTACT STORE

• US 20130117768A1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kashiramka, Komal, Gheorghe, Bogdan, Kuzior, Matthew C., Gopez, Alfred Kenneth S., Fields, Brendan C., Xiao, Jucheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

An Application Programming Interface (API) provides functions for interacting with contact lists and contacts that are stored in a unified contact store by a primary contact service. For example, a client of a unified communications service may use the API to access contact information that is stored with a primary contact service (e.g. a messaging application/service). The contact information is maintained by the primary contact service. The API includes functions such as, but not limited to: adding a new IM contact to a group, adding a new IM group, removing an IM contact from a group, adding a distribution group to an IM list, getting an IM item list, and tagging an IM contact. The contacts may be obtained from the primary contact service and temporarily stored by the client (e.g. within a cache) of a different service.

Claims

1. A method for managing contacts of a different service that are stored with a primary contact service using an Application Programming Interface (API), comprising:

determining when to migrate contacts from the different service to the primary contact service;

receiving a call at the primary service from the different service through the API that includes functions comprising at least a majority of;

adding a new IM contact to a group;

adding a new IM group;

removing an IM contact from a group;

adding a distribution group to an IM list;

getting an IM item list; and

tagging an IM contact;

performing an operation at the primary service as determined by the received call that affects at least one contact stored with the primary service and used by the different service; and

providing information to the different service in response to the received call.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising parsing the call to determine a context parameter that specifies authentication information that is used to authenticate a user and associate the user with the primary contact service.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a cached copy of a contact list at the different service that is obtained from the primary contact service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding a new IM contact to a group within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to add to a group that is stored with the primary contact service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing an IM contact from a group within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to remove from a group that is stored with the primary contact service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding a distribution group to an IM list within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies a distribution group to add to an IM list that is stored with the primary contact service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the getting an IM item list within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an item list to get from an IM item list that is stored with the primary contact service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the tagging an IM contact within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to tag that stored with the primary contact service.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for managing contacts of a different service that are stored with a primary contact service using an Application Programming Interface (API), comprising:

receiving a call at the primary service from the different service through the API that includes functions comprising;

adding a new IM contact to a group;

adding a new IM group;

removing an IM contact from a group;

adding a distribution group to an IM list;

getting an IM item list; and

tagging an IM contact;

performing an operation at the primary service as determined by the received call that affects at least one contact stored with the primary service and used by the different service; and

providing information to the different service in response to the received call.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the adding a new IM contact to a group within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to add to a group that is stored with the primary contact service.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the removing an IM contact from a group within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to remove from a group that is stored with the primary contact service.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the adding a distribution group to an IM list within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies a distribution group to add to an IM list that is stored with the primary contact service.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the getting an IM item list within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an item list to get from an IM item list that is stored with the primary contact service.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the tagging an IM contact within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to tag that stored with the primary contact service.

15. A system for managing contacts of a different service that are stored with a primary contact service using an Application Programming Interface (API), comprising:

a network connection that is coupled to tenants of the multi-tenant service;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and

a contacts manager operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to;

parse a call associated with the API that includes a majority of the following functions comprising;

adding a new IM contact to a group;

adding a new IM group;

removing an IM contact from a group;

adding a distribution group to an IM list;

getting an IM item list; and

tagging an IM contact;

perform an operation as determined by the received call that affects at least one contact stored within a unified contacts store at the primary service and used by a different service; and

providing information to the different service in response to the received call.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising parsing the call to determine a context parameter that specifies authentication information that is used to authenticate a user and associate the user with the primary contact service.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the adding a new IM contact to a group within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to add to a group that is stored with the primary contact service.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the removing an IM contact from a group within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an IM contact to remove from a group that is stored with the primary contact service.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the adding a distribution group to an IM list within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies a distribution group to add to an IM list that is stored with the primary contact service.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the getting an IM item list within the API comprises a call that includes a context parameter and a request parameter that specifies an item list to get from an IM item list that is stored with the primary contact service.