Messaging system with application-defined states

• US 6,442,546 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jones, Mark Alan, Jagadish, Hosagrahar Visvesvaraya, Srivastava, Divesh, Rabinovich, Michael, Panagos, Euthimios, Hjalmtysson, Gisli, Biliris, Alexandros
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/222,881
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/103, 707/200, 707/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A messaging system in which a core messaging infrastructure stores and manages messaging attributes, but applications external to the core infrastructure define and modify most attributes. Attribute types may be easily defined or modified, the manner in which attribute values are obtained may be easily defined or modified, and the entity types to which attributes are assigned may be easily defined or modified. The messaging system includes a plurality of messaging entities, such as messages, folders, and users, a plurality of attributes associated with the messaging entities, and a plurality of applications. Each application is operable to examine and modify at least some of the messaging entities and attributes. An application selection device is operable to examine at least some of the messaging entities and at least some of the attributes and to select an application to be invoked, from among the plurality of applications, based on values of the examined messaging entities and attributes. An application invocation device invokes the selected application. The applications may define and modify a type of an attribute and/or may define and modify an association of an attribute with a messaging entity.

Claims

1. A messaging system comprising:

a core messaging infrastructure including a plurality of messaging entities and a plurality of attributes which are associated with the messaging entities;

a plurality of applications which are external to the core messaging infrastructure and are operable to examine and modify at least some of the messaging entities and attributes of the core messaging infrastructure; and

an application selection device operable to examine at least some of the messaging entities and at least some of the attributes and select an application to be invoked, from among the plurality of applications, based on values of the examined messaging entities and attributes.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an application invocation device invoking the selected application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one application is operable to define and modify a value of an attribute.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the messaging entities comprise messages, folders, and users.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one application is operable to define and modify an association of an attribute with a messaging entity.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one attribute is associated with a relationship among entities.

7. A method of operating a messaging system comprising a core messaging infrastructure having a plurality of messaging entities and a plurality of attributes associated with the messaging entities, and a plurality of applications which are external to the external messaging infrastructure and are operable to examine and modify at least some of the messaging entities and attributes of the core messaging infrastructure, the method comprising the steps of:

examining at least some of the messaging entities and at least some of the attributes; and

selecting an application to be invoked, from among the plurality of applications, based on values of the examined messaging entities and attributes.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

invoking the selected application.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one application is operable to define and modify a value of an attribute.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the messaging entities comprise messages, folders, and users.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one application is operable to define and modify an association of an attribute with a messaging entity.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one attribute is associated with a relationship among entities.

13. A messaging system comprising:

a core messaging infrastructure including a plurality of messaging entities and a plurality of attributes which are associated with the messaging entities;

a plurality of applications which are external to the core messaging infrastructure and are operable to examine and modify at least some of the messaging entities and attributes of the core messaging infrastructure;

means for examining at least some of the messaging entities and at least some of the attributes; and

means for selecting an application to be invoked, from among the plurality of applications, based on values of the examined messaging entities and attributes.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for invoking the selected application.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one application is operable to define and modify a value of an attribute.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the messaging entities comprise messages, folders, and users.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one application is operable to define and modify an association of an attribute with a messaging entity.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one attribute is associated with a relationship among entities.