Accounting for references between a client and server that use disparate e-mail storage formats

• US 7,031,973 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thangarathnam, Manikandan, Natarajan, Krishnamurti
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Application Number:
  US10/167,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20030229644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 702/20, 709/214
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

In one exemplary implementation, a client receives a record from a server. The record has a server identification key that uniquely identifies the record from any other records. If the record is viewable by a user in one or more folders, there are corresponding one or more associated references that indicate which one of the one or more folders the record is viewable For each of the one or more associated references, one or more new records identical to the received record are created. One or more client identification keys are assigned to the one or more new client records; wherein each of the one or more client identification keys uniquely identifies the one or more new client records. Each of the one or more new client records are synchronized to the record received from the server by mapping the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key.

Claims

1. A method of operating a client, comprising:

receiving a record from a server, the record being stored on the server in a flat database in a first storage format, the record having a server identification key that uniquely identifies the record from other records, wherein the record is viewable by a user in a plurality of folders, and wherein the record is referenced by a plurality of references contained in different ones of the folders;

creating a respective new client record in a client database for the references that reference the record on the server, wherein the new client records are identical to one another and stored in the client database in a further storage format different than the first storage format, and wherein the client database is structured as a hierarchical database;

assigning one or more client identification keys to the one or more new client records;

wherein the one or more client identification keys uniquely identifies the one or more new client records; and

synchronizing the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server, by mapping the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising storing the one or more new client records in one or more folders in a client database that minors the one or more folders indicated by the one or more associated references for the received record;

and storing the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key in a mapping table.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising querying the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the identification key, to identify the one or more new client records that correspond to the same server identification key, if changes are made by a user to the record, the one or more references, and/or one or more new client records.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising querying the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the identification key, to identify the one or more new client records that correspond to the same server identification key, if changes are made by a user to the record, the one or more references, and/or the one or more new client records;

and

re-synchronizing the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key, to reflect the changes made by the user.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising constructing a mapping table by storing the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key of the record received from the server.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the client is operating a Microsoft®

Outlook®

messaging program and the server is a Lotus Domino/Notes type server.

7. One or more computer-readable recording media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 1.

8. A method, comprising:

operating an e-mail application program on a client database that uses a different storage format than a server database for storing records associated with the e-mail application program, wherein the client database is organized as a hierarchical database;

ascertaining server identification keys from records received from the server database, wherein the server database is organized as a flat database, the server identification keys uniquely identifying the records; and

creating a mapping table that uses the server identification keys as a basis to synchronize a storage format in which a plurality of identical new client records corresponding to a record received from the server database are stored in the client database, wherein the identical new client records correspond to references to the record as stored in the server database, wherein the creating is performed in connection with at least one of storing, adding, modifying and deleting the records or the one or more new client records.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein e-mail application program is Microsoft®

Outlook®

application software.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the server is a Lotus Domino/Notes type server.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the records contain one or more references that indicate tat the records are viewable by a user in one or more folders.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising storing the one or more new client records in one or more folders and later using the server identification key from the mapping table to identify any of the one or more new records tat are related.

13. One or more computer-readable recording media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 8.

14. A method of operating a client, comprising:

receiving a record at the client from a server associated with an e-mail application program, the record being stored according to a first storage format in a flat database on the server, the server containing a plurality of references with the record, the references corresponding to respective folders on the server from which the record can be viewed by a user;

creating on the client new records corresponding to the references to the record as contained on the server, the new records on the client being identical with one another and having a further storage format that is different from the first storage format for storage on the client;

storing the new records in a hierarchical database resident with the client in folders indicated by the plurality of references referencing the record on the server; and

mapping the one or more corresponding new records to the record received from the sewer to synchronize the first storage format with the further storage format.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein mapping the one or more corresponding new records to the record received from the server includes ascertaining an identification key from the record and storing the identification key with the new records.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising updating the mapping for the one or more corresponding new records to the record received from the server, when the record received from the server or the one or more the new records are moved, deleted, added and/or modified.

17. One or more computer-readable recording media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 14.

18. A client, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

a display coupled to said processor;

at least one input device coupled to said processor;

an e-mail application program connector, coupled to said processor, for receiving a record that is stored on a server in a flat database in a first storage format, the server containing a plurality of references to the record, the references corresponding respectively to folders on the server from which the record is viewable by a user, the e-mail application program connector configured to create a plurality of new client records corresponding respectively to the references, the new client records being identical to one another and stored in a hierarchical database in a further storage format that is different than the first storage format, and the new client records corresponding to the received record and accommodating for the different storage format used by the client to maintain records than the server, and a mapping table, stored in the memory to synchronize the further storage format of the new records with the first storage format of the received record, in the event there are changes made to any of the new records or the received record.

19. The client as recited in claim 18, wherein the e-mail application program connector serves to interface an e-mail application program containing computer-executable instructions executable by the processor.

20. The client as recited in claim 18, wherein the received record has one or more references indicative of one or more folders in which the record is viewable by a user.

21. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a record from a server that is stored in a first storage format in a flat database, the record having a server identification key that uniquely identifies the record from any other records on the server, wherein the record is viewable by a user in a plurality of folders on the server, and wherein the sewer contains references corresponding respectively to the folders on the server in which the record is viewable by the user;

means for creating respective new client records corresponding to the references to the record as contained on the server, wherein the new client records are identical to one another and are stored in a hierarchical client database in a further storage format different than the first storage format;

means for assigning client identification keys to the new client records;

wherein the client identification keys uniquely identify the new client records; and

means for synchronizing the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the client identification keys to the server identification key.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising means for storing the one or more new client records in one or more folders in a client database that mirrors the one or more folders indicated by the one or more references received from the server.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising means for querying the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the identification key, to identify the one or more new client records that correspond to the same server identification key, if changes are made by a user to the record, the one or more references, and/or one or more new client records.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising means for querying the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the identification key, to identify the one or more new client records that correspond to the same server identification key, if changes are made by a user to the record, the one or more references, and/or the one or more new client records;

and

means for re-synchronizing the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key, to reflect the changes made by the user.

25. The system as recited in claim 21, further comprising means for constructing a mapping table by storing the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key of the record received from the server.

26. One or more computer-readable recording media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a computer system to:

receive a record from a server that is stored in a first storage format in a flat server database, the record having a server identification key that uniquely identifies the record from any other records on the server, wherein the record is viewable by a user in a plurality of folders on the server, and wherein the server includes references corresponding respectively to the folders on the server in which the record is viewable by the user;

create new client records corresponding respectively to the references to the record on the server, wherein the new client records created for the record are identical to one another, and wherein the new client records are stored in a hierarchical client database in a further storage format different than the first storage format,

assign client identification keys to the new client records;

wherein the client identification keys uniquely identify the new client records; and

synchronize the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the client identification keys to the server identification key.

27. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 26, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to store the one or more new client records in one or more folders in a client database that mirrors the one or more folders indicated by the one or more references received from the server.

28. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 26, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to query the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the identification key, to identify the one or more new client records that correspond to the same server identification key, if changes are made by a user to the record, the one or more references, and/or one or more new client records.

29. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 26, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed direct the computer system to query the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the identification key, to identify the one or more new client records that correspond to the same server identification key, if changes are made by a user to the record, the one or more references, and/or the one or more new client records;

and

re-synchronize the further storage format in which the new client records are stored with the first storage format in which the record is received from the server by mapping the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key, to reflect the changes made by the user.

30. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 26, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to construct a mapping table by storing the mapping of the one or more client identification keys to the server identification key of the record received from the sewer.

31. One or more computer-readable recording media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a computer system to:

operate an e-mail application program on a client database that uses a different storage format than a server database for storing records associated with the e-mail application program, wherein the client database is organized as a hierarchical database;

ascertain server identification keys from records received from the server database, wherein the server database is organized as a flat database, the server identification keys uniquely identifying the records; and

create a mapping table that uses the server identification key as a basis to synchronize a storage format in which a plurality of identical new client records corresponding to a record received from the server database are stored in the client database, wherein the identical new client records correspond to references to the record as stored in the server database, wherein the creating is performed in connection with at least one of storing, adding, modifying and deleting the records or the one or more new client records.

32. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 31, wherein the e-mail application program is Microsoft®

Outlook®

application software.

33. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 31, wherein the server is a Lotus Domino/Notes type server.

34. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 31, wherein some of the records has one or more references that indicate that the records are viewable by a user in one or more folders.

35. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 31, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to store the one or more new client records in one or more folders and later using the server identification key from the mapping table to identify any of the one or more new records tat are related.

36. One or more computer-readable recording media having stared thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors of a computer system to:

receive a record at a client from a sewer associated with an e-mail application program, the record being stored according to a first storage format in a flat database on the server and having one or more references indicating folders on the server from which the record can be viewed by a user, wherein the record is referenced by a plurality of references contained in different ones of the folders;

create new client records corresponding respectively to the references, the new client records being in a further storage format different than the first storage format for storage on the client;

store the one or more new identical records in a hierarchical database resident with the client in folders indicated by the plurality of references referencing the record on the server; and

map the one or more corresponding new identical records to the record received from the server to synchronize the first storage format with the further storage format.

37. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 36, wherein mapping the one or more corresponding new records to the record received from the server includes ascertaining an identification key from the record and storing the identification key with the new records.

38. One or more computer-readable recording media as recited in claim 36, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computer system to update the mapping for the one or more corresponding new records to the record received from the server, when the record received from the server or the new records are moved, deleted, added and/or modified.