Distributed directory service using junction nodes for providing network users with an integrated hierarchical directory services

• US 7,502,832 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nolan, Sean P., Sanderman, David S., San Andres, Ramon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/911,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20050027796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 709/216, 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 707/1, 707/200, 707/10, 707/100, 707/201, 707/5, 707/8
• US Class Current: 709/216
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/201 between storage system components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A distributed directory service for an online services network. The directory service comprises multiple, separate services, referred to as “Directory Service Providers.” Each Directory Service Provider stores and provides access to a respective hierarchical directory structure, with nodes of the directory structures representing the various on-line services and other content entities which may be accessed by end users of the network. A common application program interface is implemented by all Directory Service Providers, allowing client applications running on computers of end users to access the different directory structures using a common set of software methods. Various forms of node filtering, including language-based filtering and access rights filtering, are performed by the Directory Service Providers to determine which nodes to show end users.

Claims

1. A distributed directory service for providing users of a computer network with a hierarchical directory of services on said network, comprising:

a plurality of groups of application servers providing a plurality of different services, each one of the plurality of services storing a respective plurality of content nodes within a respective hierarchical directory structure for the service; and

a plurality of junction nodes stored on the plurality of groups of application servers, the junction nodes linking the hierarchical directory structure with content nodes of different hierarchical directory structures to form an integrated hierarchical directory structure wherein the content node of the different hierarchical directory structure is not a child node of the junction node.

2. A directory service according to claim 1, wherein said integrated hierarchical directory structure is a directed acyclic graph.

3. A directory service according to claim 1, wherein each of said junction nodes serves as a proxy within one hierarchical directory structure for a corresponding content node of a different hierarchical directory structure.

4. A directory service according to claim 1, wherein each of said junction nodes provides user-transparent link between two of said hierarchical directory structures.

5. A directory service according to claim 1, further comprising an application program interface (API) for allowing client applications to navigate and access said content nodes stored by said plurality of different services using a common set of API methods, said API implemented at least in-part by each of said plurality of different service applications.

6. A directory service according to claim 1, wherein said content nodes stored by said plurality of different services represent online services and associated data entities of an online services network.

7. A directory service according to claim 1, further comprising a client application configured to allow a user to interactively navigate said integrated hierarchical directory structure via a graphical user interface.

8. A directory service according to claim 7, wherein said client application comprises a plurality of navigation modules corresponding, respectively, to said plurality of different services.

9. A distributed directory service according to claim 1, further comprising a client application that runs on a computer of a user and communicates over the network with the plurality of different service applications using a common application program interface, the client application configured to request node properties from the plurality of different service applications in response to actions of the user, and to use node properties returned by the plurality of different service applications to generate and display a graphical representation of the integrated hierarchical directory structure.

10. A node of a hierarchical directory structure, said node stored on an application server of an online services network, said node representing a service which may be accessed by users of said network via client applications running on client computers, said node comprising:

a first property stored within a memory of said application server, said first property comprising a textual description of said service; and

a second property stored within said memory of said application server, said second property identifying a service application corresponding to said service, said service application providing user access to said service.

11. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a remote properties cache on said application server, said remote properties cache temporarily storing at least one remote property of said node, said at least one remote property generated remotely by said service application.

12. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a security category of said node.

13. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying at least one language of said node.

14. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying at least one geographic region to which said node applies.

15. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a downloadable icon bitmap which corresponds to said node.

16. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a downloadable sound file which corresponds to said node, said sound file specifying sounds generated on said client computers in association with said node.

17. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a download-and-run file which corresponds to said node.

18. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a downloadable banner object which corresponds to said node.

19. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying at least one parent node of said node.

20. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a content rating of said service.

21. A node according to claim 10, further comprising a third property stored within said memory of said application server, said third property specifying a price associated with accessing said service.

22. A distributed directory service for providing users of a computer network with a hierarchical directory of services on said network, comprising:

a plurality of groups of application servers providing a plurality of different services, each one of the plurality of services storing a respective plurality of content nodes within a respective hierarchical directory structure for the service;

a plurality of junction nodes stored on the plurality of groups of application servers, the junction nodes linking content nodes of different hierarchical directory structures to form an integrated hierarchical directory structure, each of the junction nodes serves as a proxy within one hierarchical directory structure for a corresponding content node of a different hierarchical directory structure, each of the junction nodes provides user transparent link between two of said hierarchical directory structures, and wherein the content node of the different hierarchical directory structure is not a child node of the junction nodes; and

a client application configured to allow a user to interactively navigate said integrated hierarchical directory structure via a graphical user interface.