System, method, and computer storage medium for establishing sharing of resources with reciprocal requests included in sharing messages

• US 7,587,501 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hamid, Amer G., Frankel, Glenn L., Stillion, Cameron D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin; Kenny S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dailey; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/004,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/229, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Electronic messages are used to request, accept and decline sharing resources. A PIM may be used to generate the sharing messages. A user can accept or decline a resource sharing request (e.g., to share access to a calendar, a contacts list and a tasks list) by selecting an option within the electronic message. In particular, a sharing message can be sent via e-mail which sets permissions for others to view a user'"'"'s information. The sharing message may include a reciprocal sharing request. The sharing message can include both a statement that the initiator is sharing data as well as a request to allow the initiator to share the recipient'"'"'s data. A sharing protocol is defined that relates to establishing and managing a sharing relationship between clients and sharing providers. A sharing infrastructure is includes a framework for sharing.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for establishing sharing of a resource, comprising:

receiving, from an initiator, a first indication of a first resource to share, wherein the first resource is at least one of;

a calendar;

a contacts list; and

a tasks list;

and the first resource is subject to permissions that cause the first resource to be accessible to the initiator and inaccessible to a participant;

receiving, from the initiator, a second indication to share the first resource with the participant;

generating a sharing message by selecting the participant and the first resource to share from within a draft of an email, prior to the sharing message being sent to the participant,

wherein the sharing message includes sharing properties for accessing the first resource and a reciprocal sharing request requesting access for the initiator to an existing second resource of the participant, wherein the reciprocal sharing request includes a selectable option within the sharing message that allows the participant to accept or decline the reciprocal sharing request;

sending the email including the sharing message to the participant from the initiator; and

receiving, from the initiator, changes to the permissions such that the first resource is accessible to the participant, wherein the changed permissions grant the participant ongoing access to the first resource such that updates made by the initiator to the first resource are automatically available to the participant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving by the initiator a response message after the participant has selected the option, wherein the response message indicates whether the reciprocal sharing request has been accepted.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the initiator to adjust a sharing configuration associated with the first resource.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adding the first resource to a Personal Information Manager program associated with the participant.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising including a personal message within the sharing message.

6. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for establishing sharing of a resource, the instructions comprising:

receiving, from an initiator, a first indication of a first resource to share, wherein the first resource is at least one of;

a calendar;

a contacts list; and

a tasks list

and the first resource is subject to first permissions that cause the first resource to be accessible to the initiator and inaccessible to a participant;

receiving, from the initiator, a second indication to share the first resource with the participant;

generating a sharing message by selecting the participant and the first resource to share from within a draft of an email, prior to the sharing message being sent to the participant,

wherein the sharing message includes first sharing properties for accessing the first resource and a reciprocal sharing request requesting access for the initiator to an existing second resource of the participant, wherein the second resource is subject to second permissions that cause the second resource to be accessible to the participant and inaccessible to the initiator;

sending the email including the sharing message to the participant from the initiator;

receiving, from the initiator, changes to the first permissions such that the first resource is accessible to the participant, wherein the changed first permissions grant the participant ongoing access to the first resource such that updates made by the initiator to the first resource are automatically available to the participant;

receiving a response message from the participant that the reciprocal sharing request has been accepted by the participant, wherein the response message includes second sharing properties for accessing the second resource; and

storing at least the first sharing properties with the first resource.

7. The computer storage medium of claim 6, wherein generating the sharing message comprises including the reciprocal sharing request when selected by the initiator.

8. The computer storage medium of claim 6, further comprising allowing the initiator to adjust a sharing configuration associated with the first resource.

9. The computer storage medium of claim 6, further comprising automatically adding the first resource to an email program associated with the participant.

10. The computer storage medium of claim 8, further comprising including a personal message within the electronic message.

11. A system for establishing sharing of a resource, comprising:

a first computing device coupled to a network, including;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

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

a display; and

an application operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to perform actions, including;

receiving, from an initiator, a first indication of a first resource to share, wherein the first resource is at least one of;

a calendar;

a contacts list; and

a tasks list;

and the first resource is subject to first permissions that cause the resource to be accessible to the initiator and inaccessible to a participant;

receiving, from the initiator, a second indication to share the first resource with the participant;

generating a sharing message by selecting the participant and the first resource to share from within a draft of an email, prior to the sharing message being sent to the participant, wherein the sharing message includes sharing properties for accessing the first resource and a reciprocal sharing request requesting access for the initiator to an existing second resource of the participant, wherein the reciprocal sharing request includes a selectable option within the sharing message that allows the participant to accept or decline the reciprocal sharing request, and wherein the second resource is subject to second permissions that cause the second resource to be accessible to the participant and inaccessible to the initiator;

sending the email including the sharing message to the participant from the initiator;

receiving, from the initiator, changes to the first permissions such that the first resource is accessible to the participant, wherein the changed first permissions grant the participant ongoing access to the first resource such that updates made by the initiator to the first resource are automatically available to the participant; and

storing at least the first sharing properties with the first resource; and

a second computing device coupled to the network, including;

a second processor and a second computer-readable medium;

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

a second display; and

a second application operating under the control of the second operating environment and operative to perform actions, including;

receiving the email;

displaying the email to the participant;

determining whether the participant has accepted the reciprocal sharing request and when the participant has accepted the reciprocal sharing request sending a response message to the first computing device, wherein the response message includes second sharing properties for accessing the second resource; and

storing at least the second sharing properties with the second resource.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the application on the first computing device is further configured to adjust a sharing configuration associated with the first resource.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the application on the first computing device is further configured to include a personal message within the email.