Secure sharing of LOB bound information in client applications

• US 7,707,298 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Rakesh, Sundar, Shyam J., Kumar, Namendra, Gopal, Burra
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/746,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-226, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Secure sharing of bound information is enabled in client applications associated with a backend LOB service. Bound item IDs are assigned to newly created bound items by a client, the items synchronized with the LOB system, a correlation ID received in response to the synchronization, and the two IDs mapped. A reverse sequence of actions is performed when the LOB service creates the bound item. In response to an attempt by a client to exchange bound information, the item is placed in a pending state and allowed to be received by a receiver upon successful completion of data transfer and LOB system permission of the exchange passing the bound item ID and the correlation ID. If the LOB system rejects the exchange, the item is placed in an unbound state and the receiver not allowed to receive the bound information.

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for providing secure sharing of bound items between clients associated with a Line Of Business (LOB) service, the method comprising:

in response to detecting an exchange attempt for a bound item, placing, by the computing device, the bound item in a pending state, the bound item comprising bound information, the bound information comprising identifiable information, with at least one of a unique name and an identifier, that is directly under the control of at least one of the clients and is simultaneously tracked and maintained by the LOB service;

forwarding, by the computing device, the exchange attempt to the LOB service;

if data transfer is successfully completed and affirmation is received from the LOB service, moving, by the computing device, the bound item to a bound state enabling a receiver to access the bound item and associated bound data;

if data transfer is successfully completed but affirmation is not received from the LOB service, moving, by the computing device, the bound item to an unbound state preventing the receiver from accessing the bound data associated with the bound item; and

if data transfer is not successfully completed, moving, by the computing device, the bound item to a failed state and notifying a sender attempting the exchange.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a client generated bound item ID assigned to a newly created bound item;

synchronizing the bound item with the LOB service;

receiving a correlation ID from the LOB service in response to the synchronization wherein the client generated bound item ID is not understood by the LOB service and wherein the correlation ID is used as a parameter to identify the bound information; and

mapping the correlation ID with the client generated bound item ID.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bound item ID and the correlation ID are used to notify the LOB service and receive the affirmation from the LOB service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a warning to a user attempting the exchange that the bound item is to be modified to an unbound item at a receiver if a correlation ID does not exist at the LOB service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the affirmation from the LOB service includes bound data and a correlation ID.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the correlation ID upon moving the bound item to one of the bound and unbound states.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the bound item includes encrypted information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the LOB service to apply a set of compliance and authorization rules to the exchange before affirming the exchange.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein access to the bound item in the pending state is restricted until the LOB affirmation is received.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a web service to one of complete and refresh the bound item based on a client signature maintained by the web service.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the bound item includes at least one from a set of:

an appointment, a meeting request, a task, and an electronic message.

12. A system for providing secure sharing of bound items by a client application associated with an LOB service, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute program modules including;

a collaborative application to provide a user interface and maintain records associated with calendar items of a user, wherein a portion of the calendar items are bound items with extended LOB properties, the bound items comprising bound information, the bound information comprising identifiable information, with at least one of a unique name and an identifier that is directly under the control of the client application and is simultaneously tracked and maintained by the LOB service;

a bound item manager module configured to;

receive a client generated bound item ID assigned to a newly created bound item;

receive a correlation ID from the LOB service in response to synchronizing the bound item, wherein the client generated bound item ID is not understood by the LOB service and wherein the correlation ID is used as a parameter to identify the bound information;

map the correlation ID with the client generated bound item ID;

place the bound item in a pending state in response to detecting an exchange attempt for the bound item;

move the bound item to a bound state enabling a receiver to access bound data associated with the bound item in response to successful data completion and affirmation from the LOB service;

move the bound item to an unbound state preventing the receiver from accessing the bound data in response to a successful data completion but lack of affirmation from the LOB service;

move the bound item to a failed state and notifying a sender attempting the exchange in response to an unsuccessful data completion;

request affirmation from the LOB system using the correlation ID and the bound item ID, wherein the LOB service determines whether to allow the exchange based on a set of authorization and compliance rules; and

a synchronization module to synchronize bound items between the collaborative application and the LOB service.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the bound item is exchanged as an entire object.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the bound item manager maps the bound item ID and the correlation ID such that the LOB service is aware of the correlation ID only and the collaborative application is aware of the bound item ID only.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the bound item manager is further configured to restrict access to a partially filled bound item at a receiver client.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the correlation ID is a property attached to the bound item by the bound item manager during one of an exchange attempt and a synchronization attempt, and wherein the correlation ID is removed upon completion of the attempt.

17. A computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon for securely sharing bound items between clients associated with an LOB service, the instructions comprising:

receiving a client generated bound item ID assigned to a newly created bound item, the bound item comprising bound information, the bound information comprising identifiable information, with at least one of a unique name and an identifier, that is directly under the control of at least one of the clients and is simultaneously tracked and maintained by the LOB service;

receiving a correlation ID from the LOB service in response to synchronizing the bound item, wherein the client generated bound item ID is not understood by the LOB service and wherein the correlation ID is used as a parameter to identify the bound information;

mapping the correlation ID with the client generated bound item ID;

placing the bound item in a pending state in response to detecting an exchange attempt for the bound item; and

moving the bound item to a bound state enabling a receiver to access bound data associated with the bound item in response to successful data completion and affirmation from the LOB service;

moving the bound item to an unbound state preventing the receiver from accessing the bound data in response to a successful data completion but lack of affirmation from the LOB service; and

moving the bound item to a failed state and notifying a sender attempting the exchange in response to an unsuccessful data completion.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

removing the correlation ID from the bound item in the pending state upon receiving one of the affirmation and lack of affirmation from the LOB.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the exchange includes one of a send action and a forward action.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the unbound item is inaccessible to the receiver in the pending state.