Contextual conversation framework

• US 8,543,654 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schindler, Christopher, Leung, Yiu-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/971,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 715751-759
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata

Abstract

A platform and end user interface are provided as part of a contextual communications framework for enabling developers to add context to conversations before they start or as they occur. The context may be consumed through a communication application user interface or through an application associated with a contextual document or file. The exchanged context and any updates to it may be stored following the conversation such that subsequent continuations of the conversation may be provided with the updated context.

Claims

1. A method executed at least in part by a computing device for providing a contextual conversation framework, the method comprising:

receiving a request to initiate a conversation through a communication application user interface;

compiling metadata associated with the conversation, wherein the metadata includes one or more of;

an origination of the request, a conversation history, and a plurality of user attributes;

determining an initiating user'"'"'s context based on the compiled metadata associated with the conversation;

providing the initiating user'"'"'s context to a receiving user as a conversation context;

defining a context definition including a definition file describing application-specific context data;

defining a receiving user'"'"'s context based on the initiating user'"'"'s context;

defining a plurality of steps for building a conversation context;

transmitting the receiving user'"'"'s context along with a conversation invite, the plurality of steps for building the conversation context, and the context definition as a package;

establishing a context channel between the initiating user and the receiving user activated at a context application at the receiving user'"'"'s client such that real time data, including one of;

contextual data and a document, is exchanged for sharing a conversation context while the conversation is being facilitated;

verifying the conversation context at a context trust model for establishing application trust of one or more applications associated with the initiating user and the receiving user, wherein the trust is determined from registration of an application, associated behavior and supporting URLs and paths used;

upon conclusion of the conversation updating the conversation context; and

enabling one or more applications to store a conversation history, publish and subscribe to the updated conversation context.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication application user interface is embedded into a context application user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication application user interface includes an embedded user interface for the context application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication application user interface is a context menu activated within a list view of a collaboration application user interface in response to selection of an item in the list view.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating one of an embedded and an attached context application user interface in conjunction with a communication application user interface of the receiving user to process contextual data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the embedded and the attached context application user interfaces include partial control capability.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating a rich client application with full control capability for the receiving user to process contextual data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing conversation history for providing context to subsequent conversation sessions along with the updated conversation context.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the updated conversation context in a context application data store such that a subsequent conversation session is initiated using the updated conversation context.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the context application includes one of:

a word processing application, a spreadsheet application, a presentation application, a calendar application, an analysis application, a scheduling application, a drawing application, an audio processing application, a business application, and a video processing application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversation is facilitated employing one or more modalities that include at least one from a set of:

audio, video, data sharing, application sharing, whiteboarding, text messaging, email exchange, and online conferencing.

12. A server in a communication system for managing a contextual conversation framework, the server comprising:

a memory storing instructions;

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor executing at least one communication application and at least one context application in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the communication application is configured to;

capture an initiating user'"'"'s context in response to a request to initiate a conversation;

define a receiving user'"'"'s context based on the initiating user'"'"'s context;

define a plurality of steps for building a conversation context;

transmit the receiving user'"'"'s context along with a conversation invite and the plurality of steps for building the conversation context as a package; and

establish a context channel between the initiating user and the receiving user while the conversation is being facilitated such that real time data is exchanged for sharing the conversation context, wherein the conversation context is verified at a context trust model for establishing application trust of one or more applications associated with the initiating user and the receiving user.

13. The server of claim 12, wherein the initiating user'"'"'s context includes at least one from a set of:

an initiating application, at least one application object, a user identifier, and a data location identifier.

14. The server of claim 12, wherein the receiving user'"'"'s context includes at least one from a set of:

application launch information, application coordination information, record retrieval information, and extensibility information.

15. The server of claim 12, wherein the receiving user'"'"'s context is transmitted as extensible markup language (XML) data in the conversation invite.

16. The server of claim 12, wherein the conversation context includes a shared context accessible by all participants of the conversation and a private context accessible by permitted participants.

17. The server of claim 12, wherein the communication application is further configured to enable activation of a context application on receiving user'"'"'s computing device through one of an automatic activation and a manual activation employing a launch link included in the receiving user'"'"'s context.

18. A computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon for providing a contextual conversation framework, the instructions comprising:

capturing an initiating user'"'"'s context in response to a request to initiate a conversation wherein the request is received through one of;

a communication application user interface embedded into a context application user interface, a communication application user interface that includes an embedded user interface for the context application, and a context menu activated within a list view of a collaboration application user interface in response to selection of an item in the list view;

defining a context definition including a definition file describing application-specific context data;

defining a receiving user'"'"'s context based on the initiating user'"'"'s context;

defining a plurality of steps for building a conversation context;

transmitting the receiving user'"'"'s context along with a conversation invite, the plurality of steps for building the conversation context, and the context definition as a package;

establishing a context channel between the initiating user and the receiving user while the conversation is being facilitated such that real time data is exchanged for sharing a conversation context;

verifying the conversation context at a context trust model for establishing application trust of one or more applications associated with the initiating user and the receiving user, wherein the trust is determined from registration of an application, associated behavior and supporting URLs and paths used;

upon conclusion of the conversation updating the conversation context; and

storing a conversation history and the updated conversation context.

19. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the instructions comprise:

registering at least one from a set of;

the context application, context application behavior, and supporting identifiers for each client device participating in the conversation.

20. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the instructions comprise:

enabling users to activate a plurality of context applications during the same conversation and a plurality of conversations from one context application.