Build a person object from multiple contacts

• US 8,799,487 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dandige, Maithili, Varshney, Govind, Sourov, Alexander, Thadkal, Sainath Narendranath
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Application Number:
  US13/288,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A data structure that represents a person is created. The data structure comprises a person object. The person object comprises one or more contact objects. When it is determined that the person is a global address list contact, first contact information for the person is obtained from a global address list store and stored in a first contact object. When it is determined that the person is an email contact, second contact information is obtained from a contact store and stored in a first memory cache. When it is determined that the second contact information includes a global address identifier, the global address identifier is stored in the second contact object. A person identifier is created for the person that identifies the person. The person identifier is stored in the first contact object and in the second contact object.

Claims

1. A method implemented on an electronic computing device for creating a data structure that represents a person, the method comprising:

on the electronic computing device, receiving a first identifier, the first identifier identifying a first person;

storing the first identifier in a data structure in a first memory cache on the electronic computing device, the data structure comprising a person object, the person object comprising one or more contact objects;

determining whether the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact;

when it is determined that the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact;

obtaining first properties for the first person from a global address list store, the first properties comprising first contact information for the first person; and

storing the first properties in a first contact object in the data structure;

when it is determined that the first identifier does not indicate that the first person is a global address list contact, determining from the first identifier whether the first person is an email contact, the email contact being a contact in a contact store for an email application running on the electronic computing device;

when it is determined that the first identifier indicates that the first person is an email contact;

obtaining second properties for the first person from the contact store, the second properties comprising second contact information for the first person;

storing the second properties in the data structure in the first memory cache on the electronic computing device, the second properties being stored in a second contact object in the data structure;

determining whether the second properties include a global address identifier, the global address identifier identifying contact information comprising at least an address for the first person in the global address list store; and

when it is determined that the second properties includes the global address identifier, storing the global address identifier in the second contact object;

creating a second identifier for the first person, the second identifier being a person identifier that identifies the first person;

storing the second identifier in the first contact object; and

storing the second identifier in the second contact object.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the first identifier in a keys object in the memory cache, the keys object being associated with the person object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is derived from an email address, an instant messaging address, a name or an alias.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is received when a user hovers over a personal control in a document or email.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether one or more email addresses are associated with the first contact in the global address list and when it is determined that one or more email addresses are associated with the first contact in the global address list, storing the one or more email addresses in the first memory cache.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining from the first identifier whether the first person is a global address list contact comprises using metadata from the first identifier to determine whether the first contact is a global address list contact.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining from the first identifier whether the first person is an email contact comprises using metadata from the first identifier to determine whether the first contact is an email contact.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising when it is determined that the second properties do not include a global address identifier:

determining whether the second properties includes one or more email addresses; and

when it is determined that the second properties include one or more email addresses;

for each of the one or more email addresses, determining whether a match is found between the email address and a contact in the global address list; and

when it is determined that a match is found between the email address and the contact in the global address list, obtaining contact information from the global address list corresponding to the email address and storing the contact information in the first memory cache.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a person identifier exists for the first contact;

when it is determined that a person identifier exists for the first contact, using the person identifier determine whether one or more additional contacts are linked to the first contact; and

when it is determined that one or more additional contacts are linked to the first contact;

for each of the one or more additional contacts, obtaining contact information for the contact from the store associated with the email application and updating the data structure in the first memory cache with the contact information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when it is determined that a person identifier does not exist for the first contact;

determining an email address that is associated with the first identifier;

using the email address, determining whether any contacts in the store associated with the email application have an email address that matches the email address that is associated with the first identifier;

when it is determined that one or more contacts in the store associated with the email application have an email address that matches the email address that is associated with the first identifier;

determining whether each matching contact has an associated person identifier;

when it is determined that a matching contact has an associated person identifier, using the person identifier determine whether one or more additional contacts are linked to the matching contact; and

when it is determined that one or more additional contacts are linked to the matching contact, for each of the one or more additional contacts, obtaining contact information for the contact from the store associated with the email application and updating the data structure in the first memory cache with the contact information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when it is determined from the first identifier that the first person is not a global address list contact and when it is determined from the first identifier that the first person is not an email contact;

using the first identifier, determining whether a contact matching the first identifier exists in a second memory cache, the second memory cache storing contact information for third parties; and

when it is determined that one or more contacts matching the first identifier exist in the second memory cache, for each contact that matches the first identifier in the second memory cache, obtaining contact information for the contact from the second memory cache and updating the first data structure in the first memory cache with the contact information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

when it is determined that no contacts match the first identifier in the second memory cache;

obtaining one or more person identifiers from the first memory cache;

for each person identifier, obtain one or more email addresses associated with the person identifier;

for each of the email addresses, determining whether a contact matching the email address exists in the second memory cache;

when it is determined that one or more contacts matching the email address exists in the second memory cache, obtaining contact information for the contact from the second memory cache and updating the first data structure in the first memory cache with the contact information.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining one or more email addresses from a list of email addresses stored on the electronic computing device;

sending one or more of the email address to one or more third party sources;

obtaining contact information from one or more of the third party sources;

updating the data structure in the first memory cache with the contact information; and

updating the first memory cache with each mail address associated with the contact information.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact, determining whether access to third party contact information is available via the session initiation protocol;

when it is determined that access to third party contact information is available via the session initiation protocol;

obtaining a third identifier from the first identifier, the third identifier having an address associated with the session initiation protocol; and

using the third identifier to obtain presence information for the first person from a server computer; and

when it is determined that access to third party contact information is not available via the session initiation protocol;

obtaining one or more email addresses from a list of email addresses stored on the electronic computing device; and

using the one or more email addresses to obtain presence information for the first person from the server computer.

15. An electronic computing device comprising:

a processing unit; and

system memory, the system memory including instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the electronic computing device to;

receive a first identifier, the first identifier identifying a first person;

store the first identifier in a data structure in a first memory cache on the electronic computing device, the data structure comprising a person object, the person object comprising one or more contact objects;

determine whether the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact;

when it is determined that the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact;

obtain first properties for the first person from a global address list store, the first properties comprising first contact information for the first person; and

store the first properties in a first contact object in the data structure;

when it is determined that the first identifier does not indicate that the first person is a global address list contact, determining from the first identifier whether the first person is an email contact, the email contact being a contact in a contact store for an email application running on the electronic computing device;

when it is determined that the first identifier indicates that the first person is an email contact;

obtain second properties for the first person from the contact store, the second properties comprising second contact information for the first person;

store the second properties in the data structure in the first memory cache on the electronic computing device, the second properties being stored in a second contact object in the data structure;

determine whether the second properties include a global address identifier, the global address identifier identifying contact information comprising at least an address for the first person in the global address list store; and

when it is determined that the second properties includes the global address identifier, storing the global address identifier in the second contact object;

create a second identifier for the first person, the second identifier being a person identifier that identifies the first person;

store the second identifier in the first contact object; and

store the second identifier in the second contact object.

16. The electronic computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more contact objects are created during a runtime operation on the electronic computing device.

17. The electronic computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more contact objects are linked to each other.

18. The electronic computing device of claim 15, wherein the person object further comprises a presence object, the presence object providing presence information associated with the person.

19. The electronic computing device of claim 15, wherein one or more contact objects include contact information for an organization.

20. A computer readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed by an electronic computing device, cause the electronic computing device to:

receive a first identifier, the first identifier identifying a first person, the first identifier being derived from an email address, an instant messaging address, a name or an alias;

store the first identifier in a data structure in a first memory cache on the electronic computing device, the data structure comprising a person object, the person object comprising one or more contact objects;

determine from metadata associated with the first identifier whether the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact;

when it is determined that the first identifier indicates that the first person is a global address list contact;

obtain first properties for the first person from a global address list store, the first properties comprising first contact information for the first person; and

store the first properties in a first contact object in the data structure;

when it is determined that the first identifier does not indicate that the first person is a global address list contact, determine from metadata associated with the first identifier whether the first person is an email contact, the email contact being a contact in a contact store for an email application running on the electronic computing device;

when it is determined that the first identifier is an email contact;

obtain second properties for the first person from the contact store, the second properties comprising second contact information for the first person;

store the second properties in the data structure in the first memory cache on the electronic computing device, the second properties being stored in a second contact object in the data structure;

determine whether the second properties include a global address identifier, the global address identifier identify the first person in the global address list store; and

when it is determined that the second properties includes the global address identifier, store the global address identifier in the second contact object;

when it is determined that the second properties do not include a global address identifier;

determine whether the second properties includes one or more email addresses; and

when it is determined that the second properties include one or more email addresses;

for each of the one or more email addresses, determine whether a match is found between the email address and a contact in the global address list; and

when it is determined that a match is found between the email address and the contact in the global address list, obtain contact information from the global address list corresponding to the email address and store the contact information in the first memory cache;

create a second identifier for the first person, the second identifier being a person identifier that identifies the person;

store the second identifier in the first contact object;

store the second identifier in the second contact object;

obtain one or more email addresses from a list of email addresses stored on the electronic computing device;

send one or more of the email address to one or more third party sources;

obtain contact information from one or more of the third party sources;

update the data structure in the first memory cache with the contact information;

update the first memory cache with each mail address associated with the contact information;

when the first contact is a global address identifier contact, determine whether access to third party contact information is available via the session initiation protocol;

when it is determined that access to third party contact information is available via the session initiation protocol;

obtain a second identifier from the first identifier, the second identifier having an address associated with the session initiation protocol; and

use the second identifier to obtain presence information for the first contact from a server computer; and

when it is determined that access to third party contact information is not available via the session initiation protocol;

obtain one or more email addresses from a list of email addresses stored on the electronic computing device; and

use the one or more email addresses to obtain presence information for the first contact from the server computer.