Email parking lot

• US 9,882,854 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Singh, Jaskaran, Madejczyk, Szymon, Mendes, Roberto Ribeiro da Fonseca
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maniwang, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/842,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20170063766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 709206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

Ordering a series of messages when there is a possibility that the messages will be received out of order. A method includes receiving a plurality of messages in a series of messages. Each of the messages in the plurality of messages is stored in a temporary storage container; in anticipation of receiving a master message. A master message is received. The master message defines an ordering for the plurality of messages. The messages in the series of message from the temporary storage to a destination container accessible by a user according to the ordering defined in the master message.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a system for ordering a series of messages when there is a possibility that the messages will be received out of order, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one hardware storage device having stored computer-executable instructions for processing messages between a first mailbox, comprising a temporary mailbox, and a second mailbox, comprising a user-accessible mailbox;

the temporary mailbox which is configured to store a plurality of received messages in a series of messages, the series of messages being associated with and identified by a master message, wherein the master message also identifies an ordering for the series of messages, the series of messages being stored in the temporary mailbox until at least the system receives the master message;

the user-accessible mailbox which is configured to receive the series of messages from the temporary mailbox after the system receives the master message and to provide a user access to the series of messages;

an ordering tool coupled to the temporary mailbox and the user-accessible mailbox, wherein the ordering tool is configured to order the messages in the series of messages in the temporary mailbox according to the ordering defined by the master message, once the master message is received, and to subsequently move the series of messages from the temporary mailbox to the user-accessible mailbox according to the ordering defined in the master message.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the temporary storage location is not able to be accessed by the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the temporary storage location is able to be accessed by the user but is configured to indicate to the user that the messages in the temporary storage location lack ordering context.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a client.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the destination container comprises one or more email mailboxes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more messages comprise calendar items in a calendar series.

8. In a computing environment, a method for processing messages between a first mailbox, comprising a temporary mailbox, and a second mailbox, comprising a user-accessible mailbox, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of messages in a series of messages, the series of messages being associated with and identified by a master message, wherein the master message also identifies an ordering for the series of messages, the series of messages being stored in the temporary mailbox until at least the system receives the master message;

storing each of the messages in the plurality of messages in a temporary storage container in anticipation of receiving the master message, the series of messages being stored in the temporary mailbox until at least the master message is received;

receiving the master message; and

moving the messages in the series of messages from the temporary storage to a destination container comprising a user-accessible mailbox after the master message is received according to the ordering defined by the master message; and

providing user access to the series of messages at the destination container according to the ordering defined in the master message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising preventing the user from accessing the temporary storage location.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing access to the temporary storage location to the user and indicating to the user that the messages in the temporary storage location lack ordering context.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is performed on a server.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is performed on a client.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein moving the messages in the series of messages from the temporary storage to a destination container accessible by a user according to the ordering defined in the master message comprises moving calendar items in a calendar series to a user accessible mailbox.

14. One or more hardware storage device having stored computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a computing system for causing the computing system to implement a method for processing messages between a first mailbox, comprising a temporary mailbox, and a second mailbox, comprising a user-accessible mailbox, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of messages in a series of messages, the series of messages being associated with and identified by a master message, wherein the master message also identifies an ordering for the series of messages, the series of messages being stored in the temporary mailbox until at least the system receives the master message;

storing each of the messages in the plurality of messages in a temporary storage container;

in anticipation of receiving the master message, the series of messages being stored in the temporary mailbox until at least the master message is received;

receiving the master message that defines the ordering for the plurality of messages; and

moving the messages in the series of messages from the temporary storage to a destination container comprising a user-accessible mailbox after the master message is received; and

providing user access to the series of messages at the destination container according to the ordering defined in the master message.