Unified messaging platform for displaying attached content in-line with e-mail messages

• US 10,063,501 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lane, Mira, Brasket, Michael, Waldman, Larry, Voss, Chad, Kannuthottiyil, Ewin Davis
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US14/800,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20160344667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 709206, 709204, 709201, 709202, 709203, 709205, 709207, 709217, 709226, 709227, 709230, 709231, 705 2, 705 1458, 705 261, 705 3, 705347, 705 80, 715230, 715202, 715232, 715233, 715203, 715252, 715256
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

A unified messaging platform is described which provides a comprehensive environment for collaboration, file sharing, and project management. In aspects, the unified messaging platform is organized based on one or more teams or projects, where each team or project is further organized by customizable categories. A user interface is provided for ready access to information related to each category (e.g., communications, files, tasks, work product, etc.), which information is automatically and seamlessly synchronized across the platform such that each team member remains abreast of the current progress and status of a project. Collaboration regarding an attached file is facilitated by extracting and providing at least a portion of the attached file within a message body. Moreover, revisions made to extracted content within the message body may be automatically synchronized and reflected in the attached file, as well as in a files tab storing files associated with a team.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a message with an attached file, wherein the attached file comprises content;

scanning the attached file to identify a structure of the content;

identifying a first location of at least one annotation within the structure of the content;

extracting a portion of content comprising the at least one annotation from the attached file, wherein the extracted portion of content is less than all of the content of the attached file;

displaying the extracted portion of content in the message;

receiving an edit to the extracted portion of content within the message, wherein the edit is received at a second location within the extracted portion of content;

mapping the second location to the structure of the content; and

automatically updating the content of the attached file with the edit at the mapped second location within the structure of the content.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

anchoring the at least one annotation to the structure of the content.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein anchoring the at least one annotation to the structure of the content further comprises:

creating a link to the attached file.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

embedding the extracted portion of content comprising the at least one annotation in a body of the message.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the at least one annotation within the extracted portion of content; and

opening the attached file.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

determining a location of the at least one annotation in the structure of the content; and

opening the attached file at the location of the at least one annotation.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

transforming the message for transmission to at least one of;

an enterprise messaging application and a third party email messaging application.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a context of the at least one annotation; and

displaying the context with the at least one annotation within the extracted portion of content.

9. A method of extracting a portion of content of an attached file and embedding the extracted portion of content in a message, the method comprising:

receiving a message with an attached file, wherein the attached file comprises content;

scanning the attached file to identify a structure of the content;

extracting a portion of content from the attached file, wherein the extracted portion of content is less than all of the content of the attached file;

displaying the extracted portion of content in the message;

receiving an edit to the extracted portion of content within the message, wherein the edit is received at a location within the extracted portion of content;

mapping the location to the structure of the content; and

automatically updating the content of the attached file with the edit at the mapped location within the structure of the content.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

anchoring the extracted portion of content to the structure of the content.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein anchoring the extracted portion of content to the structure of the content further comprises:

creating a link to the attached file.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the extracted portion includes at least one annotation to the content of the attached file.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

embedding the extracted portion in a body of the message.

14. A computer storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed by a processing unit cause the processing unit to:

receive a message with an attached file, wherein the attached file comprises content;

scan the attached file to identify a structure of the content;

extract a portion of content from the attached file, wherein the extracted portion of content is less than all of the content of the attached file;

display the extracted portion of content in the message;

receive an edit to the extracted portion of content within the message, wherein the edit is received at a location within the extracted portion of content;

mapping the location to the structure of the content;

automatically update the content of the attached file with the edit at the mapped location within the structure of the content; and

forward the message with the updated content of the attached file.

15. The computer storage device of claim 14, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

anchor

the extracted portion of content to the structure of the content.

16. The computer storage device of claim 15, wherein anchoring the extracted portion of content to the structure of the content comprises:

creating a link to the attached file.

17. The computer storage device of claim 14, wherein the extracted portion includes at least one annotation to the content of the attached file.

18. The computer storage device of claim 14, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

embed the extracted portion of content in a body of the message.

19. The computer storage device of claim 14, the computer-executable instructions further causing the processing unit to:

determine a context of the at least one annotation; and

display the context with the at least one annotation within the extracted portion of content of the attached file.