Method for streaming data between a server and a client

• US 20040133643A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bonilla, Nicole A., Warren, Joseph R., Novitskey, Robert R., Froelich, Karl, Zhong, Min, Dun, Alec, Gray, Ronald Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A system and method for improved client and server communications, more particularly, an improved protocol that may be used for communication between a client and a server, such as in an email environment. Many features are provided for improved communications. An email server may provide the best message body available for an email message, may transfer an entire data object if requested property or properties are not well defined within the data object, may provide progress data for use in tracking download progress, and may send error information for a data object having an error. Email changes may be optimized at an email server component, even if the email changes occurred at another email server component. An email server may maintain a table of changes that occur to folders at an associated data store, and may notify a subscribed email client component of changes that occur in the table.

Claims

1. A data packet embodied on a computer readable medium comprising:

a first data field identifying an email client component;

a second data field including a request for a plurality of email data objects; and

a third data field including an indication that the email client component is capable of handling an email data object having an error.

2. The data packet of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a flag included with the request.

3. The data packet of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request for synchronization of a folder in which the email data objects are located.

4. The data packet of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request for a copy of email messages.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving, from an email client component, a request for a plurality of email data objects and an indication that the email client component is capable of handling an email data object having an error; and

in response to the request and the indication, retrieving the plurality of email data objects; and

for each of the email data objects;

if no error occurs in opening the email data object, transmitting the email data object to the email client component, and

if an error occurs in opening the email data object, transmitting an error message to the email client component.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the error message comprises version information for the email data object.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the version information comprises a 16 bit integer.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the error message comprises identification information for the email data object.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the identification information comprises a 32 bit integer.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the identification information comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID) and a six byte serial number.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the error message comprises information regarding the error.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the information regarding the error includes size of an array for communicating error details.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the indication comprises a flag included with the request.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the request comprises a request for synchronization of a folder in which the email data objects are located.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the request comprises a request for a copy of email messages.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

sending, from an email client component, a request for a plurality of email data objects and an indication that the email client component is capable of handling an email data object having an error; and

for each of the email data objects;

if the email data object does not contain an error, receiving the email data object and copying the email data object at the email client component, and

if the email data object does contain an error, receiving an error message.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the error message comprises an identification for the email data object.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the error message comprises information regarding the error.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the indication comprises a flag included with the request.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the request comprises a request for synchronization of a folder in which the email data objects are located.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the request comprises a request for a copy of email messages.

22. A data packet embodied on a computer readable medium comprising:

a first data field identifying identification information regarding an email data object; and

a second data field including an error code for the email data object.

23. The data packet of claim 22, further comprising a third data field representing version information for the email data object.

24. The data packet of claim 23, wherein the third data field comprises a 16 bit integer.

25. The data packet of claim 22, further comprising a third data field representing identification information for the email data object.

26. The data packet of claim 25, wherein the third data field comprises a 32 bit integer.

27. The data packet of claim 25, wherein the third data field comprises a globally unique identifier (GUID) and a six byte serial number.

28. The data packet of claim 22, further comprising a third data field including information regarding an error related to the error code.

29. The data packet of claim 28, wherein the information regarding the error includes a size of an array for communicating error details.

30. A data packet embodied on a computer readable medium comprising:

a first data field identifying an email client component

a second data field including a request for a plurality of email data objects; and

a third data field including an indication that the email client component is capable of handling progress mode data.

31. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the progress mode data includes a size of each of the email data objects.

32. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the indication comprises a flag included with the request.

33. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the request comprises a request for synchronization of a folder in which the email data objects are located.

34. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the request comprises a request for a copy of email messages.

35. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the progress mode data includes the size of the plurality of the data objects.

36. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the progress mode data includes the number of folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

37. The data packet of claim 36, wherein the progress mode data includes the size of the total folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

38. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the progress mode data includes the number of email messages in the plurality of email data objects.

39. The data packet of claim 38, wherein the progress mode data includes the size of the total email messages in the plurality.

40. The data packet of claim 30, wherein the progress mode data further includes whether each object is a folder associated information (FAI) object.

41. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving, from an email client component, a request for a plurality of email data objects and an indication that the email client component is capable of handling progress mode data;

in response to the request and the indication, retrieving the plurality of email data objects; and

providing progress mode data to the email client component along with the plurality of data objects, the progress mode data comprising a size of each of the email data objects.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the indication comprises a flag included with the request.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the request comprises a request for synchronization of a folder in which the email data objects are located.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the request comprises a request for a copy of email messages.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the progress mode data further includes the size of the plurality of the data objects.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the progress mode data further includes the number of folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 46, wherein the progress mode data further includes the size of the total folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the progress mode data further includes the number of email messages in the plurality of email data objects.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the progress mode data further includes the size of the total email messages in the plurality.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the progress mode data further includes whether each object is a folder associated information (FAI) object.

51. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving, from an email client component, a request for a plurality of email data objects and an indication that the email client component is capable of handling progress mode data;

in response to the request and the indication, retrieving the plurality of email data objects; and

providing progress mode data to the email client component along with the plurality of data objects, the progress mode data comprising a size of the plurality of the email data objects.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the indication comprises a flag included with the request.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the request comprises a request for synchronization of a folder in which the email data objects are located.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the request comprises a request for a copy of email messages.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the progress mode data further includes the size of each of the plurality of the data objects.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the progress mode data further includes the number of folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the progress mode data further includes the size of the total folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the progress mode data further includes the number of email messages in the plurality of email data objects.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the progress mode data further includes the size of the total email messages in the plurality.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the progress mode data further includes whether each object is a folder associated information (FAI) object.

61. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

sending, from an email client component, a request for a plurality of email data objects and an indication that the email client component is capable of handling progress mode data;

at an email server component, in response to the request and the indication, retrieving the plurality of email data objects and progress mode data for the plurality of email data objects; and

at the email client component, receiving the progress mode data and utilizing the progress mode data to monitor transmission progress of the plurality of data objects to the email client component.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the progress data comprises a size of the plurality of the email data objects.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the progress mode data comprises the size of each of the plurality of the data objects.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein the progress mode data comprises the number of folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the progress mode data comprises the size of the total folder associated information (FAI) objects in the plurality.

66. The method of claim 61, wherein the progress mode data comprises the number of email messages in the plurality of email data objects.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the progress mode data comprises the size of the total email messages in the plurality.

68. The method of claim 61, wherein the progress mode data further includes whether each object is a folder associated information (FAI) object.

69. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

receiving, from an email client component, a plurality of subrequests within a request, each of the subrequests requesting an operation at an email server component and including size information; and

in response to each subrequest;

if the size information includes a size limit inside a range expected by the email server component, then limiting a response to the size limit; and

if the size information includes a size limit outside a range expected by the email server component, then looking for a new size limit in the size information.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 69, further comprising, if the size information includes a size limit outside a range expected by the email server component, filling a buffer for the email server component with the response.

71. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at an email client component;

creating a plurality of subrequests within a request, each of the subrequests requesting an operation at an email server component and including size information; and

sending the request to an email server component;

at an email server component;

receiving the request; and

in response to each subrequest;

if the size information includes a size limit inside a range expected by the email server component, then limiting a response to the size limit, and

if the size information includes a size limit outside a range expected by the email server component, then looking for a new size limit in the size information.

72. The method of claim 71, further comprising, if the size information includes a size limit outside a range expected by the email server component, filling a buffer for the email server component with the response.