Sharing messages and requests

• US 20060123008A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Frankel, Glenn, Stillion, Cameron, Hamid, Amer
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Electronic messages are used to request, accept and decline sharing resources. A PIM may be used to generate the sharing messages. A user can accept or decline a resource sharing request (e.g., to share access to a calendar, a contacts list and a tasks list) by selecting an option within the electronic message. In particular, a sharing message can be sent via e-mail which sets permissions for others to view a user'"'"'s information. The sharing message may include a reciprocal sharing request. The sharing message can include both a statement that the initiator is sharing data as well as a request to allow the initiator to share the recipient'"'"'s data. A sharing protocol is defined that relates to establishing and managing a sharing relationship between clients and sharing providers. A sharing infrastructure is includes a framework for sharing.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for establishing sharing of a resource, comprising:

determining a resource to share;

determining a participant to share the resource with;

generating a sharing message, wherein the sharing message may include a reciprocal sharing request;

sending the sharing message to the participant from the user; and

establishing a sharing relationship in accordance with the sharing message

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource to share is at least one of:

a calendar;

a contacts list; and

a tasks list.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the sharing message comprises sending an email including the sharing message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating the sharing message comprises an initiator determining whether to include the reciprocal sharing request, and when the initiator determines to include the reciprocal sharing request including a selectable option within the sharing message that allows participant to accept or decline the reciprocal sharing request.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending the initiator a response message after the user has selected the option, wherein the response message indicates whether the reciprocal sharing request has been accepted.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising allowing the initiator to adjust the sharing configuration associated with the resource.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the sharing message comprises selecting the participant and the resource to share from within a draft of the email before it is sent to the participant.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising automatically adding the resource to a Personal Information Manager program associated with the participant.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising including a personal message within the sharing message.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for establishing sharing of a resource, the instructions comprising:

determining from an initiator a resource to share;

determining a participant to share the resource with;

generating an electronic message that includes a sharing message, wherein the sharing message may include a reciprocal sharing request;

sending the sharing message to the participant from the user; and

establishing a sharing relationship in accordance with the sharing message

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the resource to share is selected from at least one of:

a calendar;

a contacts list; and

a tasks list.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the electronic message is an email message.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein generating the electronic message comprises including the reciprocal sharing request when selected by the initiator, wherein the electronic message includes a selectable option that allows the participant to accept the reciprocal sharing request.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising sending the initiator a response message after the participant has selected the option.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising allowing the initiator to adjust the sharing configuration associated with the resource.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein generating the sharing message comprises selecting the participant and the resource to share from within a draft of the email before it is sent to the participant.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising automatically adding the resource to an email program associated with the participant.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising including a personal message within the electronic message.

19. A system for establishing sharing of a resource, comprising:

a first computing device coupled to a network, including;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor;

a display; and

an application operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to perform actions, including;

determining a resource to share;

determining a participant to share the resource with;

generating an electronic message that includes a sharing message, wherein the sharing message may include a reciprocal sharing request;

sending the sharing message to the participant from the user; and

establishing a sharing relationship in accordance with the sharing message; and

a second computing device coupled to the network, including;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor;

a display; and

an application operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to perform actions, including;

receiving the electronic message;

displaying the electronic message to the participant;

determining whether the participant has accepted the reciprocal sharing request and when the participant has accepted the reciprocal sharing request sending a response message to the first computing device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the electronic message is an email message.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein generating the sharing message comprises including the reciprocal sharing request, wherein the electronic message includes an option that allows the participant to accept or reject the reciprocal sharing request.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the application on the first computing device is further configured to adjust the sharing configuration associated with the resource.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the application on the first computing device is further configured to include a personal message within the electronic message.