SYSTEM AND PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR REPLICATING MESSAGE STATUS CHANGES ACROSS MESSAGING SYSTEMS

• US 20090063644A1
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Damien F. Katz, Russell L. Holden, William A. Spencer
• Inventors: Spencer, William A., Holden, Russell L., Katz, Damien F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, system and program product for replicating message status changes across messaging systems. Specifically, under the present invention, when a status of a message for a user is changed on a messaging system, the status change is entered into a log associated with the user along with a clock time of the messaging system. The status change is then replicated to a replica messaging system along with the clock time of the original messaging system. Upon receipt, the replica messaging system will ensure that the status change is the most recent activity for the message. If so, the status change will be entered into a log of the replica messaging system along with the clock time of the original messaging system and a clock time of the replica messaging system.

Claims

1. A system for replicating message status changes across messaging systems, comprising:

a log entry system for entering a status change of a message for a user into a log associated with the user on a first messaging system;

wherein every user is associated with its own unique log;

a replication system for communicating the status change entry from the log associated with the user on the first messaging system to a second messaging system, wherein the second messaging system includes a precedence system for determining, before the status change is replicated, whether the status change for the message is more recent than any other status changes for the message previously entered into a log associated with the user on the second messaging system; and

an outputting system for processing the status change based on the determining.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a log entry system on the second messaging system enters the status change for the message into the log associated with the user on the second messaging system if the status change is more recent than the any other status changes for the message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the status change is discarded from the second messaging system if the status change is not more recent than the any other status changes for the message.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a table maintenance system for maintaining an unread table on the first messaging system that identifies any messages for the user that are unread.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a log purging system for purging the log on the first messaging system of any status changes that are older than a predetermined time limit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the replication system communicates the status change with a clock time of the first messaging system to the second messaging system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the status change is entered into the log associated with the user on the second messaging system with the clock time of the first messaging system and a clock time of the second messaging system, if the status change is more recent that the any other status changes for the message.

8. A system for replicating message status changes across messaging systems, comprising:

a log entry system for entering status changes of messages for a user into a log associated with the user on a first messaging system;

wherein every user is associated with its own unique log;

a replication system for communicating the status change entries from the log associated with the user on the first messaging system to a second messaging system;

a precedence system for determining, before a status change is replicated, whether a status change for a particular message received from the second messaging system is more recent than any status changes for the particular message previously entered into the log;

an outputting system for processing the status change based on the determining; and

a table maintenance system for maintaining an unread table on the first messaging system that identifies any messages for the user that are unread.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a log purging system for purging the log on the first messaging system of any status changes that are older than a predetermined time limit.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the log entry system enters the status change for the particular message into the log if the status change is more recent than the any other status changes for the particular message.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the status change for the particular is discarded from the first messaging system if the status change is not more recent than the any other status changes for the particular message.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the replication system communicates the status changes with a corresponding clock time of the first messaging system to the second messaging system.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the status changes are entered into a log associated with the user on the second messaging system with the clock time of the first messaging system and a clock time of the second messaging system.

14. A program product stored on a recordable medium for replicating message status changes across messaging systems, which when executed comprises:

program code for entering a status change of a message for a user into a log associated with the user on a first messaging system;

wherein every user is associated with its own unique log;

program code for communicating the status change entry from the log associated with the user on the first messaging system to a second messaging system, wherein the second messaging system includes program code for determining, before the status change is replicated, whether the status change for the message is more recent than any other status changes for the message previously entered into a log associated with the user on the second messaging system; and

program code for processing the status change based on the determining.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein program code for entering on the second messaging system enters the status change for the message into the log associated with the user on the second messaging system if the status change is more recent than the any other status changes for the message.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein the status change is discarded from the second messaging system if the status change is not more recent than the any other status changes for the message.

17. The program product of claim 14, further comprising program code for maintaining an unread table on the first messaging system that identifies any messages for the user that are unread.

18. The program product of claim 14, further comprising program code for purging the log on the first messaging system of any status changes that are older than a predetermined time limit.

19. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code for communicating communicates the status change with a clock time of the first messaging system to the second messaging system.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein the status change is entered into the log associated with the user on the second messaging system with the clock time of the first messaging system and a clock time of the second messaging system, if the status change is more recent that the any other status changes for the message.

21. A system for maintaining log chronology for message status changes replicated across messaging systems, comprising:

a log entry system for entering a status change of a message for a user into a log associated with the user on a first messaging system, wherein every user is associated with its own unique log and wherein the status change entry from the log associated with the user on the first messaging system is entered into the log along with a clock time of the first messaging system;

a replication system for communicating the status change with the clock time of the first messaging system to a second messaging system, wherein the status change is entered into a log associated with the user on the second messaging system along with the clock time of the first messaging system and a clock time of the second messaging system;

a precedence system for determining whether status changes of messages for the user received on the first messaging system from the second messaging system are more recent than any other status changes of the messages for the user previously entered into the log associated with the user on the first messaging system; and

an outputting system for processing the status change based on the determining

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the message is an electronic mail message.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a log purging system for periodically purging the log associated with the user on the first messaging system.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a table maintenance system for maintaining an unread table on the first messaging system that identifies any messages for the user that are unread.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the log entry system enters the status change at an end of the log associated with the user on the first messaging system.

26. A program product stored on a recordable medium for maintaining log chronology for message status changes replicated across messaging systems, which when executed comprises:

program code for entering a status change of a message for a user into a log associated with the user on a first messaging system, wherein every user is associated with its own unique log and wherein the status change is entered into the log along with a clock time of the first messaging system;

program code for communicating the status change entry from the log associated with the user on the first messaging system with the clock time of the first messaging system to a second messaging system, wherein the status change is entered into a log associated with the user on the second messaging system along with the clock time of the first messaging system and a clock time of the second messaging system;

program code for determining whether status changes of messages for the user received on the first messaging system from the second messaging system are more recent than any other status changes of the messages for the user previously entered into the log associated with the user on the first messaging system; and

program code for processing the status change based on the determining.

27. The program product of claim 26, further comprising program code for periodically purging the log associated with the user on the first messaging system.

28. The program product of claim 26, further comprising program code for maintaining an unread table on the first messaging system that identifies any messages for the user that are unread.

29. The program product of claim 26, wherein the program code for entering enters the status change at an end of the log associated with the user on the first messaging system.

30. The program product of claim 26, wherein the message is an electronic mail message.