Systems and methods for the implementation of a core schema for providing a top-level structure for organizing units of information manageable by a hardware/software interface system

• US 7,529,811 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Thompson, J. Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi; Mohammad A
• Application Number:
  US10/646,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/100, 707/103, 707/103.R, 707/10, 707/5, 707/104.1, 707/102, 707/101, 709/201, 709/719
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, in a computer system, for a hardware/software interface system to manipulate a plurality of discrete units of information having properties understandable by said hardware/software interface system (“Items”), said method comprising the use of a core schema to define a set of core Items which said hardware/software interface system understands and can directly process in a predetermined and predictable way. The core Items are derived from the base Item type. In certain embodiments, the Items types in the core schema cannot be directly subtyped but may instead be extended to incorporate additional properties in specific contexts without becoming inconsistent in other contexts that only comprehend the core Item type.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium with computer-readable instructions for a file storage platform that supports organization, searching, sharing, synchronization, and security of objects stored on a data store of a computer system, the computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method when executed, the method comprising:

defining a core schema, the core schema defining a plurality of types for plurality of objects stored in the file storage platform, the core schema further defining;

folders that organize groups of the plurality of objects, wherein the folders allow at least one of the plurality of objects to be organized within more than one folder without creating separate copies of the at least one of the plurality of objects; and

categories that organize different groups of the plurality of objects based on at least one of a type, a property, or a value of the plurality of objects, wherein the categories allow the at least one of the plurality of objects to be automatically assigned to and organized within a category based on at least one of a type, a property, or a value of the at least one of the plurality of objects without creating a separate copy of the at least one of the plurality of objects;

storing a first object in the file storage platform, the first object being organized within a first folder and also within a second folder without creating separate copies of the first object, wherein the first folder also includes a second object that is not within a same category as the first object; and

automatically organizing the first object within a first category based on at least one of a type, a property, or a value of the first object without creating a separate copy of the first object, wherein the first category also organizes a third object that has a same type, property, or value as the first object.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein said core schema further defines a set of core properties.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein each property from the set of core properties is derived directly or indirectly from at least one base property.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein said base property is a property in a Base Schema.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for devices.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for events.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for commodities.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for messages.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for Categories.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for principals.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for locations.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for documents.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for statements.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises an object for contacts.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a certificate.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a principal idunit key.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a postal address.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a rich text element.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for an electronic address.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for an idunit security package.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a Relationship for occupying a role between two Contacts.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a basic presence.

23. A system including a file storage platform that supports organization, searching, sharing, synchronization, and security of files stored on a data store the system comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions;

a processor operable to execute the computer readable instructions to perform a method comprising;

storing a plurality of discrete units of information, the discrete units of information being files stored in the file storage platform;

defining a core schema that defines a set of core discrete units of information related to each of a plurality of discrete units of information, the core schema further defining;

folders that organize groups of the plurality of discrete units of information, wherein one of the discrete units of information belongs to more than one folder without requiring a separate copy of the one of the discrete units of information; and

categories that organize different groups of the discrete units of information based on at least one of a type, a property, or a value of the discrete units of information, wherein each of the plurality of discrete units of information are automatically assigned to and organized within one or more of the categories;

storing a first discrete unit of information in the file storage platform, the first discrete unit of information being organized within a first folder and also within a second folder without creating separate copies of the first discrete unit of information, wherein the first folder also includes a second discrete unit of information that is not within a same category as the first discrete unit of information; and

automatically organizing the first discrete unit of information within a first category based on at least one of a type, a property, or a value of the first discrete unit of information without creating a separate copy of the first discrete unit of information, wherein the first category also organizes a third discrete unit of information that has a same type, property, or value as the first discrete unit of information.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein each discrete unit of information from the set of core discrete units of information is derived directly or indirectly from a common single base discrete unit of information.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said common single base discrete unit of information is a foundational in discrete unit of information in a Base Schema.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said foundational discrete unit of information comprises a property for a unique identification of said discrete unit of information.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein said core schema further defines a set of core properties.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein each property from the set of core discrete units of information is derived directly or indirectly from at least one base property.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said base property is a property in a Base Schema.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for devices.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for events.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for commodities.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for messages.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for Categories.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for principals.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for locations.

37. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for documents.

38. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a discrete unit of information for statements.

39. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a certificate.

40. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a principal idunit key.

41. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a postal address.

42. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a rich text element.

43. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for an electronic address.

44. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for an idunit security package.

45. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for occupying a role.

46. The system of claim 28 wherein the core schema comprises a property for a basic presence.