Method to initiate server based collaboration on E-mail attachments

• US 9,350,775 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Edelstein, Noah, Quinn, Andrew, Archambault, Anne, Bernstein, Ethan, Sawicki, Marcin, Saliba, Hani, Liu, Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US14/225,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Server-based collaboration is initiated by an email. When the user creates the email message with attachments, a collaboration website is provisioned. The collaboration website allows collaborations on the attached documents by the recipients of the message. The ease of collaboration with email and the advantages of the collaboration server are thus both available to the user.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a user to initiate collaboration on a document, comprising:

accepting from said user a message for electronic delivery to one or more recipients, said message comprising recipient data identifying said one or more recipients and a link into one or more attached documents upon which collaboration is to be initiated, said link directing said one or more recipients to a collaboration server;

sending a request to said collaboration server to initiate collaboration on said one or more attached documents by collaborators comprising said one or more recipients and the user; and

sending said message to said one or more recipients.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting from said user an indication comprising the identity of said collaboration server.

3. The method of claim 2, where said step of accepting from said user an indication comprising the identity of said collaboration server comprises accepting a selection of said collaboration server from a list of possible collaboration servers.

4. The method of claim 3, where said list of possible collaboration servers comprises collaboration servers accessible by said one or more recipients.

5. The method of claim 3, where said list of possible collaboration servers comprises collaboration servers most recently used for establishing a collaboration by said user.

6. The method of claim 3, where said list of possible collaboration servers comprises collaboration servers usable for establishing a collaboration by said user.

7. The method of claim 3, where said list of possible collaboration servers comprises collaboration servers most recently used for collaboration by said user.

8. A system for allowing a user to initiate collaboration on a document, comprising:

a memory that stores computer executable code; and

a processor that processes said computer executable code to implement;

an electronic messaging application that accepts from said user a message for electronic delivery to one or more recipients, said message comprising recipient data identifying said one or more recipients and a link into one or more attached documents upon which collaboration is to be initiated, said link directing said one or more recipients to a collaboration server;

a collaboration request module that sends a request to said collaboration server to initiate collaboration on said one or more attached documents by collaborators comprising said one or more recipients and the user; and

an electronic message server that sends said message to said one or more recipients.

9. The system of claim 8, where said link comprises a hyperlink to a collaboration web site.

10. The system of claim 8, where said electronic messaging application is an email application.

11. The system of claim 8, where said electronic messaging application is a scheduling application.

12. The system of claim 8, where said message sent to said one or more recipients comprises a modified version of at least one of said one or more attached documents, said modified version comprising metadata regarding said collaboration.

13. A method for initiating collaboration, comprising:

generating a message for electronic delivery to one or more recipients, said message comprising recipient data identifying said one or more recipients and a link into one or more attached documents upon which collaboration is to be initiated, said link directing said one or more recipients to a collaboration server;

initiating said collaboration server for initiating collaboration on said one or more attached documents; and

sending said message to said one or more recipients.

14. The method of claim 13, where said collaboration comprises a collaboration web site managing collaboration by collaborators.

15. The method of claim 14, where said collaboration web site includes at least one selected from the group comprising:

discussion capability for maintaining a discussion among collaborators and/or a task list for said collaboration.

16. The method of claim 14, where said step of sending said message to said one or more recipients comprises modifying at least one of said one or more attached documents to include metadata regarding said collaboration.