Abstract: A schema-based contacts service for Internet access to per-user contact data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The contacts service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The contacts schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the contacts schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A method and system for installing software implementations such as applications and COM classes as they are needed from an external source, such as a centralized network store. When a software implementation is needed, the system and method first look to the local system (e.g., registry) for that software implementation, and if found, returns the information such as a local path needed to use the software implementation. If the implementation is not found locally, the present invention dynamically looks to a centralized class store of a network, to locate the needed implementation. When located, the implementation is downloaded and locally installed in a manner that is essentially transparent to the user. Software implementations such as application products may be divided into features and components to improve on-demand installation thereof.

Abstract: A schema-based location service for Internet access to per-user location data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The location service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The location schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the location schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A schema-based notification/alert service for providing schema-based notifications. The notification service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for sending, handling and/or receiving notifications and alerts. Senders and receivers manipulate (e.g., read or write) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the notification schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. Extensibility is defined into the schema. An architecture is provided to intelligently route alerts from senders to client user agent recipients.

Abstract: Described is a schema-based notification platform that provides regularized notification handling including user control and normalization of the operation of policies across different information types and contexts. Information-service schemas and services are combined to build a content-sensitive and context-sensitive information service to communicate information to recipient devices of users that subscribe to those services. An information agent service collects the information, and based on various criteria, determines if, when, and how to send and render the information, and to which subscribing client device or devices. The set of schemas include a notification schema that represents the subscription of a service to an information source and details about that information, and a device schema that represents information about user devices.

Abstract: A client sends a request to an authentication server requesting access to a service at an application server. The authentication server returns a token containing an encrypted version of a session key that was encrypted using a secret shared between the authentication server and the application server. The client encrypts application data using a corresponding unencrypted version of the session key and text-encodes both the encrypted application data and the encrypted version of the session key. The text-encoded application and text-encoded encrypted version of the session key are both included in a message and sent to the application server. The application server decrypts the encrypted version of the session key using the shared secret so as to reveal the unencrypted version of the session key. The application server then decrypts the encrypted application data using the revealed unencrypted version of the session key.

Abstract: A client sends a message to a server computer system over a network. Upon receiving the message either from the client or from a local process, the server passes the message down through a software stack to a lower layer module that is capable of detecting errors in the message. That lower layer module then detects an error and inserts error information that represents the error into an error reporting data structure. The lower layer also inserts potential text remedy information on how to correct the error. The module that detected the error then returns and passes the error reporting data structure back up through the software stack. The server then sends the response to the message along with the text field that includes the text error information back to the client computing system or other local requesting process.

Abstract: A schema-based inbox service that provides Internet access to per-user inbox data, (e.g., name, address, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses), wherein access to the inbox data is based on each user's identity. The inbox service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The inbox schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the inbox schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A schema-based calendar service for Internet access to per-user contact data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The calendar service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The calendar schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the calendar schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A method and system for installing software implementations such as applications and COM classes as they are needed from an external source, such as a centralized network store. When a software implementation is needed, the system and method first look to the local system (e.g., registry) for that software implementation, and if found, returns the information such as a local path needed to use the software implementation. If the implementation is not found locally, the present invention dynamically looks to a centralized class store of a network, to locate the needed implementation. When located, the implementation is downloaded and locally installed in a manner that is essentially transparent to the user. Software implementations such as application products may be divided into features and components to improve on-demand installation thereof.

Abstract: A schema-based presence service for Internet access to per-user presence data, wherein access to data is based on each user's identity. The presence service includes a schema that defines rules and a structure for each user's data, and also includes methods that provide access to the data in a defined way. The presence schema thus corresponds to a logical document containing the data for each user. The user manipulates (e.g., reads or writes) data in the logical document by data access requests through defined methods. In one implementation, the presence schemas are arranged as XML documents, and the services provide methods that control access to the data based on the requesting user's identification, defined role and scope for that role. In this way, data can be accessed by its owner, and shared to an extent determined by the owner.

Abstract: A technique for performing multiple simultaneous asynchronous input/output operations in a computer operating system. An input/output completion port object is created and associated with a file descriptor. When I/O services are requested on the file descriptor, completion is indicated by a message queued to the I/O completion port. A process requesting I/O services is not notified of completion of the I/O services, but instead checks the I/O completion port's queue to determine the status of its I/O requests. The I/O completion port manages multiple threads and their concurrency.

Abstract: A technique for performing multiple simultaneous asynchronous input/output operations in a computer operating system. An input/output completion port object is created and associated with a file descriptor. When I/O services are requested on the file descriptor, completion is indicated by a message queued to the I/O completion port. A process requesting I/O services is not notified of completion of the I/O services, but instead checks the I/O completion port's queue to determine the status of its I/O requests. The I/O completion port manages multiple threads and their concurrency.