Claims
- 1. In a computer network, a method comprising,
providing a categories schema, the categories schema having category-related fields arranged into a content document with defined structures for the fields; receiving a data access request directed to category data, the request including associated identity information; and in response to the data access request, manipulating at least one set of the category data in a logical categories document that includes data therein according to the associated identity information, each set of data in the logical categories document structured to correspond to a field in the content document.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating at least one set of data comprises reading data from at least one field in the logical categories document.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein manipulating at least one set of data comprises writing data to at least one field in the logical categories document.
- 4. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.
- 5. In a computer network, a method comprising,
receiving a request to retrieve category data, the request including associated identity information; reading from a data store to obtain the category data based on the associated identity information; constructing a categories document including at least part of the data, the document arranged according to a defined schema for categories; and returning the document in response to the request.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the schema includes at least one defined field for extending the schema.
- 7. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 5.
- 8. In a computer network, a method comprising:
providing a centralized category service; receiving a request at the centralized category service to return category information, the request including identity information; retrieving category data based on the identity information; formatting a response document structured based on a categories schema, the response document including at least some of the category data; and returning the response document in response to the request.
- 9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 8.
- 10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:
a first set of data comprising data corresponding to a category definition; a second set of data comprising at least one category element corresponding to the category definition; and wherein the first and second sets of data are regularized according to a schema in a centralized service such that an identity-based recipient of the data structure interprets the data according to the schema to group data together based on the category element and category definition.
- 11. The data structure of claim 10 wherein the first set of data comprises human-readable text.
- 12. The data structure of claim 10 wherein the first set of data comprises a URI of a set of at least one external category definition.
- 13. The data structure of claim 10 further comprising a third set of data comprising data corresponding to at least one other category definition.
- 14. The data structure of claim 13 wherein the first set of data and third set of are classified together by using another category.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/017,680, filed Oct. 22, 2002, which claims priority from U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/275,809, filed Mar. 14, 2001 and entitled “Identity-Based Service Communication Using XML Messaging Interfaces,” which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.