Methods, systems, and computer program products for processing a request for a resource in a communication

1. A method for processing a request for a resource in a communication, the method comprising:

receiving a resource criterion for requesting a resource via a first communication including a message portion including a first message addressed to a first user represented by a first node;

sending, via a network to the first node, the first communication including a request portion that includes an attachment request based on the resource criterion, wherein the attachment request is valid according to a criterion schema defining at least one of a format and a vocabulary for the attachment request and identified by a schema identifier received from the first node; and

receiving, by a second node representing a second user, a second communication including, based on the request portion, the resource, as an attachment that is included in the second communication based on a requested attachment schema defining to the second node at least one of a format and a vocabulary for processing the attachment, and a second message addressed to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource criterion includes information for the first node for at least one of generating and modifying the resource.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the first communication includes storing, in the first communication, a criterion content type identifier defined to indicate that the request portion includes the attachment request.

4. A method for processing a request for a resource in a communication, the method comprising:

receiving, from a second node via a network by a first node, a first communication including a first message addressed to a first user;

detecting, by the first node, an attachment request included in the first communication, wherein the attachment request is valid according to a criterion schema defining at least one of a format and a vocabulary for the attachment request and is identified by a schema identifier sent by the first node to the second node prior to receiving the first communication;

locating a resource based on the attachment request; and

sending, by the first node to a second node, a second communication including the located resource, as an attachment that is included in the second communication based on a requested attachment schema defining to the second node at least one of a format and a vocabulary for processing the attachment, and including a second message addressed to a second user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first communication includes at least one of a text message, an email, audio data, an instant message, and image data.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the attachment request is based on a resource criterion for locating the resource.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the resource criterion is a pre-defined criterion.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the resource criterion specifies a user interface element including a form element.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the resource criterion includes information for least one of generating and modifying the resource.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the resource is located automatically in response to detecting the attachment request.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein locating the resource comprises: presenting a locator user interface element based on the attachment request; detecting a user input corresponding to the locator user interface element; and locating the resource based on the attachment request in response to detecting the user input.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein locating the resource further comprises:

presenting the locator user interface element for receiving an additional resource criterion from the first user;

receiving criterion information identifying the additional criterion in response to detecting an input from the first user; and

locating the resource based on the additional resource criterion.

13. The method of claim 4 wherein detecting the attachment request includes detecting a criterion content type identifier, in the first communication, that is defined to indicate that the request portion includes the attachment request.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a computer program, executable by a machine, for processing a request for a resource in a communication, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

receiving, from a second node via a network by a first node, a first communication including a first message addressed to a first user;

detecting, by the first node, an attachment request included in the first communication, wherein the attachment request is valid according to a criterion schema defining at least one of a format and a vocabulary for the attachment request and is identified by a schema identifier sent by the first node to the second node prior to receiving the first communication;

locating a resource based on the attachment request; and

sending, by the first node to a second node, a second communication including the located resource, as an attachment that is included in the second communication based on a requested attachment schema defining to the second node at least one of a format and a vocabulary for processing the attachment, and including a second message addressed to a second user.