Coordination of system readiness tasks

• US 10,452,222 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Alphin, III, Thomas H., Clement, Samuel D., Sawaya, Samer F., Machalani, Henri-Charles, Sarkar, Ananda, Chandrasekaran, Naresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US13/905,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20140359469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

Various systems, such as operating systems and application suites, have multiple programs that are installed and settings that are configured in order to put the system in a desired operational state (e.g., a substantially fully functioning state). Different users can have different experiences based on different programs they use, and the set of programs they use can come from network locations. A set of system readiness tasks is created that identifies the various actions to be performed to put the system in the desired operational state. Performance of the set of system readiness tasks is coordinated to display, prior to achieving the desired operational state, a preview of a user interface of the system that is customized to a specific user of the system. Performance of the set of system readiness tasks continues, while displaying the preview of the user interface, until the desired operational state is achieved.

Claims

1. A method to put a system of a computing device in a desired operational state, the method comprising:

obtaining a preview of a user interface of the system, the preview of the user interface being customized to a specific user of the system and containing multiple visuals, each of the visuals being a graphical element selectable to launch an application on the computing device;

displaying the preview of the user interface of the system;

analyzing the system and identifying multiple system readiness tasks to be performed to put the system in the desired operational state;

assigning to each of the system readiness tasks a priority weighted to account for attributes of static data and/or dynamic data, the attributes including at least a usage frequency of an application for the specific user, wherein the usage frequency is aggregated across the computing device and one or more other computing devices;

generating an action list by organizing the multiple system readiness tasks in order of the priority assigned to each of the system readiness tasks;

performing the multiple system readiness tasks on the action list in order of the priority assigned to each of the system readiness tasks;

receiving user input during the performing via the preview of the user interface; and

in response to receiving the user input, continuing the performing and updating the displayed preview of the user interface of the system in accordance with the user input.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, the system comprising an operating system of the computing device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, the multiple system readiness tasks including downloading and installing one or more programs.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising changing, in response to a change in the dynamic data, the order of the priority in which the multiple system readiness tasks are to be performed.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising defining a time during performance of the multiple system readiness tasks after which the system is operational and responsive to user input.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user input is a selection of the graphical element selectable to launch the application.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the priority is further weighted to account for a download size of the application and a download speed available for downloading the application from an application store.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the priority is further weighted to account for a popularity of the application at a current geographical location of the specific user.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device and the one or more other computing devices are of a same form factor.

6. A computing device comprising:

at least one processor and a computer-readable storage media configured to store multiple instructions that are executable by the at least one processor;

a first subset of the multiple instructions configured to;

output a user interface display for the computing device; and

a second subset of the multiple instructions configured to;

obtain a preview of a user interface of a system of the computing device, the preview of the user interface of the system being customized to a specific user of the system and containing multiple visuals, each of the visuals being a graphical element selectable to launch an application on the computing device;

display the preview of the user interface of the system;

analyze the system and identify multiple system readiness tasks to be performed to put the system in a desired operational state;

assign to each of the system readiness tasks a priority weighted to account for attributes of static data and/or dynamic data, the attributes including at least;

a usage frequency of an application;

a popularity of an application at a current geographical location of the specific user; and

a usage pattern for the specific user on one or more other computing devices, wherein the computing device and the one or more other computing devices are of a same form factor;

generate an action list by organizing the multiple system readiness tasks in order of the priority assigned to each of the system readiness tasks;

perform the multiple system readiness tasks on the action list in order of the priority assigned to each of the system readiness tasks;

receive user input via the preview of the user interface of the system while performing the multiple system readiness tasks on the action list; and

in response to receiving the user input, continue the performing the multiple system readiness tasks and updating the displayed preview of the user interface of the system in accordance with the user input.

7. A computing device as recited in claim 6, the system comprising an operating system of the computing device.

8. A computing device as recited in claim 6, the multiple system readiness tasks including downloading and installing one or more applications to be run on an operating system of the computing device.

9. A computing device as recited in claim 6, the multiple system readiness tasks including downloading and installing one or more programs of an operating system.

10. A computing device as recited in claim 6, the second subset of the multiple instructions being further configured to change, in response to a change in the dynamic data, the order of the priority in which the multiple system readiness tasks are to be performed.

11. A computing device as recited in claim 6, the second subset of the multiple instructions being further configured to define a time during performance of the multiple system readiness tasks after which the system is operational and the multiple visuals are displayed.

15. A computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the priority is further weighted to account for a download size of the application and a download speed available for downloading the application from an application store.

17. A computing device comprising:

at least one processor; and

computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to;

obtain a preview of a user interface of a system of the computing device, the preview of the user interface being customized to a specific user of the system and containing multiple visuals, each of the multiple visuals being a graphical element selectable to launch an application on the computing device;

display the preview of the user interface of the system;

analyze the system and identifying multiple system readiness tasks to be performed to put the system in a desired operational state;

assign to each of the system readiness tasks a priority weighted to account for attributes of at least one of static data or dynamic data, the attributes including at least a usage frequency of an application for the specific user, wherein the usage frequency is aggregated across the computing device and one or more other computing devices;

generate an action list by organizing the multiple system readiness tasks in order of the priority assigned to each of the system readiness tasks;

perform the multiple system readiness tasks on the action list in order of the priority assigned to each of the system readiness tasks;

receive user input during the performing via the preview of the user interface; and

update the displayed preview of the user interface of the system in accordance with the user input.