Applications and services as a bundle

• US 10,511,495 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Keith, Jr., Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US15/906,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing bundles of applications and services over a network between a server system and client computers. Related applications and services are bundled together in one package so that a user is able to quickly and easily configure a computer to perform a specified task. By combining both the applications and the services in one bundle, users no longer have to search the Internet for necessary components. Furthermore, additional features that allow portability of the bundled applications and services in addition to diagnostic monitoring are included.

Claims

1. A method performed on a client device of accessing a bundle of applications and services, the method comprising:

the client device sending login information to a server accessible on a network;

the client device receiving a bundle associated with a user profile associated with the login information, the bundle comprising one or more applications and one or more services and the bundle comprising an associated combination of at least one of the one or more applications and at least one of the one or more services, the at least one of the one or more applications being functionally interoperable with the at least one of the one or more services, and the at least one of the one or more services providing a service corresponding to the at least one of the one or more applications, the at least one of the one or more applications enabling use of the at least one of the one or more services from the client device; and

implementing a user interface configured to receive user input for selecting particular components within the bundle, wherein input received to the user interface updates the user profile such that bundles received on another client device correspond to the updated user profile.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

installing the bundle on the client device;

executing the at least one of the one or more applications; and

accessing the at least one of the one or more services.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bundle is configured for a particular type of the client device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the client device is a desktop computer.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the client device is a palmtop computer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising checking the computing device for compatibility errors between the applications and the services within the bundle and the computing device before the bundle is installed.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising monitoring the computing device for errors after the bundle is installed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bundle comprises one or more of a telephony bundle, audio bundle, video bundle, and game bundle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bundle comprises selectable components.

10. A system for utilizing a bundle to install applications and services, the system comprising:

a client device comprising one or more computer processors, the client device configured to;

send login information to a server accessible on a network;

receive a bundle associated with a user profile associated with the login information, the bundle comprising one or more applications and one or more services and the bundle comprising an associated combination of at least one of the one or more applications and at least one of the one or more services, the at least one of the one or more applications being functionally interoperable with the at least one of the one or more services, and the at least one of the one or more services providing a service corresponding to the at least one of the one or more applications, the at least one of the one or more applications enabling use of the at least one of the one or more services from the client device; and

implement a user interface configured to receive user input for selecting particular components within the bundle, wherein input received to the user interface updates the user profile such that bundles received on another client device correspond to the updated user profile.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a diagnostic system for checking the computing device for compatibility errors between the applications and the services within the bundle and the computing device before the bundle is installed.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a diagnostic system for monitoring the computing device for errors after the bundle is installed.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bundle comprises one or more of a telephony bundle, audio bundle, video bundle, and game bundle.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the client device is further configured to display a user interface and receive user input to configure selectable components of the bundle.

15. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bundle comprises selectable components.

16. A computer program product for accessing one or more bundles of applications and services over a network, the computer program product comprising one or more durable computer-readable hardware data storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed upon one or more processors of a client device, cause the client device to:

send login information to a server accessible on a network;

receive a bundle associated with a user profile associated with the login information, the bundle comprising one or more applications and one or more services and the bundle comprising an associated combination of at least one of the one or more applications and at least one of the one or more services, the at least one of the one or more applications being functionally interoperable with the at least one of the one or more services, and the at least one of the one or more services providing a service corresponding to the at least one of the one or more applications, the at least one of the one or more applications enabling use of the at least one of the one or more services from the client device;

implement a user interface configured to receive user input for selecting particular components within the bundle, wherein input received to the user interface updates the user profile such that bundles received on another client device correspond to the updated user profile;

execute the at least one of the one or more applications, and

access the at least one of the one or more services.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed upon the client device, cause the client device to implement an interface that allows a user to customize the applications and services included in the bundle.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the bundle comprises one or more of a telephony bundle, audio bundle, video bundle, and game bundle.