Object-oriented framework for hyperlink navigation

• US 20020103824A1
• Filed: 12/05/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nakajima, Satoshi, Ebbo, David S., Wolf, Richard J., Slivka, Benjamin W., Koppolu, Srinivasa R., Stone, Victor, Glasse, Clarence
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/501.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858

Abstract

An object-oriented framework comprises system services, objects, and integration interfaces which unify retrieval and browsing of data among multiple different application programs, document formats, and local and remote data storage sites. The framework provides a hyperlink object which encapsulates general hyperlink navigation functions. The hyperlink object has a moniker which references a hyperlink'"'"'s target, and a location string which designates a location in the target. The hyperlink object uses the moniker to retrieve the target as an object in the framework, and causes the object to display a view of the target at the location. The framework also provides a browse context object which maintains a navigation stack of navigated hyperlink targets, and allows passing of window and navigation tool bar position information to a frame in which the target is displayed to effect the appearance of window reuse when navigating between frames. The framework also includes a cache and table of running objects to speed return navigation to recently navigated targets.

Claims

1. A method of computer software execution to support browsing documents of a plurality of different application programs in a computer system having a video display, comprising:

displaying a view in a first window associated with a first application program on the video display, the view including a hyperlink which designates a target associated with a second different application program, the first window having a window position on the video display;

on user activation of the hyperlink, performing the steps of;

causing the second application program to be loaded on the computer system;

passing the window position from the first application program to the second application program;

positioning a second window associated with the second application program at the window position on the video display; and

displaying a view of the target in the second window on the video display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of passing the window position comprises:

registering the window position by the first application program in a browse context object which supports an interface having functions for registering and for retrieving the window position from the browse context object; and

retrieving the window position by the second application program from the browse context object.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:

displaying a tool bar in the first window on the video display, the tool bar including user interface controls for controlling navigation and having a tool bar position in the first window;

passing the tool bar position from the first application program to the second application program; and

displaying the tool bar at the tool bar position in the second window on the video display.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of passing the tool bar position comprises:

registering the tool bar position by the first application program in a browse context object which supports an interface having functions for registering and for retrieving the tool bar position from the browse context object; and

retrieving the tool bar position by the second application program from the browse context object.

5. A method of computer software execution to support browsing documents of a plurality of different application programs in a computer system having a video display, comprising:

maintaining a navigation stack representing an order of navigation of previously navigated hyperlink target documents;

displaying a container document with a first application on the video display, the container document containing a hyperlink to a target document associated with a second different application, the container document being one of the previously navigated hyperlink target documents;

on user activation of the hyperlink, navigating to the target document, wherein the step of navigating comprises;

displaying the target document with the second application on the video display; and

registering the target document in the navigation stack.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising:

providing a browse context object for maintaining the navigation stack, the browse context object supporting an interface for registering the navigated target document, wherein the browse context object is a programming entity that encapsulates data members to provide storage of data with function members implemented by operational code to provide processing of the data and that exposes the interface to programmatic access by a client program.

7. A method of computer software execution to support browsing documents in a computer system having a video display, wherein an object used in the system is a programming entity that encapsulates data members to provide storage of data with function members implemented by operational code to provide processing of the data and that has an interface exposing the function members to programmatic access by a client program, wherein an object in its running state is loaded in memory for execution on the computer system, the method comprising:

maintaining a cache of objects in a running state;

maintaining a table of the cached objects;

navigating a hyperlink contained in a container document object to a target document object;

on navigating the hyperlink, checking the table of running objects to determine whether the target document object is one of the cached objects, and binding to the cached target document object if the target document object is cached; and

on navigating the hyperlink, caching the container document object in a running state in the cache.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

updating the cache and the table according to a least recently used scheme.

9. A storage medium having instructions therein for causing a computer to perform a hyperlink navigation method wherein an object used in the method is a programming entity that encapsulates data members to provide storage of data with function members implemented by operational code to provide processing of the data and that has an interface exposing the function members to programmatic access by a client program, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a hyperlink object having a moniker and a navigate function, the moniker having a reference to a hyperlink target associated with an application, the navigate function operating to cause the moniker to retrieve the hyperlink target into its associated application and to cause a display transition to the hyperlink target; and

calling the navigate function of the hyperlink object to thereby effect the display transition to the hyperlink target.

10. The storage medium of claim 9 wherein the hyperlink object also has a location string designating a location in the hyperlink target, and the navigate function further causing a display transition to the location in the hyperlink target.

11. In a computer, system software having a software component architecture for rendering interlinked media content using plural different media rendering methods, the architecture comprising plural controllable media components supplying media content and media control methods for controlling the rendering of media content, the architecture comprising:

a host component providing a common controllable screen space and a media component control interface, said media component control interface used by a controllable media component controlling the rendering of media content in the common controllable screen space;

a controllable media component server; and

a controllable media component transition framework;

wherein the controllable media component transition framework (i) accepts an interlinked media request generated by a controllable media component controlling the common controllable screen space, said request representing an identifiable media content and a next controllable media component for rendering said identifiable media content, (ii) invokes said controllable media component server to create said next controllable media component, and (iii) provides the next controllable media component control of the common controllable screen space.

12. The architecture of claim 11 wherein the request is a textual string for referencing the location of an image content.

13. The architecture of claim 11 comprising:

a media transition history component for recording an order of previous controlling media components.

14. The architecture of claim 11 wherein there are plural controllable media component servers each providing one or more controllable media components for rendering distinct identifiable media contents.

15. The architecture of claim 11 wherein the request is a naming object having a reference to an image content stored at a storage site and a binding function for initiating retrieval of the image content from the storage site.

16. The architecture of claim 15 wherein the binding function provides asynchronous retrieval of the image content from the storage site.

18. The object-oriented architecture of claim 17 comprising:

the first and second frame objects providing a hyperlink navigation toolbar in their respective display frames;

the browse context object registering a position of the hyperlink navigation toolbar within the first display frame;

the second frame object operating to retrieve the position of the hyperlink navigation toolbar from the browse context object, and to position the hyperlink navigation toolbar within the second display frame to thereby create an appearance of window reuse by the hyperlink target.

19. The object-oriented architecture of claim 17 comprising:

a table for listing running objects;

the hyperlink object operating to check whether the target is one of the running objects listed in the table upon navigating the hyperlink, and to navigate to said one of the running objects if listed in the table.

20. The object-oriented architecture of claim 17 comprising:

a browse context object for updating the table with the target according to a least recently used scheme upon the hyperlink object navigating the hyperlink.

21. The object-oriented architecture of claim 17 comprising:

an application programming interface function for causing the hyperlink object to navigate the hyperlink.

17. In a computer, system software having an object-oriented architecture for navigating a hyperlink, comprising:

a hyperlink object containing a hyperlink target indicator and a hyperlink target location indicator, and having a navigating function for navigating to a location in a target of the hyperlink identified by the indicators;

a container of the hyperlink object, the container providing a first display having a representation of the hyperlink;

a first frame object for providing a first display frame in a first window, the first display frame having a first area in which the container presents the first display;

the hyperlink target providing a second display;

a second frame object for providing a second display frame in a second window, the second display frame having a second area in which the hyperlink target presents the second display;

a browse context object having functions for registering a position of the first window and for retrieving the position; and

the second frame object operating to retrieve the position of the first window from the browse context object when the target is navigated, and to position the second window in place of the first window to thereby create an appearance of window reuse by the hyperlink target.

22. A computer system comprising:

a software component framework that exposes a common programming interface to third party application developers; and

plural media rendering applications, at least two developed by one or more third parties, said media rendering applications containing instructions for invoking the common programming interface in the event a hyperlink within their corresponding rendered media is selected;

wherein said common programming interface is utilized by said plural media rendering applications for hyperlink navigation among plural media rendering applications.