Providing information links via a network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of displaying, at a local computer, one or more links to remote information, the method comprising:
- loading link data from a remote location over a network, wherein the link data comprises a link destination and a message type; and
at the local computer, displaying a link user interface element comprising content according to the message type, wherein the link user interface element is operable to navigate to the link destination when activated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various technologies related to links to content are described. Links can be generated from data acquired via a network. A link can be presented as part of a graphical user interface as a canned message according to the link data. The links can be presented as part of a graphical user interface for an operating system shell. For example, appropriate links can accompany the representation of an application. When activated, the links present content relevant to the application. The techniques can be applied to computer games.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method of displaying, at a local computer, one or more links to remote information, the method comprising:
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loading link data from a remote location over a network, wherein the link data comprises a link destination and a message type; and
at the local computer, displaying a link user interface element comprising content according to the message type, wherein the link user interface element is operable to navigate to the link destination when activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of presenting a representation of an application in a graphical user interface of an operating system shell, the method comprising:
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loading link data from a remote location over a network, wherein the link data comprises information for one or more links; and
responsive to a request for the operating system shell to display the representation of the application, displaying the representation of the application and the one or more links specified in the link data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of communicating information about an application from an application publisher to an application user while maintaining anonymity of the application user with respect to the application publisher, the method comprising:
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via a network, accessing link information at a local computer, wherein the link information is periodically updated and under control of the application publisher, wherein the link information indicates one or more message types and one or more respective locations at which information about the application can be found;
at the local computer, presenting canned messages based on the message types, wherein activation of the canned messages navigates to the respective locations. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method comprising:
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determining a link data file location, wherein the link data file location is determined by accessing an application description file associated with a computer game, and the link data file location indicates a resource remotely accessible via a network;
via the network, acquiring a link data file from the link data file location, wherein the link data file indicates one or more links, the links having a link message code and a respective link target, wherein the link target specifies a location of content related to the game;
authenticating the link data file, wherein authenticating comprises determining that the link data file originates from a same location as the application description file; and
in a game activity center, displaying one out of a set of canned text messages according to the link message code, wherein the text message navigates to the respective link target when activated by a user.
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26. An operating system service comprising:
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a link store comprising one or more links acquired from a remote source over a network, wherein the links are associated with a respective application;
a link updater operable to update the link store based on link data acquired from a remote location, wherein a location of the link data is associated with the application in an application description file for the application; and
a link displayer for displaying the links associated with the application responsive to a request to display links associated with the application. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of communicating over a network comprising:
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accessing a server computer over the network to retrieve link data comprising links to information content on the network;
verifying acceptability of the link data;
via the link data, choosing at least one selected message out of a canned set of messages; and
displaying user interface elements for accessing the links to information content on the network, wherein the user interface elements comprise the at least one selected message. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method of communicating over a network comprising:
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on a server computer on the network, storing link data comprising a message code and a respective link target indicating a location of content for an application, wherein the message code indicate a topic of the content;
responsive to a request for the link data, sending the link data. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following to display, at a local computer, one or more links to remote information:
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loading link data from a remote location over a network, wherein the link data comprises a link destination and a message type; and
at the local computer, displaying a link user interface element comprising content according to the message type, wherein the link user interface element is operable to navigate to the link destination when activated.
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50. One or more computer-readable media having encoded thereon a data structure comprising the following:
one or more link specifiers, wherein a link specifiers comprises;
a message type indicating one out of set of canned messages for display by a graphical user interface of an operating system shell when displaying information about an application; and
a link target indicating a network location of content relating to the application for a topic indicated by the message type.
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51. A graphical user interface comprising:
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a representation of an application presented by an operating system shell; and
one or more links to information about the application, wherein the links are respectively depicted as one out of set of canned messages and are presented by the operating system shell.
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52. An operating system service comprising:
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means for storing one or more links acquired from a remote source over a network, wherein the links are associated with a respective application;
means for updating the links stored on the link storing means based on link data acquired from a remote location, wherein a location of the link data is associated with the application in an application description file for the application; and
means for displaying links associated with the application responsive to a request to display links associated with the application.
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Specification