Network-based software extensions

• US 20050289535A1
• Filed: 09/01/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fisher, Oliver G., Raman, Suryanarayanan V., Erickson, Paul R., Murray, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client. The program or platform is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. In the described embodiment, extension files that comprise a software extension are hosted on an Internet server. Additional files are also hosted on the Internet server and describe aspects of the software extension. Extensions are incorporated on a client by navigating to a particular Internet site through which the extensions can be accessed. The files describing the extension files are downloaded on the client. The extension files are then downloaded and incorporated into the program or platform.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

computer-readable instructions on the one or more computer-readable media which, when executed by said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to implement a method comprising;

describing one or more software extensions using descriptions, the extensions being configured for incorporation in a software platform executing on a client; and

delivering the descriptions of the one or more extensions to the client via a network, the descriptions being configured for use in downloading the software extensions via the network;

said acts of describing and delivering being configured to enable software to be delivered over the network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the descriptions comprise a tag-based, hierarchical language.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the descriptions comprise XML descriptions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the network comprises the Internet; and

descriptions comprise XML descriptions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the software extensions are configured to make context-based changes in the operation of the software platform, the context-based changes being associated with the computing context of a user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the software platform is configured to provide a single application program having multiple different functionalities that can enable a user to accomplish multiple different tasks.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the software extensions are configured to make context-based changes in the operation of one or more of the multiple different functionalities that change the manner in which a user can accomplish a task associated with a particular functionality.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide user interface elements.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide behaviors, components, or objects.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide store elements.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide user-defined elements.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the software extensions provide one or more of the following:

user interface elements;

behaviors, components, or objects;

store elements; and

user-defined elements.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one extension provides an ability to add new points of extensibility.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the describing of the one or more software extensions comprises describing the extensions using an extension description file (EDF) comprising an XML file that describes a logical attachment to the software platform.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the descriptions contains an implementation of all or part of the functionality of an extension.

17. A system of managing network-based software extensions comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

computer-readable instructions on the one or more computer-readable media which, when executed by said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to implement a method comprising;

grouping multiple software extension descriptions in a catalog in a network-accessible location to enable delivery of software via a network;

accessing the network-accessible location; and

using the catalog to update a software extension that is resident on a computing device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises querying the catalog to ascertain an extension description.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises querying the catalog based on a user'"'"'s personal setting.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the extension descriptions are defined in XML.