Integrating user interfaces from one application into another

• US 20070143704A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Laird-McConnell, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The invention discloses a system and method for integrating user interfaces (UI) within an application. The invention can be configured to display an UI of a second application within a first application in a manner that the user cannot identify that the second application'"'"'s UI is displayed on top of a reference window within the first application. The invention can be configured to identify a reference window that is to be replaced by a replacement window of the second application, monitor the reference window, create the replacement window, and align the replacement window over top of the reference window.

Claims

1. A method for integrating user interfaces within an application, comprising:

identifying one or more reference windows, each of the one or more reference windows having a size;

monitoring the one or more reference windows;

creating at least one replacement window having the size;

aligning the at least one replacement window over the one or more reference windows.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more windows comprises searching for at least one identifier, the at least one identifier being a class name of the reference window.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising changing the position of the at least one replacement window in a same manner as how the one or more reference windows changes positions, wherein the one or more reference windows remain hidden.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting that the at least one replacement window is no longer active.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising removing the at least one replacement window after it has been detected that the at least one replacement window is no longer active.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one replacement window includes search results.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more reference windows correspond to a first application and the at least one replacement window corresponds to a second application different from the first application.

8. A system for integrating user interfaces within an application, comprising:

a identification component for identifying one or more reference windows having a size;

a monitoring component for monitoring the one or more reference windows;

a window creating component for creating at least one replacement window having the size;

an aligning component for aligning the at least one replacement window over the one or more reference windows in a position that hides all areas of the one or more reference windows.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the one or more reference windows correspond to a first application and the at least one replacement window corresponds to a second application different from the first application.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one replacement window changes its position in a same manner as how the one or more reference windows changes positions such that the one or more reference windows remain hidden.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one replacement window includes search results.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the one or more reference windows are identified by a at least one class name.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one replacement window is removed when it has been detected that the at least one replacement window is no longer active.

14. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for integrating user interfaces within an application, the method comprising:

identifying one or more reference windows having a size;

monitoring the one or more reference windows;

creating at least one replacement window having the size;

aligning the at least one replacement window over the one or more reference windows in a position that hides all areas of the one or more reference windows.

15. The computer-readable media according to claim 14, wherein identifying the one or more windows comprises searching for at least one identifier, the at least one identifier being a class name of the reference window.

16. The computer-readable media according to claim 14, further comprising changing the position of the at least one replacement window in a same manner as how the one or more reference windows changes positions, wherein the one or more reference windows remain hidden.

17. The computer-readable media according to claim 14, further comprising detecting when the at least one replacement window is no longer active.

18. The computer-readable media according to claim 17, further comprising removing the at least one replacement window when it has been detected that the at least one replacement window is no longer active.

19. The computer-readable media according to claim 14, wherein the at least one replacement window includes search results.

20. The computer-readable media according to claim 14, wherein the one or more reference windows correspond to a first application and the at least one replacement window corresponds to a second application different from the first application.