Customizing applications in a discovery interface

• US 20080077852A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Elsbree, John, Fleishman, David, Linzbach, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system provides customized user interface data to a media application, such as a media discovery interface, or to any application for that matter, thereby extending the original application. Via a network connection, elements of the user interface can be downloaded to the application in a package of markup data and resources, including images, text, and links. A user interface framework of the media application processes the markup from the downloaded package and utilizes packaged resources, local code components, and externally-obtained (e.g., Web resources) to render a customized application page for the media application.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a customized application page in an application, the method comprising:

receiving an application package from a communications network, the application package containing markup data and one or more resources defining the customized application page; and

responsive to the receiving,

identifying the markup data of the application package according to a target page identifier selected via the application after the receiving,

processing the markup data to identify at least one of the one or more resources of the application package referenced in the markup data, and

rendering the customized application page defined by the markup data on a display to include the at least one resource.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the received application package replaces a previously received application package referenced by the same target page identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the target page identifier is received via a user selection of an offering tile rendered on the display by the application.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the offering tile displays a graphic image defined by an image resource of the application package.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the offering tile provides access to the customized application page defined by the markup data of the application package.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the markup data of the received application package references at least one user interface class of the application.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting in the customized application page a reference back parameter identifying a calling application page rendered prior to the customized application page.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting in the customized application page a reference back parameter identifying a user interface element of a calling application page rendered prior to the customized application page, the user interface element previously being used by a user to invoke the customized application page.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving operation comprises:

periodically receiving additional application packages from a media information system server to replace the received application package, each received application package sharing a common target page identifier used by the application to reference customized application pages.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer process that presents a customized application page in an application, the computer process comprising:

receiving an application package from a communications network, the application package containing markup data and one or more resources defining the customized application page; and

responsive to the receiving,

identifying the markup data of the application package according to a target page identifier selected via the application after the receiving,

rendering the customized application page defined by the markup data on a display to include at least one resource included in the application package.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the received application package replaces a previously received application package referenced by the same target page identifier.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the target page identifier is received via a user selection of an offering tile rendered on the display by the application.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the offering tile displays a graphic image defined by an image resource of the application package.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the offering tile provides access to the customized application page defined by the markup data of the application package.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the markup data of the received application package references at least one user interface class of the application.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the computer process further comprises:

setting in the customized application page a reference back parameter identifying a calling application page rendered prior to the customized application page.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the computer process further comprises:

setting in the customized application page a reference back parameter identifying a user interface element of a calling application page rendered prior to the customized application page, the user interface element previously being used by a user to invoke the customized application page.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 wherein the receiving operation comprises:

periodically receiving additional application packages from a media information system server to replace the received application package, each received application package sharing a common target page identifier used by the application to reference customized application pages.

19. A system that presents a customized application page in an application, the system comprising:

an network adapter that receives an application package from a communications network, the application package containing markup data and one or more resources defining the customized application page; and

a processor that executes a shell module communicatively coupled to the network adapter, the shell identifying the markup data of the application package according to a target page identifier selected via the application after the downloading, the processor further executing a user interface framework coupled to the shell module that renders the customized application page defined by the markup data on a display to include at least one resource included in the application package.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the network adapter further periodically receives additional application packages from a media information system server to replace the received application package, each received application package sharing a common target page identifier used by the application to reference customized application pages.