SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING A LODESTONE IN APPLICATION WINDOWS TO INSERT MEDIA CONTENT

• US 20080256563A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DynoMedia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DynoMedia, Inc.
• Inventors: HAN, Cheng
• Application Number:
  US11/735,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20080256563A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/329
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Lightweight application components are provided which can be displayed in a number of unaffiliated application windows and allow a user to insert media content into the application windows. In some embodiments, the present invention may comprise a lodestone application which allows a user to insert media files and/or links to media files in e-mails, instant messages, and other communications. In one embodiment, a method for displaying a lodestone includes: receiving, via an operating system, a window event; determining the window event indicates activation of an application window; determining the application window corresponds to an application window for which a lodestone is configured; identifying, in response to the determinations, display configuration information for the lodestone, the display configuration information corresponding to the application window; and displaying, according to the display configuration information, the lodestone in the application window.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a lodestone application to integrate functionality of a media application in a plurality of unaffiliated application windows, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, via an operating system, a window event;

(b) determining the window event indicates activation of an application window;

(c) determining the application window corresponds to an application window for which a lodestone is configured;

(d) identifying, in response to the determinations, display configuration information for the lodestone, the display configuration information corresponding to the application window; and

(e) displaying, according to the display configuration information, the lodestone in the application window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lodestone comprises a graphical icon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises registering a window event listener.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating system comprises MICROSOFT WINDOWS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises determining the window event indicates a WM_ACTIVE event.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises identifying at least one of:

a name of a compiled class of the window, a process name of the window, or a name of a compiled class of a cursor event.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises identifying at least one of:

a main window class name, a first child window class name, or second child window class name.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises comparing a class name associated with the window event to a list of allowed application windows.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises identifying window position coordinates for the lodestone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises identifying a display color for the lodestone.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises identifying a background color of the application window.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising ceasing to display a lodestone displayed in a second application window.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising pasting, in response to a user interaction with the lodestone, data from a second application into the application window.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second application comprises a media distribution application.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the pasted data comprises a URL.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, via the lodestone, information identifying at least one media file.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, via the lodestone, information identifying at least one recently accessed media file.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the application window comprises an electronic mail application.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the application window comprises an instant messaging window.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the application window comprises a web browser.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the application window corresponds to a first application, the first application unaffiliated with a second application corresponding to the lodestone.

22. A computer implemented system for displaying a lodestone application to integrate functionality of a media application in a plurality of unaffiliated application windows, the system comprising:

means for receiving, via an operating system, a window event;

means for determining the window event indicates activation of an application window;

means for determining the window event corresponds to an application window for which a lodestone is configured;

means for identifying, in response to the determinations, display configuration information for the lodestone, the display configuration information corresponding to the application window; and

means for displaying, according to the display configuration information, the lodestone in the application window.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the lodestone comprises a graphical icon.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for registering a window event listener.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the operating system comprises MICROSOFT WINDOWS.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for determining the window event indicates a WM_ACTIVE event.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for identifying at least one of:

a name of a compiled class of the window, a process name of the window, or a name of a compiled class of a cursor event.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for identifying at least one of:

a main window class name, a first child window class name, or second child window class name.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for comparing a class name associated with the window event to a list of allowed application windows.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for identifying window position coordinates for the lodestone.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for identifying a display color for the lodestone.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for identifying a background color of the application window.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for ceasing to display a lodestone displayed in a second application window.

34. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for pasting, in response to a user interaction with the lodestone, data from a second application into the application window.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the second application comprises a media distribution application.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the pasted data comprises a URL.

37. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for displaying, via the lodestone, information identifying at least one media file.

38. The system of claim 22, wherein the system comprises means for displaying, via the lodestone, information identifying at least one recently accessed media file.

39. The system of claim 22, wherein the application window comprises an electronic mail application.

40. The system of claim 22, wherein the application window comprises an instant messaging window.

41. The system of claim 22, wherein the application window comprises a web browser.

42. The system of claim 22, wherein the application window corresponds to a first application, the first application unaffiliated with a second application corresponding to the lodestone.