ONLINE CATALOG WITH INTEGRATED CONTENT

• US 20120203765A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DeSeranno, Shane M., Ackerman, Nathan, Bauman, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/021,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203765A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

Systems and methods for integrating third-party content and first-party content in a marketplace environment for presentation to a user of a computing device are provided. The method may include receiving content and publisher-specific metadata from a plurality of third-party publishers; storing the content and publisher-specific metadata in a catalog database. The database may include third-party publisher content and first-party content. The method may further include receiving a catalog query from a client device, identifying a set of catalogs to which a user of the client device belongs; generating query results, the query results including third-party publisher content and first-party content; filtering query results based on the metadata and set of catalogs; and sending the filtered query results to the client device for display on the client device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a content marketplace server, the method comprising:

receiving content and publisher-specific metadata from a plurality of third-party publishers;

storing the content and publisher-specific metadata in a catalog database, the database including third-party publisher content and first-party content;

receiving a catalog query from a client device;

identifying a set of catalogs to which a user of the client device belongs;

generating query results, the query results including third-party publisher content and first-party content;

filtering query results based on the metadata and set of catalogs; and

sending the filtered query results to the client device for display on the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the third-party publishers is a mobile operator or a device manufacturer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata includes third-party publisher specified access rules and content pricing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is an xml schema.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalog query includes subscription information of a user of the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the catalog query is an http request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the content includes one or more of an application, a video, and music.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving customizations from at least one of the plurality of third-party publishers, storing the customizations, and wherein sending the filtered query results to the client device includes sending the customizations to the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the customizations include a publisher specified background image and publisher specified featured content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtered query results include differential pricing information for third-party publisher content and general content.

11. A computing device configured as a content marketplace server, comprising:

a logic subsystem; and

a data holding subsystem comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by the logic subsystem to;

receive content and publisher-specific metadata from a plurality of third-party publishers;

store the content and publisher-specific metadata in a catalog database, the database including third-party publisher content and first-party content;

receive a catalog query from a client device;

identify a set of catalogs to which a user of the client device belongs;

generate query results, the query results including third-party publisher content and first-party content;

filter query results based on the metadata and set of catalogs; and

send the filtered query results to the client device for display on the client device.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the metadata includes third-party publisher specified access rules and content pricing.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the catalog query includes subscription information of a user of the client device.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the data holding subsystem comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by the logic subsystem is further configured to:

receive customizations from at least one of the plurality of third-party publishers, store the customizations, and wherein sending the filtered query results to the client device includes sending the customizations to the client device.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein at least one of the third-party publishers is a mobile operator or a device manufacturer.

16. A graphical user interface running on a client device configured to:

send a catalog query to a catalog server, the catalog query including subscription information of a user of the client device;

receive query results from the catalog server, the query results including first-party content and third-party publisher content, the third-party publisher content from a plurality of third-party publishers and including publisher specified metadata; and

display the first-party content and third-party publisher content based on the metadata and subscription information.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the metadata includes third-party publisher specified access rules and content pricing.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display third-party publisher customized content.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 18, wherein the third-party publisher customized content includes a publisher specified background image and publisher specified featured content.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display differential pricing information for third-party publisher content and first-party content.