SERVICE PLATFORM FOR IN-CONTEXT RESULTS

• US 20120204129A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lyndersay, Sean, Pavlicic, Miladin, Kim, Jane T., Garcia, Jonathan, Strauch, Steve, Risney, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a service platform that integrates services, such as web services and/or local services, across a variety of applications. In at least some embodiments, services can be integrated with legacy applications that are “unaware” of such services, as well as applications that are aware of such services.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, provide a service platform comprising;

a global integration layer configured to enable an application to allow a user to access and use services of which the application is not aware from within the application;

a common control integration layer that provides a control that can be hosted by an application, the control configured to be populated with services of which the application is aware and the services of which the application is not aware; and

a custom integration layer that provides a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that can be used by the application to customize a user interface that includes at least one service of which the application is aware and at least one service of which the application is not aware.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the services of which the application is not aware include one or more of a search service, a define service, an investigate service, a map service, a news service, an image service, or a translate service.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the application comprises one of a web browser application, a reader application, an e-mail application, or an instant messaging application.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein functionality of the global integration layer is supported by an operating system.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the services of which the application is not aware can be ascertained at the global integration layer by providing a keyboard shortcut which is detectable by the operating system.

6. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the operating system is configured to detect a user action associated with ascertaining which services are available and, responsively, make an API call to receive a listing of services that are available.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a preview of the at least one service of which the application is not aware.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting, with an operating system, a user action;

retrieving a list of services including at least one service that is not offered by the application and at least one service that is offered by the application; and

causing display of the list of services.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the at least one service that is not offered by the application from the list of services;

causing display of a preview of the selected service; and

providing, separate from the preview, access to service functionality associated with the preview.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein providing the access to the service functionality further comprises navigating to a remote website where the service functionality is offered.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the retrieving is performed responsive to an operating system call to a multi-level, platform-supported Application Programming Interface (API).

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the user action comprises a hot key combination.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to said causing display of the list of services:

providing a control that can be hosted by multiple applications;

populating the control with services offered by the application; and

populating the control with services that are not offered by the application.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said populating the control with services that are not offered by the application is performed by an Application Programming Interface (API) call from the control to an API.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, implement a method comprising:

causing display of a list of services that includes at least one service that is not offered by an application;

receiving a selection of the at least one service that is not offered by the application from the list of services;

causing display of a preview of the selected service; and

providing, separate from the preview, access to service functionality associated with the preview.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a selection of the preview of the selected service; and

navigating to a remote website associated with the selected service

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the navigating includes sending data associated with the selected service to the remote website.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the access comprises local access to the service functionality associated with the preview.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the list of services further includes at least one service that is offered by the application.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the service comprises a map service, and wherein the preview comprises a preview map.