INTER-SERVICE APPLICATIONS

• US 20140033064A1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Rampata, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing an inter-service application, wherein connections of a network service are accessed to facilitate the transfer of an article to a list of participants. The article is transferred to and displayed on the desktop environment of a participant. In some embodiments, a timer is initiated on the first transfer, whereupon expiration of the timer, a termination sequence is performed. The termination sequence terminates transfer of the article to the participant list and further displays a graphical presentation to the current participant. Additional methods and apparatus are described.

Claims

1. A computer-impiemented method, comprising using at least one processor to:

receive a request to initiate an inter-service application, the inter-service application enabling transfer of an article via a network to one or more computing devices;

access a contact list from a network application, the contact list including a plurality of contacts and a specific order of the contacts, the contact list and the specific order thereof restricting which contacts the article can be transferred to and an order in which the article is transferred to the contacts;

initiate transfer of the article via the network to the one or more computing devices according to the specific order established by the contact list; and

display, on an electronic display, transfer of the article via the network to the one or more computing devices.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

display a list of set up options; and

receive a selection of at least one option of the list of set up options from an originating participant computing device.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

send status information to the network application after transfer of the article to a first computing device of the one or more computing devices.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein the network application is a social network service, and wherein the status information is associated with a first client identifier of the client list, the first client identifier corresponding to the first computing device, wherein the status information is made accessible to the social network service.

5. The method as in claim 4, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

retrieve connection information for the client list from the social network service, wherein the client list is associated with an originating participant computing device and is once-removed from the one or more computing devices.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

download application code to at least one computing device of the one or more computing devices, the application code comprising computer executable code for implementing features of the inter-service application at the at least one computing device.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

initiate a timer; and

on expiration of the timer, perform a termination sequence, wherein transfer of the article to the one or more computing devices is terminated.

8. The method as in claim 7, wherein on expiration of the timer, the article is displayed in a different format.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

request feature specifications for the article from an originating participant computing device;

receive responses from the originating participant computing device, the responses specifying features for the article; and

apply the selected specifying features to the article.

10. A system, comprising:

an inter-service application to access a contact list including a plurality of contacts via a network service and to transfer an article via a network to one or more computing devices according to a specific order established by the contact list, wherein the article is transferred via the network to a computing device for each participant on the contact list for display and the article is restricted for transfer only to the computing device of each participant on the contact list;

a list memory to store the contact list, the contact list including a plurality of contacts and the specific order of the contacts;

a queue storage and control unit to maintain information relating to the transfer of the article via the network to the one or more computing devices, the queue storage and control unit storing the specific order established by the contact list, the queue storage and control unit is further to track the transfer of the article via the network to contacts of the contact list according to the specific order specified in the contact list.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the inter-service application is further to request and receive information from an originating participant computing device, the information used to build the contact list, to select the article and to provide at least one feature selection for the article.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to perform the following operations:

receiving a request to initiate an inter-service application, the inter-service applicatiom enabling transfer of an article via a network to a one or more computing devices;

accessing a contact list from a network application, the contact list including a plurality of contacts and specific order of the contacts, the contact list and the specific order thereof restricting which contacts the article can be transferred to and an order in which the article is transferred to the contacts;

initiating transfer of the article via the network to the one or more computing devices according to an order established by the contact list; and

displaying, on an electronic display, transfer of the article to the one or more computing devices.

13. A computer implemented method, comprising, using at least one processor to:

select a list of participants for an inter-service application activity, the activity for transferring an article via a network to a list of participants, the list including a plurality of participants and order of the participants, the list of participants restrictinv transfer of the article via the network to participants included in the list and restricting an order of transfer to the specific order of participants on the list;

select the article for transfer;

start the inter-service application to transfer the article via the network to participants on the list of participants to a network service;

transfer the article via the network to the list of participants such that the article is presented on an electronic display of each participant'"'"'s computing device; and

display the list of participants on an electronic display, wherein transfer of the article to the list of participants is indicated on the electronic display.

14. The computer implemented method as in claim 13, further comprising using the at least one processor to select at least one feature for the article.

15. The computer implemented method as in claim 13, further comprising using the at least one processor to select a termination sequence for the article, the termination sequence to initiate on expiration of a predetermined time period for interaction with the article after transfer to a participant'"'"'s computing device.

16. A computer implemented method, comprising using at least one processor to:

receive a request to initiate an inter-service application, the inter-service application to transfer an article via a network to a one or more computing devices;

receive the article;

display the article on an electronic display;

receive information related to a contact list for a network application, the contact list including a plurality of contacts and a specific order of the contacts, the contact list restricting transfer of the article via the network to only those contacts included in the contacts list and in the ssecific order of contacts in the contact list;

initiate a timer having an expiration time;

receive instructions to perform an action on the article; and

prior to the expiration time of the timer, display the action performed on the article and initiate transfer of the article via the network according to the order established by the contact list.

17. The computer implemented method as in claim 16, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

download inter-service application code, including computer-readable instructions for implementing the inter-service application.

18. The computer implemented method as in claim 16, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

perform a termination sequence upon expiration of the timer.

19. The computer implemented method as in claim 18, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

display article graphics associated with termination sequence.

20. The computer implemented method as in claim 16, further comprising using the at least one processor to:

send status information to the network application after transfer of the article to a first computing device of the one or more computing devices.