SURFACING DIRECT APP ACTIONS

• US 20140358958A1
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mandic, Mirko, Kolba, Robert Emmett Jr., Morris, Max Glenn, Gordner, Jonathan, Snyder, Kieran Margaret, Frigon, Kathleen M.
• Application Number:
  US13/905,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358958A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for surfacing direct app actions. For example, a search interface may be configured to provide search results based upon queries submitted by users. Direct app actions may be surfaced through the search interface based upon a search context associated with search query formulation input associated with a search query that is input through the search interface. For example, map directions, a view social network vacation album, and/or other direct app actions may be surfaced through the search interface based upon a search query “Where is The Beach”. Direct app actions may be provided during formulation of the search query or after submission of the search query. Responsive to selection of a direct app action, a third party application (e.g., a locally installed application) may be invoked to perform the direct app action with little to no additional user input or navigation.

Claims

1. A method for surfacing direct app actions, comprising:

identifying search query formulation input associated with a search query through a search interface;

determining a search context based upon the search query formulation input;

identifying a direct app action associated with the search context, the direct app action capable of being performed by a third party application;

surfacing the direct app action for invocation through the search interface; and

responsive to a selection of the direct app action, invoking the third party application to perform the direct app action.

2. The method of claim 1, the search interface comprising an operating system user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

identifying the third party application based upon the third party application exposing functionality to the search interface, for invocation by the search interface, to perform the direct app action.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

searching a local file system of a device providing the search interface to identify a set of third party applications, installed on the device, that expose functionality to the search interface for the search interface to invoke; and

selecting the third party application from the set of third party applications based upon the third party application exposing functionality for performing the direct app action.

5. The method of claim 1, the third party application invoked to perform the direct app action without user interaction with the third party application.

6. The method of claim 1, the identifying comprising identifying a set of direct app actions associated with the search context, and the surfacing comprising surfacing the set of direct app actions for invocation through the search interface.

7. The method of claim 1, the invoking the third party application to perform the direct app action comprising:

instructing the third party application to execute functionality used to perform the direct app action and to provide a result of the execution to a user associated with the search interface.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing a result of the invocation without transitioning a user away from the search interface.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing a result of the invocation through at least one of the search interface or a second interface.

10. The method of claim 1, the surfacing comprising surfacing a set of third party applications capable of performing the direct app action, and the invocation comprising invoking the third party application to perform the direct application responsive to the selection of the third party application from the set of third party applications.

11. The method of claim 1, the search query formulation input corresponding to a partial search query associated with a current formulation of the search query, and the surfacing comprising surfacing the direct app action for invocation through the search interface as a preliminary direct app action suggestion.

12. The method of claim 1, the search query formulation input corresponding to a search submission of the search query, and the surfacing comprising displaying an action launch interface hosted through the search interface, the action launch interface comprising the direct app action and one or more search results associated with the search context.

13. The method of claim 12, the action launch interface comprising an entity description of an entity associated with the search context, the entity description comprising interactive content associated with the entity.

14. The method of claim 1, the identifying a direct app action associated with the search context comprising:

identifying the direct app action based upon at least one of;

the third party application being previously executed by a user above an app preference threshold;

a location of the user;

a user account owned by the user;

the direct app action being performed by a threshold number of social network users above a popularity threshold;

or

a user profile of the user.

15. A system for surfacing direct app actions, comprising:

an action surfacing component configured to;

identify search query formulation input associated with a search query through a search interface;

determine a search context based upon the search query formulation input;

identify a direct app action associated with the search context, the direct app action capable of being performed by a third party application;

surface the direct app action for invocation through the search interface; and

responsive to a selection of the direct app action, invoke the third party application to perform the direct app action.

16. The system of claim 15, the action surfacing component configured to:

search a local file system of a device providing the search interface to identify a set of third party applications, installed on the device, that expose functionality to the search interface for the search interface to invoke; and

select the third party application from the set of third party applications based upon the third party application exposing functionality for performing the direct app action.

17. The system of claim 15, the action surfacing component configured to:

provide a result of the invocation without transitioning a user away from the search interface.

18. The system of claim 15, the search query formulation input corresponding to a partial search query associated with a current formulation of the search query, and action surfacing component configured to:

surface the direct app action for invocation through the search interface as a preliminary direct app action suggestion.

19. The system of claim 15, the action surfacing component comprising an operating system component of an operating system, and the third party application comprising an application installed on a device hosting the operating system.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed at least in part via a processing unit perform a method for surfacing direct app actions, comprising:

identifying search query formulation input associated with a search query through a search interface provided through a device, the search interface hosted by an operating system installed on the device;

determining a search context based upon the search query formulation input;

identifying a set of direct app actions associated with the search context, a first direct app action within the set of direct app actions capable of being performed by a first local app installed on the device;

surfacing the set of direct app actions for invocation through the search interface; and

responsive to a selection of the first direct app action;

invoking the first local app to perform the first direct app action without transitioning a user of the search interface away from the search interface; and

providing a result of the invocation.