System and method for extending application preferences classes

• US 7,137,099 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Curley, Vincent H., Gerber, Robert H., Knight, Holly, Pather, Shyamalan, Mensa-Annan, Charles Tete
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen-Ba, Antony
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHIH CHING
• Application Number:
  US10/693,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 715/514, 717/127, 717/162, 717/104, 717/165, 717/144
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented

Abstract

The present systems and methods disclose a system for personalizing computer functionality. End-users are provided with tools to easily write rich and complex preferences, for example, by using a plurality simple IF-THEN propositional logic. The preferences are then transformed into queries and executed efficiently on structured data. Preferences that are satisfied then execute actions such as providing notification or storing data in a particular folder. Furthermore, according to an aspect of the invention, data, logic, events, inter alia, are all schematized, thereby enabling sharing of data between application components and across applications.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically extending application preference classes comprising:

a first executable application including functions that are registered in a registry component;

an extension component tat reads function data from the registry component and binds a second executable application to the first executable application, wherein second application preference class declarations are bound to the functions provided by the first executable application, and

an accessor component that facilitates relating information across different domains, via at least one of a resolve and link for values associated with a bind of the first executable application and the second executable application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the registry component comprises a definition registry for storing function definitions and a binding registry for storing binding data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the binding registry receives function binding information from an extension data file (EDF).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the functions provide conditions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the functions provide events.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein die functions provide accessors.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein functions are only available for binding to specific applications.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein binding is broken upon removal of function providing application.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessor component employs a first order constant accessor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessor component employs an Nth order constant accessor.

11. A method for extending application preference class functionality comprising:

receiving an extension data file (EDF) containing information about candidate function bindings;

registering one or more function bindings in a central data store;

binding a function of a first executable application to a preference class of a second executable application utilizing binding function information located in the central data store, and

resolving a value via an accessor component across a plurality of domains.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying acceptance logic to determine whether the second application will accept the binding.

13. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 11.

14. A method of uninstalling an application implemented at least in part by a computing device comprising:

breaking a dependency between a first executable application and a second executable application, the dependency being created in part via an accessor component, the accessor component facilitates relating information across different domains, via at least one of a resolve and link for values associated with a bind of the first executable application and the second executable application;

removing all application registrations from central storage location;

removing program components; and

notifying dependant applications.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the central storage location is an instance registry.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the instance registry comprises a definition registry and a binding registry.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein removing registrations comprises removing registrations in the definition registry and the binding registry.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the notifying dependant applications causes dependant applications to place their dependencies in a NotAvailable state.

19. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions far carrying out the method of claim 14.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising employing a first order constant accessor.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising employing an Nth order constant accessor.

22. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 21.