Registration of applications and complimentary features for interactive user interfaces

• US 8,214,754 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zoller, David Ethan, Fulmer, David R., Vidos, Hugh C., Creasy, Michael E., Elsbree, John, Talley, Dean W
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yongjia
• Application Number:
  US11/108,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,636 Days
• Field of Search: 715/767, 715/234, 715/700, 715/716, 715/717, 715/719, 715/720, 715/760, 715/762, 715/764, 715/781
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application

Abstract

An exemplary computer-implementable method includes receiving a call from an application executing on a host computer, the host computer having a collection of graphical user interfaces, and, in response to the call, registering the application whereby the registering comprises providing one or more entry points for the application wherein each entry point corresponds to at least one of the graphical user interfaces of the collection of graphical user interfaces. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method comprising:

receiving, by a host computer, a call from a HTML application, the host computer having a collection of graphical user interfaces associated with a media platform operating system executable on the host computer, wherein the media platform comprises associated media categories and the call provides category information pertaining to one or more of the media categories; and

in response to the call, registering the HTML application, according to the category information, wherein the registering comprises

providing one or more entry points for the HTML application wherein each entry point corresponds to at least one of the media categories, the at least one media category determining one or more locations within at least one of the graphical user interfaces of the collection of graphical user interfaces where the entry points are to be placed, and wherein each entry point comprises one or more textual attributes specified within the call, the textual attributes defining a uniform resource locator of one of a plurality of pages of the HTML application; and

adding information about the HTML application and the one or more entry points to a registry to thereby allow for use of the HTML application upon receipt of a command by the host computer, the command received during execution of the media platform operating system and during display of a graphical user interface having a correspondence to at least one of the one or more entry points.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the graphical user interfaces of the collection of graphical user interfaces allows a user to unregister the application wherein unregistration removes all entry points for the HTML application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each entry point corresponds to a parameter for a globally unique identifier (GUID) of a graphical user interface of the collection of graphical user interfaces.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein an entry point corresponds to an item of a context menu.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein selection of the item launches the application.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the entry points is placed in a new information graphical user interface that allows the HTML application to present new information, the new information graphical user interface being associated with a rule that allows only one entry point for each registered application to be placed in the new information graphical user interface.

7. A computer-implementable method comprising:

receiving a call from a HTML application registered on a host computer, the host computer having a collection of graphical user interfaces associated with a media platform operating system executing on the host computer wherein the media platform comprises associated media categories, wherein the registered HTML application comprises an entry point associated with one of the media categories, the media category determining one or more locations within one of the collection of graphical user interfaces where the entry point is to be placed, the entry point comprising one or more textual attributes, the textual attributes defining a uniform resource locator of a page of the registered HTML application; and

in response to the call, returning information to the registered HTML application indicating whether the registered HTML application is the current foreground application of the host computer or whether the registered HTML application has invoked currently playing media on the host computer.

8. The computer-implementable method of claim 7 wherein the indicating comprises providing a value that indicates either that the registered HTML application has the focus of the host computer or the registered HTML application invoked media currently playing on the host computer or that neither condition is true.

9. The computer-implementable method of claim 7 further comprising permitting or restricting an operation of the registered HTML application if the returned information indicates that the registered HTML application has the focus of the host computer or the registered HTML application invoked media currently playing on the host computer.

10. The computer-implementable method of claim 7 further comprising, in response to a call by the registered HTML application, indicating whether the registered HTML application is operating in a full screen mode or has invoked playing media in a full screen mode.

11. The computer-implementable method of claim 10 wherein the indicating whether the registered HTML application is operating in a full screen mode or has invoked playing media in a full screen mode comprises providing a value and using the value to indicate whether the registered HTML application can regain the focus of the host computer after conclusion of the currently playing media in the full screen mode.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions configured to program a host computer to perform operations including:

receiving a call from a HTML application, the host computer having a collection of graphical user interfaces associated with a media platform operating system executable on the host computer, wherein the media platform comprises associated media categories and the call provides category information pertaining to one or more of the media categories; and

in response to the call, registering the HTML application, according to the category information, wherein the registering comprises

providing one or more entry points for the HTML application wherein each entry point corresponds to at least one of the media categories, wherein each entry point comprises one or more textual attributes specified within the call, the textual attributes defining a uniform resource locator of one of a plurality of pages of the HTML application; and

adding information about the HTML application and the one or more entry points to a registry to thereby allow for use of the HTML application upon receipt of a command by the host computer, the command received during execution of the media platform operating system and during display of a graphical user interface having a correspondence to at least one of the one or more entry points.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein one of the graphical user interfaces of the collection of graphical user interfaces allows a user to unregister the application wherein unregistration removes all entry points for the HTML application.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein each entry point corresponds to a parameter for a globally unique identifier (GUID) of a graphical user interface of the collection of graphical user interfaces.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein an entry point corresponds to an item of a context menu.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein selection of the item launches the application.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein one of the entry points is placed in a new information graphical user interface that allows the HTML application to present new information, the new information graphical user interface being associated with a rule that allows only one entry point for each registered application to be placed in the new information graphical user interface.