Input content to application via web browser

• US 9,436,482 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Kotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): MACILWINEN, JOHN MOORE JAIN
• Application Number:
  US12/410,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,722 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The disclosed architecture allows markup language (e.g., HTML) pages to facilitate the insertion of content (e.g., text) into an application to which an input method is attached. In this way, a plug-in developer can implement any UI look and behavior using a web page language (e.g., HTML), communicate with a backend datasource just as a regular HTML page, and perform this using any suitable technology. Since the web page is stored in a web server and downloaded to client on-the-fly, install is minimal and users can use the latest version automatically. A broker component receives data derived from code authored in the programming language and embedded in a markup language and provides the additional arbitrary data to the application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented content system, comprising:

a processor;

an input method component operable with the processor, the input method component comprising a software keyboard for providing baseline input method functionality to at least one application;

a first broker component operable with the processor and configured to receive data associated with a web document, the data adding additional functionality to a first application related to the input method component, the broker component being registered with a URL (uniform resource locator) prefix, the URL prefix being within the web document, the URL prefix being an extension to a set of native URL prefixes of an operating system in which the broker component operates, the operating system including the ability to extend the set of native URL prefixes by registering the URL prefix, registering the URL prefix including associating the URL prefix with a second application for the operating system; and

a second broker component operable with the processor and configured to receive data associated with a web document from the input method component, the data adding additional functionality to at least a third application related to the input method component.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the web document is a web page that includes embedded code that when executed generates the data, the embedded code authored in a programming language and embedded in a markup language.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the web document is stored on a web server, updated on the web server, and downloaded to a client browser on demand for utilization of updates by the application, updates to the web document being independent of any updates applied to a computing device associated with the processor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the web document facilitates controlled entry of the data into the application via a web document control.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first broker component is invoked from the web document using a URL (uniform resource locator) protocol handler.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input method component sends an identifier in a notification to the first broker component that indicates to the first broker component an associated input method component or application to which the data will be routed.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first broker component receives multiple identifiers associated with respective input method components, the first broker component registers the identifiers and routes the data to an application associated with an input method component of a last registered identifier.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional input method functionality includes at least one of text or complex objects.

9. A computing apparatus comprising:

one or computer readable storage media;

a processor operatively coupled with the one more or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

an input method component operable with the processor, the input method component comprising a software keyboard for providing baseline input method functionality to at least one application;

a first broker component operable with the processor and configured to receive data associated with a web document, the data adding additional functionality to a first application related to the input method component, the broker component being registered with a URL (uniform resource locator) prefix, the URL prefix being within the web document, the URL prefix being an extension to a set of native URL prefixes of an operating system in which the broker component operates, the operating system including the ability to extend the set of native URL prefixes by registering the URL prefix, registering the URL prefix including associating the URL prefix with a second application for the operating system; and

a second broker component operable with the processor and configured to receive data associated with a web document from the input method component, the data adding additional functionality to at least a third application related to the input method component.

10. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the web document is a web page that includes embedded code that when executed generates the data, the embedded code authored in a programming language and embedded in a markup language.

11. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the web document is stored on a web server, updated on the web server, and downloaded to a client browser on demand for utilization of updates by the application, updates to the web document being independent of any updates applied to a computing device associated with the processor.

12. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the web document facilitates controlled entry of the data into the application via a web document control.

13. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first broker component is invoked from the web document using a URL (uniform resource locator) protocol handler.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the input method component sends an identifier in a notification to the first broker component that indicates to the first broker component an associated input method component or application to which the data will be routed.

15. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first broker component receives multiple identifiers associated with respective input method components, the first broker component registers the identifiers and routes the data to an application associated with an input method component of a last registered identifier.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the additional input method functionality includes at least one of text or complex objects.