API redirection for limited capability operating systems

• US 9,733,953 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Hall, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, TUAN C.
• Application Number:
  US13/531,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20130347009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4482 Procedural

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating the execution of application programs on computing devices with limited-capability operating systems by dynamically redirecting certain API calls are disclosed. Such systems, methods and computer program products provide one or more API intercept layers and a rules engine that facilitates the ability to make dynamic decisions on how to handle specific API calls. The redirection may be initiated for any number of reasons/factors/characteristics related to the computing device that render the operating system to be considered “limited capability,” such as, for example, lack of local API implementation, power level, location, central processor unit usage, and any other pattern which determines that redirecting an API call to another entity is more efficient. Such entity may be a hardware component, a partitioned or virtualized operating system image, a network-based image or a cloud-based service.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating the execution of application programs on a computing device having a limited-capability operating system, comprising:

a processor;

a first application programming interface (API) intercept layer capable of intercepting an API call from an application executing on the computing device after said API call accesses a shared library file of the limited-capability operating system, said API call is intended for a component for said API call to be handled by said component for the limited-capability operating system, said component is not implemented on the computing device; and

an API redirect rules engine capable of instructing said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to an entity that is different from said component for handling by the entity and not by said component, without said instructing causing said API call to be directed to said component, based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device, said rules engine applies at least one redirection rule selected from a table of redirection rules that cross-reference a plurality of reasons for redirecting API calls with a plurality of respective redirection operations that are to be performed for the plurality of respective reasons;

wherein said API redirect rules engine is configured to instruct said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to a cloud-based service for handling by the cloud based service and not by said component based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one redirection rule applied by said API redirect rules engine is related to the following characteristic of the computing device:

a missing API handler.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said first API intercept layer is configured to intercept said API call at a first layer of the limited-capability operating system;

wherein the system further comprises;

a second API intercept layer capable of intercepting said API call from said application executing on the computing device; and

wherein said second API intercept layer is configured to intercept said API call at a second layer of the limited-capability operating system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said API redirect rules engine is configured to not instruct said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to said cloud-based service for handling by the cloud based service based at least in part on said component being implemented on the computing device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said cloud-based service does not include said component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said API redirect rules engine is capable of instructing said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to said entity that does not include said component for handling by said entity and not by said component based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the component is a local USB peripheral.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one redirection rule applied by said rules engine indicates that redirection is to be performed based at least in part on a remaining battery power of the computing device being relatively low.

9. A method for facilitating the execution of application programs on a computing device having a limited-capability operating system, the method executing on a processor of the computing device, comprising the steps:

intercepting, by a first application programming interface (API) intercept layer, an API call from an application executing on the computing device after said API call accesses a shared library file of the limited-capability operating system, said API call is intended for a component for said API call to be handled by said component for the limited-capability operating system, said component is not implemented on the computing device; and

instructing, by an API redirect rules engine, said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to an entity that is different from said component for handling by the entity and not by said component, without said instructing causing said API call to be received by said component, based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device, said rules engine applies at least one redirection rule selected from a table of redirection rules that cross-reference a plurality of reasons for redirecting API calls with a plurality of respective redirection operations that are to be performed for the plurality of respective reasons, said instructing comprising;

instructing said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to a cloud-based service for handling by the cloud based service and not by said component based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the computing device is one of:

a payment terminal;

or

a game console.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said API call is intended for a local USB peripheral for said API call to be handled by said local USB peripheral for the limited-capability operating system, said local USB peripheral is not implemented on the computing device;

and

wherein instructing said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call comprises;

instructing, by said API redirect rules engine, said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to said cloud-based service that is different from said local USB peripheral for handling by the cloud-based service and not by said local USB peripheral, without said instructing causing said API call to be received by said local USB peripheral, based at least in part on said local USB peripheral not being implemented on the computing device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said at least one redirection rule applied by said rules engine indicates that redirection is to be performed based at least in part on a remaining battery power of the computing device being relatively low.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said at least one redirection rule applied by said rules engine is related to a current location of the computing device.

14. A system for facilitating the execution of application programs on a computing device having a limited-capability operating system, comprising:

a processor;

a first application programming interface (API) intercept layer capable of intercepting an API call from an application executing on the computing device after said API call accesses a shared library file of the limited-capability operating system, said API call is intended for a component for said API call to be handled by said component for the limited-capability operating system, said component is not implemented on the computing device; and

an API redirect rules engine capable of instructing said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to an entity that is different from said component for handling by the entity and not by said component, without said instructing causing said API call to be directed to said component, based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device, said rules engine applies at least one redirection rule selected from a table of redirection rules that cross-reference a plurality of reasons for redirecting API calls with a plurality of respective redirection operations that are to be performed for the plurality of respective reasons, said at least one redirection rule applied by said API redirect rules engine is related to a current location of the computing device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first API intercept layer is configured to intercept said API call at a first layer of the limited-capability operating system;

wherein the system further comprises;

a second API intercept layer capable of intercepting said API call from said application executing on the computing device; and

wherein said second API intercept layer is configured to intercept said API call at a second layer of the limited-capability operating system.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said API redirect rules engine is configured to instruct said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to a cloud-based service for handling by the cloud based service and not by said component based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said API redirect rules engine is configured to not instruct said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to said cloud-based service for handling by the cloud based service based at least in part on said component being implemented on the computing device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said cloud-based service does not include said component.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said API redirect rules engine is capable of instructing said first API intercept layer to redirect said API call to said entity that does not include said component for handling by said entity and not by said component based at least in part on said component not being implemented on the computing device.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the component is a local USB peripheral.