Compound transformation chain application across multiple devices

• US 9,773,070 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mital, Vijay, Rubin, Darryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US14/320,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20150379153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 707756, 707804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A compound application that is operated across multiple devices using constituent transformation chains associated with multiple devices. Dependencies are identified between different transformation chain classes. Devices are also identified along with their associated instance of a transformation chain class. Upon determining that the transformation chain instances associated with different devices are to be joined, data is permitted to flow between the various devices in accordance with the identified dependences between their respective classes of the associated transformation chain instances, and in accordance with dependency state between the instances. Thus, a compound transformation chain is formed. As devices exit the environment, the associated transformation chain instances may be removed from the compound transformation chain. Thus, rather than devices having interoperating applications, the devices become mutually engaged with the same compound application. As new devices enter the environment, or as devices exit the environment, the compound application itself changes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating a compound application across multiple devices, the method comprising:

an act of identifying dependencies between a first transformation chain class and a second transformation chain class by at least obtaining a first transformation chain class definition and a second transformation chain class definition that mutually define dependencies between the first transformation chain class and the second transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a first device that is associated with a first instance of the first transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a second device that is associated with a second instance of the second transformation chain class;

an act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined;

in response to the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined, joining the first instance and the second instance; and

an act of flowing data between the first and second instances in accordance with the identified dependencies between the first transformation class and the second transformation class and in accordance with dependency state between the first and second instances.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an act of identifying dependencies between the first transformation chain class and a third transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a third device that is operating a third instance of the third transformation chain class;

an act of determining that the first instance and the third instance are to be joined; and

in response to the act of determining that the first instance and the third instance are to be joined, an act of flowing data between the first and third instances in accordance with the identified dependencies between the first transformation class and the third transformation class and in accordance with dependency state between the first and third instances.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

an act of identifying dependencies between the second transformation chain class and the third transformation chain class;

an act of determining that the second instance and the third instance are to be joined; and

in response to the act of determining that the second instance and the third instance are to be joined, an act of flowing data between the second and third instances in accordance with the identified dependencies between the second transformation class and the third transformation class and in accordance with dependency state between the second and third instances.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an act of operating a representation of the first instance of the first transformation chain class on behalf of the first device, and transforming the first instance in response to input from the first input device.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, the first instance of the first transformation chain class comprising one or more nodes that drive visualizations on the first device.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, the second instance of the second transformation chain class comprising one or more nodes that drive visualizations on the second device.

7. The method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising:

an act of transforming output of the one or more nodes prior to providing the visualization to the first device.

8. The method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:

an act of operating a representation of the second instance of the second transformation chain class on behalf of the second device, and transforming the second instance in response to input from the second input device.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8, the second instance of the second transformation chain class comprising one or more nodes that drive visualizations on the second device.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising

an act of transforming output of the one or more nodes of the second instance prior to providing the visualization to the second device.

11. The method in accordance with claim 4, the second device being associated with the second instance of the second transformation chain class by the second device running the second instance of the second transformation chain class on the second device.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

an act of determining that the second instance should be decoupled from the first instance; and

in response to the act of determining that the second instance should be decoupled from the first instance, an act of discontinuing the act of flowing data between the first and second instances.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be decoupled being made in accordance with one or more decoupling criteria including at least a proximity of the first and second devices.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be decoupled being made in accordance with a meeting conclusion status.

15. The method in accordance with claim 12, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be decoupled being made in accordance with a communication capability between the first device and the second device.

16. The method in accordance with claim 1, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined being made in accordance with one or more joining criteria including at least a proximity of the first and second devices.

17. The method in accordance with claim 1, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined being made in accordance with one or more joining criteria including at least a meeting attendee list.

18. The method in accordance with claim 1, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined being made in accordance with a relationship between a user of the first device and a user of the second device.

19. The method in accordance with claim 1, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined being made in accordance with a communication capability between the first device and the second device.

20. The method in accordance with claim 1, the method being performed by an external system that does not include the first device or the second device.

21. The method in accordance with claim 1, the method being performed by the first device.

22. The method in accordance with claim 1, the method being performed by the second device.

23. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable hardware storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a computing system to cause the computing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

an act of identifying dependencies between a first transformation chain that includes a first transformation chain class instance and a second transformation chain class includes a second transformation chain class instance by at least obtaining a first transformation chain class definition and a second transformation chain class definition that mutually define dependencies between the first transformation chain class and the second transformation chain class;

an act of determining that the first transformation chain instance and the second transformation chain instance are to be joined;

in response to the act of determining that the first transformation chain instance and the second transformation chain instance are to be joined, joining the first transformation chain instance and the second transformation chain instance; and

an act of flowing data between the first and second transformation chain instances in accordance with the identified dependencies and in accordance with dependency state between the first and second transformation chain instances.

24. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable hardware storage device having thereon computer executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computing system to;

identify dependencies between a first transformation chain that includes a first transformation chain class instance and a second transformation chain class that includes a second transformation chain class instance by at least obtaining a first transformation chain class definition and a second transformation chain class definition that mutually define dependencies between the first transformation chain class and the second transformation chain class;

determine that the first transformation chain instance and the second transformation chain instance are to be joined;

in response to determining that the first transformation chain instance and the second transformation chain instance are to be joined, join the first transformation chain instance and the second transformation chain instance; and

flow data between the first and second transformation chain instances in accordance with the identified dependencies and in accordance with dependency state between the first and second transformation chain instances.

25. The computing system of claim 24, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computing system to:

identify a first device that is associated with the first transformation chain class instance;

identify a second device that is associated with the second transformation chain class instance, wherein the second device is associated with the second transformation chain class instance by the second device running the second transformation chain class instance on the second device; and

operate a representation of the first transformation chain class instance on behalf of the first device and transform the first transformation chain class instance in response to input from the first device.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further includes:

an act of determining that the second instance should be decoupled from the first instance; and

in response to the act of determining that the second instance should be decoupled from the first instance, an act of discontinuing the act of flowing data between the first and second instances.

29. The method in accordance with claim 28, the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be decoupled being made in accordance with one or more decoupling criteria including at least the proximity of the first and second devices.

26. A computer-implemented method for facilitating a compound application across multiple devices, the method comprising:

an act of identifying dependencies between a first transformation chain class and a second transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a first device that is associated with a first instance of the first transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a second device that is associated with a second instance of the second transformation chain class;

an act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined;

in response to the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined, joining the first instance and the second instance;

an act of flowing data between the first and second instances in accordance with the identified dependencies between the first transformation class and the second transformation class and in accordance with dependency state between the first and second instances;

an act of determining that the second instance should be decoupled from the first instance; and

in response to the act of determining that the second instance should be decoupled from the first instance, an act of discontinuing the act of flowing data between the first and second instances.

27. A computer-implemented method for facilitating a compound application across multiple devices, the method comprising:

an act of identifying dependencies between a first transformation chain class and a second transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a first device that is associated with a first instance of the first transformation chain class;

an act of identifying a second device that is associated with a second instance of the second transformation chain class;

an act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined in accordance with one or more joining criteria including at least a proximity of the first and second devices;

in response to the act of determining that the first instance and the second instance are to be joined, joining the first instance and the second instance; and

an act of flowing data between the first and second instances in accordance with the identified dependencies between the first transformation class and the second transformation class and in accordance with dependency state between the first and second instances.