Applications and services as a bundle

• US 9,906,418 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Keith, Jr., Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US14/521,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20150046523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing bundles of applications and services over a network between a server system and client computers. Related applications and services are bundled together in one package so that a user is able to quickly and easily configure a computer to perform a specified task. By combining both the applications and the services in one bundle, users no longer have to search the Internet for necessary components. Furthermore, additional features that allow portability of the bundled applications and services in addition to diagnostic monitoring are included.

Claims

1. A method of bundling applications and services comprising:

gathering one or more applications;

gathering one or more services;

associating a combination of at least one of the one or more applications and at least one of the one or more services, the at least one of the one or more applications being functionally interdependent with the at least one of the one or more services and the at least one of the one or more services providing a service corresponding to the at least one of the one or more applications which facilitates use of the at least one of the one or more services from a user device;

bundling the combination of the at least one of the one or more applications and at least one of the one or more services as a bundle, wherein the bundle is accessible on one or more servers and is added to a user profile when selected from a computing device, wherein the bundle is accessible through the user profile from any computing device which has access to the one or more servers.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising installing the bundle on the computing device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising checking the computing device for compatibility errors between the applications and the services within the bundle and the computing device before the bundle is installed.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising monitoring a the computing device for errors after the bundle is installed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising gathering one or more objects to be included within the bundle.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the one or more objects are selected from the group consisting of music, video and game files.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the one or more objects include data.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bundle is provided based on a licensing scheme.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the services provided within the bundle are paid for by an intermediary who is then paid by a user.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bundle does not comprise selectable components.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 further comprising implementing an interface for selecting the components within the bundle.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bundle comprises selectable components.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a double-click adds the bundle to the user profile.

14. A system for utilizing a bundle to install applications and services comprising:

one or more servers for storing the bundle, wherein the bundle contains a combination of at least one of one or more applications and at least one of one or more services associated with a bundle feature provided by the servers, the at least one of the one or more applications being functionally interdependent with the at least one of the one or more services and the at least one of the one or more applications enabling the use of the at least one of the one or more services;

at least one of the servers providing a selection feature that enables simultaneous selection of all of the applications and the services within the bundle by selecting the bundle;

a computing device coupled to the one or more servers for receiving the bundle through a profile, wherein the bundle is accessible through the profile from any computing device which has access to the one or more servers.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a diagnostic system for checking the computing device for compatibility errors between the applications and the services within the bundle and the computing device before the bundle is installed.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a diagnostic system for monitoring the computing device for errors after the bundle is installed.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the bundle further comprises one or more objects.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the one or more objects are selected from the group consisting of music, video and game files.

19. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the one or more objects include data.

20. The system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a licensing scheme for limiting the duration of use of the applications and services within the bundle.

21. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the services provided within the bundle are paid for by an intermediary who is then paid by a user.

22. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the bundle does not comprise selectable components.

23. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the bundle comprises selectable components.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 further comprising an interface implemented for selecting the components within the bundle.

25. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein a double-click adds the bundle to the profile.