Message extension app store

• US 10,595,169 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Adele C., Sarma, Bhaskar P., Lindeman, Kevin J., Garcia, Roberto, Kowalczykowski, Keith, Chaudhri, Imran, Karunamuni, Chanaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Mastrodonato, Margaret G
• Application Number:
  US15/400,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20170359702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

A service for providing messaging extension apps can be an online store that can be browsed and searched for the apps. The store uses extension app identifiers which are related to app identifiers that are sent between devices in a conversation of messages so that a receiving device can, when it does not have the extension app installed to interact with received content, use the extension app identifier to download and install the required extension app. In one embodiment, the download and install can occur while the messaging app remains the foreground app, and the messaging app adds an icon of the newly installed extension app into a browsable tray in the UI of the messaging app.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by a first messaging application (app) on a first device, a message and associated metadata from a second device, the message including content created by a second extension app that operated with a second messaging app on the second device, the first and the second messaging apps are each configured to transmit Short Message Service (SMS) text messages and other content and display the text messages in a message transcript, wherein the associated metadata includes an app identifier previously provided to the second extension app by an on-line store for extension apps;

displaying the content in a message transcript in a user interface view of the first messaging app;

determining whether a first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app;

displaying a notice to a user, the notice including an option to cause the first device to download the first extension app from the on-line store based on the app identifier and to install the first extension app, the notice displayed in response to determining the first extension app is not installed for use with the first messaging app; and

in response to a selection of the option, downloading the first extension app from the on-line store based on the app identifier and installing the first extension app.

2. The medium as in claim 1, the method further comprising:

communicating the content from the first messaging app to the first extension app through an interprocess communication (IPC), wherein the first messaging app executes in a first process and the first extension app executes in a second process that is distinct from the first process; and

displaying a user interface of the first extension app within the user interface of the first messaging app.

3. The medium as in claim 2 wherein the user interface of the first extension app is configured to display the content and to receive user input to modify the content, and wherein the user interface of the first extension app, when displayed, replaces an on-screen keyboard of the first messaging app.

4. The medium as in claim 3 wherein the first extension app modifies the content and passes the modified content to the first messaging app, through an IPC, for transmission to the second messaging app for delivery to the second extension app on the second device.

5. The medium as in claim 4 wherein the on-line store includes one or more server systems that include a browsable catalog of extension apps which can be downloaded from the on-line store.

6. The medium as in claim 5 wherein the download and install of the first extension app occur while the first messaging app remains the foreground app.

7. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the first device determines the first extension app is not installed in response to a selection of the content in the message transcript, the content being displayed in a message bubble.

8. The medium as in claim 1 wherein the associated metadata includes a URL which is separate from the app identifier, and

wherein the associated metadata includes data retained for use by the first extension app after the first extension app is installed.

9. The medium as in claim 1, the method further comprising:

adding an icon representing the first extension app into a browsable view of installed extension apps, the browsable view displayed by the first messaging app, the adding occurring after the first extension app is installed.

10. The medium as in claim 9 wherein the first messaging app displays the content before the first extension app is installed but the first messaging app is not capable of modifying the content.

11. A machine implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a first messaging application (app) on a first device, a message and associated metadata from a second device, the message including content created by a second extension app that operated with a second messaging app on the second device, the first and the second messaging apps are each configured to transmit Short Message Service (SMS) text messages and other content and display the text messages in a message transcript, wherein the associated metadata includes an app identifier previously provided to the second extension app by an on-line store for extension apps;

displaying the content in a message transcript in a user interface view of the first messaging app;

determining whether a first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app, by comparing the app identifier to a locally-stored list of app identifiers corresponding to extension apps installed on the first device;

displaying a notice to a user, the notice including an option to cause the first device to download the first extension app from the on-line store based on the app identifier and to install the first extension app, the notice displayed in response to determining the first extension app is not installed for use with the first messaging app; and

in response to a selection of the option, downloading the first extension app from the on-line store based on the app identifier and installing the first extension app.

12. The method as in claim 11, the method further comprising:

communicating the content from the first messaging app to the first extension app through an interprocess communication (IPC), wherein the first messaging app executes in a first process and the first extension app executes in a second process that is distinct from the first process; and

displaying a user interface of the first extension app within the user interface of the first messaging app.

13. The method as in claim 12 wherein the user interface of the first extension app is configured to display the content and to receive user input to modify the content, and wherein the user interface of the first extension app, when displayed, replaces an on-screen keyboard of the first messaging app.

14. The method as in claim 13 wherein the first extension app modifies the content and passes the modified content to the first messaging app, through an IPC, for transmission to the second messaging app for delivery to the second extension app on the second device.

15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the on-line store includes one or more server systems that include a browsable catalog of extension apps which can be downloaded from the on-line store.

16. The method as in claim 15 wherein the download and install of the first extension app occur while the first messaging app remains the foreground app.

17. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first device determines the first extension app is not installed in response to a selection of the content in the message transcript, the content being displayed in a message bubble.

18. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first extension app is configured to be executed exclusively by the first messaging app and the first extension app is unexecutable by applications outside of the first messaging app.

19. The method as in claim 11, the method further comprising:

adding an icon representing the first extension app into a browsable view of the extension installed apps on the first device, the browsable view displayed by the first messaging app, the adding occurring after the first extension app is installed.

20. A device comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor configured to;

receive, by a first messaging application (app) on a first device, a message and associated metadata from a second device, the message including content created by a second extension app configured to operate with a second messaging app on the second device, wherein the associated metadata includes an app identifier previously provided to the second extension app by a service for extension apps;

display the content in a message transcript in a user interface view of the first messaging app;

locally determine, based on the app identifier, whether a first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app; and

download the first extension app from the service based on the determining.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a selection corresponding to the displayed content; and

in response to the selection, locally determine, based on the app identifier, whether the first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein the service includes one or more server systems that include a browsable catalog of messaging extension applications which can be downloaded from the service.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is configured to download the first extension app from the service while the first messaging app remains a foreground application.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to install the first extension app prior to displaying the content in the message transcript in the user interface view of the first messaging app.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the associated metadata comprises data retained for use by the first extension app after the first extension app is installed.

26. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

add an icon representing the installed first extension app into a browsable view of installed extension apps on the device, wherein the browsable view is displayed by the first messaging app and the adding occurs after the first extension app is installed.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate the content from the first messaging app to the installed first extension app through an interprocess communication (IPC), wherein the first messaging app executes in a first process and the extension app executes in a second process that is distinct from the first process; and

display a user interface of the first extension app within the user interface of the first messaging app.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the user interface of the first extension app is configured to display the content and to receive user input to modify the content.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the user interface of the first extension app, when displayed, replaces an on-screen keyboard of the first messaging app.

30. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by a first messaging application (app) on a first device, a message and associated metadata from a second device, the message including content created by a second extension app configured to operate with a second messaging app on the second device, wherein the associated metadata includes an app identifier previously provided to the second extension app by a service for extension apps;

displaying the content in a message transcript in a user interface view of the first messaging app;

locally determining, based on the app identifier, whether a first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app; and

downloading the first extension app from the service based on the determining.

31. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a selection corresponding to the displayed content; and

in response to the selection, locally determining, based on the app identifier, whether the first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app.

32. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 30, wherein the service includes one or more server systems that include a browsable catalog of messaging extension applications which can be downloaded from the service.

33. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 30, wherein downloading the first extension app from the service further comprises downloading the first extension app from the service while the first messaging app remains a foreground application.

34. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises installing the first extension app prior to displaying the content in the message transcript in the user interface view of the first messaging app.

35. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 34, wherein the associated metadata comprises data retained for use by the first extension app after the first extension app is installed.

36. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

adding an icon representing the installed first extension app into a browsable view of installed extension apps on the first device, wherein the browsable view is displayed by the first messaging app and the adding occurs after the first extension app is installed.

37. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

communicating the content from the first messaging app to the installed first extension app through an interprocess communication (IPC), wherein the first messaging app executes in a first process and the extension app executes in a second process that is distinct from the first process; and

displaying a user interface of the first extension app within the user interface of the first messaging app.

38. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein the user interface of the first extension app is configured to display the content and to receive user input to modify the content.

39. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein the user interface of the first extension app, when displayed, replaces an on-screen keyboard of the first messaging app.

40. A device comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor configured to;

receive, by a first messaging application (app) on the device, a message and associated metadata from a second device, the message including content created by a second extension app that operated with a second messaging app on the second device, the first and the second messaging apps are each configured to transmit Short Message Service (SMS) text messages and other content and display the text messages in a message transcript, wherein the associated metadata includes an app identifier previously provided to the second extension app by an on-line store for extension apps;

display the content in a message transcript in a user interface view of the first messaging app;

determine whether a first extension app identified by the app identifier is installed for use with the first messaging app;

display a notice to a user, the notice including an option to cause the device to download the first extension app from the on-line store based on the app identifier and to install the first extension app, the notice displayed in response to determining the first extension app is not installed for use with the first messaging app; and

in response to a selection of the option, download the first extension app from the on-line store based on the app identifier and installing the first extension app.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

communicate the content from the first messaging app to the first extension app through an interprocess communication (IPC), wherein the first messaging app executes in a first process and the first extension app executes in a second process that is distinct from the first process; and

display a user interface of the first extension app within the user interface of the first messaging app.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the user interface of the first extension app is configured to display the content and to receive user input to modify the content, and wherein the user interface of the first extension app, when displayed, replaces an on-screen keyboard of the first messaging app.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the first extension app modifies the content and passes the modified content to the first messaging app, through an IPC, for transmission to the second messaging app for delivery to the second extension app on the second device.

44. The device of claim 43, wherein the on-line store includes one or more server systems that include a browsable catalog of extension apps which can be downloaded from the on-line store.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the at least one processor is configured to download and install the first extension app while the first messaging app remains the foreground app.

46. The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the first extension app is not installed in response to a selection of the content in the message transcript, the content being displayed in a message bubble.

47. The device of claim 40, wherein the associated metadata includes a URL which is separate from the app identifier, and

wherein the associated metadata includes data retained for use by the first extension app after the first extension app is installed.

48. The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

add an icon representing the first extension app into a browsable view of installed extension apps, the browsable view displayed by the first messaging app, the adding occurring after the first extension app is installed.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the first messaging app displays the content before the first extension app is installed but the first messaging app is not capable of modifying the content.