Techniques for invoking system commands from within a mark-up language document

• US 7,225,400 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zeman, Pavel, Silver, David M, Beezer, John L
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US10/870,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/516, 715/524, 715/526, 715/760, 715/764, 709/203, 709/204, 709/245, 707/10, 707/204
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/137 Hierarchical processing, e.g. outlines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for invoking system resources directly from within a mark-up language document. Links referencing a pre-defined system command to be invoked may be embedded within the document. The specific system command may be identified in the link by an alias, such as, for example, a numeric code. By clicking on the link, the system will analyze the contents of the link. If the link calls for invoking a system command, the system will extract the alias, determine the appropriate pre-defined system command referred to by the alias, and execute the system command.

Claims

1. A method of invoking system commands from a mark-up language electronic book document associated with a computer running an operating system and having predefined system commands, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving an indication that a link in the mark-up language electronic book document has been selected;

(b) locating an alias within the link;

(c) reading an instruction located within the link;

(d) identifying a predefined system command associated with the alias; and

(e) executing the predefined system command associated with the alias;

wherein the identifying and executing steps are performed if the instruction is to invoke the predefined system command; and

wherein the instruction is X-MSR1INVOKE.

2. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the computer-executable instructions are within an application program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is displayed on a screen having a first content, the method further comprising the step of:

(e) in response to the step of executing, revising the first content of the link to display a second content.

5. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 4.

6. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of system configuration commands, networked operations, commerce functions, and utilities commands.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of Brightness, Contrast, Page Color, Rotate, Visual Guides, All Annotations, Bookmarks, Highlights, Notes, Drawings, and Riffle Increments.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of Network Lookup and Network Search.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of Initiate Transaction, Initiate File Upload, and Form Post.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined system command is Load Value.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined system command corresponds to an applet for a third-party application.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the mark-up language electronic book document is selected from the group consisting of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document, Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) document, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document, eXtensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) document, and Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) document.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a mark-up language electronic book file associated with a computing system running an operating system and having predefined system commands, the mark-up language electronic book file comprising in combination:

(a) a link embedded within the mark-up language electronic book file that can be selected by a user viewing the mark-up language electronic book file; and

(b) an alias within the link that identifies a predefined system command and enables said computing system to execute the predefined system command when the user has selected the link; and

(c) an instruction within the link to invoke the predefined system command;

wherein the instruction is X-MSR1INVOKE.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the alias is an integer.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 further having stored thereon a table comprising a plurality of aliases and a corresponding predefined system command for each of the aliases.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of system configuration commands, networked operations, commerce functions, and utilities commands.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of Brightness, Contrast, Page Color, Rotate, Visual Guides, All Annotations, Bookmarks, Highlights, Notes, Drawings, and Riffle Increments.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of Network Lookup and Network Search.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predefined system command is selected from the group consisting of Initiate Transaction, Initiate File Upload, and Form Post.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predefined system command is Load Value.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the predefined system command corresponds to an applet for a third-party application.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the mark-up language electronic book document is selected from the group consisting of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) document, Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) document, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) document, eXtensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) document, and Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) document.

24. An application program stored in a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for reading a mark-up language electronic book file associated with a computer running an operating system and having predefined system commands, the mark-up language electronic book file comprising in combination:

(a) a link embedded within the mark-up language electronic book file that can be selected by a user viewing the mark-up language electronic book file;

(b) an instruction within the link to invoke a predefined system command; and

(c) an alias within the link that identifies the predefined system command and that enables a computing system to execute the predefined system command when the user has selected the link;

wherein the instruction is X-MSR1INVOKE.

25. The application program of claim 24 having further computer-executable instructions for reading a table, the table having a plurality of aliases and a corresponding predefined system command for each of the aliases.

26. A system for invoking system commands comprising in combination:

(a) an operating system capable of performing a plurality of system commands;

(b) a mark-up language electronic book document stored in a memory device that is accessible by the operating system, the mark-up language electronic book document having at least one link that references a predefined system command using an alias;

(c) an application program running on the operating system for displaying the mark-up language electronic book document and invoking the predefined system command when the link is selected by a user; and

(d) an instruction within the link to invoke the predefined system command;

wherein the instruction is X-MSR1INVOKE.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

(d) a table stored in a second memory device that is accessible by the system having a plurality of aliases and a corresponding predefined system command for each of the aliases.