A computing system allows users to share content by using content sharing applications that are already installed on the computing system. For instance, a user may share a photo from the photo viewer by an installed image sharing application. For another instance, the user may share a video from a video viewer by logging into a social media web service.
A typical computing system provides an application catalog, such as an app store. The application catalog includes many other non-installed content sharing applications. When a user needs to share content from a non-installed application, the user can go to the application catalog and search for the application, then download and install it on the user's computing system.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages, or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.
At least some embodiments described herein relate to a model for presenting non-installed applications that enable the user to share the type of content that a user is accessing. For a given type of content that a user is accessing (e.g., audio, video, image, text, web page, web address, and so forth), the model identifies one or more applications that enable the user to share the content. A non-installed application may be, for instance, a web service. The model displays the applications in a user interface menu, whereupon the user may select one or more non-installed applications from the menu to share the content.
At least some embodiments described herein relate to the basis for selecting the non-installed applications to be presented in the user interface menu. The model may select the applications to be presented in the menu based on a number of different factors, such as, a location of the user, a language of the content, a web service the user accessed, an application that is installed by a user's contacts, and so forth. For instance, the model may select an application that corresponds to the location of the user and/or a language of the content. The model may also select an application that is installed by one or more contacts of the user. The model may also direct the user to the web service that the user previously accessed; and so forth.
Accordingly, the principles described herein allow for more sharing options to be provided to a user when deciding an application to use to share the content. Furthermore, the options are more likely to be suited to the interests of the user as the selection of additional target applications may be based on behavior of the user, and/or other factors that select the application in a more refined manner, regardless of whether the application is even installed on the user's computing system.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features can be obtained, a more particular description of various embodiments will be rendered by reference to the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only sample embodiments and are not, therefore, to be considered to be limiting of the scope of the invention, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
At least some embodiments described herein relate to a model for presenting non-installed applications that enable the user to share the type of content that a user is accessing. For a given type of content that a user is accessing (e.g., audio, video, image, text, web page, web address, and so forth), the model identifies one or more applications that enable the user to share the content. A non-installed application may be, for instance, a web service. The model displays the applications in a user interface menu, whereupon the user may select one or more non-installed applications from the menu to share the content.
At least some embodiments described herein relate to the basis for selecting the non-installed applications to be presented in the user interface menu. The model may select the applications to be presented in the list based on a number of different factors, such as, a location of the user, a language of the content, a web service the user accessed, an application that is installed by a user's contacts, and so forth. For instance, the model may select an application that corresponds to the location of the user and/or a language of the content. The model may also select an application that is installed by one or more contacts of the user. The model may also direct the user to the web service that the user previously accessed; and so forth.
Accordingly, the principles described herein allow for more sharing options to be provided to a user when deciding an application to use to share the content. Furthermore, the options are more likely to be suited to the interests of the user as the selection of additional target applications may be based on behavior of the user, and/or other factors that select the application in a more refined manner, regardless of whether the application is even installed on the user's computing system.
The principles described herein operate in the context of a computing system that presents the user multiple visualizations, a computing system will first be described with respect to
Computing systems are now increasingly taking a wide variety of forms. Computing systems may, for example, be handheld devices, appliances, laptop computers, desktop computers, mainframes, distributed computing systems, or even devices that have not conventionally been considered a computing system. In this description and in the claims, the term “computing system” is defined broadly as including any device or system (or combination thereof) that includes at least one physical and tangible processor, and a physical and tangible memory capable of having thereon computer-executable instructions that may be executed by the processor. The memory may take any form and may depend on the nature and form of the computing system. A computing system may be distributed over a network environment and may include multiple constituent computing systems. An example computing system is illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the description that follows, embodiments are described with reference to acts that are performed by one or more computing systems. If such acts are implemented in software, one or more processors of the associated computing system that performs the act direct the operation of the computing system in response to having executed computer-executable instructions. For example, such computer-executable instructions may be embodied on one or more computer-readable media that form a computer program product. An example of such an operation involves the manipulation of data. The computer-executable instructions (and the manipulated data) may be stored in the memory 104 of the computing system 100. Computing system 100 may also contain communication channels 108 that allow the computing system 100 to communicate with other message processors over, for example, network 110.
The computing system 100 also includes a display 112 on which a user interface, such as the user interface visualizations here, may be rendered. Such user interface visualizations may be generated in computer hardware or other computer-represented form prior to rendering. The presentation and/or rendering of such user interfaces may be performed by the computing system 100 by having the processing unit(s) 102 execute one or more computer-executable instructions that are embodied on one or more computer-readable media. Such computer-readable media may form all or a part of a computer program product.
Embodiments described herein may comprise or utilize a special purpose or general-purpose computer including computer hardware, such as, for example, one or more processors and system memory, as discussed in greater detail below. Embodiments described herein also include physical and other computer-readable media for carrying or storing computer-executable instructions and/or data structures. Such computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer system. Computer-readable media that store computer-executable instructions are physical storage media. Computer-readable media that carry computer-executable instructions are transmission media. Thus, by way of example, and not limitation, embodiments of the invention can comprise at least two distinctly different kinds of computer-readable media: computer storage media and transmission media.
Computer storage media includes RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.
A “network” is defined as one or more data links that enable the transport of electronic data between computer system and/or modules and/or other electronic devices. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a transmission medium. Transmissions media can include a network and/or data links which can be used to carry or desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
Further, upon reaching various computer system components, program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures can be transferred automatically from transmission media to computer storage media (or vice versa). For example, computer-executable instructions or data structures received over a network or data link can be buffered in RAM within a network interface module (e.g., a “NIC”), and then eventually transferred to computer system RAM and/or to less volatile computer storage media at a computer system. Thus, it should be understood that computer storage media can be included in computer system components that also (or even primarily) utilize transmission media.
Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which, when executed at a processor, cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. The computer executable instructions may be, for example, binaries, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or even source code. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the described features or acts described above. Rather, the described features and acts are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including, personal computers, desktop computers, laptop computers, message processors, hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile telephones, PDAs, pagers, routers, switches, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed system environments where local and remote computer systems, which are linked (either by hardwired data links, wireless data links, or by a combination of hardwired and wireless data links) through a network, both perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
Embodiments described herein relate to a user interface menu that presents one or more “non-installed” applications that enable a user to share content that the user is accessing. An application is a computing program that causes a computing system to perform tasks for users. An “installed” application is a computing program that has been installed and stored in the computing system. A user can initiate a task of an installed application by activating the installed computing program. An “non-installed” application is a computing program that has not been installed or stored in the computing system. A non-installed application may also be a web service.
As will be described herein, a computing system 100 presents a user interface on a display 112. The computing system may have one or more applications installed therein. The computing system includes an operating system, with the one or more installed applications running in the operating system. Even the operating system may also be considered as just an application that is installed on the computing system. An installed application may also be a launching point for navigating the web entering into other remote applications that perhaps are not even installed on the computing system. Such a remote non-installed application will also be referred to hereinafter as a “web service.”
The computing system 100 presents a user interface menu 230 on the display 112. The menu 230 is populated with one or more visualizations, each of which being associated with one of the identified applications 220. For instance, the visualizations are illustrated as including visualization 231 through 236, each associated with respective applications 221 through 226. In particular, in the example that follows, assume that visualization 231 is associated with installed application 221 (as represented by line 241); visualization 232 is associated with installed application 222 (as represented by line 242); and so forth (as represented by ellipses 233 and the line 243. Similarly, assume that visualization 234 is associated with non-installed application 224 (as represented by line 244); visualization 235 is associated with non-installed application 225 (as represented by line 245); and so forth (as represented by the ellipses 236 and the line 246).
After the computing system 100 creates the user interface menu 230, the user may interact with one or more of the visualizations to activate the content sharing functionality of the corresponding application(s). When a user interacts with a visualization that is associated with a non-installed application, the computing system may perhaps install the non-installed application and enable the user to share content from the newly installed application. Alternatively, the computing system may direct the user to a web service that allows the user to share the content.
The act 213 of identifying a content sharing application illustrated in
A variety of additional criteria that are identified from user information is further illustrated in
As illustrated, the content being accessed by the user 311 helps the computing system identify a language 331 that was used in the content, which can then be used in identifying appropriate content sharing application(s) for that language. The identity of the content access application (i.e., the application that the user uses to access the content in the first place) the user is using 312 may be used by the computing system to help identify corresponding content sharing applications 332 that are especially suited for content accessed by the content access application. The location of the user 313 may help the computing system identify regional criteria of the user, which may be used to identifying corresponding applications 333 that are suited to that region (e.g., are popular or available within that region). The identity of one or more contacts of the user 314 may help the computing system identify content sharing applications that the contacts use 334, thereby more likely resulting in the computing system selecting those contact sharing application to share the accessed content. The identity of web services the user previously accessed (e.g., a navigation history) may help the computing system identify the user interests and web service information, and so forth, thereby allowing for a more intelligent selection of content sharing applications that the user is more familiar with.
As mentioned above, a non-installed content sharing application may be a web service. As previously mentioned, the user may have accessed the web service previously, and the computing system may help the user gain access to that web service.
For instance, user interface menu 610 includes visualization set 611 through 614. The visualization set 611 have one or more visualizations that are each associated with an installed application. Each of the visualization sets 612 through 614 are associated with a corresponding set of one or more non-installed application(s). As illustrated, each visualization in visualization set 612 is associated with a web service that has not been accessed by the user previously; each visualization in visualization set 613 is associated with a web service that has been accessed by the user previously; and each visualization in visualization set 614 is associated with a non-installed application that is not a web service.
When a user interacts with one of the visualizations in visualization set 612, the credential manager 520 identifies that the web service associated with the visualization has not been previously accessed by the user. Thereafter, the computing system directs the user to the web service without automatically trying to log in to the web service. For instance, as illustrated, the initial user interface of the web service 621 may ask a user to log in or register as a new user. When a user interacts with one of the visualizations in visualization set 613, the credential manager 520 identifies that the web service associated with the visualization has been previously accessed by the user, and the system directs the user to the web service 622, whereupon the computing system automatically logs in with the previously stored user information. For instance, as illustrated, the user interface of the web service 622 may show the user's name as John, and other content information associated with the user John.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The computing system 100 first detects the content type 720 of the content that the user is accessing. In a particular example that follows, assume that the computing system identifies (as represented by arrow 721) the content type is as being content type A. Accordingly, the computing system detects the content sharing applications that one or more user's contacts use, and filters 730 out the applications that enables content sharing of content type A. Assume that application 711A of contact 711 and application 712A of contact 712 enable content sharing of content type A; application 711B of contact 712 and application 712B of contact 712 enable content sharing of content type B; application 711C of contact 711 and application 713C of contact 712 enable content sharing of content type C; and so forth. As illustrated in
In the particular example, the user interface menu 750 populates visualizations 751 and 752, each of which is associated with application 711A and 712A. The ellipses 753 and 743 represent that there may be more content sharing applications that are not identified from the user's contacts, and each of the visualizations in visualization set 753 is associated with each of the content sharing applications in 743. The ellipses 743 and 753 also represent flexibility in the number of other content sharing applications 740 and a associated visualizations 750, respectively. The number may be zero, one, more or many more. Each of the applications associated with one of the visualizations in the user interface menu 750 may be installed or non-installed. At least one of the visualizations represents a non-installed application. The content sharing applications 740 of
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Finally, the computing system 100 may allow a content accessing application itself (e.g., via declarations or code provided by the author of the content accessing application) to register a preferred set of one or more corresponding content sharing applications to be used when sharing content of a particular type by the content accessing application.
Referring to
As illustrated, assume visualization 1051 is associated with 1041; visualization 1052 is associated with 1042 and visualization 1053 is associated with application 1043. Similar to the ellipses 1023, the ellipses 1043 and 1053 represent that there may be a flexible number of identified applications and associated visualizations, respectively. The number may be zero, one or more. The ellipses 1044 further represent that the computing system may also identify one or more other content sharing applications that are not registered with the content accessing application 1010. The visualization 1054 represents one or more visualizations, each of which being associated with one of the content sharing applications 1044 that are not registered with the content accessing application 1010. The ellipses 1044 and 1054 also represent that the number of the applications or the visualizations may be flexible, such as zero, one or more.
The computing system 100 may enable sharing of content of multiple types.
Accordingly, the principles described herein provide a model for a computing system to present a user interface menu including multiple visualizations, each of which is associated with a content sharing application, which allows a user to share content that the user is accessing. At least one of the content sharing applications associated with one of the visualizations is a non-installed application, which allows a user to share the content not only with one or more installed applications, but also with one or more non-installed applications.
The computing system identifies the non-installed applications based on the type of the content that the user is accessing, for instance, text content type, image content type, audio content type, video content type, web address content type, web page content type, other multimedia content type, and so forth. Furthermore, the system may identify the non-installed applications based on other additional criteria, for instance, the user's location, the language of the content, the applications that one or more of the user's contacts use, the content accessing application that the user is using, the web services the user previously accessed, and so forth.
This allows the number of potential content sharing applications presented to the user to be augmented to include web services and non-installed applications. This further provides a greater likelihood of interest of the user in sharing via these additional options for content sharing applications. Thus, the principles described herein provide a technical advancement in the state of the art in sharing content over networks.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.