Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

David Ethan Zoller

Hugh Vidos

Dean Wayne Talley

Nadim Y Abdo

John E Elsbree

Madan Mohan R Appiah

David R Fulmer

Michael E Creasy

Adam J Overton

John Bradstreet

Tanya L Swartz

Luke Wabaunsee McCullough

John D Canning

Jan M Hofmeyr

The systems and methods described herein are directed toward launching a third party application in a media center module using a contextual link. The media center module is configured to enable the third party application to register with the module and to associate a contextual link corresponding to the third party application with a context provided by the media center module. In response to a request for information related to the context, the media center module is configured to direct to a location associated with the contextual link. The media center module is further configured to provide to the location data that identifies the context. In response to the provided data, the location is populated with the requested information. Thus, the use of conditional link enables a third party application to register to be a context handler for a media center module.

Accessing media context information using contextual links

The systems and methods described herein are directed toward launching a third party application in a media center module using a conditional link. The media center module is configured to enable the third party application to register with the module and to associate a primary link that serves as the entry point for the application. The media center module also enables the third party application to provide a conditional link that serves as the entry point when a certain condition is met. Under normal circumstances, the media center module provides the primary link as the entry point for a user to launch the third party application. When the media center module receives a notification from the third party application to use the conditional link, the media center application causes the conditional link to be the entry point for the application. Thus, the use of conditional link enables a third party application to specify how the application is launched from the media center module under different conditions.

Media software navigation with conditional links

Accessing medial context information using contextual links

An exemplary computer-implementable method includes receiving a call from an application executing on a host computer, the host computer having a collection of graphical user interfaces, and, in response to the call, registering the application whereby the registering comprises providing one or more entry points for the application wherein each entry point corresponds to at least one of the graphical user interfaces of the collection of graphical user interfaces. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.

Registration of applications and complimentary features for interactive user interfaces

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that relate to providing interactive television by synchronizing content to live and/or recorded television shows. Content is synchronized without the use of in-band triggers. A broadcast stream is received, and search/action pairs are received from a transmission path, such as from the Internet or user. When the search criteria are found in the broadcast stream, the associated action is performed and the content is synchronized with the show. An application programming interface is used to facilitate synchronization, and includes a set search method, a search function template method, and a clear search method. The set search method initiates searching of the broadcast stream and registers one or more callback methods for performing the associated action when the match is found. The search function template serves as the template for registering the callback methods. The clear search method clears the system resources from the search.

Triggerless interactive television

A user at a client may specify a URL including certain parameters necessary to establish a corresponding terminal server connection. A corresponding http request generated by Internet Explorer&#xae; is sent to a web server, which in response generates the complete set of parameters required for a terminal server connection using ASP script. The parameters, including terminal server name, terminal server application, log-on user name, log on user-password and screen size are returned within the structure of a URL address. The URL returned corresponds to a web page having embedded ActiveX&#xae; controls used to facilitate the desired terminal server connection. Terminal server client software on the client then establishes a terminal server connection using the parameters and ActiveX&#xae; functionality.

Method and apparatus for terminal server addressability via URL specification

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use in local/remote session computing environments. The methods and apparatuses allow users to be more alert as to which graphical user interface (GUI), e.g., local or remotely based, they are viewing and interacting with. When a remote GUI is displayed in full screen mode, one or more identifiers are presented to identify that the GUI is part of a particular local and/or remote program/session. The identifier(s) may be selectively displayed depending on the user's requirements.

Methods and apparatuses for identifying remote and local services

A user at a client may specify a URL including certain parameters necessary to establish a corresponding terminal server connection. A corresponding http request generated by Internet Explorers&reg; is sent to a web server, which in response generates the complete set of parameters required for a terminal server connection using ASP script. The parameters, including terminal server name, terminal server application, log-on user name, log on user-password and screen size are returned within the structure of a URL address. The URL returned corresponds to a web page having embedded ActiveX&reg; controls used to facilitate the desired terminal server connection. Terminal server client software on the client then establishes a terminal server connection using the parameters and ActiveX&reg; functionality.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

David Ethan Zoller