Online service switching and customizations

Abstract

A system and methods enable switching between a plurality of online media services from within an application, such as a media player application. A user can switch to any one of a number of online services made available in a services menu and thereby make that service the active service. The active service has customization opportunities that permit the service to customize parts of the media player or other application. Advantages include providing online media services with an ability to control the way in which customers discover and purchase media from within the feature rich environment of various user applications such as a PC-based media player application. From a user's perspective, the advantages include an uninterrupted media experience that can involve the entire process of discovering, purchasing and using of a wide variety of media content all from within the feature rich environment of a media player application.

1 . A method comprising: 
 retrieving a list of online services;    enabling a selection of one of the services as an active service; and    customizing customization points within an application based on the active service.    
   
   
       2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising enabling switching between different services from within the list of online services, wherein only one service at a time is the active service, the active service corresponding with the switching.  
   
   
       3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the customization points include task panes and task pane buttons, the customizing comprising enabling the active service to control content within the task panes and task pane buttons.  
   
   
       4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the retrieving comprises: 
 accessing a Web listing service; and    retrieving an all-services file containing the list of online services from the Web listing service.    
   
   
       5 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the enabling a selection comprises: 
 populating a service menu in the application with the online services from the list of online services; and    accepting a user input identifying the active service from the service menu.    
   
   
       6 . A method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the populating a service menu comprises: 
 for each online service,    representing the online service in the service menu with a friendly name and an image if the friendly name and the image are included in the list;    representing the online service in the service menu with a unique service key and the image if the friendly name is not included in the list and the image is included in the list; and    representing the online service in the service menu with only the unique service key if the friendly name and the image are not included in the list.    
   
   
       7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the application is a media player, and the customizing comprises: 
 retrieving a service information file from the active service, and based on information in the service information file, 
 representing the active service with a friendly name on a service list button;  
 representing the active service with a graphical image in an image area of the service list button; and  
 setting a color for service area buttons and for a navigation bar.  
   
   
   
       8 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the retrieving a service information file comprises accessing a URL (universal resource locator) identified within the list of online services.  
   
   
       9 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein, based on information in the service information file, the customizing additionally comprises: 
 identifying a name for a task pane button using text provided by the active service;    displaying button tip text for the task pane button when a selection tool hovers over the task pane button, the button tip text being provided by the active service; and    displaying within a task pane, an HTML (hypertext markup language) page specified by the active service when a user selects the task pane button.    
   
   
       10 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein, based on information in the service information file, the customizing additionally comprises: 
 displaying within a Now Playing task pane, an HTML (hypertext markup language) page from the active service, the HTML page providing an InfoCenter view that includes information related to music currently being played by the media player.    
   
   
       11 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein, based on information in the service information file, the customizing additionally comprises: 
 displaying an HTML (hypertext markup language) page from the active service, the HTML page providing album information in a CD (compact disc) burn task pane and a Media Library task pane.    
   
   
       12 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein, based on information in the service information file, the customizing additionally comprises: 
 displaying within a Now Playing task pane, a “Buy CD” link to a Web page of the active service, the Web page permitting purchasing a CD (compact disc) or DVD (digital video disc) that is currently playing on the media player.    
   
   
       13 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a user selection of a different service from the list of online services;    retrieving a service information file associated with the different service, the service information file specifying URLs (universal resource locators) and information for customizing the application; and    switching the active service to the different service based on the user selection, the different service being a new active service.    
   
   
       14 . A method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the accessing a Web listing service comprises: 
 determining a URL (universal resource locator) that identifies the Web listing service; and    accessing the URL.    
   
   
       15 . A method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the application is selected from the group comprising: 
 an operating system;    a component of an operating system; and    a media player application.    
   
   
       16 . A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to perform the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       17 . A processor-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured for: 
 retrieving a list of online services;    making one of the online services an active service based on a user input selection; and    customizing parts of a media player based on the active service.    
   
   
       18 . A processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the retrieving a list of online services comprises: 
 initiating the media player;    determining a URL link to a Web service listing upon the initiating;    connecting to a network with the media player; and    retrieving an all-services XML (Extended Markup Language) file from the Web service during the connecting, the all-services XML file including the list of online services.    
   
   
       19 . A processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the making one of the online services an active service based on a user input selection comprises: 
 populating a service menu in the media player with the online services;    receiving via the service menu, a user input specifying an online service; and    designating the specified online service as the active service.    
   
   
       20 . A processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the customizing parts of a media player based on the active service comprises: 
 locating a URL link to a service information file associated with the active service, the URL link being located within the list of online services;    retrieving the service information file; and    accessing information needed to customize the media player from the service information file.    
   
   
       21 . A processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the accessing information needed to customize the media player from the service information file comprises retrieving HTML (hypertext markup language) pages from the active service based on URLs (universal resource locators) specified within the service information file.  
   
   
       22 . A processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the customizing parts of a media player comprises enabling the active service to control content within task panes and task pane buttons of the media player.  
   
   
       23 . A processor-readable medium as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the media player is a software application selected from the group comprising: 
 a stand-alone software application;    an operating system; and    a component of an operating system.    
   
   
       24 . A computer comprising the processor-readable medium of  claim 17 .  
   
   
       25 . A computer comprising: 
 an application; and    an online service manager configured to enable switching between a plurality of online services, the switching determining which service is an active service within the application, and configured to customize areas within the application according to the active service.    
   
   
       26 . A computer as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the application is selected from the group comprising: 
 an operating system;    an operating system component; and    a media player application.    
   
   
       27 . A computer as recited in  claim 25 , further comprising an all-services file retrieved by the online service manager, the all-services file identifying the plurality of online services.  
   
   
       28 . A computer as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the all-services file is an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file that comprises: 
 for each of the plurality of online services,    a service key element identifying a key that represents the online service;    an XMLURL element identifying a URL link to a service information file for the online service;    a position element identifying a placement position within a service menu for the online service;    a type element identifying a type for the online service;    a friendly name element representing a name for the online service; and    an image element representing a graphical image to be used wherever the friendly name element is needed.    
   
   
       29 . A computer as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the all-services file further comprises: 
 a default element identifying a default online service to be used if there is no active service identified; and    a browse element identifying a URL (universal resource locator) link to a BrowseAllServices Web page.    
   
   
       30 . A computer as recited in  claim 25 , further comprising a service information file for each of the plurality of online services, the service information file retrieved by the online service manager and configured to specify URL's and information needed to customize the application.  
   
   
       31 . A computer as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the service information file is an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file that comprises: 
 a service information element that includes a service key used by the application to uniquely identify an online service;    a friendly name element that includes text to represent the online service;    an image element identifying one or more URL (universal resource locator) links to graphical images representing the online service;    a color element used to specify a service area button color and navigation bar color within the application;    a service task element that represents a service area task pane, the service task element including a URL link to a Web page configured to be loaded into the task pane, button text for use on a service area button that represents the task pane, and button tip text configured to be displayed when a user hovers over the service area button;    an information center element identifying a URL link to a Web page for customizing a now playing infocenter view;    an album information element identifying a URL link to a Web page for customizing an album information window;    a buy CD element to specify a purchase experience from a buy link within the application, the buy CD element including a URL link to a Web page for buying a CD or DVD in the application;    an install element to install default service code; and    an html view element identifying a URL link to a trusted html view.    
   
   
       32 . A system comprising: 
 a computer having an online service manager configured to enable an active online service to customize areas within an application executing on the computer, the online service manager additionally configured to enable switching between a plurality of online services, the switching determining which service is the active service.    
   
   
       33 . A system as recited in  claim 32 , further comprising an all-services file configured to provide a list of the online services to the online service manager.  
   
   
       34 . A system as recited in  claim 33 , further comprising a Web service listing configured to maintain and provide access to the all-services file.  
   
   
       35 . A system as recited in  claim 33 , further comprising a service information file for each of the online services, each service information file configured to provide information necessary for customizing areas of the application.  
   
   
       36 . A system as recited in  claim 35 , further comprising the plurality of online services, each online service configured to provide a service information file to control the customizing.