System and method for unifying the listing and launching of applications and packages spread across multiple domains
View Patent ↗A method at a computing device having a plurality of concurrently operating domains for providing a unified home screen, the method sending a request for package information from a home screen application on the computing device; receiving the request for package information at a unified package manager on the computing device; requesting, from the plurality of concurrently operating domains, package information; receiving package information from at least one of the plurality of concurrently operating domains at the unified package manager on the computing device; decorating the received package information with domain information for a domain from which the package information was received at the unified package manager on the computing device; and providing the decorated package information to the home screen application.
1. A method at a computing device having a plurality of concurrently operating domains for providing a unified home screen, the method comprising:
sending a request from a home screen application on the computing device;
intercepting the request at a unified package manager on the computing device;
requesting, from the plurality of concurrently operating domains, package information;
receiving package information from at least one of the plurality of concurrently operating domains at the unified package manager on the computing device;
decorating the received package information with domain information for a domain from which the package information was received at the unified package manager on the computing device; and
providing the decorated package information to the home screen application;
wherein the home screen application is unaware of the unified package manager.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending utilizes a standard application program interface.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received package information contains a package identifier.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the package identifier is decorated by adding a domain identifier to the package identifier.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, sending a launch request from the home screen application, wherein the launch request contains the decorated package information for a package being launched.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the launch request is intercepted by a unified application launcher on the computing device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the unified application launcher forwards the launch request to an application launcher for a domain identified in the decorated package information.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein, prior to forwarding, the computing device validates a user if the domain identified in the decorated package information is locked.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the home screen and unified package manager are within a hybrid domain on the computing device, the hybrid domain capable of data access for all other domains on the computing device.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the home screen application is unaware of the plurality of concurrently operating domains on the computing device.
11. A computing device having a plurality of concurrently operating domains and capable of providing a unified home screen, the computing device comprising:
a processor; and
memory,
wherein the computing device is configured to:
send a request from a home screen application on the computing device;
intercept the request at a unified package manager on the computing device;
request, from the plurality of concurrently operating domains, package information;
receive package information from at least one of the plurality of concurrently operating domains at the unified package manager on the computing device;
decorate the received package information with domain information for a domain from which the package information was received at the unified package manager on the computing device; and
provide the decorated package information to the home screen application;
wherein the home screen application is unaware of the unified package manager.
12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to send by using a standard application program interface.
13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the received package information contains a package identifier.
14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the package identifier is decorated by adding a domain identifier to the package identifier.
15. The computing device of claim 11 , further configured to send a launch request from the home screen application, wherein the launch request contains the decorated package information for a package being launched.
16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the launch request is intercepted by a unified application launcher on the computing device.
17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the unified application launcher forwards the launch request to an application launcher for a domain identified in the decorated package information.
18. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein, prior to forwarding, the computing device validates a user if the domain identified in the decorated package information is locked.
19. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the home screen and unified package manager are within a hybrid domain on the computing device, the hybrid domain capable of data access for all other domains on the computing device.
20. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the home screen application is unaware of the plurality of concurrently operating domains on the computing device.