Abstract: Platform neutral device protocol techniques are described in which functionality to customize device interactions through communication busses is made accessible through platform independent script-based infrastructure. Functionality provided by an operating system to manipulate standard protocols of a communication bus used to interact with a connected device is exposed as script-based objects. Script-based protocol definition files associated with connected device may be employed to customize device protocols for the communications using the functionality exposed through the script-based objects. A computing device may acquire a protocol definition file for a particular device in various ways and host the protocol definition file via a suitable run-time platform. Requests for interaction with the particular device may then be handled using the custom protocols defined by the hosted protocol definition file.

Abstract: Platform neutral device protocol techniques are described in which functionality to customize device interactions through communication busses is made accessible through platform independent script-based infrastructure. Functionality provided by an operating system to manipulate standard protocols of a communication bus used to interact with a connected device is exposed as script-based objects. Script-based protocol definition files associated with connected device may be employed to customize device protocols for the communications using the functionality exposed through the script-based objects. A computing device may acquire a protocol definition file for a particular device in various ways and host the protocol definition file via a suitable run-time platform. Requests for interaction with the particular device may then be handled using the custom protocols defined by the hosted protocol definition file.

Abstract: A computing device includes at least one processor and a memory, the memory storing computer-executable instructions for causing the device to be configured to load a subset of geo-fences from secondary storage to primary storage for tracking by the computing device, the subset of geo-fences selected from a set of available geo-fences stored in the secondary storage, based on a selection criteria. The computing device further creates a boundary geo-fence with a radius corresponding to a distance between a current location of the computing device and an edge of a geo-fence in the subset of geo-fences that is furthest from the current location of the computing device. Upon detecting a geo-fence event associated with a new location of the computing device in relation to the boundary geo-fence, a new subset of geo-fences is re-loaded, and a new boundary geo-fence is created based on the new location of the computing device.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a printer user interface (UI) component configured to handle presentation of information to a user during printing operations. The printer UI component may de-couple the rendering and configuration functionality provided by a printer driver from the presentation of information to end users, thereby reducing the risk that applications may crash or hang due to printer driver malfunction. In some embodiments, a registry of events upon which information should be presented to the user is established, and the printer UI component may be registered for some or all of these events, so that when the specified events occur the printer UI component may be invoked to cause information to be presented to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein may include tracking one or more geo-fences using a GNSS hardware processor within a computing device. The tracking may use at least one GNSS signal. State changes of the one or more geo-fences during the tracking may be saved in a shared state database. The shared state database may be shared between the GNSS hardware processor and an application processor within the computing device. Upon detecting a deterioration of the at least one GNSS signal, tracking the one or more geo-fences may be switched from using the GNSS hardware processor to using the application processor. After the switching, an initial state of each of the one or more geo-fences may be set by using states currently stored in the shared state database prior to the switching.

Abstract: Bidirectional (bidi) extension techniques for USB and/or other similar busses/connections are described in which an interface is provided to enable bidirectional communication with connected devices. The interface may be implemented as an operating system component to handle bidi communication for devices from multiple different independent hardware vendors (IHVs). Device drivers for different devices can be configured to include extension files in accordance with an established schema for bidi communication. The extension files describe supported bidi attributes, capabilities of the device, and how to make calls into the device. The interface operates to detect the extension files and set-up a corresponding device for bidi communication. Applications then interact through the interface to access, retrieve, and set configuration and status data for connected devices.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a printer user interface (UI) component configured to handle presentation of information to a user during printing operations. The printer UI component may de-couple the rendering and configuration functionality provided by a printer driver from the presentation of information to end users, thereby reducing the risk that applications may crash or hang due to printer driver malfunction. In some embodiments, a registry of events upon which information should be presented to the user is established, and the printer UI component may be registered for some or all of these events, so that when the specified events occur the printer UI component may be invoked to cause information to be presented to the user.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a print server can publish, to client devices, capabilities and configurations of one or more print devices utilizing a device-independent “personality.” Client devices can then use an associated device-independent print driver to select print job settings and record print job content for a particular print job, in a device-independent format, that is then to be sent to the print server. The print server can then process the device-independent format that describes the print job, and convert the print job into a print device-specific format that can be consumed by a particular specific print device. In at least some embodiments, the client device can cause a print job to be printed on a print device, via a print server, without downloading, utilizing or otherwise accessing a print driver that is specific to the print device.

Abstract: One or more management components mediate a bi-directional interaction between applications. The components mediate interaction between a first application such as a word processing, video conference, or multimedia application, and a second application that is a virtualization of a physical device such as a printer, camera, or multimedia device. Further, embodiments also support a second application that provides an interface to a service provider, online business, and the like. The management component(s) may function as part of an operating system (OS), allowing the OS to mediate the interaction, and enable greater flexibility and a richer user experience, including presenting a common user experience for the interaction and/or acting as a broker to present a experience generated from the second application. Embodiments also include a unified application programming interface (API) to allow applications to interact with each other via the management component(s) of the OS.

Abstract: Systems and methods disclosed herein may include tracking one or more geo-fences using a GNSS hardware processor within a computing device. The tracking may use at least one GNSS signal. State changes of the one or more geo-fences during the tracking may be saved in a shared state database. The shared state database may be shared between the GNSS hardware processor and an application processor within the computing device. Upon detecting a deterioration of the at least one GNSS signal, tracking the one or more geo-fences may be switched from using the GNSS hardware processor to using the application processor. After the switching, an initial state of each of the one or more geo-fences may be set by using states currently stored in the shared state database prior to the switching.

Abstract: Bidirectional (bidi) extension techniques for USB and/or other similar busses/connections are described in which an interface is provided to enable bidirectional communication with connected devices. The interface may be implemented as an operating system component to handle bidi communication for devices from multiple different independent hardware vendors (IHVs). Device drivers for different devices can be configured to include extension files in accordance with an established schema for bidi communication. The extension files describe supported bidi attributes, capabilities of the device, and how to make calls into the device. The interface operates to detect the extension files and set-up a corresponding device for bidi communication. Applications then interact through the interface to access, retrieve, and set configuration and status data for connected devices.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide techniques whereby a printer driver may be modified and supplemented over time. For example, a framework may be provided which enables a printer driver's functionality to be supplemented over time to include new and/or enhanced features, such as features relating to the manner in which the capabilities of a printer are configured, print settings are manipulated, information is presented to users, print-related system events are handled, etc. In some embodiments, one or more components (which may be included in a print subsystem provided by an operating system of a computing device, in a printer driver, and/or some other system element) may be configured to automatically seek and acquire configuration data from any of various sources, including the printer device, one or more online sources, and/or other sources.

Abstract: A device location is determined, and the location of an area of interest that is a geographic area referred to as a geo-fence is identified. Multiple geo-fences can be identified by the device, and different geo-fences can be associated with different programs on the device. An operating system of the device implements multiple different periods of operation for the device, including a conservation period during which certain programs are not typically scheduled to run, and an execution period during which such programs are typically scheduled to run. A system identifies geo-fence events, which occur when the device enters or exits the geo-fence. The system maintains a record of the geo-fence events for each of multiple geo-fences, and provides to a program selected ones of those geo-fence events at a time when the program is scheduled to run on the device during an execution period of the operating system.

Abstract: The location of a computing device is determined, and the location of an area of interest that is a geographic area referred to as a geo-fence is identified. The accuracy of the determined location of the computing device has an associated uncertainty, so the exact position of the computing device cannot typically be pinpointed. In light of this, the uncertainty associated with the determined location is evaluated relative to the size of the geo-fence in order to determine whether the computing device is inside the geo-fence or outside the geo-fence. Based on this determination, various actions can be taken if the user is entering the geo-fence, exiting the geo-fence, remaining in the geo-fence for at least a threshold amount of time, and so forth.

Abstract: Bidirectional (bidi) extension techniques for USB and/or other similar busses/connections are described in which an interface is provided to enable bidirectional communication with connected devices. The interface may be implemented as an operating system component to handle bidi communication for devices from multiple different independent hardware vendors (IHVs). Device drivers for different devices can be configured to include extension files in accordance with an established schema for bidi communication. The extension files describe supported bidi attributes, capabilities of the device, and how to make calls into the device. The interface operates to detect the extension files and set-up a corresponding device for bidi communication. Applications then interact through the interface to access, retrieve, and set configuration and status data for connected devices.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide techniques whereby a printer driver may be modified and supplemented over time. For example, a framework may be provided which enables a printer driver's functionality to be supplemented over time to include new and/or enhanced features, such as features relating to the manner in which the capabilities of a printer are configured, print settings are manipulated, information is presented to users, print-related system events are handled, etc. In some embodiments, one or more components (which may be included in a print subsystem provided by an operating system of a computing device, in a printer driver, and/or some other system element) may be configured to automatically seek and acquire configuration data from any of various sources, including the printer device, one or more online sources, and/or other sources.

Abstract: Platform neutral device protocol techniques are described in which functionality to customize device interactions through communication busses is made accessible through platform independent script-based infrastructure. Functionality provided by an operating system to manipulate standard protocols of a communication bus used to interact with a connected device is exposed as script-based objects. Script-based protocol definition files associated with connected device may be employed to customize device protocols for the communications using the functionality exposed through the script-based objects. A computing device may acquire a protocol definition file for a particular device in various ways and host the protocol definition file via a suitable run-time platform. Requests for interaction with the particular device may then be handled using the custom protocols defined by the hosted protocol definition file.

Abstract: Bidirectional (bidi) extension techniques for USB and/or other similar busses/connections are described in which an interface is provided to enable bidirectional communication with connected devices. The interface may be implemented as an operating system component to handle bidi communication for devices from multiple different independent hardware vendors (IHVs). Device drivers for different devices can be configured to include extension files in accordance with an established schema for bidi communication. The extension files describe supported bidi attributes, capabilities of the device, and how to make calls into the device. The interface operates to detect the extension files and set-up a corresponding device for bidi communication. Applications then interact through the interface to access, retrieve, and set configuration and status data for connected devices.

Abstract: One or more management components mediate a bi-directional interaction between applications. The components mediate interaction between a first application such as a word processing, video conference, or multimedia application, and a second application that is a virtualization of a physical device such as a printer, camera, or multimedia device. Further, embodiments also support a second application that provides an interface to a service provider, online business, and the like. The management component(s) may function as part of an operating system (OS), allowing the OS to mediate the interaction, and enable greater flexibility and a richer user experience, including presenting a common user experience for the interaction and/or acting as a broker to present a experience generated from the second application. Embodiments also include a unified application programming interface (API) to allow applications to interact with each other via the management component(s) of the OS.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a print server can publish, to client devices, capabilities and configurations of one or more print devices utilizing a device-independent “personality.” Client devices can then use an associated device-independent print driver to select print job settings and record print job content for a particular print job, in a device-independent format, that is then to be sent to the print server. The print server can then process the device-independent format that describes the print job, and convert the print job into a print device-specific format that can be consumed by a particular specific print device. In at least some embodiments, the client device can cause a print job to be printed on a print device, via a print server, without downloading, utilizing or otherwise accessing a print driver that is specific to the print device.