Email Gadget Extensibility via Isolated Execution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication technologies face challenges with add-ins that provide interactive features, as they can hinder machine performance, require complex installations, and may grant unrestricted access to system resources, disrupting the user experience.
Innovation Solution
An extensibility model is introduced that uses a parsing engine to identify activation triggers within email messages, allowing for the automatic injection of gadget code into email communications using an isolated code execution environment, providing inline active and interactive content while maintaining security through controlled access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If add-ins are used to provide interactive features, then functionality is enhanced, but machine performance deteriorates and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments add-in functionality into discrete, self-contained packages that can be independently selected and installed. Each add-in is packaged as a separate unit with its own manifest file, allowing users to install only the specific interactive features they need rather than requiring complex full-featured add-ins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary add-in management system that handles installation, activation, and execution of add-ins. This intermediary layer manages the complexity of add-in deployment, providing a standardized mechanism for installing and controlling add-ins without requiring users to directly manage the complex installation processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If add-ins are used to provide interactive features, then functionality is enhanced, but machine performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically loads and executes add-in code only when needed, rather than having add-ins permanently resident in memory. The isolated code execution environment allows add-ins to be activated on-demand, reducing the performance impact on the host application when add-ins are not actively being used.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary execution environment is introduced that acts as a buffer between add-ins and the host application. This isolated code execution environment manages add-in resource consumption, preventing add-ins from directly impacting host application performance while still enabling interactive functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If add-ins are used to provide interactive features, then functionality is enhanced, but security risks increase due to unrestricted access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary isolated code execution environment that mediates between add-ins and system resources. This intermediary layer provides controlled access to system resources, allowing add-ins to function while preventing them from gaining unrestricted access to the host application and system resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different security characteristics to different parts of the architecture. The isolated code execution environment has specific security properties that differ from the host application, creating a localized security boundary that protects the host while allowing add-in functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An extensibility model is used to provide active and interactive functionality in communication items, but the embodiments are not so limited. A computer system of an embodiment includes components configured to identify one or more activation triggers that operate to activate gadget code using an isolated code execution environment as part of injecting content into an email communication. A method of one embodiment provides an extensibility framework for using defined gadget triggers and associated gadget functionality as part of automatically injecting content inline with a mail message.