Email Client Integration with Hosted Applications via Web View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inefficiencies when interacting with hosted applications, such as SAAS or PAAS, as they often need to switch between email clients and these applications, which can be cumbersome, especially on mobile devices with limited multitasking capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The integration service facilitates interaction between client applications, like email clients, and hosted applications by providing prompts within the email client for actions based on email content, using OCR for image recognition and machine-learning models to determine relevant actions, and connectors to communicate with hosted applications, allowing users to perform actions without leaving the email client interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users switch between email client and hosted application to perform actions, then communication functionality is maintained, but user productivity deteriorates and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of the hosted application with the email client by embedding a web view within the email client application. This allows users to access and interact with hosted application interfaces directly within the email client, eliminating the need to switch between applications and thereby improving productivity while reducing time loss.
2Ease of operation
If users switch between email client and hosted application, then task completion is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the email client and hosted application interfaces into a single unified view within the email client, the patent eliminates the complexity of context switching. Users can perform actions in hosted applications directly from the email client without managing multiple application states, thereby improving ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hosted application functionality is accessed separately, then application capabilities are maintained, but user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the email client to serve both email communication and hosted application interaction purposes. The web view component allows the email client to universally handle various hosted application types, providing an integrated user experience that maintains application capabilities while improving ease of use.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments for integrating client applications with hosted applications. For example, an email can be received from an email client. It can then be determined whether the email is associated with a hosted application. In response to a determination that the email is associated with the hosted application, a request can be made to a connector for a calendar object. The calendar object is then received and returned to the email client.