Middle partners

Abstract

A method is provided that includes downloading a full-app configured to display full-app content and obtain original context based on the full-app content. A first micro-app configured to run with the full-app content is downloaded. The middle partner intercepts the full-app content. The full-app content and the original context are augmented with additional context information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 downloading a full-app configured to display full-app content and obtain original context based on the full-app content;   downloading a first micro-app configured to run with the full-app content;   intercepting, by the middle partner, the full-app content; and   augmenting the full-app content and the original context with additional context information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending the augmented context information to a first micro-app in lieu of the original context for use in retrieving additional content to play or display along with the full-app content.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the retrieving is performed without indicating to the full-app that retrieving is occurring, and the middle partner includes a second micro-app that queries an external database. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending the augmented context information is performed in a manner such that the first micro-app is unaware that the augmented context information is not coming directly from the full-app. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sharing revenue with the middle partner based on the augmented context.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the original context information includes one or more of environmental context information, user context information, and device context information. 
     
     
         7 . A server comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage device for storing additional context information,   wherein the server is configured for:
 receiving context information from a middle partner for looking up additional context information for intercepted full-app content; and 
 retrieving the looked up additional context information from the storage device; 
   wherein the middle partner augments the full-app content and original context with the additional context information.   
     
     
         8 . The server of  claim 7 , wherein the middle partner sends augmented context information to a first micro-app in lieu of the original context for use in retrieving additional content to play or display simultaneously with the full-app content, and the middle partner includes a second micro-app that queries an external database for retrieving the additional content. 
     
     
         9 . The server of  claim 8 , wherein the additional content is one of product information, and a map. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor configured for downloading a full-app configured to display full-app content and obtain original context based on the full-app content;   downloading a first micro-app configured to run with the full-app content;   a middle partner configured for obtaining original context information for the full-app content, determining additional context information for the full-app content, and augmenting the full-app content and the original context with the additional context information.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the middle partner is configured for sending the augmented context information to a first micro-app in lieu of the original context for use in retrieving additional content to play or display along with the full-app content. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the middle partner includes a second micro-app that queries an external database for the additional content. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:
 downloading a full-app configured to display full-app content and obtain original context based on the full-app content;   intercepting, by the middle partner, the full-app content;   determining, by the middle partner, additional context information for the full-app content; and   augmenting the full-app content and the original context with the additional context information.   
     
     
         14 . The program storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
 downloading a first micro-app configured to run with the full-app content; and   sending the augmented context information to the first micro-app in lieu of the original context for use in retrieving additional content to play or display along with the full-app content.   
     
     
         15 . The program storage device of  claim 13 , wherein the middle partner includes a second micro-app that queries an external database for retrieving the additional content. 
     
     
         16 . The program storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the first micro-app inserts the additional context into metadata of the full-app content. 
     
     
         17 . The program storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the second micro-app inserts the additional context into metadata of the full-app content for the first micro-app to retrieve the additional content related to the additional context. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 storing, by a server, additional context information in a storage device,   receiving context information by the server from a middle partner;   looking up, by the server, additional context information based on full-app content intercepted by the middle partner;   retrieving, by the server, the looked up additional context information from the storage device; and   augmenting, by the middle partner, the full-app content and original context with the additional context information.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 sending, by the middle partner, augmented context information to a first micro-app in lieu of the original context for retrieving additional content to play or display simultaneously with the full-app content.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 querying, by a second micro app of the middle partner, an external database for retrieving the additional content.