Patent ID: 7730496

Claim:
A computer system comprising: a memory storing an operating system having an interface including a hosting mechanism that provides for hosting of at least one control having support for an IUnknown interface within at least one preexisting window of the operating system by creating a new window as a container for the control, wherein the at least one preexisting window comprises at least one window of the MICROSOFT WINDOWS operating system at least as recent as the MICROSOFT WINDOWS 95 operating system; and a processor that executes at least one program operating in the operating system and that utilizes the interface to host at least one control having support for the IUnknown interface within said at least one preexisting window, said at least one program, when executed, intercepting a function call to provide for hosting of the at least one control, said processor further executing at least one program active to create a specific instance of the control within the container and passing the specific instance to the interface as a parameter in calls to other functionality within the interface.