System and method for interprocess communication in electronic devices

An electronic device comprising:

• a processor adapted to support an operating system including:
• an application layer including one or more applications, the one or more applications including action/data type handlers designed to handle a single verb/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME)-type pair;
• an exchange manager adapted to interface with the application layer and to provide a central location for registry of the handlers of the one or more applications;
• transports coupled to the application layer and the exchange manager and adapted to continually monitor and receive incoming requests to employ the handlers of the one or more applications, wherein a request from a requesting application includes the verb/MIME-type, and a parameter and wherein the processor is configured to determine if the parameter specifies a local request then the handler in the request is only matched if a second application which registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request is local and wherein the processor is configured to determine if the parameter specifies a remote request then the handler in the request is only matched if the second application which registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request is remote;
• and
• a transceiver coupled to the processor adapted to send and receive communication signals.

A system of displaying content to a user on an electronic device having an operating system that supports a first application, the system comprising:

• a transceiver for receiving an incoming request for an action/data handler including a single verb/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME)-type pair from an application;
• a processor adapted to support the system, the processor being configured to receive the incoming request and match the incoming request to a handler designed to handle a single verb/MIME-type of a destination application which registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request, wherein a request from a requesting application includes a parameter and wherein the processor is configured to determine based on the matching of the request to the handler designed to handle a single verb/MIME-type of the destination application if the parameter specifies a local request then the handler in the request is only matched if the destination application is local and wherein the processor is configured to determine if the parameter specifies a remote request then the handler in the request is only matched if the destination application is remote;
• a display for displaying a list of destination devices for the incoming request selectable by the user;
• and
• a communication link for delivering the incoming request to a selected destination.