Method and a device for providing additional functionality to a separate application
First Claim
1. A device for providing additional functionality to a user of a separate application running on a computer system, the device comprising a first interface for monitoring the state of said application, a second interface for intercepting the user'"'"'s input to said application, a repository for keeping rules specifying the additional functionality to be provided to the user in response to said state of said application and said user'"'"'s input, means for triggering one of said rules, and means for providing the additional functionality to said user as specified in the triggered rule, whereby said rule may be triggered by at least one of the group of the following input parameters, a user'"'"'s input, a particular state of the application, an event triggered by said device, means for inputting data into said separate application, whereby said data is derived from at least one input parameter from the group of, an intercepted user'"'"'s input, the state of said application, an event triggered by said device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and a device is provided for providing additional functionality to a separate application. A first interface for monitoring the state of the application and a second interface for intercepting the user'"'"'s input to the application are provided between the device and the application, furthermore, a repository for keeping rules specifying additional functionality, such as assistance to be presented to the user, in response to the state of the application and/or the user'"'"'s input, means for triggering one of the rules, and means for providing assistance and/or an application enhancement to the user as specified in the triggered rule. The rule may be triggered by a user'"'"'s input and/or a particular state of the application and the device provides the additional functionality, e.g., presenting the assistance and/or the application enhancement relevant to the input and/or state. Finally, the device includes means for inputting data into the separate application, whereby the data is derived from the intercepted user'"'"'s input and/or the state of the application. The application does not need to provide any additional interface for the device.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A device for providing additional functionality to a user of a separate application running on a computer system, the device comprising
a first interface for monitoring the state of said application, a second interface for intercepting the user'"'"'s input to said application, a repository for keeping rules specifying the additional functionality to be provided to the user in response to said state of said application and said user'"'"'s input, means for triggering one of said rules, and means for providing the additional functionality to said user as specified in the triggered rule, whereby said rule may be triggered by at least one of the group of the following input parameters, a user'"'"'s input, a particular state of the application, an event triggered by said device, means for inputting data into said separate application, whereby said data is derived from at least one input parameter from the group of, an intercepted user'"'"'s input, the state of said application, an event triggered by said device.
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10. A method for providing additional functionality to a user of a separate application running on a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring the state of said application, intercepting the user'"'"'s input to said application, triggering one of a set of predetermined rules, and providing the additional functionality to said user as specified in the triggered rule, whereby said rule may be triggered by at least one of the following group of input parameters, a user'"'"'s input, a particular state of the application, an automatically triggered event, inputting data into said separate application, whereby said data is derived from at least one of the input parameters of the group of, intercepted user'"'"'s input, the state of said application, said automatically triggered event. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to provide additional functionality to a user of a separate application running on the computer system, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring the state of said application, intercepting the user'"'"'s input to said application, triggering one of a set of predetermined rules, and providing the additional functionality to said user as specified in the triggered rule, whereby said rule may be triggered by at least one of the following group of input parameters, a user'"'"'s input, a particular state of the application, an automatically triggered event, inputting data into said separate application, whereby said data is derived from at least one of the input parameters of the group of, intercepted user'"'"'s input, the state of said application, said automatically triggered event.
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Specification