System and method for automatic information compatibility detection and pasting intervention

• US 20050091603A1
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Dunsmoir, John W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,689,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes

Abstract

Content is transferred from one computer resource to another computer resource by receiving designating a first insertion point, enabling automatic paste operation, switching to a user interface to a source computer resource, receiving a user selection of content from said source user interface, and automatically copying the selected content to a transfer buffer and to the designated insertion point(s) in the destination computer resource. Additional content may be copied to the destination computer resource by simply selecting additional content in the same source computer resource or other computer resources without need to toggle back to the destination user interface between every copy and paste operation. Prior to insertion in the destination computer resource, compatibility of the content is checked, and incompatible elements are handled according to user configured rules, such as converting the elements, converting the elements, or isolating the elements.

Claims

1. A method for transferring content from one computer resource to another computer resource, comprising the steps of:

intercepting the transfer to a destination of one or more information elements selected from a source;

performing a compatibility check for each intercepted information element with the destination by consulting one or more user-configurable compatibility rules to classify elements as incompatible or compatible;

for each incompatible element, performing a compatibility handling action as defined by one or more conversion rules; and

for each compatible element, allowing transfer of the unmodified compatible element to the destination.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

invoking a rule management user interface responsive to finding no existing compatibility rule for an element to be transferred; and

allowing, via said rule management user interface, a user action selected from the list of creating a new compatibility rule, deleting a compatibility rule, and modifying a compatibility rule.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

invoking a rule management user interface responsive to finding no existing conversion rule for an element to be transferred; and

allowing, via said rule management user interface, a user action selected from the list of creating a new conversion rule, deleting a conversion rule, and modifying a conversion rule.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said steps of creating and modifying a conversion rule comprise creating and modifying a conversion rule which specifies performing an action selected from the group of converting a text element from one format to another format, converting a graphic image element from one format to another format, converting a video clip element from one format to another format, converting an audio clip element from one format to another format, converting animated image element from one format to another format, isolating an element, isolating an element and transferring an annotation to said destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to said destination.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of performing a compatibility handling action comprises performing an action selected from the list of converting a text element from one format to another format, converting a graphic image element from one format to another format, converting a video clip element from one format to another format, converting an audio clip element from one format to another format, converting animated image element from one format to another format, isolating an element, isolating an element and transferring an annotation to said destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to said destination.

6. A computer readable medium encoded with software for transferring content from one computer resource to another computer resource, said software performing the steps of:

intercepting the transfer to a destination of one or more information elements selected from a source;

performing a compatibility check for each intercepted information element with the destination by consulting one or more user-configurable compatibility rules to classify elements as incompatible or compatible;

for each incompatible element, performing a compatibility handling action as defined by one or more conversion rules; and

for each compatible element, allowing transfer of the unmodified compatible element to the destination.

7. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 6 further comprising software for performing the steps of:

invoking a rule management user interface responsive to finding no existing compatibility rule for an element to be transferred; and

allowing, via said rule management user interface, a user action selected from the list of creating a new compatibility rule, deleting a compatibility rule, and modifying a compatibility rule.

8. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 6 further comprising software for performing the steps of:

invoking a rule management user interface responsive to finding no existing conversion rule for an element to be transferred; and

allowing, via said rule management user interface, a user action selected from the list of creating a new conversion rule, deleting a conversion rule, and modifying a conversion rule.

9. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 8 wherein said software for creating and modifying a conversion rule comprises software for creating and modifying a conversion rule which specifies performing an action selected from the group of converting a text element from one format to another format, converting a graphic image element from one format to another format, converting a video clip element from one format to another format, converting an audio clip element from one format to another format, converting animated image element from one format to another format, isolating an element, isolating an element and transferring an annotation to said destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to said destination.

10. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 6 wherein said software for performing a compatibility handling action comprises software for performing an action selected from the list of converting a text element from one format to another format, converting a graphic image element from one format to another format, converting a video clip element from one format to another format, converting an audio clip element from one format to another format, converting animated image element from one format to another format, isolating an element, isolating an element and transferring an annotation to said destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to said destination.

11. A system for automatically transferring content from one computer resource to another computer resource, comprising:

a transfer interceptor configured to intercept one or more information elements selected from a source prior to insertion into a destination;

a compatibility checker adapted to verify the compatibility of each intercepted information element with the destination by consulting one or more user-configurable compatibility rules to classify elements as incompatible or compatible;

a compatibility action handler configured to performing an action as defined by one or more conversion rules for each intercepted information element, and further configured to allowing transfer of said compatible elements to the destination without modification.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising:

a rule management user interface, invoked in response to finding no existing compatibility rule for an element to be transferred; and

one or more user options provided via said rule management user interface, for selecting a compatibility rule management action from the list of creating a new compatibility rule, deleting a compatibility rule, and modifying a compatibility rule.

13. The system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising:

a rule management user interface, invoked in response to finding no existing conversion rule for an element to be transferred; and

one or more user options provided via said rule management user interface, for selecting a user action from the list of creating a new conversion rule, deleting a conversion rule, and modifying a conversion rule.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said user action list comprises at least one action selected from the list of creating and modifying a conversion rule which specifies performing an action selected from the group of converting a text element from one format to another format, converting a graphic image element from one format to another format, converting a video clip element from one format to another format, converting an audio clip element from one format to another format, converting animated image element from one format to another format, isolating an element, isolating an element and transferring an annotation to said destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to said destination.

15. The system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said compatibility action handler is further configured to perform an action selected from the list of converting a text element from one format to another format, converting a graphic image element from one format to another format, converting a video clip element from one format to another format, converting an audio clip element from one format to another format, converting animated image element from one format to another format, isolating an element, isolating an element and transferring an annotation to said destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to said destination.