System grouping clipboard memories associating with computers in a network into a shared clipboard memory for sharing data object in the network

• US 5,964,834 A
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Crutcher, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US08/936,446
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213, 709/216, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A method and system for sharing data in a computer network having multiple processors enrolled therein. A local clipboard memory is initially associated with each processor enrolled in the computer network. A data object from an application within a processor enrolled in a computer network is thereafter transferred to the clipboard memory associated with that processor, in response to user input. The data object is thereafter automatically transferred to some or all clipboard memories of the other processors enrolled in the computer network. As a result of the automatic transference of the data object to the other clipboard memories of the processors enrolled in a network, applications running on those processors enrolled in the computer network can be directed, via user input, to retrieve the data object from the local clipboard memory of that processor. The clipboard memories contained within processors enrolled in the computer network can be grouped into one or more logical shared clipboard memories, thus allowing for the existence of one or more shared clipboards within the processors enrolled in the computer network.

Claims

1. A method for sharing data in a computer network having multiple processors enrolled therein, comprising the steps of:

associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network;

grouping said clipboard memories within said computer network into a shared clipboard memory;

transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input;

monitoring a communications port associated with each of said multiple processors to determine when a data object has been transferred from an application within a processor to a clipboard memory associated therewith; and

automatically transferring said data object to all clipboard memories within said shared clipboard memory, in response to said determination of transferring said data object from said application within said processor to said clipboard memory associated with said processor, such that objects clipped and pasted from an application in a first processor into a clipboard memory at said first processor may be removed from a clipboard memory associated with a second processor and pasted into an application at said second processor utilizing said shared clipboard memory.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input, further comprises the step of:

transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, further comprises the step of:

associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, such that each clipboard memory associated with each processor includes a shared clipboard manager application.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, further comprises the step of:

associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, wherein said processor comprises a computer workstation.

5. A system for sharing data in a computer network having multiple processors enrolled therein, said system comprising:

means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network;

means for grouping said clipboard memories within said computer network into a shared clipboard memory;

means for transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input;

means for monitoring a communications port associated with each of said multiple processors to determine when a data object has been transferred from an application within a processor to a clipboard memory associated therewith, and

means for automatically transferring said data object to all clipboard memories within said shared clipboard memory in response to said determination of transferring said data object from said application within said processor to said clipboard memory associated with said processor, such that objects clipped and pasted from an application in a first processor into a clipboard memory at said first processor may be removed from a clipboard memory associated with a second processor and pasted into an application at said second processor utilizing said shared clipboard memory.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said means for transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input, further comprises:

means for transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, further comprises:

means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, such that each clipboard memory associated with each processor includes a shared clipboard manager application.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, further comprises:

means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, wherein said processor comprises a computer workstation.

9. A program product residing in computer memory in a computer system, for sharing data in a computer network having multiple processors enrolled therein, said program product comprising:

means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network;

means for grouping said clipboard memories within said computer network into a shared clipboard memory;

means for transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input;

means for monitoring a communications port associated with each of said multiple processors to determine when a data object has been transferred from an application within a processor to a clipboard memory associated therewith;

means for automatically transferring said data object to all clipboard memories within said shared clipboard memory, in response to said determination of transferring said data object from said application within said processor to said clipboard memory associated with said processor, such that objects clipped and pasted from an application in a first processor into a clipboard memory at said first processor may be removed from a clipboard memory associated with a second processor and pasted into an application at said second processor utilizing said shared clipboard memory;

signal bearing media bearing;

said means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor en rolled in said computer network;

said means for grouping said clipboard memories within said computer network into a shared clipboard memory;

said means for transferring a data object from an application with in a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input;

said means for monitoring a communications port associated with each of said multiple processors to determine when a data object has been transferred from an application within a processor to a clipboard memory associated therewith;

said means for automatically transferring said data object to all clipboard memories, within said shared clipboard memory in response to said determination of transferring said data object from said application within said processor to said clipboard memory associated with said processor, such that objects clipped and pasted from an application in a first processor into a clipboard memory at said first processor may be removed from a clipboard memory associated with a second processor and pasted into an application at said second processor utilizing said shared clipboard memory.

10. The program product of claim 9 wherein said means for transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input, further comprises:

means for transferring a data object from an application within a processor enrolled in said computer network to a clipboard memory associated with said processor, in response to user input.

11. The program product of claim 10 wherein said means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, further comprises:

means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, such that each clipboard memory associated with each processor includes a shared clipboard manager application.

12. The program product of claim 11 wherein said means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, further comprises:

means for associating a clipboard memory with each processor enrolled in said computer network, wherein said processor comprises a computer workstation.

13. The program product of claim 9 wherein said signal bearing media further comprises transmission media.

14. The program product of claim 9 wherein said signal bearing media further comprises recordable media.