Computer-implemented clipboard

• US 7,624,353 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Beumer, Bradley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riegler; Patrick F
• Application Number:
  US11/537,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/770, 715/769
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A note can be generated in a clipboard by detecting an information capture operation performed in an application, creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard, receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item, and presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard. Further, a filter can be applied to the information collected by the information capture operation. The filter also can detect an item of meaningful data in the information collected by the information capture operation and execute one or more instructions that correspond to the filter. Additionally, executing the instructions that correspond to the filter can retrieve supporting information from a second application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information;

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard;

receiving a user input command to send the note presented in the output text box of the clipboard;

in response to receiving the user input command to send the note;

identifying an application corresponding to the note; and

outputting the information included in the note to the identified application corresponding to the note,

wherein outputting the information included in the note to the identified application corresponding to the note comprises outputting a call summary to a customer relationship management application that associates the call summary with a corresponding customer record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving input from the user further comprises receiving one or more items of text.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting the note to a second application, wherein the second application is associated with the clipboard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an information capture operation further comprises:

analyzing one or more operating system messages to identify the occurrence of the information capture operation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second information capture operation; and

creating a second clipboard item comprising information collected by the second information capture operation, wherein the second clipboard item is separately displayed in the clipboard.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

during the information capture operation, extracting data that identifies the source of the information collected in the information capture operation, the source being an application or window that was the source of the collected information,

wherein creating the clipboard item further comprises including, based on the extracted data, a source identifier in the clipboard item, the source identifier identifying the application or window that was the source of the collected information.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving input from the user defining the note comprises dragging and dropping the clipboard item into the output text box of the clipboard.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the application corresponding to the note comprises:

determining that multiple applications are associated with the note;

presenting a menu of the multiple applications associated with the note to which the note may be output; and

receiving a user selection of an application, from among the multiple applications, to which to output the note.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user input command to clear the note presented in the output text box of the clipboard; and

in response to receiving the user input command to clear the note;

deleting all of the information displayed in the output text box; and

maintaining display of all clipboard items associated with the clipboard.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically adding the supplemental information to the clipboard item.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically generating, in the clipboard, an additional clipboard item that includes the supplemental information, the additional clipboard item being different from the clipboard item.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically generating a pop-up window that includes the supplemental information.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically triggering an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically generating a query based on the detected item of specified textual content and automatically submitting the generated query to a database to retrieve the supplemental information related to the detected item of specified textual content.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an identity of the source from which the information was collected by the information capture operation;

determining whether the identity of the source corresponds to a text filter included in multiple text filters associated with the clipboard; and

based on a determination that the identity of the source corresponds to a text filter included in multiple text filters associated with the clipboard, identifying, from among the multiple text filters, the text filter corresponding to the identity of the source,

wherein applying the filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content comprises applying the identified text filter corresponding to the identity of the source.

6. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information;

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard;

receiving a user input command to send the note presented in the output text box of the clipboard;

in response to receiving the user input command to send the note;

identifying an application corresponding to the note; and

outputting the information included in the note to the identified application corresponding to the note,

wherein outputting the information included in the note to the identified application corresponding to the note comprises outputting a call summary to a customer relationship management application that associates the call summary with a corresponding customer record.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein receiving input from the user further comprises receiving one or more items of text.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

outputting the note to a second application, wherein the second application is associated with the clipboard.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

analyzing one or more operating system messages to identify the occurrence of the information capture operation.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

detecting a second information capture operation; and

creating a second clipboard item comprising information collected by the second information capture operation, wherein the second clipboard item is separately displayed in the clipboard.

11. A system comprising:

a user interface for presenting a clipboard to a user and for receiving one or more inputs from the user; and

processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information;

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard;

receiving a user input command to send the note presented in the output text box of the clipboard;

in response to receiving the user input command to send the note;

identifying an application corresponding to the note; and

outputting the information included in the note to the identified application corresponding to the note,

wherein outputting the information included in the note to the identified application corresponding to the note comprises outputting a call summary to a customer relationship management application that associates the call summary with a corresponding customer record.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor electronics are further configured to perform operations comprising:

detecting a second information capture operation; and

creating a second clipboard item comprising information collected by the second information capture operation, wherein the second clipboard item is separately displayed in the clipboard.

21. A method comprising:

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information; and

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard,

wherein detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation comprises detecting a product identifier in the information collected by the information capture operation;

wherein automatically identifying the application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically identifying a product catalog application associated with the detected product identifier;

wherein automatically triggering the operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically obtaining, from the product catalog application, a product description corresponding to the detected product identifier; and

wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically supplementing the clipboard with the product description obtained from the product catalog application.

22. A method comprising:

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information; and

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard,

wherein detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation comprises detecting a product identifier in the information collected by the information capture operation;

wherein automatically identifying the application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically identifying an inventory management application associated with the detected product identifier;

wherein automatically triggering the operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically accessing, from the inventory management application, product availability information corresponding to the detected product identifier; and

wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically supplementing the clipboard with the product availability information accessed from the inventory management application.

24. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information; and

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard,

wherein detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation comprises detecting a product identifier in the information collected by the information capture operation;

wherein automatically identifying the application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically identifying a product catalog application associated with the detected product identifier;

wherein automatically triggering the operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically obtaining, from the product catalog application, a product description corresponding to the detected product identifier; and

wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically supplementing the clipboard with the product description obtained from the product catalog application.

25. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information; and

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard,

wherein detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation comprises detecting a product identifier in the information collected by the information capture operation;

wherein automatically identifying the application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically identifying an inventory management application associated with the detected product identifier;

wherein automatically triggering the operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically accessing, from the inventory management application, product availability information corresponding to the detected product identifier; and

wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically supplementing the clipboard with the product availability information accessed from the inventory management application.

26. A system comprising:

a user interface for presenting a clipboard to a user and for receiving one or more inputs from the user; and

processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information; and

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard,

wherein detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation comprises detecting a product identifier in the information collected by the information capture operation;

wherein automatically identifying the application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically identifying a product catalog application associated with the detected product identifier;

wherein automatically triggering the operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically obtaining, from the product catalog application, a product description corresponding to the detected product identifier; and

wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically supplementing the clipboard with the product description obtained from the product catalog application.

27. A system comprising:

a user interface for presenting a clipboard to a user and for receiving one or more inputs from the user; and

processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting an information capture operation performed in an application;

creating a clipboard item comprising information collected by the information capture operation, wherein the clipboard item is associated with a clipboard;

applying, using at least one processor, a text filter to analyze the information collected by the information capture operation for one or more items of specified textual content;

based on the analysis applied by the text filter, detecting, using at least one processor, an item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

in response to detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation;

automatically identifying, using at least one processor, an application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, the application being different than a source of the information collected by the information capture operation,

automatically triggering, using at least one processor, an operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content, and

automatically supplementing, using at least one processor, the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application;

receiving input from a user defining a note, wherein the note includes at least a portion of the clipboard item and at least a portion of the supplemental information; and

presenting the note in an output text box of the clipboard,

wherein detecting the item of specified textual content in the information collected by the information capture operation comprises detecting a product identifier in the information collected by the information capture operation;

wherein automatically identifying the application that includes supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically identifying an inventory management application associated with the detected product identifier;

wherein automatically triggering the operation to retrieve, from the identified application, the supplemental information related to the item of specified textual content comprises automatically accessing, from the inventory management application, product availability information corresponding to the detected product identifier; and

wherein automatically supplementing the clipboard with the supplemental information retrieved from the identified application comprises automatically supplementing the clipboard with the product availability information accessed from the inventory management application.