Information exchange between a handheld device and another computer system using an exchange manager and uniform resource locator (URL) strings
First Claim
1. A method of using a processor of an electronic device to receive data having Uniform Resource Locator formats, the processor executing the steps of:
- receiving, at an electronic device, data having a Uniform Resource Locator designation and a data type;
forwarding the data and the Uniform Resource Locator designation to an exchange manager on the electronic device, the exchange manager dispatching the data to a specified application located on the electronic device, the specified application designated in accordance with the Uniform Resource Locator designation, wherein if the Uniform Resource Locator designation does not contain an application specified, displaying a message on a screen of the electronic device, and receiving a specified application through user input;
accepting the specified application designation;
storing accepted data as a record of the specified application;
designating the application specified by the exchange manager referencing a database on the electronic device in accordance with the Uniform Resource Locator designation and the data type, the database containing a plurality of applications associated with a plurality of data types; and
associating the received data with one or more of the plurality of applications;
wherein if the processor is currently executing an application on the electronic device, storing the received data associated with the specified application, but not as a record of the specified application until acceptance of the specified application designation is obtained from user input.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and electronic system for exchanging data between a handheld device and another computer system using universal resource locator (URL) strings. With respect to sending information from the handheld, an application may define a URL string that may indicate 1) a transport mechanism and 2) a destination for the information. Exemplary transport mechanism strings include: IRODEX:// (infrared); BTOBEX:// (radio frequency Bluetooth); SMS://; SMTP:// (email); SYNC:// (synchronization); HTTP:// (Internet); FTP:// (file transport protocol); etc. Information and the associated URL string is forwarded from the application to an exchange manager API. The exchange manager API is connected to a plurality of exchange library APIs, one for each supported transport mechanism. If no transport mechanism is defined, the user is asked to define one. If no destination is specified, the user is asked to define one. The exchange manager then provides the required communication using the specified URL string. On receiving information, the URL can define its source. If none is given, the exchange manager requests from the user a specific application and verifies the addition of the information to the database associated with the application. When URL strings are fully defined, the communication of information can be somewhat transparent to the user. The handheld device can be a palmtop computer system.
25 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of using a processor of an electronic device to receive data having Uniform Resource Locator formats, the processor executing the steps of:
-
receiving, at an electronic device, data having a Uniform Resource Locator designation and a data type; forwarding the data and the Uniform Resource Locator designation to an exchange manager on the electronic device, the exchange manager dispatching the data to a specified application located on the electronic device, the specified application designated in accordance with the Uniform Resource Locator designation, wherein if the Uniform Resource Locator designation does not contain an application specified, displaying a message on a screen of the electronic device, and receiving a specified application through user input; accepting the specified application designation; storing accepted data as a record of the specified application; designating the application specified by the exchange manager referencing a database on the electronic device in accordance with the Uniform Resource Locator designation and the data type, the database containing a plurality of applications associated with a plurality of data types; and associating the received data with one or more of the plurality of applications; wherein if the processor is currently executing an application on the electronic device, storing the received data associated with the specified application, but not as a record of the specified application until acceptance of the specified application designation is obtained from user input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An electronic device for receiving data having Uniform Resource Locator formats comprising:
-
a processor coupled to a bus; a memory coupled to the bus; a screen coupled to the bus; and an application resident on the memory, the application containing instructions to be executed on the processor upon receiving data having a Uniform Resource Locator designation and a data type, the instructions comprising the steps of; forwarding the data and the Uniform Resource Locator designation to an exchange manager on the electronic device, the exchange manager dispatching the data to a specified application located on the electronic device, the specified application designated in accordance with the Uniform Resource Locator designation, wherein if the Uniform Resource Locator designation does not contain an application specified, displaying a message on the screen of the electronic device, and receiving a specified application through user input; accepting the specified application designation; storing accepted data as a record of the specified application; designating the application specified by the exchange manager referencing a database on the electronic device in accordance with the Uniform Resource Locator designation and the data type, the database containing a plurality of applications associated with a plurality of data types; and associating the received data with one or more of the plurality of applications; wherein if the processor is currently executing an application on the electronic device, storing the received data associated with the specified application, but not as a record of the specified application until acceptance of the specified application designation is obtained from user input. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification