System and method for automatic information compatibility detection and pasting intervention

• US 8,689,125 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Dunsmoir, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shih, Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US10/692,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,813 Days
• Field of Search: 715/724, 715/769, 715/512, 715/523, 706/47
• US Class Current: 715/770
• 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 computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a copier configured to allow a user to designate a destination point or area in a first computer resource, and to select in a second user interface to a second computer resource multiple information elements in the second computer resource;

responsive to the user selections, automatically concatenating the multiple selected information elements into a single transfer buffer; and

automatically transferring the concatenated information elements from the transfer buffer, to the destination point or area of one or more information elements.

2. The computer-implemented method as set forth in claim 1:

wherein the providing of a copier comprises providing a destination-first, source-second element copier configured to allow a user in a first user interface to a first computer resource to designate a destination point or area in the first computer resource, and to subsequently select in a second user interface to a second computer resource two or more information elements in the second computer resource;

wherein the transfer buffer comprises a clipboard in memory;

wherein the concatenating further comprises, subsequent to the user selections, automatically copying the selected information elements into the clipboard in memory;

wherein the automatic transferring further comprises, upon attempt to automatically transfer the information elements from the clipboard in memory, intercepting the transfer to the destination point or area of one or more information elements;

and the method further comprising;

performing a compatibility check for each intercepted information element with the destination computer resource 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.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising:

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

allowing, via the rule management user interface, a user action selected from a group comprising creating a new compatibility rule, deleting a compatibility rule, and modifying a compatibility rule.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising:

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

allowing, via the rule management user interface, a user action selected from a group comprising creating a new conversion rule, deleting a conversion rule, and modifying a conversion rule.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the user action of creating and modifying a conversion rule comprises creating and modifying a conversion rule which specifies performing an action selected from a group comprising 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 the destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to the destination.

6. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the performing a compatibility handling action comprises performing an action selected from the a group comprising 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 the destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to the destination.

7. A computer-readable storage memory comprising:

a computer readable storage memory suitable for encoding computer programs; and

one or more computer programs encoded by the memory and configured to transfer content from one computer resource to another computer resource by;

providing a copier configured to allow a user to designate a destination point or area in a first computer resource, and to select in a second user interface to a second computer resource multiple information elements in the second computer resource;

responsive to the user selections, automatically concatenating the multiple selected information elements into a single transfer buffer; and

automatically transferring the concatenated information elements from the transfer buffer to the destination point or area of one or more information elements.

8. The computer-readable memory as set forth in claim 7:

wherein the computer program providing of a copier comprises computer program providing a destination-first, source-second element copier configured to allow a user in a first user interface to a first computer resource to designate a destination point or area in the first computer resource, and to subsequently select in a second user interface to a second computer resource two or more information elements in the second computer resource;

wherein the transfer buffer comprises a clipboard in memory;

wherein the computer program concatenating further comprises, subsequent to the user selections, automatically copying the selected information elements into the clipboard in memory;

wherein the computer program automatically transferring further comprises, upon attempt to automatically transfer the information elements from the clipboard in memory, intercepting the transfer to the destination point or area of one or more information elements;

and the computer program further comprising;

performing a compatibility check for each intercepted information element with the destination computer resource 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.

9. The computer readable storage memory as set forth in claim 8 further comprising computer program configured to:

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

allow, via the rule management user interface, a user action selected from a group comprising creating a new compatibility rule, deleting a compatibility rule, and modifying a compatibility rule.

10. The computer readable storage memory as set forth in claim 8 further comprising computer program configured to:

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

allow, via the rule management user interface, a user action selected from a group comprising creating a new conversion rule, deleting a conversion rule, and modifying a conversion rule.

11. The computer readable storage memory as set forth in claim 10 wherein creating and modifying a conversion rule comprises creating and modifying a conversion rule which specifies performing an action selected from a group comprising 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 the destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to the destination.

12. The computer readable storage memory as set forth in claim 8 wherein the performing a compatibility handling action comprises performing an action selected from a group comprising 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 the destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to the destination.

13. A system for automatically transferring content from one computer resource to another computer resource, the system having one or more circuits, one or more programs executed by a processor, or a combination of circuits and processor-executed programs comprising:

a single transfer buffer in a computer readable storage memory; and

an element copier;

allowing a user to designate a destination point or area in a first computer resource;

allowing a user to select in a second user interface to a second computer resource multiple information elements in a second computer resource;

automatically concatenating the multiple selected information elements into the single transfer buffer; and

automatically transferring the information elements from the single transfer buffer, to the destination point or area of one or more information elements.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13:

in which the transfer buffer comprises a clipboard in memory;

in which the copier comprises a destination-first, source-second element copier configured to allow a user in a first user interface to a first computer resource to designate a destination point or area in the first computer resource, to subsequently select in a second user interface to a second computer resource two or more information elements in the second computer resource, and to subsequently automatically copy the selected information elements into the clipboard in memory thereby concatenating the information elements into the clipboard;

and further comprising;

a transfer interceptor configured to, upon attempt to copy the information elements from the clipboard, intercept one or more information elements;

a compatibility checker configured 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; and

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

15. The system as set forth in claim 14 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 the rule management user interface, for selecting a compatibility rule management action from a group comprising creating a new compatibility rule, deleting a compatibility rule, and modifying a compatibility rule.

16. The system as set forth in claim 14 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 the rule management user interface, for selecting a user action from a group comprising creating a new conversion rule, deleting a conversion rule, and modifying a conversion rule.

17. The system as set forth in claim 16 wherein the user action group comprises at least one action selected from a group comprising 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 the destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to the destination.

18. The system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the compatibility action handler is further configured to perform an action selected from a group comprising 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 the destination, isolating an element and transferring a hyperlinked annotation to the destination.