Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-12
2001-10-30
Hunter, Daniel (Department: 2684)
C455S414200, C455S575100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309305
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method of transferring data from one application to another in an application handling unit controlling a plurality of applications. The invention furthermore relates to such an application handling unit and especially a handset or a portable phone.
The copy and paste function is generally known from the applications available in Windows® from Microsoft Corporation®. However, the copy and paste function can be used to copy text strings from one application to another or from one document in one application to another document in the same application or from one location in a document to another location in the same document.
The CPU of the computer uses a RAM as a primary storage to hold programs and data for all applications—at least the open ones. When selecting a text string and copying this string to the clipboard, this string will be stored in a space in the RAM specially dedicated as a clipboard memory. The cutting operation is basically the same, but the selected text string will be copied to the clipboard, whereas it will be removed from the original file/document.
Hereby the contents in the clipboard will be present for pasting even though the application from which the string was copied will be closed. When moving the cursor to a new position either in the same file or in another file, the contents of the clipboard may be pasted to this position. The contents of the clipboard will not be affected by the pasting, whereby the pasting may be repeated several times. This type of cut/copy and paste operation is excellent when handling text documents by means of e.g. a Personal Computer (PC) having a full keypad and a mouse for moving the cursor.
However, in a portable phone, the number of input key s compared with a PC is very low, and cursor navigation keys only allow a limited navigation through a text string, e.g. an SMS message, so that it will be easier to rewrite a word than to use a copy and paste function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of transferring data from one application to another in an application handling unit controlling a plurality of applications, said transfer being handled by copying data to and pasting data from clipboard storage means, said method comprising identifying predetermined types of subitems in the contents of the data copied to the clipboard; and displaying said types of subitems for selection by the user upon reception of a pasting request for the data on the clipboard into said another application.
The transfer is handled by copying data to clipboard storage means as a complex data structure, e.g. a full SMS message including all available information e.g. the text message and the sender ID. Then the complex data structure is analyzed, and predetermined types of subitems in the complex data structure are identified. These subitems may be ordinary words, phone numbers or dates. When the user requests the pasting of an item in the complex data structure into another application, a list of subitems will be displayed and the user may select the item which he finds appropriate to paste. The main difference compared with prior art is that the transferred item is defined when pasting from the clipboard instead of when copying to the clipboard. The text editing facilities on a phone are very poor at present in contrast to the menu selection facilities. An example of the menu selection facilities is given in EP 463 856.
The invention provides a user interface which has a copy and paste function for copying data between applications and which is easy to use.
To reduce the length of the list presented when pasting, some analyzing may be performed upon the detection of a pasting request. When an SMS message has been requested to be pasted into a phone number memory location in a phone book, only words allowable according the phone number syntax rules may be presented.
First, the contents of the complex data structure are divided into separate words by detecting dividing points as spaces or the like. Then each of the words may be compared with the syntax rules valid for the pasting position.
The invention furthermore relates to an application handling unit including a CPU controlling a plurality of applications, a working storage that holds data and programs used in said applications and storage means acting as a clipboard when copying and pasting data from one application to another. This unit furthermore comprises means for selecting data contained in one application for copying to the clipboard, means for identifying predetermined types of subitems in the contents of the data copied to the clipboard, and means for displaying said types of subitems for selection by the user upon reception of a pasting request for the data on the clipboard into said another application. Hereby the selected unbroken string in one application will be broken down to a list of individually selectable items for pasting from the clipboard.
A handset or a phone comprises information inputting means, a display, a controller unit that controls the input means and the display and a plurality of applications available to the user. The controller unit is provided with memory means for temporarily storing data used in said applications. When a data set used in one of said applications is selected for copying to the clipboard, the controller unit gives this set a status according to which the data set may be pasted into another of said applications upon request from the user via said input means. In general, all applications available in a portable phone are open. Therefore, there is no need for making a copy of the selected data. Instead, a link pointing out the data selected for copying could be provided. However, the user does not feel any difference. When a data set has been requested for copying, the controller unit analyzes the data set. The purpose of the analyzing is to break the data set down into small items, e.g. into words when these words were divided by spaces in the copied data set. When the user requests the paste operation, the controller unit offers the user each of said subitems for pasting.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the memory means for temporarily storing data includes a RAM-like memory in which data for said applications and data for the display are stored. The handset or the phone is provided with a menu structure including a copy and paste option, and the controller unit establishes a link to the data set selected for copying upon the presence of a copy request. Upon the presence of a paste request, the controller splits the data set string into words divided by a space or the like and transfers the words to a display memory for displaying the word in the display as individually selectable items for pasting. Upon the presence of a select request, the controller unit copies the selected word into a position in said another application appointed by the paste request.
Preferably, the controller unit compares said word with syntax rules for words allowable in the present context of the application when pasting. The controller unit only transfers words which are allowable according to said comparison to the display memory for display.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5479476 (1995-12-01), Finke-Anlauff
patent: 5765156 (1998-06-01), Guzak et al.
patent: 5784001 (1998-07-01), Deluca et al.
patent: 5920826 (1999-07-01), Metso et al.
patent: 6044248 (2000-03-01), Mochizuki et al.
patent: 0 463 856 B1 (1992-01-01), None
Hunter Daniel
Nguyen Thuan T.
Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
Perman & Green LLP
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