System and method for seamlessly integrating separate information systems within an application

Abstract

The present invention is, in one embodiment, a system and method based on a client-server architecture for seamlessly integrating various information systems. In one embodiment, a bundle of files is deployed to a collaboration client, in order to enable the integration of the collaboration client with disparate information systems and content. In one embodiment, content within a mailbox item is allowed to become a “live” object, and is associated with trigger events, and actions, including sending all or part of the content to a separate information system. In one embodiment, mailbox items are subjected to predefined searches to assess whether they include certain content objects. In another embodiment, panel item elements are visible in the overview panel of the collaboration client. The user may interact with the panel items by dragging content onto them, double clicking them, and invoking actions from a context menu if one is available.

1 . A method for integrating a plurality of information systems with a first information system, the method comprising:
 providing a listing of a plurality of panel item elements within a user interface of the first information system, wherein one of the plurality of panel item elements provides a user interface to access one of the plurality of information systems;   determining whether a trigger event has occurred for the one of the plurality of panel item elements;   in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, accessing the one of the plurality of information systems via the one of the plurality of panel item elements.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger event comprises receiving content which is dragged over to and dropped onto the one of the plurality of panel item elements. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of accessing one of the plurality of information system comprises:
 passing a subset of the received content to the one of the plurality of information systems.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 displaying, within the first information system, a window with information from the one of the plurality of information systems based upon the subset of the received content.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first information system is a collaboration suite. 
   
   
       6 . A system for integrating a second information system with a first information system, wherein the integration is implemented via a plurality of Zimlets included in the first information system, the system comprising:
 a client comprising:
 a user interface to the first information system; 
 a matching module communicatively coupled to the user interface for matching specific content received in the first information system with content specified in a subset of the plurality of Zimlets; and 
   a server comprising:
 a storage for the plurality of Zimlets; 
 a servlet module for receiving communication from the client relating to the specific content, and for redirecting the communication to the second information system. 
   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first information system is a collaboration suite. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the client further comprises:
 a toolkit for allowing a user to create a new Zimlet.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server further comprises:
 a security module for ensuring access of the client to the subset of the plurality of Zimlets in the storage.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server further comprises:
 an index storage module for storing indexes for predefined searches; and   an indexing module coupled to the index storage module for parsing received content based on the stored indexes.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the server further comprises:
 a security module for ensuring that the communication from the client is allowable to be redirected to the second information system.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the matching module communicates to the user interface if a match is found, and the specific content thereupon is modified so that a user can identify the specific content. 
   
   
       13 . A method for enabling a user to take action upon information associated with one of a plurality of content types in a mailbox item in a first information system, wherein the action is taken in a second information system, the method comprising:
 receiving definitions of the plurality of content types;   searching the mailbox item to find content matching one of the plurality of content types   determining whether a trigger event has occurred;   in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, providing the user with a user interface;   receiving an action from the user relating to information associated with the content; and   communicating the received action to the second information system.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein:
 one of the plurality of content types is a purchase order number, and   the action received is one of a group consisting of accepting a purchase order associated with the purchase order number, and rejecting a purchase order associated with the purchase order number.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 one of the plurality of content types is a phone number, and   the action received is one of a group consisting of placing a phone call to the phone number, and saving the phone number as a contact in the first information system.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 providing the user with a visual indication that the received action has been implemented in the second information system.   
   
   
       17 . A method for enabling a user to make an Internet call to a phone number identified in a mailbox item, the method comprising:
 defining characteristics of a phone number;   parsing mailbox items for data having such characteristics;   identifying data having such characteristics as an instance of a phone number;   in response to identifying an instance of a phone number, providing the user with an option to make an Internet call to the phone number; and   in response to the user electing to make an Internet call with such phone number, requesting an Internet call to the phone number.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mailbox item is one of a group consisting of an email message, a contact, a calendar entry, and a to-do item. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first information system is a collaboration suite. 
   
   
       20 . A method for enabling a user to receive visual feedback in a first information system relating to an action taken in a second information system, the method comprising:
 searching a document in the first information system to find content matching one of a plurality of pre-defined content types;   determining whether a trigger event has occurred;   in response to determining that the trigger event has occurred, providing the user with a user interface;   receiving an action from the user relating to information associated with the content;   communicating the received action to the second information system; and   providing visual feedback to the user in the first information system, wherein the visual feedback relates to the action taken in the second information system.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the visual feedback is changing the color of the content in the document. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein
 the one of the plurality of pre-defined content types is a purchase order number,   the action received is one of a group consisting of accepting a purchase order associated with the purchase order number, and rejecting a purchase order associated with the purchase order number, and   the visual feedback is changing the color of the content in the document.