Server-Based Data Sharing in Computer Applications Using A Clipboard

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of sharing data between computer applications is discussed. The method includes receiving, at an application server sub-system of a hosted computer server system and from a first computing device that is remote from the hosted computer server system, commands interacting with an electronic document served by the application server sub-system, and receiving at the hosted computer server system a command to copy content from the electronic document to an electronic clipboard. The method also includes storing, at a clipboard server sub-system of the hosted computer server system, that is separate from the application server sub-system, data that represents the content, receiving a request for the stored data that represents the content, and delivering, from the clipboard server sub-system to a second computing device, the data that represents the content.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method of sharing data between computer applications, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a computer system and from a first computing device that is remote from the computer system, a first command to copy content from a first electronic document that is presented on the first computing device by a first application to an electronic clipboard that is maintained by the computer system, wherein the first application is executed, at least in part, by the computer system;   storing, in response to receiving the first command to copy the content and by the computer system, data that represents the content;   receiving, at the computer system and from a second computing device that is remote from the computer system, a second command to paste the content from the electronic clipboard into a second electronic document presented on the second computing device by a second application, wherein the second application is executed, at least in part, by the computer system;   providing, in response to receiving the second command to paste the content and by the computer system, the data that represents the content to the second computing device;   receiving, at the computer system and from the first computing device, a third command to modify the content that is presented in the first electronic document by the first application on the first computing device;   modifying, in response to receiving the third command and by the computer system, the data that represents the content to generate modified data; and   providing, automatically by the computer system in response to modifying the data and without being prompted by the second computing device, at least a portion of the modified data to the second computing device, wherein the providing causes the at least a portion of the modified data to replace at least a portion of the data in the presentation of the second electronic document by the second application on the second computing device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the second computing device is different from the first computing device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein each of the first and second electronic documents is selected from a group consisting of a word processing document, a spreadsheet, a presentation document, and an electronic mail message. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computer system comprises an application server sub-system and a clipboard sub-system, wherein the application server sub-system interacts with a first container document of a browser executing on the first computing device, and the clipboard server sub-system interacts with a child element of a second container document of a browser executing on the second computing device that correlates to the first container document of the browser executing on the first computing device. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising saving, by the computer system upon providing the at least a portion of the modified data to the second computing device, the second electronic document. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing, automatically by the computer system in response to modifying the data, a notification message that the data that represents the content has been modified, to the second computing device. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising receiving, at the computer system and from the second computing device, a fourth command to save the second electronic document presented on the second computing device by the second application. 
     
     
         28 . A computer-implemented method of sharing data between computer applications, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a computer system and from a first computing device that is remote from the computer system, a first command to copy content from a first electronic document that is presented on the first computing device by a first application to an electronic clipboard that is maintained by the computer system, wherein the first application is executed, at least in part, by the computer system;   storing, in response to receiving the first command and by the computer system, data that represents the content;   receiving, at the computer system and from a second computing device that is remote from the computer system, one or more commands interacting with a second electronic document that is presented on the second computing device by a second application, wherein the second application is executed, at least in part, by the computer system;   determining, by the computer system, that the content that has been copied to the electronic clipboard is a type of content that is supported by the second electronic document; and   providing, from the computer system to the second computing device, an indication that the content that has been copied to the electronic clipboard is available to be pasted into the second electronic document.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second computing device is different from the first computing device. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein each of the electronic documents is selected from a group consisting of a word processing document, a spreadsheet, a presentation document, and an electronic mail message. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the computer system comprises an application server sub-system and a clipboard sub-system, wherein the application server sub-system interacts with a first container document of a browser executing on the first computing device, and the clipboard server sub-system interacts with a child element of a second container document of a browser executing on the second computing device that correlates to the first container document of the browser executing on the first computing device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the indication that the content that has been copied from the first electronic document is available to be pasted from the electronic clipboard into the second electronic document includes an indication of the character of the content. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the indication of the character of the content includes information that describes the content. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the indication of the character of the content includes an icon representation of the content that is generated by the clipboard server sub-system.