Distributed clipboard

Abstract

Techniques for providing a shared clipboard to participants in a conversation are provided. The shared clipboard is specific to the conversation to which it is associated in that the shared clipboard does not “spill over” from one conversation to another. When a conversation between two or more participants is established, a shared clipboard becomes available to the participants of the conversation. The shared clipboard facilitates the sharing of data between the participants in the conversation. During the conversation, each participant in the conversation is provided access to the shared clipboard, including its contents. When a participant joins or is added to the conversation, the added participant is also provided access to the shared clipboard and its contents.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer system for providing a shared clipboard, comprising:
 a memory storing computer-executable instructions of:
 a component that detects that the collaboration application has established a conversation with at least one other participant; and 
 a component that, after detecting that the collaboration application has established the conversation,
 creates a shared clipboard for the conversation, wherein the shared clipboard is operable to contain an object placed by any of the participants in the conversation, wherein an object placed in the shared clipboard is available to any of the participants in the conversation; and 
 after termination of the conversation at a client system of a participant, archives the shared clipboard at the client system of the participant so that the participant can access the archived shared clipboard after leaving the conversation. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the component that archives further includes checking to determine whether archiving of the shared clipboard is permitted. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 2  wherein the archiving is permitted when the leaving participant has permission to archive the shared clipboard. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the component that archives further provides presence information of the shared clipboard to a participant, the presence information indicating the interactions of other participants with the shared clipboard. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1  wherein the component that archives further enforces access control of an object when a participant requests to place the object in the shared clipboard, the access control restricting the sharing of the object, wherein when at least one participant does not have access rights to the object, preventing the object from being placed in the shared clipboard.