Application context migration framework and protocol

Abstract

Embodiments described herein relate generally to the migration of a static object, such as an electronic document, across separate computer systems while retaining context data associated with the static object. In one embodiment, a source computer system is adapted to package a static object and associated context information and transmit the package over a network to a target computer system. The target computer system may present the static object in an application with the associated context information to substantially approximate presentation of the same at the source computer system. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system for transferring context data associated with an electronic document, the system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having processor-executable instructions that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 present a static object; 
 determine context information associated with the static object based on the presentation of the static object; 
 generate a context package that is to include the static object and the associated context information; and 
 transmit the generated context package to an external computer system over a network for external presentation of the static object with the associated context information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the static object is a text document and the context information includes a command executed on the text document that can be undone by an application adapted to present the text document, a clipboard object, a location within the text document, a toolbar configuration, or a window setting associated with presentation of the text document. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the static object is a uniform resource identifier (“URI”) and the context information includes a location within a page of the URI, a context of an embedded object in the page, a cookie associated with the page, session information associated with the page, and a toolbar configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of the context information and the generation of the context package are made using a framework adapted for transmission of context packages. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the external computer system to which the generated context package is to be transmitted is a target computer system adapted to present the static object with the associated context information and the transmission is to be a peer-to-peer connection. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the external computer system to which the generated context package is to be transmitted is a manager computer system adapted to transmit the context package to a target computer system. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 process a list of target computer systems adapted to receive the context package, the list to be received from the manager computer system;   select the target computer system based on the list of target computer systems; and   hierarchically address the context package to the selected target computer system, so that the transmission includes a hierarchal address.   
     
     
         8 . The computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 transmit a registration request to the manager computer system.   
     
     
         9 . A computer system for migrating context information associated with an electronic document between separate computer systems, the system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having processor-executable instructions that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 process a source context package, received from a source computer system, that is to include a static object and context information associated with the static object; 
 process a target request to transmit the source context package to a target computer system; and 
 transmit, based on the request, the source context package to the target computer system to support presentation of the static object with the associated context information. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, further cause the computer system to:
 transmit, to the source computer system, a list of target computer systems adapted to receive context packages, including the target computer system.   
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, further cause the computer system to:
 process a registration request from the target computer system; and   add the target computer system to the list of target computer systems based on the received registration request.   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 transmit, to the target computer system, a list of computer systems associated with the re-creation of static objects with associated context information, including the source computer system.   
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, further cause the computer system to:
 process a registration request from the source computer system; and   add the source computer system to the list of source computer systems based on the received registration request.   
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the target request is received from the target computer system, and further wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 cache the source context package received from the source computer system.   
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the target request is received from the source computer system and includes a hierarchical address associated with the target computer system. 
     
     
         16 . A computer system for re-creating an electronic document with associated context data from a separate computer system, the system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory having processor-executable instructions that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 process a context package, received from an external computer system over a network, that is to include a static object and context information associated with the static object; 
 load the context information from the context package; and 
 present the static object based on the loaded context information. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the static object is a text document and the context information includes a command executed on the text document that can be undone by an application adapted to present the text document, a clipboard object, a location within the text document, a toolbar configuration, or a window setting associated with presentation of the text document. 
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the static object is a uniform resource identifier (“URI”) and the context information includes a location within a page of the URI, a context of an embedded object in the page, a cookie associated with the page, session information associated with the page, and a toolbar configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 override a context setting included in the context information.   
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the external computer system from which the generated context package is to be received is a source computer system adapted to present the static object with the associated context information, and further wherein the reception over the network is to be a peer-to-peer connection. 
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the external computer system from which the generated context package is to be received is a manager computer system adapted to receive the context package from a source computer system. 
     
     
         22 . The computer system of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 transmit, to the manager computer system, a pull request to receive the context package from the manager computer system.   
     
     
         23 . A method to be performed by a computer system for transferring context data associated with a static object, the method comprising:
 receiving user interaction associated with the static object;   collecting the context data associated with the static object based on the receiving of the user interaction;   receiving a selection of a target computer system adapted to present the static object; and   transferring the static object and the collected context data to the selected target computer system.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the transferring the static object and the collected context data to the selected target computer system comprises:
 sending the static object and the collected context data to a manager computer system adapted to send the static object and the collected context data to the target computer system.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein selection is based on a list of target computer systems, and the method further comprising:
 receiving the list of target computer systems.