Monitoring Application for Automatic Software Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for coordinating multiple software applications are labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring manual steps to transfer information between applications, even with the use of interprocess communication protocols, which can be prohibitively complex when multiple protocols are involved.
Innovation Solution
A computer software system that monitors target windows to automatically display a prompting window, allowing for single-step activation and data transfer between applications with minimal programming, using a monitoring application to recognize target windows, display a prompting window, and transfer information upon user selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual cut and paste method is used to transfer information between applications, then application compatibility is improved, but user time and labor are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables applications to automatically transfer information to each other without requiring manual user intervention. The monitoring application detects when information is selected in one application and automatically performs the transfer to the target application, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous user action.
Solution Approach 2:
A monitoring application is introduced as an intermediary component that watches for selection events across applications and facilitates automatic information transfer. This mediator detects when text is selected in one application and automatically copies it to the target application, eliminating the need for manual cut and paste operations while maintaining broad application compatibility.
2Extent of automation
If interprocess communication protocols are used for automated information transfer, then automation level is improved, but system complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses simple, lightweight monitoring and transfer objects that operate at the application level rather than requiring complex interprocess communication infrastructure. These simple software components perform automatic information transfer without needing extensive programming or complex protocol implementations, providing automation with minimal overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive programming is done to enable automated coordination between multiple applications, then coordination capability is improved, but programming effort is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring application is designed as a universal system that can coordinate between multiple different applications without requiring separate programming for each application pair. It monitors selection events across any application and automatically transfers information to any target application, providing multi-functional coordination capability with a single implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer software system is disclosed for single step coordination between software applications. A monitoring application automatically identifies a target application and presents a prompting window, such that if possible (but not necessarily) it appears to be attached to a side of the target window. Clicking a control in the prompting window automatically activates a secondary application, and automatically transfers information from the target application to the secondary application. Target desktop windows can be identified by their window captions and target HTML windows by their URL addresses. Controls on prompting windows can activate multiple secondary applications and/or different secondary application modes. Information can be obtained from a target application by reading a file stored for that purpose by the target application, by interprocess communication, or by screen scraping. In one general aspect, a medical test result viewing application is coordinated with a medical test result processing application.