Cooperative Drag and Drop

A portable electronic device, comprising

• a communication interface for establishing a short-range communication channel with another portable electronic device located nearby;
• a graphical user interface that includes a display and an input device, and that is configured to support drag-and-drop functionality for moving data objects represented on the display in accordance with user input;
• and
• a controller that is coupled to the communication interface and to the graphical user interface, and that is configured to receive a command from said another portable electronic device via the communication interface, to identify the command as a drag-and-drop operation initiated at said another device, and to control said graphical user interface to continue the drag-and-drop operation.

A method implemented by a sending portable electronic device for transferring a data object to a receiving portable electronic device, wherein the sending device comprises a graphical user interface that includes a display with a display area, the method comprising:

• detecting a drag action of a drag-and-drop operation being performed in a border region of the display area of the sending device;
• sending a command over a short-range communication channel to the receiving device directing the receiving device to continue the drag-and-drop operation;
• and
• transferring a data object associated with the drag-and-drop operation to the receiving device.

A method implemented by a receiving portable electronic device for receiving a data object from a sending portable electronic devices, wherein the receiving device comprises a graphical user interface that includes a display with a display area, the method comprising:

• receiving a command over a short-range communication channel from the sending device directing the receiving device to continue a drag-and-drop operation initiated at the sending device;
• and
• continuing the drag-and-drop operation in the graphical user interface of the receiving device;
• detecting a drop action of the drag-and-drop operation being performed in the display area of the receiving device;
• and
• receiving a data object associated with the drag-and-drop operation from the sending device.