# US 2014/0157168 A1 · Copy and paste experience > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0157168 A1 - Document ID: US20140157168A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/691,534 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Shadi Eskamaei Albouyeh; Bernadette Alexia Carter; Jon Mark Harris; Tintin Sukawati Soemargono - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157168A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range - G06F 9/451: Execution arrangements for user interfaces - G06F 9/543: {User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An improved copy and paste experience includes capturing information about open applications including a screenshot of each of the open applications shown in a viewable area of the open applications; in response to receiving a copy command while the user is interacting with a first application, presenting the screenshots of the other open applications to the user for selection; in response to the user selecting one of the screenshots corresponding to a second application, displaying visual content segments from the second application; in response to receiving a user selection of two or more of the visual content segments, copying the selected visual content segments; and inserting the selected visual content segments into the first application such that original spatial relations between the visual content segments from the second application are maintained when the visual content segments are inserted into the first application. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for copying and pasting, the method performed by program instructions executed on a computer having at least one processor, the method comprising: automatically detecting a predetermined number of copy and paste commands from a first window to a target window; in response to detecting the predetermined number of copy and paste commands, miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window and dynamically positioning the miniaturized portion of content adjacent to the target window; and responsive to detecting user interaction with the miniaturized portion of content, temporarily expanding the miniaturized portion of content to allow user access to the portion of content from the first window. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window further comprises: displaying the miniaturized portion of content in a miniaturized preview window that persistently hovers adjacent to the target window and above any other open windows. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising: displaying the miniaturized preview window as a borderless and semi-transparent window. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window further comprises at least one of: miniaturizing a copy of the portion of content from the first window for display in the miniaturized preview window; and miniaturizing the first window entirely and repositioning the first window adjacent to the target window. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein temporarily expanding the miniaturized portion of content further comprises: enlarging the miniaturized preview window into an expanded preview window that allows the user to select a desired region within the miniaturized portion of content for copying to the target window using a drag-and-drop operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising upon completion of the drag-and-drop operation, returning display of the expanded preview window to display of the miniaturized preview window. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: detecting a user's interactions with multiple source windows, and created multiple miniaturized portions of content from the multiple source windows for display in corresponding preview windows. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein automatically detecting a predetermined number of copy and paste commands from the first window to the target window further comprises: keeping track of a number of times that the user invokes a set of copy and paste commands between the first window and the target window; and determining when the number of times that the user invokes the set of copy and paste commands is equal to the predetermined number of copy and paste commands. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the content in the first window includes any combination of text, tables, spreadsheets, presentations, images, videos, and graphics. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein detecting user interaction with the miniaturized portion of content further comprises at least one of: detecting a cursor hovering over the miniaturized portion of content for a predetermined amount of time; and detecting a press and hold event on the miniaturized portion of content. ### Claim 11 An executable software product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instructions for copying and pasting, the program instructions for: automatically detecting a predetermined number of copy and paste commands from a first window to a target window; in response to detecting the predetermined number of copy and paste commands, miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window and dynamically positioning the miniaturized portion of content adjacent to the target window; and responsive to detecting user interaction with the miniaturized portion of content, temporarily expanding the miniaturized portion of content to allow user access to the portion of content from the first window. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The executable software product of claim 11 wherein miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window further comprises program instructions for: displaying the miniaturized portion of content in a miniaturized preview window that persistently hovers adjacent to the target window and above any other open windows. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The executable software product of claim 12 further comprising program instructions for: displaying the miniaturized preview window as a borderless and semi-transparent window. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The executable software product of claim 12 wherein miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window further comprises program instructions for at least one of: miniaturizing a copy of the portion of content from the first window for display in the miniaturized preview window; and miniaturizing the first window entirely and repositioning the first window adjacent to the target window. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The executable software product of claim 12 wherein temporarily expanding the miniaturized portion of content further comprises program instructions for: enlarging the miniaturized preview window into an expanded preview window that allows the user to select a desired region within the miniaturized portion of content for copying to the target window using a drag-and-drop operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The executable software product of claim 15 further comprising upon completion of the drag-and-drop operation, returning display of the expanded preview window to display of the miniaturized preview window. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The executable software product of claim 11 further comprising program instructions for: detecting a user's interactions with multiple source windows, and creating multiple miniaturized portions of content from the multiple source windows for display in corresponding preview windows. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The executable software product of claim 11 wherein automatically detecting a predetermined number of copy and paste commands from the first window to the target window further comprises program instructions for: keeping track of a number of times that the user invokes a set of copy and paste commands between the first window and the target window; and determining when the number of times that the user invokes the set of copy and paste commands is equal to the predetermined number of copy and paste commands. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The executable software product of claim 11 wherein the content in the first window includes any combination of text, tables, spreadsheets, presentations, images, videos, and graphics. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The executable software product of claim 11 wherein detecting user interaction with the miniaturized portion of content further comprises program instructions for at least one of: detecting a cursor hovering over the miniaturized portion of content for a predetermined amount of time; and detecting a press and hold event on the miniaturized portion of content. ### Claim 21 A system comprising: a computer comprising a memory, processor and a display screen; at least two open applications executing on the computer, each of the at least two open applications displaying a window on the display screen; and software executing on the computer, the software configured to: automatically detect a predetermined number of copy and paste commands from a first window to a target window; in response to detection of the predetermined number of copy and paste commands, miniaturize a portion of content from the first window and dynamically position the miniaturized portion of content adjacent to the target window; and responsive to detection of user interaction with the miniaturized portion of content, temporarily expand the miniaturized portion of content to allow user access to the portion of content from the first window. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21 wherein miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window further comprises: displaying the miniaturized portion of content in a miniaturized preview window that persistently hovers adjacent to the target window and above any other open windows. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22 wherein the miniaturized preview window is displayed as a borderless and semi-transparent window. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22 wherein the miniaturizing a portion of content from the first window is at least one of: a miniaturized copy of the content from the first window for display in the miniaturized preview window; and a miniaturized first window that is repositioned adjacent to the target window. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22 wherein the miniaturized preview window is expanded into an expanded preview window that allows the user to select a desired region within the miniaturized portion of content for copying to the target window using a drag-and-drop operation.