Methods, apparatus and computer programs supporting shortcuts across a plurality of devices

#The present invention relates to methods, apparatus and computer programs supporting shortcuts that can be used across a plurality of devices.

#Application programs written for ‘pervasive’ computing environments may be used by a number of different types of computing devices. The different computing devices may use different types of input devices such as a microphone (or other speech input), a mouse, a keypad or a keyboard. Not all devices have the same capabilities or are usable in the same manner. For example, a microphone and a mouse do not have keys, while a keypad does not have a “mute” feature. Even when similar capabilities are available, they may be reduced. For example, a keypad on a telephone does not directly have alphabetic keys.

#Shortcuts are abbreviated input sequences that are defined to perform the same action as an application interaction sequence (typically a longer input sequence). If an original, formal input sequence is long or complex, a shortcut can provide an efficient and convenient alternative. Shortcuts may be implemented using application elements such as macros, voice prompts, icons or hot keys (combinations of keys of a computer keyboard that can be pressed together to efficiently initiate an operation). A shortcut input sequence via a keyboard may begin with a designated input such as the Ctrl key, Alt key or a function key (F1 to F12). Shortcuts have been found to be very useful in conventional data processing applications.

#Embodiments of the invention are described below in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 shows a distributed network of data processing and communication devices, in which different types of input device may initiate operations of local and remote application programs;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of components of a data processing device according to an embodiment of the invention;

#It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that individual steps of the methods described below can be performed under the control of computer program code and that a variety of programming languages and coding implementations may be used to implement the methods and components described herein. Such computer programs are not intended to be limited to the specific example control flows described below, and steps described as if performed sequentially may be performed in parallel (and vice versa). One or more of the operations described in the context of a computer-program-controlled implementation could alternatively be performed by a hardware electronics component.

#Some portions of the following description refer to ‘routines’ (computer program implemented algorithms) for performing operations on data within a computer memory. An algorithm or program code routine is a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It is frequently convenient to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, characters, numbers, or the like. It should be borne in mind, however, that the above and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise, discussions within the present specification utilising terms such as “computing”, “calculating”, “determining”, “comparing”, “generating”, “selecting”, “outputting”, or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the registers and memories of the computer system into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers, or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

#The present specification also discloses apparatus for performing the operations of the methods, including components of an event pre-processor and application programs adapted to implement generic shortcut support. Apparatus for implementing the invention may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or may comprise one or more general purpose computers or other devices selectively activated or reconfigured by computer programs stored in the computers or devices. The algorithms and methods described below are not inherently related to any particular computer hardware or other hardware apparatus. Various general purpose machines may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein.