JP2014041451A - Association program, association method, and information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly associate files with each other by detecting relevance between the files based on data reuse with high accuracy.SOLUTION: Clipboard data D1 to D4 being data stored in a clipboard 6 is acquired during at least a portion of a period before a first file 1 in a plurality of files is closed. Also, time information showing times T1, T3, T5, T6 when the clipboard data D1 to D4 are written in the clipboard 6 is acquired. Then, a second file that is opened at the times shown by the time information is specified. In the case that the first file includes the clipboard data or first similar data, and that the second file includes the clipboard data or second similar data, the first and second files are associated with each other. Both first and second similar data are data in which a prescribed relation about similarity between pieces of the data is established with the clipboard data.

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for associating files with each other.

  A technique for evaluating or judging the relevance between documents or files can be used in various fields including information retrieval and document management, and has been studied from various viewpoints.

  For example, the following document management apparatus that can classify and manage documents reflecting the context and meaning of the document has been proposed. The document management apparatus includes a morphological analysis unit, a duplication degree calculation unit, and a similarity calculation unit.

  The morpheme analysis unit performs morpheme analysis on the document data. The duplication degree calculation means calculates the duplication degree between one document data and another document data based on the morphemes of each. Then, the similarity calculation means calculates the similarity between the one document data and the other document data from the duplication degree and the threshold value.

  In addition, the following document inspection apparatus for determining the similarity between a transmission target document and a confidential document with high accuracy has been proposed. The document inspection apparatus may be used for preventing leakage of confidential information.

  Specifically, the document inspection apparatus includes a keyword appearance position extraction unit, a keyword range presence / absence determination unit, a feature element matrix creation unit, and a common element number calculation unit. The keyword appearance position extraction unit extracts a keyword and an appearance position of the keyword from a determination target document including a confidential document. In addition, the keyword range presence / absence determination unit determines whether there is another extracted keyword within a predetermined range related to before and after the determination target keyword, with the keyword for each appearance position of the extracted keyword as a determination target. judge.

  Then, when it is determined that there is another keyword, the feature element matrix creation unit generates combination information by combining the determination target keyword and the other keyword in association with the information before and after the appearance position of each keyword. To do. The common element number calculation unit determines whether or not the number of combination information that matches the combination information of the confidential document among the plurality of combination information generated for the determination target document is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

  For preventing leakage of confidential information, in addition to the document inspection apparatus as described above, for example, the following print data processing method has been proposed. The print data processing method is a method for efficiently and effectively monitoring print data.

  Specifically, the print data processing method includes a step of acquiring print metadata generated during the print process and storing it in a storage device. The print data processing method includes the following determination steps.

  When the drawing record included in the print metadata stored in the storage device includes a drawing command for graphics, the determination step does not execute the drawing command, but “drawing object to be generated by the drawing command”. Is in a predetermined state. Here, the “predetermined state” is a state in which “the possibility of characters is high”. More specifically, in the determination step, the above determination is made from the coordinate values of the drawing points included in the drawing record related to the drawing command.

  When it is determined that the drawing object to be generated by the graphic drawing command is in a predetermined state, according to the print data processing method, the drawing processing is performed according to the drawing record related to the graphic drawing command. The drawing result is stored in the storage device. The print data processing method includes a step of performing character recognition processing on the drawing result of the drawing processing.

  By the way, some techniques for evaluating or determining the relationship between documents perform evaluation or determination based not only on the data itself contained in the document but also on the user's operation on the document.

For example, the following techniques have been proposed for the purpose of appropriately linking documents based on user behavior and changes thereof.
Transition data relating to the transition history of each user is generated from the log data related to the metadata in the user access history log data for the document management system. Further, for each metadata, the contribution value of the metadata is calculated based on the behavior before reaching the metadata and the behavior after reaching the metadata, using the transition data.

  Then, based on the contribution values of the transition data and the metadata, a link contribution value from the first metadata to the second metadata that is the transition destination in a specific period is calculated. Thereafter, based on the link contribution value of the link in the specific period and the link evaluation value of the link in the period before the specific period, the link evaluation value of the link in the specific period is calculated. Then, whether or not the link is generated is determined based on the link evaluation value in the specific period.

  In addition, the following related document display system has been proposed for the purpose of appropriately displaying related documents when a user views a document in a survey work using a set of documents that are electronic data. .

  The related document display system includes a related learning control unit and a recommendation control unit. The related learning control unit stores the related documents in the document set in the related link storage unit as effective related links based on the creation of the past documents. Thereafter, when any document in the set of documents is browsed by the user, the recommendation control unit refers to the related link storage unit and extracts a document having a valid related link with the viewed document. . Then, the recommendation control unit displays the extracted document on the display unit as a document related to the browsed document.

In addition, the following methods for recording and playing back web-based tasks have also been proposed.
The method records web-based tasks performed during a session that has just been performed by the user without explicitly signaling the start of the recording session (in other words, the start of the session without user involvement). Automatically find). The method also includes receiving a request to play the recorded web-based task and playing the recorded web-based task.

  An example of a user operation on a document includes an operation of clicking a hyperlink, and other operations include a copy and paste operation and a cut and paste operation. The user may copy and paste data from a similar document. For example, in a computer equipped with a certain type of OS (Operating System), not only a simple paste function can be used, but also an extended paste function as described below may be used.

  Selection data selected from the document for pasting is stored in a storage area such as a clipboard. In order to provide information about the data type associated with the selection data to the consumer or paste application, the information or data associated with the selection data is stored with the selection data. The consuming application can use related resources, such as namespaces and extended style sheet language conversion files, so that the data structure and formatting of the pasted data is maintained as it was applied to the selected data before pasting. To get. Specifically, the related resource converts the selection data from a first data type associated with the first document to a second data type for pasting the selection data into the second document. Is to do.

JP 2004-171215 A JP 2010-231766 A JP 2009-140127 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-4779 JP 2011-28447 A JP 2011-159281 A JP 2004-265402 A

  A technique for finding other files related to a certain file from a large number of files is useful for helping a user to effectively use an existing file.

  For example, when data in one file is reused in another file, there is a high probability that both files are semantically related. Therefore, if a technology that can properly detect the relationship between files based on the reuse of data is provided, this technology is useful for supporting the effective use of existing files by users. .

  In one aspect, an object of the present invention is to accurately detect a relationship between files based on data reuse and to appropriately associate files with each other.

  An association program according to one aspect causes a file management computer that manages a plurality of files to execute the following association processing.

  The association process includes obtaining clipboard data and time information indicating the time when the clipboard data was written to the clipboard. The clipboard data is data stored in the clipboard for at least part of a period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed.

  The association process includes specifying a second file opened at the time indicated by the time information among the plurality of files.

  When the first file includes the clipboard data or the first similar data, and the second file includes the clipboard data or the second similar data, the associating process includes: Including associating the second file. The first similar data is data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data. The second similar data is also data that establishes the predetermined relationship with the clipboard data.

  According to the above association program, it is possible to accurately detect the association between files based on the reuse of data and to associate the files appropriately.

It is a sequence diagram which shows the example of the edit of a file, and the transition of the data on a clipboard. It is a system configuration figure of a 1st embodiment. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example. It is an operation | movement flowchart of a system. It is a figure which shows the example of the log memorize | stored in a log memory | storage part. It is a figure which shows the example of the clipboard data table memorize | stored in a clipboard data storage part. It is a figure which shows the example of the link table memorize | stored in a link memory | storage part. It is a flowchart of an open process. It is a flowchart of the link process on the client side. It is a flowchart of clipboard data transmission processing on the client side. It is a flowchart (the 1) of the link process by the server side. It is a flowchart (the 2) of the link process by the server side. It is a flowchart (the 3) of the link process by the side of a server. It is a flowchart (the 1) of the comparison process by the server side. It is a flowchart (the 2) of the comparison process by the server side. It is a system configuration figure of a 2nd embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the association of files described below may be performed in a client server system or a stand-alone system, depending on the embodiment.

  Therefore, in the following, a common point that does not depend on whether the association between files is performed in the client server system or the stand-alone system will be described with reference to FIG. Thereafter, a first embodiment in which the client server system is used will be described with reference to FIGS. Furthermore, a second embodiment in which a stand-alone system is used will be described with reference to FIG.

  Thereafter, advantages of the first and second embodiments over other technologies will be described. Finally, some modifications will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing an example of file editing and clipboard data transition. FIG. 1 shows timelines of files 1 to 5 and clipboard 6. Each of the files 1 to 5 may be a document file created by a document creation application or a text editor, or may be a file created by another type of application (for example, a presentation slide format file).

  In FIG. 1, a rectangle (that is, activation) on the timeline of each file indicates a period during which the file is opened. For example, in the example of FIG. 1, file 1 is opened from time T2 to time T7.

  The clipboard 6 is a data storage area provided by the OS. Each time the user performs a copy operation or a cut operation, the clipboard 6 is rewritten. The clipboard 6 can be accessed from various applications via an API (Application Programming Interface).

  That is, each application can write data to the clipboard 6 via the API in response to a copy operation or a cut operation. Each application can read data from the clipboard 6 via the API in accordance with the paste operation.

  According to one aspect, the clipboard 6 is a data storage area shared between a plurality of applications. Therefore, data can be reused between applications via the clipboard 6.

  By the way, when a certain application updates the clipboard 6, the fact that the clipboard 6 has been updated can be detected by other applications via an appropriate API. However, the other application simply recognizes that “the clipboard 6 has been updated” and does not recognize “which application has updated the clipboard 6”. In spite of such limitations, according to the embodiment described below, it is possible to estimate between which files data reuse through the clipboard 6 was performed.

  When a user who is editing a file using a certain application performs a paste operation, the application reads data on the clipboard 6 (hereinafter also referred to as “clipboard data”). Then, the application pastes the read data into the file on which the paste operation has been performed.

  In the example of FIG. 1, new clipboard data is sequentially written to the clipboard 6 as shown in the following items (1a) to (1e). That is, in the example of FIG. 1, the clipboard 6 is rewritten at times T1, T3, T5, T6, and T8.

(1a) Clipboard data D1 is written to the clipboard 6 at time T1.
(1b) Clipboard data D2 is written to the clipboard 6 at time T3.
(1c) Clipboard data D3 is written to the clipboard 6 at time T5.
(1d) Clipboard data D4 is written to the clipboard 6 at time T6.
(1e) Clipboard data D5 is written to the clipboard 6 at time T8.

  In the example of FIG. 1, the data satisfying the condition that “the file 1 is stored in the clipboard 6 in at least a part of the period during which the file 1 is open (that is, the period from time T2 to time T7)” It is. The clipboard data D5 does not satisfy the condition. Therefore, there are the following possibilities (2a) to (2d), but there is no possibility that the clipboard data D5 has been pasted into the file 1.

(2a) The possibility that the clipboard data D1 was pasted into the file 1 while the file 1 was open (more specifically, from time T2 to time T3).
(2b) The possibility that the clipboard data D2 has been pasted into the file 1 while the file 1 is open (more specifically, from time T3 to time T5).
(2c) The possibility that the clipboard data D3 has been pasted into the file 1 while the file 1 is open (more specifically, from time T5 to time T6).
(2d) The possibility that the clipboard data D4 has been pasted into the file 1 while the file 1 is open (more specifically, from time T6 to time T7).

  By the way, in the example of FIG. 1, only the files 2 and 4 are opened at the time T1 when the clipboard data D1 is written to the clipboard 6. Therefore, if the clipboard data D1 is pasted into the file 1, the file that originally contained the clipboard data D1 is the file 2 or 4.

  Conversely, both files 3 and 5 are not yet opened at time T1. Therefore, there is no possibility that the clipboard data D1 is copied and pasted (or cut and pasted) from the file 3 or 5 to the file 1.

  From the above, if both files 1 and 2 include clipboard data D1, there is a probability that “clipboard data D1 originally included in file 2 was copied from file 2 and pasted into file 1”. high. In other words, in this case, there is a high probability that “the clipboard data D1 in the file 2 has been reused in the file 1”. Therefore, in this case, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between files 1 and 2 based on data reuse”.

  When data in file 2 is cut and pasted into file 1, the data is deleted from file 2 (unless an undo operation or the like is performed). Therefore, more specifically, the above-mentioned assumption that “files 1 and 2 include clipboard data D1 and there is a relationship between files 1 and 2 based on data reuse” is a copy-and-copy operation.・ A guess about data reuse by pasting.

  Similarly, when both files 1 and 4 include clipboard data D1, there is a probability that “clipboard data D1 originally included in file 4 has been copied from file 4 and pasted into file 1”. high. In other words, in this case, there is a high probability that “the clipboard data D1 in the file 4 has been reused in the file 1”. Therefore, in this case, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between files 1 and 4 based on data reuse”.

  The files opened at time T3 when the clipboard data D2 is written to the clipboard 6 are only the files 2 and 4 except for the file 1. Therefore, when both the files 1 and 2 include the clipboard data D2, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between the files 1 and 2 based on data reuse”. Similarly, when both the files 1 and 4 include the clipboard data D2, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between the files 1 and 4 based on the reuse of data”.

  The files opened at time T5 when the clipboard data D3 is written to the clipboard 6 are only the files 3 and 4 except for the file 1. Therefore, when both the files 1 and 3 include the clipboard data D3, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between the files 1 and 3 based on data reuse”. Similarly, when both the files 1 and 4 include the clipboard data D3, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between the files 1 and 4 based on data reuse”.

  The files opened at time T6 when the clipboard data D4 is written to the clipboard 6 are only the files 4 and 5 except for the file 1. Therefore, when both the files 1 and 4 include the clipboard data D4, it is reasonable to estimate that “there is a relationship between the files 1 and 4 based on data reuse”. Similarly, when both files 1 and 5 include clipboard data D4, it is reasonable to estimate that “files 1 and 5 have a relationship based on data reuse”.

  Therefore, in order to detect the relevance based on the reuse of data as described above and associate the files according to the detected relevance, in the first and second embodiments, the transition of data on the clipboard 6 is monitored. Is done. Specifically, the data written to the clipboard 6 is recorded together with time information indicating the time when the data was written to the clipboard 6 (that is, the rewriting time of the clipboard 6).

  In the first and second embodiments, a file management computer that manages a plurality of files (for example, a large number of files including files 1 to 5) executes the following association process. The file management computer may be a server computer in a client server system or a stand-alone computer.

  The file management computer acquires clipboard data and time information indicating the time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard 6. Specifically, the clipboard data acquired by the file management computer is data stored in the clipboard 6 in at least a part of the period before the first file (for example, the file 1) is closed.

  Of course, no data is pasted from the clipboard 6 into the first file after the first file is closed. Therefore, the file management computer does not need to acquire data stored in the clipboard 6 after the first file is closed. Therefore, as described above, the file management computer acquires data stored in the clipboard 6 in at least a part of the period before the first file is closed.

  As described above, in the first and second embodiments, clipboard data and time information are recorded. Therefore, the file management computer can acquire the above clipboard data and time information.

  Further, the file management computer specifies a second file opened at the time indicated by the acquired time information among the plurality of files managed by the file management computer. There may be a plurality of second files to be identified. For example, when the file management computer acquires the clipboard data D2 of FIG. 1 and time information indicating the time T3 when the clipboard data D2 is written to the clipboard 6, the files management computer identifies the files 2 and 4 as the second files, respectively. .

  The file management computer associates the first file with the second file when the following conditions (3a) and (3b) are both satisfied.

(3a) The first file includes the acquired clipboard data.
(3b) The second file includes the acquired clipboard data.

  For example, assume that the first file is file 1, the file management computer acquires clipboard data D2, and identifies files 2 and 4 as second files. In this case, if both the files 1 and 2 include the clipboard data D2, the conditions (3a) and (3b) are both satisfied, and the file management computer associates the files 1 and 2. Similarly, if both the files 1 and 4 include the clipboard data D2, the conditions (3a) and (3b) are both satisfied, and the file management computer associates the files 1 and 4.

  The file management computer may use the following conditions (4a) and (4b) instead of the conditions (3a) and (3b). That is, the file management computer may associate the first file with the second file when both the conditions (4a) and (4b) are satisfied.

(4a) The first file includes the acquired clipboard data itself, or the first file includes the first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between the data is established with the clipboard data. Includes.
(4b) The second file includes the acquired clipboard data.

In the condition (4a), the reason why not only the clipboard data itself but also similar data is considered is as follows.
As will be apparent from the description regarding FIGS. 9 to 15 described later, a certain amount of time lag may occur after the clipboard data is pasted into the first file until the file management computer executes the association process. Therefore, the first file may be edited during the time lag.

  More specifically, the clipboard data pasted into the first file may be edited (i.e., changed) on the first file before the file management computer executes the association process. is there. As a result, the first file may not include the clipboard data itself.

  However, it is presumed that “if the user intends to reuse the clipboard data, the edited data is very similar to the pasted data itself”. Therefore, in order to take into consideration the possibility of editing as described above, the file management computer may associate the first file with the second file when both the conditions (4a) and (4b) hold. Good.

  Note that the predetermined relationship described with respect to the condition (4a) may be, for example, a relationship that “two character strings partially match” regarding text data. Further rules may be determined regarding the length of each of the two character strings and the length of the matching portion between the two character strings. For example, it is assumed that a certain function f1 is defined in advance, and the lengths of two character strings are L1 and L2, respectively, and L3 = f1 (L1, L2). In this case, the predetermined relationship may be a relationship that “a partial character string having a length of L3 or more matches between two character strings having a length of L1 and L2.”

  With respect to character strings longer than a predetermined threshold value, the predetermined relationship may be a relationship defined based on the number of morphemes that appear in both of the two character strings. For example, assuming that certain functions f2 and f3 are defined in advance, the lengths of the two character strings are L4 and L5, respectively, and L6 = f2 (L4, L5). Further, it is assumed that the number of morphemes included in one character string is N1, the number of morphemes included in the other character string is N2, and N3 = f3 (N1, N2). In this case, the predetermined relationship is as follows: “The number of morphemes that appear in both partial character strings in a partial character string having a length of L6 or less obtained from each two character strings is N3 or more. There may be a relationship of “Yes”.

  For example, when the length of the character string of the clipboard data is L4 and the length of the entire character string included in a certain file is L5, L4 << L5 is often satisfied. In the case of L4 << L5, most (or all) of the morphemes included in the clipboard data may happen to be dispersed in the certain file. However, if the morphemes in the clipboard data are included in the file in a distributed manner (that is, they are included apart from each other), the file string is similar to the clipboard data string. Is hard to say.

  Therefore, in order to enable more appropriate similarity determination, for example, the function f2 may be defined to return a value slightly larger than L4 (or L4 itself) as L6. The function f3 may be defined to return a value slightly smaller than N1 as N3. Then, when almost all morphemes in clipboard data appear in a limited partial character string in the file, "Similar data similar to clipboard data is included in the file." Is considered.

  In some types of ambiguous searches, a dictionary in which a plurality of different notations for one term are registered may be used to absorb the fluctuation of the notation. The predetermined relationship may be a relationship defined by such a dictionary, for example. That is, the predetermined relationship may be a relationship that “two character strings are registered in the dictionary as a plurality of different notations for one term”.

  By the way, a user who edits the first file by reusing data of the second file often does not change the second file itself. Thus, similar data may be taken into account only for the first file, as in conditions (4a) and (4b) above.

  However, in some cases, the second file may be edited during the time lag after the clipboard data is copied from the second file until the file management computer executes the association process. Thus, the file management computer may take into account similar data for the second file. That is, the file management computer may associate the first file and the second file when both of the following conditions (5a) and (5b) are satisfied.

(5a) The first file includes the acquired clipboard data itself, or the first file includes first similar data in which the predetermined relationship is established with the clipboard data.
(5b) The second file includes the acquired clipboard data itself, or the second file includes second similar data in which the predetermined relationship is established with the clipboard data.

  By the way, the process in which the file management computer acquires the clipboard data and the time information may be executed, for example, triggered by the first request shown in the following item (6a) or the second request shown in the item (6b). It may be executed in response to a request.

(6a) A first request to save and close the first file.
(6b) A second request to save the first file open.

  Both the first and second requests are requests received by the file management computer in response to a request issued by an application in response to a user operation. Specifically, both the first and second requests may be requests from the application to the file management computer.

  For example, after the user edits the first file, the user may attempt to close the first file without performing an operation for saving the first file. In this case, the application may display a dialog for allowing the user to select whether or not to save the first file. Then, when the user selects to save the first file, the application may issue a first request whereby the file management computer may save and close the first file.

  By the way, as described above, the data stored in the clipboard 6 in at least a part of the period before the first file is closed is acquired as clipboard data by the file management computer. More specifically, the file management computer designates a specific part of the period before the first file is closed, and is stored in the clipboard 6 during at least a part of the designated period. The acquired data may be acquired.

  For example, the first file may be an existing file. The file management computer can recognize the time when the existing file was opened by monitoring a request for opening the existing file. Therefore, in this case, the file management computer can recognize the period from when the first file is opened to when the first or second request is received. Therefore, in this case, the file management computer may acquire data stored in the clipboard 6 as clipboard data for at least part of the period.

  For example, it is assumed that the file 1 in FIG. 1 is an existing file, and the first request is issued at time T7 in FIG. In this case, data (that is, data D1, D2, D3, and D4) stored in the clipboard 6 during at least a part of the period from time T2 to time T7 may be acquired as clipboard data. Specifically, the file management computer may acquire each of the data D1, D2, D3, and D4 as clipboard data in response to the first request at time T7.

  For example, it is assumed that the file 1 in FIG. 1 is an existing file, and the second request is issued at time T4 in FIG. In this case, data (that is, data D1 and D2) stored in the clipboard 6 during at least a part of the period from time T2 to time T4 may be acquired as clipboard data. Specifically, the file management computer may acquire each of the data D1 and D2 as clipboard data in response to the second request at time T4.

  Note that the first file may not be an existing file. That is, the first file may be newly created. Depending on the implementation of the application and the like, the existence of the newly created first file is not recognized from outside the application that created the first file (for example, the OS) until the first file is saved. Sometimes.

  The first file may be newly created in response to a user operation. However, when the user has performed an operation for creating a first file may not be recognized from outside the application that created the first file.

  On the other hand, after the user performs an operation for creating a first file, data can be pasted from the clipboard 6 to the first file. Therefore, data is copied and pasted from the second file to the first file even during the period when the existence of the first file is not recognized from the outside of the application that created the first file. it's possible.

  Therefore, when the first file is a newly created file, the file management computer creates a new first file at a time that is a predetermined time before receipt of the first or second request. It may be considered that the operation for The file management computer can recognize the existence of the first file when receiving at least the first or second request. Therefore, the file management computer may estimate the time point when the operation for creating the first file is performed based on the predetermined time as described above.

  Then, the file management computer may obtain data stored in the clipboard 6 as clipboard data in at least a part of a past period within a predetermined time from receipt of the first or second request.

  For example, it is assumed that the file 1 in FIG. 1 is a newly created file, and the second request is issued at time T4 in FIG. Further, the time that is a predetermined time before the time T4 is specifically the time T2.

  In this case, the past period within a predetermined time from receipt of the second request is a period from time T2 to time T4. Therefore, the file management computer may acquire the data (that is, data D1 and D2) stored in the clipboard 6 during at least a part of the period from time T2 to time T4 as clipboard data.

  Specifically, the file management computer may acquire each of the data D1 and D2 as clipboard data in response to the second request at time T4. The time when the file 1 is actually newly created on the application may be later than the time T2, but the file management computer estimates that “the file 1 is newly created at the time T2” as described above. Based on the estimation, data D1 and D2 are obtained.

  By the way, as can be seen from the above items (6a) to (6b), the second request may not be issued at all while the first file is opened, or may be issued only once. It can be issued more than once. The file management computer may acquire clipboard data each time the second request is issued.

  When the second request is issued again after the second request is issued one or more times, the file management computer may operate as follows. That is, the file management computer obtains the data stored in the clipboard 6 as clipboard data during at least a part of the period from the receipt of the second request from the second to the receipt of the latest second request. May be.

  In addition, the first request may be issued after the second request is issued one or more times while the first file is opened. For example, while the file 1 of FIG. 1 is being opened, a second request is issued at time T4, a first request is issued at a subsequent time T7, and the file is received at time T7 in response to the first request. 1 may be closed.

  As described above, when the first request is issued after the second request is issued at least once, the file management computer may operate as follows. That is, the file management computer may acquire the data stored in the clipboard 6 as clipboard data during at least a part of the period from the receipt of the latest second request to the receipt of the first request.

  For example, the file management computer may acquire, as clipboard data, data stored in the clipboard 6 during at least part of the period from time T4 to time T7, triggered by the first request at time T7. That is, the file management computer may acquire each of the data D2, D3, and D4.

  By the way, as described above, the file management computer associates the first file and the second file when predetermined conditions (for example, both of the conditions (5a) and (5b)) are satisfied. This association process may include a process of storing association information including the following three pieces of information (7a) to (7c) in the storage device.

(7a) At least one of the obtained clipboard data, the first similar data described regarding the condition (5a), and the second similar data described regarding the condition (5b).
(7b) First identification information for identifying the first file.
(7c) Second identification information for identifying the second file.

  Note that the information (7a) may be omitted in order to simply associate the first file with the second file. However, in order to present to the user how the first file and the second file are related to improve the convenience for the user, not only the information (7b) and (7c) It is also desirable to use information (7a).

  The identification information for identifying the file varies depending on the implementation of the file system. For example, a UNNC (Universal Naming Convention) format path may be used as identification information, or a full path on a file management computer may be used as identification information. Of course, other information such as an ID (identification) number may be used as identification information.

  When the association information including the three pieces of information (7a) to (7c) is stored in the storage device, the file management computer presents information about the relationship between files to the user as follows. Also good.

  Specifically, the file management computer may accept an input for inquiring about a file related to the first file. For example, the input may be given from the user to the file management computer via an input device such as a keyboard. The inquiry may include first identification information for identifying the first file.

  In response to the input, the file management computer may search the storage device and output at least the second identification information of the association information. For example, the file management computer may display the second identification information itself on the display, generate a hyperlink including the second identification information, and display a page including the hyperlink on the display. Also good.

  Further, the file management computer may accept an inquiry including arbitrary identification information. When the file identified by the identification information included in the inquiry is the second file, the file management computer may output at least the first identification information among the association information.

  In other words, the file management computer uses the above association information to subtract the second file (that is, the file from which the data was copied) from the first file (that is, the file to which the data has been pasted) (lookup). It is good). Conversely, the file management computer may subtract the first file from the second file using the association information.

  By the way, as described above, the file management computer may be a server computer in a client server system or a stand-alone computer.

  Specifically, when the file management computer is a server computer, the file management computer is connected to an editing computer as a client computer via a network. In this case, the first file is specifically one of the files that the write access is permitted by the user of the editing computer.

  In this case, the clipboard 6 is specifically a local clipboard on the editing computer. Therefore, the editing computer monitors and records the update of the clipboard 6.

  When the file management computer is a server computer, the file management computer specifies the following file (8b) as the second file from the following files (8a).

(8a) A file that is at least a part of a plurality of files managed by the file management computer, and specifically, a file that is permitted to be read-accessed to a user of the editing computer.
(8b) A file opened by the editing computer at the time indicated by the time information acquired by the file management computer together with the clipboard data.

  If the file management computer is a server computer, the file management computer requests the clipboard data and time information from the editing computer, thereby acquiring the clipboard data and time information. In other words, the editing computer transmits the recorded monitoring result (that is, clipboard data and time information) to the file management computer in response to a request from the file management computer.

  Contrary to the client server system as described above, a stand-alone system may be realized by a file management computer. In this case, the clipboard 6 is specifically a clipboard of the file management computer itself.

  Therefore, in this case, the file management computer itself monitors the update of the clipboard 6. Each time new data is written to the clipboard 6, the file management computer stores a set of the new data and write time information indicating the time when the new data is written to the clipboard 6 in the storage device. Therefore, the file management computer can acquire clipboard data and time information by reading out the clipboard data and time information from the storage device.

  The clipboard data may be text data, image data, or vector object data. However, in the following, an embodiment where the clipboard data is text data will be mainly described.

The above matters described with reference to FIG. 1 apply to both the first embodiment and the second embodiment. Subsequently, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, a client server system is used in the first embodiment.

  Specifically, the system 100 of FIG. 2 includes a server 110 and a client 130. The server 110 is an example of the file management computer, and the client 130 is an example of the editing computer.

  Server 110 and client 130 are connected via network 150. Although only one client 130 is illustrated in FIG. 2, a plurality of clients 130 may be connected to the server 110 via the network 150. The server 110 also functions as a file server for the client 130.

  The server 110 includes a file storage unit 111, a communication control unit 112, a file transmission / reception unit 113, a log storage unit 114, a log management unit 115, and a clock 116. The server 110 further includes a clipboard data reception unit 117, an extraction unit 118, a comparison unit 119, a link generation unit 120, and a link storage unit 121.

  The client 130 includes a communication control unit 131 and a file transmission / reception unit 132. FIG. 2 illustrates a case where two applications 133 and 134 operate on the client 130, but the number of applications operating on the client 130 is arbitrary. The client 130 further includes a clipboard 135, a monitoring unit 136, a clock 137, a clipboard data storage unit 138, an extraction unit 139, and a clipboard data transmission unit 140.

  The file storage unit 111 stores a plurality of files managed by the server 110. In other words, the file storage unit 111 stores a file used by each client 130 connected to the server 110. On the file storage unit 111, for example, files may be classified and stored for each directory associated with an account of a user who uses the client 130.

  The file type is arbitrary. For example, various types of files such as plain text files, files of a predetermined application format such as document creation software, spreadsheet software, and presentation software, and image files may be stored in the file storage unit 111.

  The communication control unit 112 controls communication using an appropriate communication protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol). That is, the communication control unit 112 controls transmission of data from the server 110 to the client 130 (specifically, transmission in response to a request from the file transmission / reception unit 113 or the clipboard data reception unit 117). In addition, the communication control unit 112 receives data from the client 130, and converts the received data into an appropriate module (that is, the file transmission / reception unit 113 or the clipboard data reception unit) according to information (for example, header information) included in the received data. 117).

In the following, for convenience of explanation, various requests will be called as follows.
(9a) A request for opening a file is referred to as an “open request”.
(9b) A request for closing an already opened file without saving is referred to as a “close request”.
(9c) A request for saving an already opened file while it is open is referred to as a “save request”.
(9d) A request for saving and closing a file that has already been opened is referred to as a “save / close request”.

For example, the first and second requests shown in the items (6a) and (6b) are a save / close request and a save request, respectively.
There are also several levels of requests for manipulating files. For example, there may be three levels of requests (10a) to (10c) as follows. However, for simplification of explanation, when it is clear from the context, it may be simply described as “open request” without distinguishing the levels.

(10a) Any operation performed by the user using the input device (for example, an operation of selecting a menu “open file”).
(10b) Any processing executed by the client 130 in response to the operation (10a) (for example, calling an API function for opening a file).
(10c) Data transmitted from the client 130 to the server 110 in response to the processing (10b) (for example, a request for opening a file sent from the client 130 to the server 110 according to a predetermined protocol for a network file system) ).

  The file transmission / reception unit 113 receives an open request from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. The open request includes identification information for identifying a file to be opened (for example, a full path on the file storage unit 111).

  The file transmission / reception unit 113 reads the requested file from the file storage unit 111 in response to the open request. Then, the file transmission / reception unit 113 instructs the communication control unit 112 to transmit the read file data to the client 130. As a result, the requested file data is transmitted to the client 130 via the communication control unit 112 and the network 150. As described above, the file can be opened on the client 130.

  More precisely, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 checks whether or not the user of the client 130 who requested the file is permitted to have read access to the file. When read access is permitted, the file transmission / reception unit 113 transmits the file data to the client 130 as described above.

  In addition, the file transmission / reception unit 113 receives a close request from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. Then, in response to the close request, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 closes the file specified in the close request (that is, the open file).

  Further, the file transmission / reception unit 113 receives a save request from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. The save request includes data of a file to be saved (for example, data of a file edited on the client 130). The file transmission / reception unit 113 stores the data included in the save request in the file storage unit 111.

  More specifically, the save request may include identification information for identifying an existing file on the file storage unit 111 and data of the file. In this case, the file transmission / reception unit 113 may overwrite the data of the existing file on the file storage unit 111 with the data included in the save request. As a result, the existing file is newly saved again.

  More precisely, the file transmission / reception unit 113 checks whether or not the user of the client 130 who has requested to save the file is allowed write access to the file. When the write access is permitted, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 stores the file in the file storage unit 111 as described above.

  Alternatively, the file identified by the identification information included in the save request may not exist on the file storage unit 111. For example, when a user creates a new file using the application 133 or 134 of the client 130 and tries to save the new file, the new file identified by the identification information included in the save request is stored in the file storage unit 111. not exist. In this case, the file transmission / reception unit 113 newly stores the data of the new file included in the save request on the file storage unit 111.

  Note that the file transmission / reception unit 113 performs appropriate access control when storing a new file. The file transmission / reception unit 113 may check, for example, “whether the user has the write authority for the directory specified in the save request as the destination for saving the new file”.

  Further, the file transmission / reception unit 113 receives a save / close request from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. Then, in response to the save / close request, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 determines whether to save the file according to the write access right of the requesting user in the same manner as when the save request is received. If the user is allowed write access, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 stores the specified file in the file storage unit 111. Thereafter, the file transmission / reception unit 113 closes the file in the same manner as when the close request is received.

  The file transmitting / receiving unit 113 operates the file in response to a request from the client 130 as described above. In addition, file operations by the file transmission / reception unit 113 are recorded in a log.

Specifically, the log is stored in the log storage unit 114. A specific example of the log will be described later with reference to FIG.
The log is specifically managed by the log management unit 115. That is, each time the file transmission / reception unit 113 operates a file in response to a request from the client 130 (for example, performs operations such as opening, closing, and saving), the file transmission / reception unit 113 displays an operation type and identification information of the operated file. The log management unit 115 is notified. More specifically, the file transmission / reception unit 113 also notifies the log management unit 115 of identification information (for example, a user name) identifying the user who has requested the file operation.

  The log management unit 115 may add a new entry to the log on the log storage unit 114 in accordance with the notified operation type, file identification information, and user identification information, or may add an existing entry in the log. It may be updated.

  The log also records the time when the file was operated. The log management unit 115 recognizes the current time by referring to the clock 116, and records the current time in an appropriate field in the log.

  By the way, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the file management computer (corresponding to the server 110 in FIG. 2) acquires the clipboard data stored in the clipboard 135 in at least a part of the period before the file is closed. In the first embodiment, the server 110 acquires clipboard data from the client 130 via the network 150.

  Specifically, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 in the server 110 requests clipboard data from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. The clipboard data receiving unit 117 receives clipboard data from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. More specifically, each clipboard data is associated with time information indicating the time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard 135, and the clipboard data receiving unit 117 acquires time information together with the clipboard data. The acquisition means for acquiring clipboard data and time information may be realized by the clipboard data receiving unit 117 and the communication control unit 112 as described above, for example.

  As will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13, in the first embodiment, the log management unit 115 performs the clipboard data reception unit during a part or all of the “period before the file is closed”. 117 is designated. Then, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 requests the client 130 to transmit the clipboard data stored in the clipboard 135 in at least a part of the designated period.

  For example, in the example of FIG. 1, the period before the file 1 is closed is a period before the time T7. In response to the save request at time T4, the log management unit 115 may designate the period from time T2 to time T4 to the clipboard data reception unit 117. Further, in response to the save / close request at time T7, the log management unit 115 may designate the period from time T4 to time T7 to the clipboard data reception unit 117. Depending on the mode described later, the log management unit 115 may specify a period from time T2 to time T7 in response to a save / close request at time T7.

  In any case, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 requests the client 130 to transmit the clipboard data stored in the clipboard 135 at least in part within the specified period. Further, as described above, the period specified by the log management unit 115 to the clipboard data receiving unit 117 is a part or all of the period before the file is closed. Therefore, the clipboard data received by the clipboard data receiving unit 117 is “clipboard data stored in the clipboard 135 at least in a part of the period before the file is closed” as described above.

  By the way, the clipboard data reception unit 117 outputs the clipboard data acquired from the client 130 as described above to the comparison unit 119. The comparison unit 119 compares each clipboard data input from the clipboard data reception unit 117 with text information output from the extraction unit 118.

  Then, according to the comparison result, the link generation unit 120 generates association information for associating files (specifically, individual entries in the link table 303 described later). The link generation unit 120 stores the generated association information in the link storage unit 121.

  That is, the association means for associating files may be realized by the extraction unit 118, the comparison unit 119, and the link generation unit 120, for example. More specifically, the extraction unit 118 and the comparison unit 119 operate as follows.

  When the file transmission / reception unit 113 operates a file in response to one of the close request, the save request, and the save / close request, identification information for identifying the file is notified to the log management unit 115. The log management unit 115 notifies the extraction unit 118 of the identification information notified from the file transmission / reception unit 113.

  Then, the extraction unit 118 reads the file identified by the notified identification information from the file storage unit 111. The extraction unit 118 further extracts text information from the read file, and outputs the extracted text information to the comparison unit 119.

  Further, the comparison unit 119 notifies the extraction unit 118 of time information associated with the clipboard data obtained from the clipboard data reception unit 117. Then, the extraction unit 118 inquires of the log management unit 115 about the file opened at the time indicated by the time information.

  The log management unit 115 is a specific example of a specifying unit that specifies a file opened at the time indicated by the time information. The extraction unit 118 can recognize the file opened at the time indicated by the time information through an inquiry to the log management unit 115.

  Note that the number of files specified may be 0, may be 1, or may be 2 or more. The extraction unit 118 reads each identified file from the file storage unit 111, extracts text information from the read file, and outputs the extracted text information to the comparison unit 119.

  The comparison unit 119 compares the text information output from the extraction unit 118 as described above with the clipboard data output from the clipboard data reception unit 117. Details of the processing performed by the comparison unit 119 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  Note that the comparison unit 119 may determine whether or not both of the above conditions (3a) and (3b) are satisfied, or whether or not both of the above conditions (4a) and (4b) are satisfied. Alternatively, it may be determined whether both of the above conditions (5a) and (5b) are satisfied. As will be described in detail later, in the first embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the comparison unit 119 determines whether or not both of the conditions (4a) and (4b) are satisfied.

  The communication control unit 131 of the client 130 controls communication using an appropriate communication protocol such as TCP / IP. Specifically, the communication control unit 131 controls transmission of data from the client 130 to the server 110 (specifically, transmission in response to a request from the file transmission / reception unit 132 or the clipboard data transmission unit 140). In addition, the communication control unit 131 receives data from the server 110 and converts the received data into an appropriate module (that is, the file transmission / reception unit 132 or the clipboard data transmission unit) according to information (for example, header information) included in the received data. 140).

  The file transmission / reception unit 132 receives a file operation request from the application 133 or 134. Specifically, the file operation request issued from the application 133 or 134 to the file transmitting / receiving unit 132 is realized by calling an API function among the above three levels of requests (10a) to (10c). Request (10b).

  The file transmission / reception unit 132 transmits a file operation request to the server 110 via the communication control unit 131 in response to the file operation request received from the application 133 or 134. The file operation request transmitted by the file transmitting / receiving unit 132 corresponds to the request (10c).

  Then, the file transmitting / receiving unit 132 receives a response to the file operation request from the server 110 via the communication control unit 131. Further, the file transmitting / receiving unit 132 returns the received response to the requesting application (for example, the application 133 or 134).

  For example, the file transmission / reception unit 132 may receive file data as a response to the open request. The file transmission / reception unit 132 may receive an ACK (acknowledgement) or an error code as a response to another type of request. That is, the file transmission / reception unit 113 of the server 110 may return an ACK or an error code depending on the type of request.

  The clipboard 135 is a storage area provided by the OS of the client 130, and is a specific example of the clipboard 6 in FIG. Each time a copy operation or cut operation is executed on the application 133 or 134, new data is written to the clipboard 135. Each time a paste operation is executed on the application 133 or 134, the application 133 or 134 reads data on the clipboard 135. The writing of data to the clipboard 135 and the reading of data from the clipboard 135 may be performed via an API function provided by the OS, for example.

  The monitoring unit 136 monitors the update of the clipboard 135. For example, the monitoring unit 136 may be a module realized by a memory resident program. For example, some OSs provide an API function for notifying the clipboard 135 of updates. The monitoring unit 136 may receive a message notifying the update of the clipboard 135 using the API function, and may monitor the update of the clipboard 135 using the message.

  When the monitoring unit 136 detects the update of the clipboard 135, the monitoring unit 136 refers to the clock 137 and acquires the current time. Then, the monitoring unit 136 stores the newly written data on the clipboard 135 in the clipboard data storage unit 138 in association with the acquired current time.

  On the other hand, as described above, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 of the server 110 may request the client 130 to transmit clipboard data. Specifically, the request is received by the clipboard data transmission unit 140 via the communication control unit 131. The clipboard data transmission unit 140 notifies the extraction unit 139 of the received request.

  Then, the extraction unit 139 extracts clipboard data and time information from the clipboard data storage unit 138 in response to the request. Depending on the period specified in the request and the timing when the clipboard 135 is updated, the number of clipboard data and time information pairs to be extracted may be 0, 1 or 2 or more. In some cases.

  The extraction unit 139 outputs the extracted clipboard data and time information to the clipboard data transmission unit 140. Then, the clipboard data transmission unit 140 returns the clipboard data and time information to the server 110 via the communication control unit 131.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example. FIG. 3 illustrates computers 200 and 240 connected to each other via a network 220. Another computer 260 may be connected to the network 220. These computers 200, 240, and 260 are all a kind of information processing apparatus.

  For example, the server 110 shown in FIG. 2 regarding the first embodiment may be realized by the computer 200 of FIG. That is, the computer 200 may be a file server.

  In this case, the client 130 of FIG. 2 may be the computer 240 of FIG. The computer 260 may operate as another client 130. Specifically, the computers 240 and 260 that operate as the client 130 may be a desktop PC (Personal Computer), a notebook PC, or a tablet terminal.

  Alternatively, the computer 400 of FIG. 16 described later with respect to the second embodiment may be realized by the computer 200 of FIG. In this case, the computer 200 may be a user terminal (for example, a desktop PC, a notebook PC, a tablet terminal, or the like).

  The type of the network 220 is arbitrary. The network 220 may be, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), the Internet, or a combination thereof. The network 220 may be a wired network, a wireless network, or a combination of both.

  3 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203, and a communication interface 204. The computer 200 further includes an input device 205, an output device 206, a storage device 207, and a drive device 208 for a computer-readable storage medium 210. Each component of the computer 200 is connected to each other by a bus 209.

  The CPU 201 is a single core or multi-core processor. The computer 200 may have a plurality of processors. For example, the computer 200 may have two or more CPUs 201. The CPU 201 loads the program into the RAM 203 and executes the program while using the RAM 203 as a working area.

  The communication interface 204 is, for example, a wired LAN interface, a wireless LAN interface, or a combination thereof. The computer 200 is connected to the network 220 via the communication interface 204.

  Specifically, the communication interface 204 may be an external NIC (Network Interface Card) or an on-board type network interface controller. For example, the communication interface 204 may include a circuit called “PHY chip” that performs physical layer processing and a circuit called “MAC chip” that performs MAC (Media Access Control) sublayer processing.

  The input device 205 is, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device, or a combination thereof. The pointing device may be, for example, a mouse, a touch pad, or a touch screen. The output device 206 is a display, a speaker, or a combination thereof. The display may be a touch screen.

  The storage device 207 is a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid-State Drive). Examples of the storage medium 210 are an optical disk such as a CD (Compact Disc) and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), a semiconductor memory card such as a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic disk, and a flash memory.

  The program executed by the CPU 201 may be installed in the ROM 202 or the storage device 207 in advance. Alternatively, the program may be provided by being stored in the storage medium 210, read from the storage medium 210 by the drive device 208, copied to the storage device 207, and then loaded into the RAM 203.

  Alternatively, the program may be downloaded and installed in the computer 200 from the program provider 230 on the network 220 via the network 220 and the communication interface 204. Specifically, the program provider 230 is another computer that is different from the computer 200 and the computer 240.

  The computer 240 includes a CPU 241, a ROM 242, a RAM 243, a communication interface 244, an input device 245, an output device 246, a storage device 247, and a drive device 248 for a computer-readable storage medium 250. Each component of the computer 240 is connected to each other by a bus 249. Since the configuration of the computer 240 is similar to the configuration of the computer 200, a detailed description is omitted, but some points are supplemented as follows.

Although only one CPU 241 is illustrated in FIG. 3, the computer 240 may have a plurality of processors, like the computer 200.
The program executed by the CPU 241 may be installed in the ROM 242 or the storage device 247 in advance. Alternatively, the program may be provided by being stored in the storage medium 250, read from the storage medium 250 by the drive device 248, and copied to the storage device 247. Alternatively, the program may be downloaded and installed on the computer 240 from the program provider 230 via the network 220 and the communication interface 244.

  Note that the ROM 202, the RAM 203, the storage device 207, the storage medium 210, the ROM 242, the RAM 243, the storage device 247, and the storage medium 250 are all examples of a tangible storage medium. These tangible storage media are not transitory media such as signal carriers.

Next, the relationship between FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described.
When the server 110 in FIG. 2 is realized by the computer 200 in FIG. 3, each component in the server 110 may be realized by the following hardware, for example.

  The file storage unit 111 may be the storage device 207. The communication control unit 112 may be realized by the CPU 201 that executes a program and the communication interface 204. The file transmission / reception unit 113 may be realized by the CPU 201 that executes a program.

  The log storage unit 114 may be realized by the RAM 203, the storage device 207, or both. The log management unit 115 may be realized by the CPU 201 that executes a program. The clock 116 may be realized by a hardware timer in the CPU 201.

  Each of clipboard data reception unit 117, extraction unit 118, comparison unit 119, and link generation unit 120 may also be realized by CPU 201 that executes a program. The link storage unit 121 may be realized by the storage device 207.

  When the client 130 in FIG. 2 is realized by the computer 240 in FIG. 3, each component in the client 130 may be realized by the following hardware, for example.

  The communication control unit 131 may be realized by a CPU 241 that executes a program and a communication interface 244. The file transmission / reception unit 132 may be realized by the CPU 241 that executes a program. Applications 133 and 134 are examples of programs executed by the CPU 241.

  The clipboard 135 may be realized by the RAM 243. The monitoring unit 136 may be realized by the CPU 241 that executes a program. The clock 137 may be realized by a hardware timer in the CPU 241.

  The clipboard data storage unit 138 may be realized by the RAM 243, the storage device 247, or both. Both the extraction unit 139 and the clipboard data transmission unit 140 may be realized by the CPU 241 that executes a program.

  Next, an outline of the operation of the system 100 of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of the system. More specifically, FIG. 4 shows the operation of the system 100 after the server 110 begins to operate.

  In step S <b> 1, the system 100 waits for an event to occur in the client 130. When an event occurs in the client 130, processing corresponding to the type of event is performed. FIG. 4 illustrates five types of events: client 130 activation, clipboard 135 update detection, open request, file operation request other than open request, and related file search request.

  Specifically, when the client 130 is activated, the client 130 (more specifically, the monitoring unit 136) starts monitoring the clipboard 135 in step S2. Then, the process of FIG. 4 returns to step S1.

  Further, when the monitoring unit 136 of the client 130 detects the update of the clipboard 135, the client 130 (more specifically, the monitoring unit 136), in step S3, the data newly stored in the clipboard 135 and the current obtained from the clock 137. The time is stored in the clipboard data storage unit 138. Then, the process of FIG. 4 returns to step S1.

  When an open request is generated, an open process which will be described later with reference to FIG. 8 is executed in step S4. Then, the process of FIG. 4 returns to step S1. As will be described in detail later, in step S4, file data is transmitted from the server 110 to the client 130, and the server 110 records the open time in a log.

On the other hand, when a file operation request other than an open request (that is, a close request, a save request, or a save / close request) occurs, link processing is executed in step S5.
Specifically, the client 130 executes the link process of FIG. As a result, in some cases, a file operation request is transmitted from the client 130 to the server 110. When receiving the file operation request, the server 110 executes the link processing of FIGS.

  The server 110 may request clipboard data from the client 130 in the course of executing the link processing of FIGS. Upon receiving a request from the server 110, the client 130 executes clipboard data transmission processing in FIG.

  In addition, the server 110 may execute the comparison process of FIGS. 14 to 15 in the process of executing the link process of FIGS. As a result, an entry may be added to the link table 303 described later (that is, new association information is generated).

After execution of the link process of step S5, the process of FIG. 4 returns to step S1.
Although omitted in FIG. 4, processes other than those shown in FIG. 4 are also appropriately performed in the system 100. For example, the log management unit 115 may appropriately delete old entries from the log stored in the log storage unit 114.

  In the client 130, the applications 133 and 134 operate independently of the flowchart of FIG. Therefore, although not shown in FIG. 4, a new file may be created on the application 133.

  For example, when a new file is created by the application 133, temporary data of the newly created file may be stored in the storage device 247 of the client 130 or the like. If only the temporary data is stored locally on the client 130, the server 110 does not yet recognize that the file has been newly created.

  However, when the user subsequently performs an operation for a close request, a save request, or a save / close request for the newly created file, step S5 in FIG. 4 is executed according to the operation. As a result, the server 110 recognizes that a new file has been created.

  By the way, although the link table memorize | stored in the link memory | storage part 121 in 1st Embodiment is later mentioned in detail with FIG. 7, it contains the correlation information (namely, three information (7a)-(7c)) demonstrated regarding FIG. This is a specific example of information. Then, as described with reference to FIG. 1, association information may be used to subtract a data copy source file from a file to which data has been pasted.

  Specifically, in the first embodiment, in response to a request for searching for another file (hereinafter also referred to as “related file”) associated with a file by the association information, steps S6 to S8 in FIG. The search and the display of the search result are performed. As described above, there are several levels in the search request as well as several levels in the file operation request. However, since the level is clear from the context, the following is simply referred to as “search request” without distinguishing the level.

  Specifically, the client 130 provides an appropriate user interface for allowing the user to specify a file. For example, when the full path of the file is used as identification information for identifying the file, the client 130 may display a screen for allowing the user to specify the full path of the file on the display and receive the input of the full path. When an input is given from the user as a search request, the processing in FIG. 4 proceeds from step S1 to step S6.

  In step S <b> 6, the client 130 transmits a search request to the server 110. The transmitted search request includes identification information specified by the user. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the identification information included in the search request is referred to as “target identification information”, and the file identified by the target identification information is referred to as “target file”.

  In the next step S7, the server 110 searches for related files related to the target file. Specifically, the server 110 searches the link storage unit 121 using the target identification information included in the received search request.

  For example, the server 110 may search for a file estimated as a copy source of data pasted in the target file as a related file. The server 110 may search for a file presumed to be a paste destination of data copied from the target file as a related file.

  In any case, the related file is a file associated with the target file by the association information. In addition, the server 110 transmits the search result to the client 130.

  Then, in step S8, the client 130 receives the search result from the server 110. Then, the client 130 displays the search result. The search result transmitted by the server 110 includes identification information of each related file found. For example, the client 130 may display the identification information itself of each related file on the display, or may display a page including a hyperlink including the identification information of each related file on the display. After execution of step S8, the process of FIG. 4 returns to step S1.

  As described above, in the system 100 of FIG. 2, appropriate processing is performed according to an event that occurs in the client 130.

  Next, specific examples of data used in the system 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, various data are represented in a table format for convenience of explanation, but other data formats may be used as a matter of course.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a log stored in the log storage unit 114. Each entry of the log 301 in FIG. 5 has the following five fields (11a) to (11e).

(11a) Identification information (for example, full path) for identifying the file to be operated.
(11b) Identification information (for example, a user name) for identifying the user who has instructed the client 130 to operate the file.
(11c) The time when the existing file was actually opened or the time when the server 110 considered that “a file was newly created” (hereinafter, both times may be referred to as “open time”).
(11d) Time when the file was closed (hereinafter also referred to as “close time”).
(11e) Time when the file was saved (hereinafter also referred to as “save time”).

  A new entry is added to the log 301 when an existing file is opened. A new entry is also added to the log 301 when the server 110 recognizes that a new file has been created in response to a save request or save / close request sent from the client 130.

  For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the close time in an entry relating to a currently opened file (that is, a file that has been opened but not yet closed) is NULL. Also, it is assumed that the save time in the entry relating to a file that has not been saved once after being opened is also NULL.

  Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, a user having a user name “usrA” is referred to as “user usrA”, and a user having a user name “usrB” is referred to as “user usrB”. Although only one client 130 is shown in FIG. 2, in the following description regarding FIG. 5, it is assumed that the clients 130 of the users usrA and usrB are connected to the server 110 via the network 150.

  According to the first entry illustrated in FIG. 5, the file identified by the full path “C: \ usrA \ abc1.doc” corresponds to the input from the user usrA to the client 130 as of June 1, 2012. It was opened at 10:00 on the day. Alternatively, this file was newly created on the client 130 of user usrA and was deemed by server 110 to be “created at 10:00 on June 1, 2012”. This file was saved and closed at 11:40 on June 1, 2012 in response to an input given to the client 130 from the user usrA.

  According to the second entry, the file identified by the full path “C: \ usrB \ abc2.doc” is 10:15 on June 1, 2012, depending on the input given to the client 130 from the user usrB. Opened. Alternatively, this file was newly created on the client 130 of the user usrB and was deemed by the server 110 to be “created at 10:15 on June 1, 2012”. This file has not been closed yet. In addition, after being opened, this file was saved one or more times in response to an input given to the client 130 from the user usrB. The time when this file was last saved (that is, the last modified time) is 11:45 on June 1, 2012.

  According to the third entry, the file identified by the full path “C: \ usrA \ abc3.xls” is 10:20 on June 1, 2012, depending on the input given to the client 130 from the user usrA. Opened. Alternatively, this file was newly created on the client 130 of the user usrA and was deemed by the server 110 to be “created at 10:20 on June 1, 2012”. This file was saved and closed at 10:25 on June 1, 2012 in response to an input given to the client 130 from the user usrA.

  According to the fourth entry, the file identified by the full path “C: \ shared \ usrA \ abc4.ppt” is based on the input given from the user usrA to the client 130 at 11:00 on June 1, 2012. It was opened in 5 minutes. Alternatively, this file is newly created on the client 130 of the user usrA and is regarded by the server 110 as “created at 11:05 on June 1, 2012”. This file has not been closed yet. In addition, after being opened, this file was saved one or more times in response to an input given to the client 130 from the user usrA. The time when this file was last saved is 11:33 on June 1, 2012.

  According to the fifth entry, the file identified by the full path “C: \ shared \ usrC \ abc5.xls” is based on the input given to the client 130 from the user usrA at 11:00 on June 1, 2012. Opened in 30 minutes. For example, this file may be a shared file previously created by another user usrC. User usrA may have opened this file in read-only mode. This file has not yet been saved and closed.

  According to the sixth entry, the file identified by the full path “C: \ shared \ usrD \ abc6.txt” is 11:00 on June 1, 2012, depending on the input given to the client 130 from the user usrB. Opened at 38 minutes. For example, this file may be a shared file previously created by another user usrD. This file was closed at 11:50 on June 1, 2012, but no save operation was performed between 11:38 and 11:50. That is, the user usrB simply viewed this file and closed it without editing it. Alternatively, the user usrB opened the file and then performed an input operation for editing the file, but closed the file without saving the editing result.

  Each entry of the log 301 as illustrated above is added / deleted / updated by the log management unit 115. The addition of entries is as already described. The update of the entry (specifically, the update of the close time, the save time, or both) will be described later with reference to FIGS. The entry deletion is as follows.

  The log management unit 115 deletes an entry from the log 301 at an appropriate timing. For example, the server 110 manages files of one or more users. Therefore, when any user's client 130 is shut down, the log management unit 115 may delete all entries in the log 301. Alternatively, when the close time of an entry is older than the open time of any other entry having the same close time and a user name, the log management unit 115 may delete the entry.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a clipboard data table stored in the clipboard data storage unit 138. Each entry in the clipboard data table 302 of FIG. 6 has the following two fields (12a) to (12b).

(12a) Time when the clipboard 135 is rewritten by performing a copy operation or a cut operation on the client 130 (hereinafter referred to as “rewrite time”).
(12b) Data written to the clipboard 135 at the rewriting time.

  For example, FIG. 6 illustrates five entries in the clipboard data table 302. For example, according to the third entry among these five entries, a copy operation or a cut operation was performed on the client 130 at 9:27 on June 1, 2012. According to the third entry, text data “sample 1” (that is, character string data) is written in the clipboard 135 by the copy operation or the cut operation.

  The clipboard data table 302 may be initialized by the monitoring unit 136 when the client 130 is activated. The clipboard data table 302 in the initial state has no entry.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a link table stored in the link storage unit. Each entry of the link table 303 in FIG. 7 has the following four fields (13a) to (13d).

(13a) Identification information for identifying an entry (specifically, a serial number).
(13b) Identification information (for example, full path) for identifying the data copy destination file.
(13c) Identification information (for example, full path) for identifying the data copy source file.
(13d) The data copied from the copy source file to the copy destination file via the clipboard 135 (to be exact, it is estimated by the server 110 that “copied from the copy source file to the copy destination file”). Data). That is, the data stored on the clipboard 135.

  For example, according to the entry having the serial number 4, the file identified by the full path “C: \ usrA \ abc3.xls” is the copy destination file. According to the fourth entry, the file identified by the full path “C: \ shared \ usrC \ abc5.xls” is the copy source file. The fourth entry is that the server 110 has copied and pasted the text data “mixed with base A 80% base B 20% ...” from the copy source file to the copy destination file. Indicates that it was estimated.

  However, the estimation by the server 110 is not necessarily 100% correct. For example, depending on the following accidental factors (14a) to (14d), “there is no relationship between the two files due to data reuse, but the server 110 mistakenly selects the two files. There are no cases of “associating”.

(14a) A period in which two files are opened.
(14b) Timing when a copy operation or a cut operation is performed.
(14c) Data written to the clipboard 135 by a copy operation or a cut operation.
(14d) Data included in two files in common.

  Further, the server 110 may not be able to narrow down the copy source file to one for a certain copy destination file. That is, a plurality of copy source file candidates may be found.

  The first and second entries indicate that two copy source file candidates have been found. This is because the values of the field (13b) of the first and second entries are equal to each other, and the values of the field (13d) of the first and second entries are also equal to each other.

  According to the first and second entries, the file identified by the full path “C: \ usrA \ abc1.doc” includes text data “XO135484” (or similar text data). The server 110 estimates that “the text data“ XO135484 ”is copied and pasted from another file”.

  However, the server 110 could not narrow down the copy source file candidates to one, and two files were found as copy source file candidates. That is, two files identified by the full paths “C: \ usrA \ abc3.xls” and “C: \ shared \ usrC \ abc5.xls” were found as copy source file candidates.

  It should be noted that the frequency of occurrence of such a problem is not so high even if an erroneous determination sometimes occurs due to accidents, or when a plurality of copy source file candidates are occasionally found. Therefore, the effect of “allowing a user to present a file that is likely to be relevant with a relatively high degree of certainty” is sufficiently obtained. Therefore, even if the estimation by the server 110 is not completely correct, there is no problem and a sufficient effect can be obtained.

  Now, the open process in step S4 in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the open process. Specifically, the flowchart of the open process on the client 130 side is shown on the left side of FIG. 8, and the flowchart of the open process on the server 110 side is shown on the right side of FIG.

  In the following, for convenience of explanation, “the user uses the application 133 on the client 130 to perform an operation (for example, menu selection) using the input device 245 to open an existing file on the file storage unit 111. Shall have gone ". The operation performed by the user in this way is an example of an open request.

  The application 133 issues an open request to the file transmission / reception unit 132 in accordance with a user operation. When the file transmitting / receiving unit 132 receives the open request, the open process shown in the flowchart on the left side of FIG. 8 is started.

  In step S <b> 101, the file transmission / reception unit 132 requests file data from the server 110 via the communication control unit 131 in response to an open request from the application 133. That is, in step S101, an open request is transmitted from the client 130 to the server 110. This open request includes a full path as identification information for identifying a file to be opened and a user name as identification information for identifying a user.

  In the client 130, in the next step S 102, the file transmission / reception unit 132 receives file data from the server 110 via the communication control unit 131. The file transmission / reception unit 132 delivers the data received from the server 110 to the application 133.

  In step S102 described above, the open process on the client 130 side ends. Of course, the application 133 can perform appropriate processing using the data received from the file transmission / reception unit 132. For example, the application 133 may perform processing such as displaying the contents of the opened file on the screen.

On the other hand, when the server 110 receives the open request transmitted by the client 130 in step S101, the server 110 starts the open process shown in the flowchart on the right side of FIG.
Specifically, in step S <b> 111, the file transmission / reception unit 113 receives an open request via the communication control unit 112. Then, the file transmission / reception unit 113 reads the data of the file requested from the client 130 from the file storage unit 111 in response to the received open request. Further, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 transmits the read file data to the client 130 via the communication control unit 112. The data transmitted in this way is received in step S102 by the client 130 as described above.

  Further, the server 110 subsequently performs the processes of steps S112 to S113. Specifically, in step S112, the file transmission / reception unit 113 notifies the log management unit 115 of the following two types of information (15a) and (15b).

(15a) The name of the user who requested the file data. That is, the user name included in the received open request.
(15b) The full path of the opened file. That is, the full path included in the received open request.

  Then, in step S113, the log management unit 115 records the notified user name, the notified full path, and the file open time in the log 301 in the log storage unit 114. That is, the log management unit 115 adds a new entry to the log 301 and records the above user name, full path, and open time in the new entry. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the close time and save time in the new entry are both NULL. When the recording to the log 301 is completed, the open process is also completed.

  Next, the link process in step S5 in FIG. 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, first, the processing on the client 130 side will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 10, and then the processing on the server 110 side will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of link processing on the client 130 side.
Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that “the user issues a close request, a save request, or a save / close request for a certain file currently opened in the application 133”. For example, the user may perform some operation such as menu selection using the input device 245.

  In the following, for convenience of explanation, the above-mentioned “certain file” may be referred to as “file F”, and the issued request may be referred to as “request R”. As described above, the request R is a close request, a save request, or a save / close request. In addition, as shown in the items (10a) to (10c) above, there are several levels of file operation requests, but it is clear from the context. R ”may be written.

Now, when the request R is issued by the user's operation, the link processing of FIG. 9 is started.
In step S201, the application 133 determines whether the file F is a new file. The file F is a file currently opened in the application 133 as described above. Therefore, the application 133 recognizes whether the file F is a new file (that is, the full path on the server 110 for storing the file F is undecided) or whether the file F is an existing file. Therefore, the application 133 can make the determination in step S201.

  Note that a file F newly created on the application 133 may be temporarily saved on the server 110 while being opened. In this case, once saved on the server 110, the full path on the server 110 for saving the file F has already been determined. Therefore, in this case, the application 133 determines in step S201 that “file F is an existing file”.

If the file F is a new file, the link processing moves to step S202. On the other hand, if the file F is an existing file, the link processing moves to step S207.
In step S202, the application 133 determines the type of the request R. If the request R is a close request, the link processing moves to step S203. Conversely, if the request R is a save request or a save / close request, the link processing moves to step S204.

  In step S203, the application 133 closes the new file F. For example, the application 133 may release a temporary storage area (for example, an area in the RAM 243, the storage device 247, or both) used for the new file F. Then, the link process ends.

  As described above, step S203 is executed when the file F is a new file and the request R is a close request. The matter shown in this case is the situation shown in the following items (16a) to (16c). Therefore, in step S203, the file F is simply closed and the link process is completed.

(16a) The application 133 temporarily creates a new file F locally in the client 130.
(16b) However, the user determines that “the file F need not be stored in the server 110”.
(16c) Accordingly, regarding the file F, components other than the application 133 (for example, the file transmission / reception unit 132 and the server 110) do not need to perform any processing.

  On the other hand, step S204 is executed when the file F is a new file and the request R is a save request or a save / close request. In this case, specifically, in step S204, the application 133 acquires a full path (hereinafter referred to as “full path P”) indicating a location where the file F is stored. For example, the application 133 may acquire a full path P by displaying a dialog on the output device 246 and receiving an input from the input device 245.

  Next, in step S205, the application 133 notifies the file transmission / reception unit 132 of the full path P. The application 133 also outputs the data of the file F to the file transmission / reception unit 132. In this way, the file transmitting / receiving unit 132 acquires the full path P and also acquires the data to be stored.

  Next, in step S <b> 206, the file transmission / reception unit 132 transmits a request R including data of the file F to the server 110 via the communication control unit 131. The request R transmitted in step S206 is specifically a save request or a save / close request, and includes the data of the file F as described above. Further, the request R includes a full path P and also includes a user name (hereinafter referred to as “user name U”) as identification information for identifying the user. The file transmission / reception unit 132 has a basic function as a client-side module in the network file system. Therefore, the file transmission / reception unit 132 can acquire the user name U. After transmitting the request R, the client side link processing ends.

  If the file F is an existing file, the application 133 determines the type of request R in step S207. If the request R is a close request, the link process proceeds to step S208. Conversely, if the request R is a save request or a save / close request, the link process proceeds to step S205 described above.

  When the file F is an existing file, the application 133 recognizes the full path P of the file F. Therefore, after the processing shifts from step S207 to step S205, the application 133 can notify the file transmission / reception unit 132 of the full path P in step S205 as described above.

  Step S208 is executed when the file F is an existing file and the request R is a close request as described above. Specifically, in step S208, the application 133 notifies the file transmission / reception unit 132 of the full path P. In this way, the file transmission / reception unit 132 acquires the full path P.

  In step S <b> 209, the file transmission / reception unit 132 transmits the request R to the server 110 via the communication control unit 131. The request R (that is, the close request) transmitted in step S209 includes the full path P and the user name U. After transmitting the request R, the client side link processing ends. Further, in step S209, the application 133 may perform processing such as releasing the temporary storage area used for the file F.

  If the request R is a save request, the file F remains open on the application 133 even after the client side link processing is completed. Therefore, in this case, the application 133 performs appropriate processing (for example, processing such as editing the file F) in accordance with an instruction given from the user via the input device 245 even after the client-side link processing ends. .

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of clipboard data transmission processing on the client 130 side. As briefly described with respect to step S5 of FIG. 4, the server 110 may request the client 130 to send clipboard data during the execution process of step S5. When the client 130 is requested to send clipboard data from the server 110, the client 130 starts the processing of FIG.

  Note that the server 110 specifies a range of entries to be extracted from the clipboard data table 302 on the clipboard data storage unit 138. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, two parameters for the server 110 to specify a range are referred to as “start time S” and “end time E”.

  The start time S and the end time E indicate that “the server 110 requests data stored in the clipboard 135 in at least a part of the period from the start time S to the end time E”. When the server 110 specifies a period from the start time S to the end time E for the file F, the specified period is included in a period before the file F is closed.

  The clipboard data transmission unit 140 receives a request including the start time S and the end time E from the server 110 via the communication control unit 131. Then, in response to receiving the request, the clipboard data transmission process of FIG. 10 is started.

  First, in step S <b> 301, the clipboard data transmission unit 140 notifies the extraction unit 139 of the start time S and end time E specified from the server 110.

  Next, in step S302, the extraction unit 139 searches the clipboard data table 302 stored in the clipboard data storage unit 138 to search for an entry whose rewrite time is older than the end time E. If there is no entry whose rewrite time is older than the end time E, the clipboard data transmission process proceeds to step S303. Conversely, if there is an entry whose rewrite time is older than the end time E, the clipboard data transmission process proceeds to step S304.

  Here, “there is no entry whose rewrite time is older than the end time E” means that “the clipboard 135 has no data stored throughout the entire period from the start time S to the end time E”. It means that. Therefore, in step S303, the extraction unit 139 notifies the clipboard data transmission unit 140 that “there is no data corresponding to the condition specified from the server 110”.

  Then, the clipboard data transmission unit 140 notifies the server 110 via the communication control unit 131 that “there is no data corresponding to the condition specified by the server 110”. Then, the clipboard data transmission process ends.

  Conversely, “there is an entry whose rewrite time is older than the end time E” means that “at least one piece of data stored in the clipboard 135 in at least a part of the period from the start time S to the end time E”. Means "is present". Therefore, if an entry with a rewrite time older than the end time E is found in step S302, the processing from step S304 is performed. In the following description, it is assumed that the entries are sorted in the ascending order of the rewrite time in the clipboard data table 302 for the sake of simplicity.

  In step S304, the extraction unit 139 sets the entry with the newest rewrite time among the entries with the rewrite time older than the end time E as the “end entry”.

  In step S305, the extraction unit 139 searches the clipboard data table 302 stored in the clipboard data storage unit 138 to search for an entry whose rewrite time is older than the start time S. If there is an entry whose rewrite time is older than the start time S, the clipboard data transmission process proceeds to step S306. Conversely, if there is no entry whose rewrite time is older than the start time S, the clipboard data transmission processing proceeds to step S307.

  In step S306, the extraction unit 139 sets the entry with the newest rewrite time among the entries whose rewrite time is older than the start time S as the “start entry”. The start entry may be the same as the end entry or may be different from the end entry.

  Specifically, there is a case where “the clipboard 135 is rewritten before the start time S, and then the clipboard 135 is not rewritten from the start time S to the end time E”. In this case, the start entry is the same as the end entry.

  Conversely, the clipboard 135 may be rewritten before the start time S, and then the clipboard 135 is rewritten c times (1 ≦ c) during the period from the start time S to the end time E ”. In this case, the start entry and the end entry are different, and the number of entries from the start entry to the end entry is (c + 1).

  When the extraction unit 139 determines a start entry in step S306, the clipboard data transmission process proceeds to step S308.

  By the way, “there is no entry whose rewrite time is older than the start time S” means that “data is stored in the clipboard 135 for the first time during the period from the start time S to the end time E”. . Therefore, in step S307, the extraction unit 139 sets the entry with the oldest rewrite time in the clipboard data table 302 as the start entry. The start entry may be the same as the end entry or may be different from the end entry.

  Specifically, there is a case where “data is written to the clipboard 135 for the first time after the start time S and before the end time E, but the clipboard 135 has not been updated until the end time E”. is there. In this case, the start entry is the same as the end entry.

  Conversely, “data is first written to the clipboard 135 at a certain time after the start time S and before the end time E, and then c times (1 ≦ c) clipboard during the period from the start time S to the end time E. 135 may be rewritten ". In this case, the start entry and the end entry are different, and the number of entries from the start entry to the end entry is (c + 1).

  When the extraction unit 139 determines a start entry in step S307, the clipboard data transmission process proceeds to step S308.

  In step S308, the extraction unit 139 extracts entries from the start entry to the end entry from the clipboard data storage unit 138. When the start entry and the end entry are the same, only one entry is extracted. If the start entry and the end entry are different, (c + 1) entries are extracted as described with respect to steps S306 and S307.

  In step S308, the clipboard data transmission unit 140 further transmits the entry data extracted by the extraction unit 139 to the server 110 via the communication control unit 131. Then, the clipboard data transmission process ends.

  For example, when the start time S is time T2 in FIG. 1 and the end time E is time T4 in FIG. 1, the data D1 associated with time T1 and the data D2 associated with time T3 are obtained by the above processing. , And transmitted from the client 130 to the server 110.

Next, the operation of the server 110 in step S5 of FIG. 4 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
11 to 13 are flowcharts of link processing on the server side. When the file transmission / reception unit 113 receives the request R transmitted from the client 130 in step S206 or S209 in FIG. 9 via the communication control unit 112, the link processing in FIGS. As described with reference to FIG. 9, the request R includes a full path P as identification information for identifying the file F and a user name U as identification information for identifying the user who has issued the request R. When the request R is a save request or a save / close request, the request R further includes data of the file F to be saved.

  In step S401, the file transmission / reception unit 113 determines the type of the request R. If the request R is a close request, the link processing moves to step S402. On the other hand, if the request R is a save request or a save / close request, the link process proceeds to step S405.

  The request R is sent from the client 130 to the server 110 according to a predetermined protocol. For example, a PDU (Protocol Data Unit) of the predetermined protocol may include a header field indicating the type of request. The file transmission / reception unit 113 may determine the type of the request R in step S401 based on the header field of the PDU of the request R received via the communication control unit 112.

If the request R is a close request, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 closes the file F in step S402.
In step S403, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 notifies the log management unit 115 of the following information (17a) and (17b).

(17a) The name of the requesting user of the close request (that is, the user name U included in the request R).
(17b) Full path P of file F (that is, full path P included in request R).

  In step S404, the log management unit 115 searches the log 301 for entries that satisfy all of the following conditions (18a) to (18c).

(18a) The notified full path P is included.
(18b) The notified user name U is included.
(18c) The close time is NULL.

  For simplicity of explanation, it is assumed that “one file is not opened from a plurality of applications at the same time by one user”. As a result of the search, a plurality of entries are not found, and only one entry is found. The reason for finding the entry is as follows.

  As is apparent from FIG. 9, the server 110 may receive a close request for a file that already exists on the file storage unit 111, but does not receive a close request for a file that does not exist on the file storage unit 111. A close request for a file that already exists on the file storage unit 111 is generated after at least one of an open request and a save request for the file.

  Further, as will be apparent from the following description of the linking process, if at least one of an open request and a save request has been issued for the file F from the user with the user name U, the conditions (18a) and (18b) An entry that satisfies this condition has been created. Further, the close time of the entry remains NULL before a close request is issued. Therefore, as a result of the search in step S404, an entry that satisfies all the conditions (18a) to (18c) is found.

  Note that, for example, a file to which a plurality of users are allowed read access may be simultaneously opened by a plurality of users. In that case, there may be a plurality of entries that satisfy both the conditions (18a) and (18c). However, the request source user of the request R is uniquely specified by the condition (18b). Therefore, there is one entry that satisfies all the conditions (18a) to (18c).

  In an embodiment in which one file can be opened simultaneously from a plurality of applications by one user, the client 130 includes application identification information indicating “from which application the file is operated” in the file operation request. May be. Each entry of the log 301 may further include a field for application identification information. Then, the log management unit 115 can further narrow down the entry to one in the search in step S404 by using the application identification information.

  When the log management unit 115 finds one entry from the log 301 as described above, the log management unit 115 records the close time in the found entry. That is, the log management unit 115 refers to the clock 116 to obtain the current time, and writes the current time in the close time field of the found entry. Thereafter, the link processing moves to step S424 shown in FIG.

  On the other hand, if the request R is a save request or a save / close request, the processes in and after step S405 are executed. Specifically, in step S405, the file transmission / reception unit 113 stores the data received via the communication control unit 112 (that is, the data of the file F included in the request R) by the location indicated by the full path P included in the request R. To store.

  If the file F is a file newly created by the client 130, a new file F is created and saved on the file storage unit 111 of the server 110 (that is, at the location indicated by the full path P) as a result of step S405. Is done. When the file F is an existing file, as a result of step S405, the existing data of the file F on the file storage unit 111 is overwritten with new data after editing. In any case, the file F is stored in the file storage unit 111 as a result of step S405.

  For simplification of explanation, it is assumed in FIG. 11 that the user who requested the request R is allowed to have write access to the file F. However, in more detail, in step S405, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 determines “whether the requesting user is allowed write access to the file F” based on the user name U included in the request R. To do. If the requesting user is allowed write access to the file F, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 stores the file F as described above in step S405.

  If the requesting user is not allowed write access to the file F, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 performs error processing (not shown). For example, the file transmission / reception unit 113 sends an error code indicating that “the user with the user name U is not allowed to save the file F to the location indicated by the full path P” via the communication control unit 112. May be returned to the client 130. Further, when the file transmission / reception unit 113 finishes the error process, the server side link process is also finished.

  Here, the description returns to the case where the file F is stored in step S405. In the next step S406, the file transmission / reception unit 113 determines the type of the request R.

  If the request R is a save / close request, the link process proceeds to step S407. On the other hand, if the request R is a save request, the link processing moves to step S408.

  In step S407, the file transmitting / receiving unit 113 closes the file F. Then, the link process proceeds to step S408.

  In step S <b> 408, the file transmission / reception unit 113 notifies the log management unit 115 of the user name U identifying the requesting user of the request R and the full path P of the file F. As described above, the user name U and the full path P are included in the request R.

  In step S409, the log management unit 115 acquires the current time with reference to the clock 116, and stores the acquired current time.

  In step S410, the log management unit 115 determines whether or not the notified full path P exists in the log 301 on the log storage unit 114. That is, the log management unit 115 determines whether an entry including the full path P exists in the log 301.

  The case where an entry including the full path P exists in the log 301 is a case where the file F is an existing file. Therefore, in this case, the link processing moves to step S413 shown in FIG.

  On the contrary, the case where the entry including the full path P does not exist in the log 301 is a case where the file F is a newly created file and the file F is stored in the file storage unit 111 for the first time in step S405. . In this case, the link process moves to step S411.

  In step S411, the log management unit 115 adds a new entry to the log 301. The log management unit 115 records the full path P of the file F and the user name U in the added new entry.

  Furthermore, in step S412, the log management unit 115 records a time that is a predetermined time before the time acquired in step S409 as the open time in the new entry. Note that the closing time and saving time of the new entry are both NULL.

  The predetermined time is “how long is the maximum estimated time between the user performing an input operation to create a new file and the first request for saving or saving / closing”? It is preferable to be determined according to For example, when it is estimated that “there is only a maximum of 30 minutes from when the user performs an input operation for creating a new file until the first save request or save / close request is issued”, The predetermined time may be 30 minutes or an appropriate time of 30 minutes or more.

  The predetermined time may be a constant unique to the system 100 or may be a value definable for each user. That is, each user notifies the server 110 via the client 130 in advance as the above-mentioned predetermined time for the user that the user thinks that the time is “sufficiently long for him” based on his / her usual habits. May be. The server 110 may store the notified predetermined time in association with the user name for each user.

  For example, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the predetermined time is 1 hour. In this case, steps S411 to S412 mean the following items (19a) and (19b).

(19a) "The input operation for creating a new file F on the client 130 was performed one hour before the first save request or save / close request was issued for the file F," the server 110 ( Specifically, it is regarded by the log management unit 115). Note that the server 110 does not recognize that “when the input operation is actually performed on the application 133 or 134”. Therefore, the log management unit 115 estimates the time when the file F is newly created by using the predetermined time “1 hour” as described above.
(19b) For a newly created file, the open time is the time estimated by the log management unit 115 that “the file was created locally on the client 130”.

Now, after a new entry is added to the log 301 in steps S411 to S412 and an appropriate value is written to the new entry, the link processing moves to step S413 shown in FIG.
By the way, in the first embodiment, two types of modes can be used in terms of “when the server 110 performs processing for associating files”. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the two types of modes are referred to as “separation mode” and “batch mode”, respectively.

  The separation mode is a mode in which the server 110 determines the relationship between files each time a file is saved. For example, if an existing file is opened and a save request is issued three times, and then a save / close request is issued, the file is saved four times from when it is opened until it is closed. The Therefore, in this case, if the server 110 is operating in the separation mode, the server 110 determines the relationship between the file and another file four times.

  If an existing file is opened and then a save request is issued three times, and then a close request is issued, the file is saved three times from opening to closing. Therefore, in this case, if the server 110 is operating in the separation mode, the server 110 determines the relationship between the file and another file three times.

  That is, in this case, after the third saving, the file may be edited locally on the client 130, but the editing result is not saved in the file storage unit 111. Therefore, no matter how the file is edited on the client 130 after the third saving, the relationship between the file and other files is not affected. Therefore, when the file is closed in response to the close request, the server 110 does not need to determine the relationship between the file and another file.

  On the other hand, the batch mode is a mode in which the server 110 determines the relationship between files when the files are closed. For example, a save request may be issued one or more times after an existing file is opened, and then a close request or a save / close request may be issued last. In this case, if the server 110 is operating in the collective mode, the server 110 responds to the close request or the save / close request at the end regardless of how many times the save request is issued while the file is opened. Only when closing files, determine the relationship between files.

  Similarly to the separation mode, even in the collective mode, the server 110 does not consider editing performed locally on the client 130 after saving the file according to the last save request.

  Whether the server 110 operates in the collective mode or the separation mode may be set in a setting file (not shown), for example. The mode can be referred to from any of the log management unit 115, the extraction unit 118, the comparison unit 119, and the link generation unit 120. And the operation | movement according to the mode which demonstrated the outline above is implement | achieved by step S413-S425 shown in FIG.

  In step S413, the log management unit 115 determines the type of the request R. If the request R is a save request, the link processing moves to step S414. On the other hand, if the request R is a save / close request, the link processing proceeds to step S416.

  In step S414, the log management unit 115 determines whether the server 110 is operating in the batch mode or the separation mode. When the server 110 is operating in the collective mode, the link processing moves to step S415. Conversely, if the server 110 is operating in the separation mode, the link processing moves to step S416.

  In step S415, the log management unit 115 records the time acquired in step S409 in the log 301 as the save time. Specifically, the log management unit 115 records the time acquired in step S409 as the save time of the entry that satisfies all the following conditions (20a) to (20c) in the log 301.

(20a) The full path P notified from the file transmission / reception unit 113 to the log management unit 115 in step S408 is included.
(20b) The user name U notified from the file transmission / reception unit 113 to the log management unit 115 in step S408 is included.
(20c) The close time is NULL.

  Note that the number of entries satisfying all of the conditions (20a) to (20c) is one for the same reason as described for step S404. In addition, when the server 110 is operating in the collective mode, even if a save request is issued, the server 110 does not determine the relationship between files, and simply records the save time. Therefore, when the recording of the save time in step S415 is completed, the server side link process is also terminated.

  On the other hand, when the server 110 is operating in the separation mode, when a save request is issued, the server 110 determines the relationship between files. When a save / close request is issued, the server 110 determines the relationship between files regardless of the mode. Specifically, the server 110 performs the processing after step S416 to determine the relevance between files.

  In step S416, the log management unit 115 sets the time acquired in step S409 as the end time point E. The end point E is a parameter used when the server 110 later requests the client 130 to perform the clipboard data transmission process of FIG.

  In step S417, the log management unit 115 refers to the entry that satisfies all the conditions (20a) to (20c), and determines whether or not the save time is recorded in the entry.

  If the save time is recorded in the entry (that is, if a valid value is recorded as the save time), the file F based on the current request R is saved after the file F is opened. Save after the first time. In this case, the link process moves to step S418.

  On the other hand, if the save time is not recorded in the entry (that is, if the save time remains the initial value NULL), the saving of the file F based on the current request R is the first saving. In this case, the link process moves to step S420.

  In step S418, the log management unit 115 determines whether the following conditions (21a) and (21b) are both satisfied.

(21a) The request R is a save / close request.
(21b) The server 110 is operating in the collective mode.

  When the conditions (21a) and (21b) are both satisfied, the link process proceeds to step S420. Conversely, if at least one of the conditions (21a) and (21b) does not hold, the link processing moves to step S419.

  In step S419, the log management unit 115 sets the save time found in step S417 (that is, the time when the file F was saved last time) as the start time S. The start time S is a parameter used when the server 110 later requests the client 130 to perform the clipboard data transmission process of FIG.

  On the other hand, in step S420, the log management unit 115 sets the open time in the entry referred to in step S417 as the start time S.

  According to steps S416 to S420 described above, the period specified by the server 110 by the start time S and the end time E is as shown in the following items (22a) to (22c).

(22a) When the server 110 is operating in the collective mode and the request R is a save / close request: from the time when the file F was opened (or when the file F was considered newly created) Period until the time when F is saved and closed by this request R.
(22b) When the server 110 is operating in the separation mode and this time is the first save (regardless of whether the request R is a save request or a save / close request): time when the file F is opened ( Or a time from the time when the file F is considered to be newly created) to the time when the file F is saved by the current request R.
(22c) When the server 110 is operating in the separation mode and this time is the second or later save (regardless of whether the request R is a save request or a save / close request): the file F is saved last time Until the time when the file F is saved by the current request R.

  Now, after the start time S is determined in step S419 or S420, the log management unit 115 determines the type of the request R in step S421. If the request R is a save request, the link processing moves to step S422. Conversely, if the request R is a save / close request, the link processing moves to step S423.

  In step S422, the log management unit 115 records the time acquired in step S409 in the log 301 as a save time. More specifically, the log management unit 115 records the time acquired in step S409 as the save time of the entry referenced in step S417. Then, the link process proceeds to step S426 in FIG.

  On the other hand, in step S423, the log management unit 115 records the time acquired in step S409 in the log 301 as the save time and the close time. More specifically, the log management unit 115 records the time acquired in step S409 as the save time and close time of the entry referenced in step S417. Then, the link process proceeds to step S426 in FIG.

  By the way, when the request R is a close request as described above, the link processing moves from step S404 to step S424. When the request R is a close request, “whether or not the server 110 determines the relationship between the file F and another file when the file F is closed in response to the close request” refers to the mode, According to the history of saving the file F so far. Specifically, it is as shown in the following items (23a) to (23c).

(23a) When the file F is closed in response to the current close request without being saved even once after the file F is opened, the server 110 can transfer the file F and other files regardless of the mode. Do not judge relevance. This is because the data of the file F stored on the file storage unit 111 is not updated.
(23b) Since the file F has been opened (or since the file F has been newly created), the file F has been stored at least once so far, and the server 110 operates in the separation mode. If there is, the server 110 does not determine the relationship between the file F and other files. This is because, firstly, the server 110 has already determined the relationship between the file F and another file at the time of the last saving. Secondly, the editing work performed locally on the client 130 after the file F was last saved in the file storage unit 111 (because it does not affect the relationship between the saved file F and other files). Because it can be ignored.
(23c) Since the file F has been opened (or since the file F has been newly created), the file F has been stored at least once so far, and the server 110 operates in the batch mode. If there is, the server 110 determines the relevance between the file F and another file.

  Therefore, in step S424, the log management unit 115 determines whether or not the following conditions (24a) and (24b) are both satisfied.

(24a) The server 110 is operating in the collective mode.
(24b) The save time is recorded in the entry in which the close time is recorded in step S404.

  If at least one of the conditions (24a) and (24b) is not satisfied, the server 110 does not need to determine the relationship between the file F and another file, and the server-side link processing ends. On the other hand, when the conditions (24a) and (24b) are both satisfied, the link process proceeds to step S425.

  In step S425, the log management unit 115 sets the open time of the entry whose close time is recorded in step S404 as the start time S and sets the save time of the entry as the end time E. Then, the link processing moves to step S426 in FIG.

  In step S426, the log management unit 115 notifies the extraction unit 118 of the full path P of the file F.

  Then, in the next step S427, the extraction unit 118 reads the data of the file F by referring to the location identified by the full path P in the file storage unit 111. Then, the extraction unit 118 extracts the text information of the file F and outputs the extracted text information to the comparison unit 119.

  The extraction method of text information by the extraction unit 118 in step S427 may be a method according to the embodiment. For example, if the file F is a plain text file, the extraction unit 118 may output the data of the file F to the comparison unit 119. However, the file F may be a file of some application software such as a document creation application or a spreadsheet application (that is, a binary file having a format specific to the application).

  With regard to a certain file format, a program for extracting text information from a binary file of the file format is known. Therefore, the extraction unit 118 may be realized using such a known program.

  Alternatively, the extraction unit 118 may acquire print metadata described in an appropriate PDL (Page Description Language) from the file F using a printer driver. That is, the extraction unit 118 may convert the file F into a format described in PDL (hereinafter referred to as “PDL format”) using a printer driver. Specific examples of PDL include EMF (Enhanced Metafile), XPS (XML Paper Specification; XML is an abbreviation of Extensible Markup Language), PS (PostScript), PDF (Portable Document Format), and the like.

  Then, the extraction unit 118 may extract text information by analyzing the acquired print metadata.

  More specifically, it is assumed that the application itself used for creating the file F or a viewer application that can accept the format of the file F is installed in the server 110. In this case, the extraction unit 118 designates a printer driver for conversion to the PDL format and calls the printing function of the application itself used to create the file F or the browsing application. Then, the printer driver converts the file F into the PDL format. Note that the extraction unit 118 may determine “which application print function to call” from the extension of the file F, for example.

  The extraction unit 118 may extract text information by analyzing the data converted into the PDL format.

  For example, there are cases where a character rendering command for rendering a character by designating a character code is included in the data converted into the PDL format. In this case, the extraction unit 118 may extract text information by extracting a character code from a character drawing command.

  In addition, the data converted into the PDL format may include a character rendering command for rendering a character by designating a character glyph code and font data. In this case, the extraction unit 118 may acquire an image obtained as an execution result by executing a character drawing command. The extraction unit 118 may extract text information by performing a character recognition process on the acquired image.

  In addition, a character may be represented by a vector object such as a polygon, or a character may be represented by a bitmap image. Therefore, when the data converted into the PDL format includes a drawing command for drawing a vector object or a bitmap image, the extraction unit 118 executes the drawing command to obtain an image obtained as an execution result. May be obtained.

  The extraction unit 118 may extract text information by performing a character recognition process on the acquired image. Note that the extraction unit 118 performs appropriate preprocessing on a drawing command for drawing a vector object or a bitmap image, determines the possibility that the drawn object is a character, and has a high possibility of a character. The character recognition process may be executed only in such a case. As the preprocessing, the extraction unit 118 may perform the processing described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-140127 (the above-mentioned Patent Document 3).

  In step S428, the log management unit 115 notifies the clipboard data reception unit 117 of the start time S and the end time E.

  Then, in the next step S429, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 specifies the start time S and the end time E, and requests the clipboard data from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112.

  When the client 130 receives this request, the client 130 executes the clipboard data transmission process of FIG. Therefore, in the next step S430, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 receives the clipboard data from the client 130 via the communication control unit 112.

  That is, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 receives each data stored in the clipboard 135 in at least a part of the period from the start time S to the end time E. Each data is associated with the time when the data was written to the clipboard 135. The clipboard data receiving unit 117 notifies the received clipboard data to the comparison unit 119 together with the associated time.

Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the number of clipboard data received by the clipboard data receiving unit 117 is assumed to be “n” (0 ≦ n). If 0 <n, the i-th clipboard data among the n clipboard data is expressed as “clipboard data D _i ” (1 ≦ i ≦ n).

  For example, it is assumed that the file F is the file 1 in FIG. 1, the server 110 is operating in the separation mode, and the request R is a save request at time T4. In this case, the start time S is time T2, and the end time E is time T4. Therefore, the clipboard data receiving unit 117 acquires the clipboard data D1 and D2 in step S430. Therefore, in this case, n = 2.

In step S431, the comparison unit 119 initializes the index variable i to 1.
In step S432, the comparison unit 119 determines whether i ≦ n holds. When i ≦ n holds, the link processing proceeds to step S433 in order to examine the possibility that “the clipboard data D _i has been copied and pasted from another file to the file F”. On the other hand, if i ≦ n does not hold, n = 0, or all n clipboard data have already been examined. Therefore, if i ≦ n does not hold, the server-side link processing ends.

In step S433, the clipboard data _{D i,} with respect to the time associated with the clipboard data _{D i} (hereinafter referred to as "write time _{T i"),} the comparison processing shown in FIG. 14 to 15 is executed.

The writing time T _i is the time when the clipboard data D _i is written to the clipboard 135. As will be understood from the description of FIG. 10, the writing time _{T i} is associated with the clipboard data _{D i,} together with the clipboard data _{D i,} is notified from the client 130 to the clipboard data receiving unit 117. The writing time T _i is notified from the clipboard data receiving unit 117 to the comparing unit 119 together with the clipboard data D _{i in} step S430 as described above.

  Thereafter, in step S434, the comparison unit 119 increments the index variable i by 1. Then, the link process returns to step S432.

  14 to 15 are flowcharts of the comparison process on the server 110 side. The comparison process corresponds to step S433 in FIG. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the text information extracted from the file F in step S427 is referred to as “text information X”.

  As described with reference to FIG. 1, the conditions (3a) and (3b) may be used as the conditions for associating the files, and the conditions (4a) and (4b) may be used. Alternatively, conditions (5a) and (5b) may be used. As is clear from the description regarding steps S501 to S503 and S511 described below, specifically, the conditions (4a) and (4b) are used in the first embodiment.

In step S501, the comparison unit 119 compares the character string length (hereinafter referred to as “L _i ”) of the clipboard data D _i with a predetermined threshold (hereinafter referred to as “L”). When L _i <L, the comparison process proceeds to step S502. Conversely, when L _i ≧ L, the comparison process proceeds to step S503.

Comparing unit 119 in step S502, using the clipboard data D _i as a search term (search term), for text information X obtained from the file F, a complete match search. Then, the comparison process proceeds to step S504.

On the other hand, the comparison unit 119 at step S503, using the clipboard data D _i as a search term, for the text information X obtained from the file F, performs fuzzy search. In step S503, an appropriate technique for fuzzy search may be used. For example, comparison unit 119 may search a character string that matches the clipboard data D _i and portions from the text information X. Then, the comparison process proceeds to step S504.

Note that the reason why the comparison unit 119 performs an exact match search when L _i <L as described above is that when the user copies and pastes a short character string, “the user re-creates the pasted character string itself. This is because it is estimated that a copy and paste operation is performed for use. The reason why the comparison unit 119 performs the fuzzy search when L _i ≧ L is that when the user copies and pastes a long character string, “the user wants to edit the pasted character string a little and reuse it. This is because the possibility of “copy and paste operation” cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is preferable that the threshold L is appropriately determined in consideration of the above reasons.

In step S504, the comparison unit 119 determines whether “a character string matching the search term (ie, clipboard data D _i ) has been found as a result of the search in step S502 or S503”.

If, when the character string that matches the clipboard data D _i is found in the text information X, the data in other files, via the clipboard 135, may have been reused in the file F. Therefore, if we find a string that matches the clipboard data D _i, in order to investigate this possibility, the comparison process proceeds to step S505.

On the other hand, if the string that matches the clipboard data D _i is not found in the text information X, there is no need to consider the possibility, as described above. Therefore, the comparison process for the clipboard data D _i and the writing time T _i ends.

Now, comparing unit 119 in step S505 notifies the extraction unit 118 writes the time _{T i.} This notification is made by the comparison unit 119 to the extraction unit 118 so that text information is extracted from each file (except for the file F) opened on the client 130 at the writing time T _i by the user having the user name U. Means "request".

Then, the extraction unit 118 in step S506 notifies the write time _{T i} to the log management unit 115. This notification is “the extraction unit 118 requests the log management unit 115 to notify the file (except the file F) opened by the user having the user name U on the client 130 at the writing time T _i ”. means.

In step S507, the log management unit 115 identifies a file opened at the writing time T _i on the client 130 by the user having the user name U. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the number of files other than the file F opened by the user having the user name U on the client 130 at the writing time T _i is assumed to be “m” (0 ≦ m). When 0 <m, the identified j-th file is represented as “file G _j ”, and the full path as identification information for identifying the file G _j is represented as “full path Q _j ” (1 ≦ j ≦ m).

  Specifically, the log management unit 115 searches the log 301 on the log storage unit 114 for entries that satisfy all of the following conditions (25a) to (25c).

(25a) The user name U is included.
(25b) open time is earlier than the writing time _{T i.}
Or (25c) closing time is NULL, or is later than the writing time _{T i.}

The number of entries found as a result of the search is the above “m”. The full path recorded in the found j-th entry is the full path Q _j described above. The file identified by the full path Q _j is the file G _j described above. Each file G _j may be a copy source of the clipboard data D _i .

As described above, the log management unit 115 identifies the files G _{1 to} G _m opened at the writing time T _i on the client 130 by the user having the user name U. Then, the log management unit 115 notifies the extraction unit 118 of the full paths Q _{1 to} Q _m of the identified files G _{1 to} G _m, respectively.

Then, in step S508, the extraction unit 118 refers to the file storage unit 111 and extracts text information for each of the files G _{1 to} G _m . That is, for each j satisfying 1 ≦ j ≦ m, the comparison unit 119 starts from the file G _j stored in the location identified by the notified full path Q _j (specifically, the location in the file storage unit 111). The text information is extracted by the same method as in step S427 in FIG. Hereinafter, the text information extracted from the file G _j is referred to as “text information Y _j ”.

Then, the extraction unit 118 outputs the extracted text information Y _{1 to} Y _m to the comparison unit 119. When m = 0, the extraction unit 118 simply “m = 0” (that is, a file other than the file F opened on the client 130 at the write time T _i by the user having the user name U). The file does not exist) ”to the comparison unit 119.

For example, when the clipboard data D _i is the clipboard data D3 in FIG. 1, the writing time T _i is the time T5 in FIG. The files other than the file 1 opened at time T5 are only the files 3 and 4. Therefore, in this case, m = 2.

  In this case, clipboard data D3 may have been copied from file 3 or 4. Therefore, in order to examine the possibility, in step S508, the extraction unit 118 extracts text information from the files 3 and 4, and outputs the extracted text information to the comparison unit 119.

In step S509, the comparison unit 119 initializes the index variable j to 1.
Then, in the next step S510, the comparison unit 119 determines whether or not j ≦ m holds. If j ≦ m holds, the comparison process proceeds to step S511 in order to examine the possibility that “the clipboard data D _i has been copied and pasted from the file G _j to the file F”. Conversely, if j ≦ m does not hold, m = 0, or all _m files G _{1 to} G _m have already been studied. Therefore, if j ≦ m does not hold, the comparison process ends.

In step S511, the comparison unit 119 performs a complete match search on the text information Y _j obtained from the file G _j using the clipboard data D _i as a search term.

In the next step S512, the comparison unit 119 determines whether or not a search term (ie, clipboard data D _i ) has been found in the text information Y _j .

When the search term is found in the text information Y _j , it is estimated that “the data in the file G _j (that is, the clipboard data D _i ) has been reused in the file F”. Therefore, in order to associate the search file F and file G _j, comparing the process proceeds to step S513.

On the other hand, if the search term is not found in the text information Y _j , it is estimated that “there is no relationship between the search file F and the file G _j due to data reuse”. Therefore, the comparison process proceeds to step S515.

In step S513, the comparison unit 119 notifies the link generation unit 120 of the full path P of the file F, the full path Q _j of the file G _j , and the clipboard data D _i . Note that when the extraction unit 118 outputs the text information extracted from the file to the comparison unit 119, the extraction unit 118 also notifies the comparison unit 119 of the full path of the file. Thus, comparing unit 119 recognizes the full path P and the full path _{Q j.}

In step S 514, the link generation unit 120 adds a new entry to the link table 303 on the link storage unit 121. Specifically, the new entry is an entry that associates the full path P of the file F, the full path Q _j of the file G _j , and the clipboard data D _i . By adding this new entry, the file F and the file _Gj are associated with each other. That is, the new entry to be added is a specific example of the association information described with reference to FIG.

Note that in some embodiments, a field for storing was considered to be "similar to the clipboard data D _i" as a result of fuzzy search data, may be further linked table 303.

  Subsequently, in step S515, the comparison unit 119 increments the index variable j by 1. Then, the comparison process returns to step S510.

  According to the first embodiment described above, files are associated with each other when there is a high probability that “data is actually reused between files via the clipboard 135”. Therefore, the reliability of the association information (specifically, the link table 303 stored in the link storage unit 121) is high.

  Further, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to associate files between different applications. More specifically, it is possible to detect the relationship between files based on the reuse of data without requiring the user to use a specific application or prohibiting the use of another application. In other words, according to the first embodiment, highly reliable association information can be obtained without sacrificing user convenience.

  In addition, being able to associate files between different applications means that there are few detection omissions. Therefore, in the related file search as shown in steps S6 to S8 in FIG. 4, a high recall is obtained.

  Next, a second embodiment in which a stand-alone system is used will be described. FIG. 16 is a system configuration diagram of the second embodiment.

  A computer 400 in FIG. 16 includes a file storage unit 401 similar to the file storage unit 111 in FIG. The file storage unit 401 stores a plurality of files managed by the computer 400.

  FIG. 16 illustrates the case where two applications 402 and 403 operate on the computer 400, but the number of applications that operate on the computer 400 is arbitrary.

  The computer 400 further has a clipboard 404 similar to the clipboard 135 of FIG. The clipboard 404 may be rewritten by the application 402 or 403.

  The computer 400 also includes a log storage unit 405 and a log management unit 406 similar to the log storage unit 114 and the log management unit 115 of FIG. In addition, although each entry of the log of 1st Embodiment shown in FIG. 5 contains a user name, a user name is omissible in the log which the log memory | storage part 405 of FIG. 16 memorize | stores.

  The computer 400 also includes a monitoring unit 407 and a clipboard data storage unit 408 similar to the monitoring unit 136 and the clipboard data storage unit 138 of FIG.

  Further, in FIG. 2, the computer 400 has a clock 409 in the same manner as the server 110 and the client 130 each have a clock in FIG. 16. The clock 409 can be referred to from either the log management unit 406 or the monitoring unit 407.

  The computer 400 further includes a first extraction unit 410 similar to the extraction unit 118 of the server 110 in FIG. 2 and a second extraction unit 411 similar to the extraction unit 139 of the client 130. The computer 400 includes a comparison unit 412, a link generation unit 413, and a link storage unit 414 similar to the comparison unit 119, the link generation unit 120, and the link storage unit 121 in FIG.

  According to the computer 400 as described above, for example, an acquisition unit that acquires clipboard data and time information may be realized by the second extraction unit 411. The log management unit 406 may be configured to specify a file opened at the time indicated by the time information. Then, an association unit for associating files may be realized by the first extraction unit 410, the comparison unit 412, and the link generation unit 413.

  Incidentally, in the first embodiment, file operations from the applications 133 and 134 are all performed via the file transmission / reception unit 132, the communication control unit 131, the network 150, the communication control unit 112, and the file transmission / reception unit 113. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, file operations from the applications 402 and 403 are not accompanied by network communication. Both the applications 402 and 403 can perform the following file operations (26a) to (26f) by calling an appropriate API function (specifically, an API function related to a file system provided by the OS), for example. .

(26a) An operation of opening an existing file in the file storage unit 401.
(26b) An operation to re-save an existing file currently open on the application in the file storage unit 401 while being opened.
(26c) An operation of newly saving a file newly created by the application in the file storage unit 401.
(26d) An operation of closing the currently open file stored in the file storage unit 401.
(26e) An operation of re-saving and closing an existing file currently opened on the application in the file storage unit 401.
(26f) An operation of newly saving a file newly created on the application but not yet saved in the file storage unit 401 to the file storage unit 401 and closing it.

  For example, the file operation (26a) may be realized by calling an API function corresponding to an open request. Similarly, both the file operations (26b) and (26c) may be realized by calling an API function corresponding to a save request.

  Further, the file operation (26d) may be realized by calling an API function corresponding to a close request. The file operations (26e) and (26f) may be realized by calling an API function corresponding to a save / close request.

  Therefore, the log management unit 406 according to the second embodiment monitors the API function calls as described above from the applications 402 and 403, respectively. For example, the log management unit 406 may hook an API function call. When the log management unit 406 detects a call to the API function, the log management unit 406 performs appropriate processing according to the type of the detected API function (for example, steps S113 in FIG. 8, steps S404 in FIG. 11, steps S409 to S426, etc.). Run.

  In the second embodiment, the log management unit 406 directly designates the start time S and the end time E to the second extraction unit 411, and the second extraction unit 411 directly notifies the comparison unit 412 of the clipboard data and the writing time. . Therefore, the network communication in the first embodiment (specifically, the communication via the clipboard data receiving unit 117, the communication control unit 112, the network 150, the communication control unit 131, and the clipboard data transmission unit 140) is the second embodiment. Then it is unnecessary.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, network communication is unnecessary and management for each user name is also unnecessary. However, other points are similar to the first embodiment. Therefore, description of further details of the operation of each component in the computer 400 is omitted.

  Incidentally, the computer 400 of FIG. 16 may be, for example, the computer 200 of FIG. In this case, each component in the computer 400 may be realized by the following hardware, for example.

  The file storage unit 401 may be the storage device 207. Applications 402 and 403 are examples of programs executed by the CPU 201. The clipboard 404 may be realized by the RAM 203.

  The log storage unit 405 may be realized by the RAM 203, the storage device 207, or both. Both the log management unit 406 and the monitoring unit 407 may be realized by the CPU 201 that executes a program.

  The clipboard data storage unit 408 may be realized by the RAM 203. The clock 409 may be realized by a hardware timer in the CPU 201.

  Each of the first extraction unit 410, the second extraction unit 411, the comparison unit 412, and the link generation unit 413 may be realized by the CPU 201 that executes a program. The link storage unit 414 may be realized by the storage device 207.

  By the way, the first and second embodiments described above have several advantages over other technologies. These advantages will be described below.

  For example, a user may want to know other files associated with a particular file. In this case, the user may search for another file related to the specific file by executing a full text search by specifying a character string included in the specific file as a search term.

  However, depending on the selection of search terms, a full-text search may find a large number of files that are actually irrelevant. On the other hand, it is possible that the relevant files are actually not found well. In other words, there is a limit to the detection of related files by full text search.

  Further, as one of comparative examples, a technique of performing morphological analysis on text information in a file and associating files based on the result of morphological analysis can be considered. For example, a method of calculating similarity using feature vectors in which morphemes are arranged in order of appearance or frequency is considered as one of comparative examples. A method of calculating the similarity between files using a certain index (for example, tf (term frequency) and idf (inverse document frequency)) is also considered as one of comparative examples.

  However, when there are a large number of files, it is difficult to accurately detect other files related to a specific file only by paying attention only to the appearance frequency of morphemes. In fact, often unrelated files are detected. Further, when a large number of files exist, performing a morphological analysis on each file has a large processing load.

  Therefore, it is difficult to accurately detect the relationship between files based only on the contents of the files themselves. Therefore, a method for improving the accuracy of detecting the relationship between files based on the user's behavior can be considered.

  For example, on the assumption that the user uses a specific application, a method of detecting the relevance only between documents of the specific application is considered as one of comparative examples. However, such a method has a drawback of “lack of versatility”.

  For example, a user may use a specific application (specifically, a client application or a Web application). In this case, when the specific application detects the behavior of the user on the specific application, the relevance between documents managed by the specific application can be detected.

  For example, the order in which the user browses the document on the specific application, a history of which link between the documents the user has followed on the specific application, and the like may be detected. In addition, the user may search for a document from a search menu provided by the specific application, and copy and paste some data from the found document to create a new document for the specific application. obtain. The particular application may detect such a series of user behaviors.

  However, many users often reuse data not only between files of a specific application but also between files of different applications. Therefore, the relationship between files cannot be detected sufficiently if the specific application only detects the behavior of the user on the specific application. That is, the method of detecting only the relevance between files based on the reuse of data between files of a specific application cannot realize the association between arbitrary files requested by the user.

  It is also unrealistic to “force the user to use only a specific application for the purpose of detecting the relationship between files handled by the user”.

  Many users have already created various types of files using various applications. Moving an existing environment for viewing and editing existing files in these various formats to a new environment (that is, an environment that uses only a specific application) will be very inconvenient for the user. Is unrealistic.

  Therefore, it is desirable to detect the relationship between files without depending on a specific application.

  For example, in the reuse of data between two files, in many cases both files are open at some point in time. Therefore, as one of comparative examples, a method of simply associating files opened simultaneously on the client by the user can be considered. With this method, files of different applications can be associated with each other.

  However, the user often happens to simultaneously open a plurality of unrelated files. Therefore, it is difficult to expect an accurate and appropriate association by simply associating files opened simultaneously.

  However, the first and second embodiments have a number of advantages over other techniques as exemplified above.

  For example, according to the first and second embodiments, two files are not related if they just happen to contain the same morpheme. According to the first and second embodiments, two files are associated with each other when there is a high probability that data is actually reused by copying and pasting between the two files.

  Therefore, the relevance accuracy detected and recorded in the first and second embodiments is relatively high. Even when a large number of files exist, the link table 303 is stored in the link storage unit 121 by detecting the relationship between the files with a much lower load than when performing morphological analysis on a large number of files. Is possible.

  Moreover, according to the first and second embodiments, the user is not inconvenienced. The systems of the first and second embodiments are also highly versatile. In other words, in the first and second embodiments, the reuse of data via the clipboard provided by the OS is monitored, so the application that can be used by the user is not limited to one specific application. Therefore, the user can continue to use the familiar environment.

  In addition, according to the first and second embodiments, the possibility that files that have been opened at the same time may be associated with each other can be ignored. In other words, not only the time period when the file is opened, but also the files are associated with each other after taking into account the identity (or similarity) between the text information in the file and the clipboard data. high.

  Some recent OSs may not provide an API for detecting “which file is currently open” from a third-party application in order to improve security. Here, the “third party application” is an application different from the application that opens the file. That is, depending on the OS of the client 130, an API for detecting a file that is opened by the application 133 or 134 by a third party application on the client 130 may not be provided.

  However, according to the first embodiment, the log 301 is created by the log management unit 115 by using the notification from the file transmission / reception unit 113 that operates the file in response to the file operation request. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, even when the OS as described above is used in the client 130, the files can be associated with each other.

  Moreover, since the system 100 of the first embodiment is a client-server system, there may be a plurality of users. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to detect and store the relationship between files created by different users.

  For example, read access to a file created by the first user may be permitted to the second user. In this case, the second user can reuse the data by copying and pasting the data from the file created by the first user to the file created by the second user. Good. The relevance between files due to such data reuse is also detected by the server 110 according to the processing shown in FIGS. 8 to 15, and the detection result is stored in the link table 303.

  For example, the third user may be interested in a file that has been edited by reusing data as described above by the second user. In this case, the third user issues a search request in step S6 of FIG. 4 from the client 130 of the third user, so that the source of the data in the file that the third user is interested in (that is, the first user). The above-mentioned file created by the user can be known. As described above, the function of identifying the information source across a plurality of users is one of the advantages of the first embodiment.

  Of course, according to the first embodiment, a certain user can search for another file related to a certain file from a plurality of files created by himself / herself and find out the related file. .

  By the way, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Although some modifications have been described in the above description, the above embodiment can be further modified variously from the following viewpoints, for example. The above and following modifications can be arbitrarily combined as long as they do not contradict each other.

  In the above description, the case where the clipboard data is text data has been described in detail. However, the clipboard data may be text data, image data, or vector object data. Therefore, in some embodiments, the server 110 (or the computer 400) not only associates files based on reuse of text data, but also associates files based on reuse of image data or vector object data. May be.

  In an embodiment in which the server 110 further associates files based on reuse of image data or vector object data, the extraction unit 118 also extracts image data or vector object data from the file. Similarly, the first extraction unit 410 of the computer 400 may extract image data or vector object data from a file according to the embodiment. Then, the comparison unit 119 (or the comparison unit 412) may compare image data or may compare vector object data.

  For example, the comparison unit 119 (or the comparison unit 412) may compare the bitmap image data by comparing individual pixel values. Of course, the comparison unit 119 (or the comparison unit 412) may compare image data using an appropriate technique for similarity search between images used in the image search field.

  Although specific flowcharts are illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 15, the order of steps may be appropriately changed as long as no contradiction occurs. Moreover, the steps interchangeable with each other may be executed in parallel.

  By the way, in the said embodiment, the mode of the server 110 (or computer 400) is selectable. However, the mode of the server 110 (or the computer 400) may be fixedly set to one of the separation mode and the collective mode.

  Further, as described above, the comparison processing of FIGS. 14 to 15 is an example in which the conditions (4a) and (4b) are used as conditions for associating files with each other.

However, depending on the embodiment, the conditions (3a) and (3b) may be used. That is, steps S501 and S503 may be omitted (in other words, the exact match search in step S502 may be performed regardless of the character string length L _i of the clipboard data D _i ).

Further, depending on the embodiment, the conditions (5a) and (5b) may be used. That is, the comparison unit 119 (or the comparison unit 412) may operate as follows instead of performing a complete match search regardless of the character string length L _i of the clipboard data D _i as in step S511. That is, the comparison unit 119 (or the comparison unit 412) may perform a complete match search when L _i <L, and may perform an ambiguous search when L _i ≧ L.

Further, when the conditions (4a) and (4b) are used (or when the conditions (5a) and (5b) are used), the comparison unit 119 (or the comparison unit 412) does not depend on the character string length L _i. An ambiguous search may be performed.

  As is clear from steps S410 to S412 of FIG. 11, in the first embodiment, when a file F is newly created, when the file F is first saved in the file storage unit 111, The opening time is estimated and recorded. However, depending on the embodiment, when the file F is closed by a save / close request or a close request, a time that is a predetermined time before the current time may be estimated as the open time. In this case, the “predetermined time” may be longer than the predetermined time in step S412 of FIG.

  In addition, specific implementations of various file operation requests exemplified with respect to the above-described embodiment may vary depending on the embodiment. For example, in some embodiments, the save / close request may not be used. That is, an embodiment in which a combination of a save request and a close request is used instead of the save / close request is possible.

Finally, the following additional notes are disclosed regarding the various embodiments described above.
(Appendix 1)
To a file management computer that manages multiple files,
Clipboard data that is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of a period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed, and a time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard Get the time information shown,
Among the plurality of files, the second file opened at the time indicated by the time information is specified,
The first file includes the clipboard data, or includes first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data, and the second file Including the clipboard data or associating the second file with the first file if the clipboard data includes the second similar data that establishes the predetermined relationship with the clipboard data. Association program that executes association processing.
(Appendix 2)
The process of acquiring the clipboard data and the time information is as follows:
A first request to save and close the first file, or
The association program according to appendix 1, wherein the association program is executed in response to a second request for saving the first file in an open state.
(Appendix 3)
The first file is an existing file;
The acquired clipboard data is data stored in the clipboard during at least a part of the period from when the first file is opened to when the first request or the second request is received. The association program according to appendix 2, which is characterized in that it exists.
(Appendix 4)
The first file is a newly created file;
The acquired clipboard data is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of a past period within a predetermined time from receipt of the first request or the second request. The association program according to attachment 2.
(Appendix 5)
When the second request is issued again after the second request is issued one or more times, the clipboard data to be acquired is the latest from the receipt of the second request from the latest. The association program according to any one of appendices 2 to 4, wherein the association program is data stored in the clipboard during at least a part of a period until receipt of the second request.
(Appendix 6)
If the first request is issued after the second request has been issued at least once, the acquired clipboard data is received from the most recent receipt of the second request. The association program according to any one of appendices 2 to 5, wherein the association program is data stored in the clipboard during at least a part of the period up to.
(Appendix 7)
The process of associating the first file with the second file is as follows:
At least one of the clipboard data, the first similar data, and the second similar data;
First identification information for identifying the first file;
The association program according to any one of appendices 1 to 6, further comprising storing association information including second identification information for identifying the second file in a storage device.
(Appendix 8)
Accepts an input asking for a file related to the first file;
The association program according to appendix 7, wherein the association process further includes searching the storage device in response to the input and outputting at least the second identification information of the association information.
(Appendix 9)
The file management computer is connected to an editing computer via a network,
The first file is a file to which write access is permitted by a user of the editing computer;
The clipboard is a clipboard of the editing computer;
The editing computer monitors and records the clipboard update;
The process of specifying the second file is performed by the editing computer at the time indicated by the time information from at least some of the plurality of files that are allowed to be read and accessed by the user. A process of identifying the file that has been stored as the second file,
The association program according to any one of appendices 1 to 8, wherein the association process includes requesting the clipboard data and the time information from the editing computer.
(Appendix 10)
The clipboard is a clipboard of the file management computer;
The association process monitors the update of the clipboard and stores a set of the new data and write time information indicating the time when the new data was written to the clipboard each time new data is written to the clipboard. Including storing in the device,
The association program according to any one of appendices 1 to 8, wherein the process of acquiring the clipboard data and the time information includes reading the clipboard data and the time information from the storage device.
(Appendix 11)
The association program according to any one of appendices 1 to 10, wherein the clipboard data is text data, image data, or vector object data.
(Appendix 12)
A computer that manages multiple files
Clipboard data that is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of a period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed, and a time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard Get the time information shown,
Among the plurality of files, the second file opened at the time indicated by the time information is specified,
The first file includes the clipboard data, or includes first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data, and the second file Includes the clipboard data or includes the second similar data in which the predetermined relationship is established with the clipboard data, the first file and the second file are associated with each other. Association method.
(Appendix 13)
Indicates clipboard data that is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of the period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed, and the time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard Acquisition means for acquiring time information;
Among the plurality of files, specifying means for specifying a second file opened at the time indicated by the time information;
The first file includes the clipboard data, or includes first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data, and the second file Including the clipboard data or the second similar data that establishes the predetermined relationship with the clipboard data, the association means for associating the first file with the second file An information processing apparatus comprising:

D1 to D5 Clipboard data T1 to T8 Time 1 to 5 File 6, 135, 404 Clipboard 100 System 110 Server 111, 401 File storage unit 112, 131 Communication control unit 113, 132 File transmission / reception unit 114, 405 Log storage unit 115, 406 Log management unit 116, 137, 409 Clock 117 Clipboard data reception unit 118, 139 Extraction unit 119, 412 Comparison unit 120, 413 Link generation unit 121, 414 Link storage unit 130 Client 133, 134, 402, 403 Application 136, 407 Monitoring Unit 138, 408 Clipboard data storage unit 140 Clipboard data transmission unit 150, 220 Network 200, 240, 260, 400 Computer 201, 241 CPU
202, 242 ROM
203, 243 RAM
204, 244 Communication interface 205, 245 Input device 206, 246 Output device 207, 247 Storage device 208, 248 Drive device 209, 249 Bus 210, 250 Storage medium 230 Program provider 301 Log 302 Clipboard data table 303 Link table 410 1 extraction unit 411 second extraction unit

Claims (8)

To a file management computer that manages multiple files,
Clipboard data that is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of a period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed, and a time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard Get the time information shown,
Among the plurality of files, the second file opened at the time indicated by the time information is specified,
The first file includes the clipboard data, or includes first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data, and the second file Including the clipboard data or associating the second file with the first file if the clipboard data includes the second similar data that establishes the predetermined relationship with the clipboard data. Association program that executes association processing. The process of acquiring the clipboard data and the time information is as follows:
A first request to save and close the first file, or
The association program according to claim 1, wherein the association program is executed in response to a second request for saving the first file in an open state. The first file is an existing file;
The acquired clipboard data is data stored in the clipboard during at least a part of the period from when the first file is opened to when the first request or the second request is received. The association program according to claim 2, wherein: The first file is a newly created file;
The acquired clipboard data is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of a past period within a predetermined time from receipt of the first request or the second request. The association program according to claim 2. When the second request is issued again after the second request is issued one or more times, the clipboard data to be acquired is the latest from the receipt of the second request from the latest. The association program according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the association program is data stored in the clipboard during at least a part of a period until receipt of the second request. If the first request is issued after the second request has been issued at least once, the acquired clipboard data is received from the most recent receipt of the second request. The association program according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the association program is data stored in the clipboard during at least a part of the period up to. A computer that manages multiple files
Clipboard data that is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of a period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed, and a time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard Get the time information shown,
Among the plurality of files, the second file opened at the time indicated by the time information is specified,
The first file includes the clipboard data, or includes first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data, and the second file Includes the clipboard data or includes the second similar data in which the predetermined relationship is established with the clipboard data, the first file and the second file are associated with each other. Association method. Indicates clipboard data that is data stored in the clipboard in at least a part of the period before the first file of the plurality of files is closed, and the time when the clipboard data is written to the clipboard Acquisition means for acquiring time information;
Among the plurality of files, specifying means for specifying a second file opened at the time indicated by the time information;
The first file includes the clipboard data, or includes first similar data in which a predetermined relationship regarding the similarity between data is established with the clipboard data, and the second file Including the clipboard data or the second similar data that establishes the predetermined relationship with the clipboard data, the association means for associating the first file with the second file An information processing apparatus comprising:

Images