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US 11,386,394 B2Granted
Method and system for shared document approval
AssigneeWorkshare, Ltd.
InventorJohn Safa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention discloses a novel system and method for displaying electronic documents that are subject to approval by multiple parties. The invention presents approval by person as a separate indication on the original document. The system automatically reviews the document to determine its type and then using the type, looks up the recipient list that is associated with that type of document. The document is then transmitted to those recipients for approval.
Claims20
A computer system for automatically executing an approval of an electronic document by one or more personnel comprising:
- a video display;
- a module configured by logic to receive the electronic document and one or more recipients for the document from an originator of the document;
- a module configured by logic to determine that the received document is a type of document that is one of a plurality of document types that require an approval, and to receive from a data storage device data representing a recipient list corresponding to the received document type by using the determined document type, said recipient list comprised of a predetermined combination of members assigned based on the document type;
- a module configured by logic to provide the originator of the document with one or more additional recipients, based on the recipient list, who are not included in the one or more recipients for the document from the originator;
- a module configured by logic to modify the recipient list based on current statuses of the members, to add to the recipient list selected recipients from the one or more additional recipients, and to block the one or more recipients for the document who are not on the recipient list;
- a module configured by logic to transmit said document to devices associated with the members of the recipient list;
- and
- a module configured by logic to receive from at least one of said member devices a data message representing an approval, said message comprised of data representing the identity of the approving member and the identity of the transmitted document.
5 more elements
A computer system comprised of a processor, memory and a database for automatically approving an electronic document comprising:
- a module adapted by logic to receive from an originator's computer the electronic document and one or more recipient computers for the document from an originator of the document;
- a module configured by logic to determine that the received document is a type of document that is one of a plurality of document types that require an approval, and to receive from a data storage device, a data representing a recipient list corresponding to the received document type by using the determined document type, the recipient list comprised of a predetermined combination of recipient computers assigned based on the document type;
- a module configured by logic to provide the originator of the document with one or more additional recipient computers, based on the recipient list, that are not included in the one or more recipients for the document from the originator;
- a module configured by logic to modify the recipient list based on current statuses of recipients associated with the recipient computers and to add to the recipient list selected recipient computers from the one or more additional recipient computers;
- a module adapted by logic to transmit the received electronic document to at least one network addresses associated with at least one corresponding recipient computers on the corresponding recipient list;
- a module adapted by logic to receive a data message from a recipient computer where, the message is comprised of data encoding either an Approve or a Reject logic value, said data message further comprised of data indicating the identity of the determined document, the identity of the recipient and the selection of Approve or Reject;
- a module adapted by logic to update a data record in the database associated with the determined document with information representing that the recipient has accepted or rejected the document;
- and
- a module adapted by logic to determine that all members of the recipient list have approved the document and to transmit a data message to a destination address indicating that the document has been approved.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.