Document collaboration suite using a common database
AssigneeWorkshare Technology, Inc.
InventorsBarrie Alan Hadfield, Robin Wallace Glover, Stephen John Coates, Steve Hopkins
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Abstract
A system and method is provided for document collaboration between a managing author using a document management system (DMS), and one or more contributing authors. The system includes: a common storage area coupled to a plurality of user computer systems via a communications network; manager software stored on a first user computer system, where the manager software exclusively controls change to a document stored in the common storage area; and contributor software stored on a second user computer system, where the contributor software provides a proposed change to a replica of the document stored in the common storage area.
Claims48
A method using a computer system for collaboration on a document stored in a computer readable medium, between a managing author and a contributing author, comprising:
- assigning computer access rights to said document by said managing author, said computer access rights exclusively controlling changes to said document;
- creating a replica of said document using said computer system, when said contributing author accesses said document for editing;
- causing a change to said replica, when said contributing author edits said replica;
- and
- incorporating said change into said document, if said change is accepted by said managing author.
A system for document collaboration between a plurality of user computers linked via a communications network, comprising:
- a common storage area coupled to said plurality of user computers via said communications network;
- manager software stored on a first user computer of said plurality of user computers, said manager software for exclusively controlling change to a document stored in said common storage area;
- and
- contributor software stored on a second user computer of said plurality of user computers, said contributor software providing a proposed change to a replica of said document, said replica stored in said common storage area.
A method for document collaboration using a contributor computer and a manager computer connected together via a network, said method comprising:
- said contributor computer receiving a replica of a document sent by said manager computer, wherein said replica and said document are stored in a common database;
- generating a proposed change by editing said replica;
- and
- displaying by said contributor computer of a portion of said document having said proposed change, after said proposed change is incorporated by said manager computer into said document.
A method for document collaboration using a plurality of contributing computers and a managing computer, said manager computer controlling changes to a document, said method comprising:
- displaying a part of a first replica of said document by a first computer of said plurality of contributing computers;
- and
- concurrently with said displaying said part of said first replica, said first computer displaying a part of a second replica of said document, wherein said second replica comprises a change to said document by a second computer of said plurality of contributing computers.
A system for document collaboration comprising:
- a computer storage area;
- and
- a software application stored in a computer readable medium, executing on a computer connected to said computer storage area, said software application comprising a manager mode for controlling changes to a document stored in said computer storage area and a contributor mode for providing a proposed change to a replica of said document, said replica stored in said computer storage area.
A system for document collaboration between a first contributing computer, a second contributing computer, and a managing computer, comprising:
- a database coupled to said second contributing computer, said database storing a document, a first replica of said document, and a second replica of said document, wherein said first replica comprises an edit from said first contributing computer;
- and
- a display of said second contributing computer comprising a first window comprising said edit and a second window comprising a part of said second replica.
A system for document collaboration between a managing author and a contributing author, comprising:
- an application program stored in a computer readable medium comprising:
- code for creating a replica of an original document for use by said contributing author;
- code for receiving a response, comprising proposed changes to said replica, from said contributing author;
- and
- code for incorporating said proposed changes into said original document, when accepted by said managing author;
- and
- a database, connected to said computer readable medium, for storing said original document, said replica, and said response.
A data structure stored in a computer readable medium for maintaining proposed and accepted changes to an original document in a document collaboration between a managing author and one or more contributing authors, said data structure comprising:
- a document object associated with said original document;
- a revisions collection object associated with said document object, said revisions collection object, comprising one or revision objects, wherein a revision object comprises a revision sent to a contributing author for review;
- and
- a responses collection object associated with said revision object, said responses collection object, comprising one or response objects, wherein a response object comprises a response having proposed changes to said revision from said contributing author.
The data structure of 42 further comprising a collaboration object, wherein said collaboration object comprises said document object.
A method for collaboration between a plurality of contributing authors and a managing author using a common database, comprising:
- said managing author providing a document for review by said plurality of contributing authors;
- a first contributing author of said plurality of contributing authors storing a first proposed change to said document in said common database;
- a second contributing author of said plurality of contributing authors storing a second proposed change to said document in said common database;
- displaying on a display used by said first contributing author said second proposed change;
- and
- displaying on a display used by said second contributing author said first proposed change.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to provide an application with an interface for manipulating objects in a database, said database used for document collaboration, said instructions comprising:
- adding a revision object when a document is added to said document collaboration;
- distributing for review by a contributing author a replica of said document;
- and
- associating a response object with said revision object based on a response received from said contributing author.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.