# US 2018/0024977 A1 · Simultaneous collaborative review of a document

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- Number: US 2018/0024977 A1
- Document ID: US20180024977A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/720,901
- Filed: 2017-09-29
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2008-03-31
- Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
- Inventors: Tristan A. DAVIS; E, Mark Sunderland; Ethan J. Bernstein
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180024977A1

## CPC

- G06F 40/169: Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
- G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A document is simultaneously opened by different clients for a collaborative review of the document. Each of the clients may make comments to the document at the same while the document is also being edited. Comments made on the document by one client are automatically synchronized with the other clients that are simultaneously accessing the document.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-20. (canceled)

### Claim 21

A method for collaboratively reviewing a document, comprising:
receiving an indication to lock the document while the document is being edited by a first user;
while the document is locked for editing, receiving a comment to the document from a second user;
automatically synchronizing the comment with the document; and
providing the comment within the document to the first user.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the document is accessed by the first user and the second user at the same time.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein while the document is locked for editing by the first user, the second user is unable to edit the document.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein content of the document is divided into one or more sections, and wherein each section is associated with a unique identifier, the method further comprising:
receiving an indication to lock a section of the document.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, further comprising:
determining that the comment was made to the section of the document; and
associating the comment with the section of the document.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein associating the comment with the section of the document comprises associating the comment with a unique identifier corresponding to the section of the document.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The method of claim 24, wherein the one or more sections of the document are identified by at least one of the following delimiters: a word, a line, a paragraph, and a sentence.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the comment is a suggested edit to the document.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the comment is associated with a previous comment, and wherein providing the comment within the document comprises associating the comment with the previous comment.

### Claim 30

A computing system, comprising:
at least one processing unit; and
at least one memory storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processing unit cause the computing system to:
receive an indication to lock the document while the document is being edited by a first user;
receive a comment to the document from a second user, wherein the comment is a suggested edit;
receive an indication to accept the comment by the first user; and
while the document is locked, automatically apply the suggested edit to the document.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The computing system of claim 30, wherein the document is accessed by the first user and the second user at the same time.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The computing system of claim 30, wherein while the document is locked for editing, the second user is unable to edit the document.

### Claim 33 (depends on 30)

The computing system of claim 30, wherein content of the document is divided into one or more sections, and wherein each section is associated with a unique identifier, the method further comprising:
receiving an indication to lock a section of the document.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The computing system of claim 33, further comprising:
determining that the comment was made to the section of the document; and
associating the comment with the section of the document.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The computing system of claim 34, wherein associating the comment with the section of the document comprises associating the comment with a unique identifier corresponding to the section of the document.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The computing system of claim 33, wherein the one or more sections of the document are identified by at least one of the following delimiters: a word, a line, a paragraph, and a sentence.

### Claim 37

A computer storage device storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processing unit cause the processing unit to:
receive an indication to lock the document while the document is being edited by a first user;
receive a comment to the document from a second user, wherein the comment is a suggested edit;
receive an indication to accept the comment by the first user; and
while the document is locked, automatically apply the suggested edit to the document.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The computing storage device of claim 37, wherein the document is accessed by the first user and the second user at the same time.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The computing storage device of claim 37, wherein while the document is locked for editing, the second user is unable to edit the document.

### Claim 40 (depends on 37)

The computing storage device of claim 37, wherein content of the document is divided into one or more sections, and wherein each section is associated with a unique identifier, the method further comprising:
receiving an indication to lock a section of the document.