US 6,493,731 B1 · Document management system for recording and viewing the history of document use

Abstract

A document management system is adapted to operate with a process management system for recording and viewing metadata of a document. The document metadata is used to record resources referenced while the content of the document is developed. The resources are recorded in the document metadata to identify relationships between the resources and the content of the document. The document content includes links that reference the document metadata stored on a remote server. The resources recorded in the document metadata and the content of the document are simultaneously displayed on a user interface of the document management system to provide context for understanding document history. By storing document metadata and document content separately, the metadata of the document remains consistent even when multiple copies of the document are distributed over a network.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A document management system for recording and viewing activity of document use, comprising:

a user interface for receiving commands from an operator of the document management system;
a first memory for recording content of a document developed at said user interface;
a second memory for recording metadata of the document;
the metadata specifying resources referenced while the content of document is developed;
and
a processor for accessing the metadata of the document to identify relationships between the resources specified in the metadata and the content of the document;
the resources identified in the metadata of the document providing context for understanding the document's history of creation, modification, and use;
wherein said processor automatically populates said second memory with metadata that identifies resources referenced while the content of the document recorded in said first memory is developed;
and
wherein said processor simultaneously displays on said user interface the content of the document developed at the user interface and the resources specified in the metadata.

7 more elements

A method for a document management system to record and view activity of document use, comprising:

receiving commands at a user interface of the document management system for developing content of a document;
recording in a first memory of the document management system content of the document developed at the user interface;
recording in a second memory of the document management system metadata of the document;
the metadata of the document specifying resources referenced while the content of document is developed;
automatically populating the second memory with metadata that identifies resources referenced while the content of the document recorded in the first memory is developed;
accessing the metadata of the document to identify relationships between the resources specified in the metadata and the content of the document;
the resources identified in the metadata of the document providing context for understanding the document's history of creation, modification, and use;
and
simultaneously displaying on the user interface the content of the document developed at the user interface and the resources specified in the metadata.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Document management system for recording and viewing the history of document use

Life of this patent

Document management system for recording and viewing the history of document use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20