Method and system for annotating documents using an independent annotation repository
AssigneeITM Associates
InventorIan K. Altman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system for generating workflow messages based on adding annotations to a file repository or database independent of an original document that they annotate. By separately storing the annotations in a searchable annotation repository, original documents can be preserved unchanged while still providing the ability to comment on the original document. By generating workflow messages, a system can track who has reviewed a document, whose proposed changes and/or comments require action by another person, and if everyone has reviewed the documents within the time constraints established.
Claims14
A computer program product, comprising:
- a computer storage medium and a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for causing a computer to separately manage an original document and annotations for the original document, the computer program code mechanism comprising:
- a first computer code device configured to authenticate a first user to a remote database;
- a second computer code device configured to receive an original document stored in a first file repository;
- a third computer code device configured to create, by the first user, at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation for the original document;
- a fourth computer code device configured to overlay the original document and the at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation without changing a contents of the original document;
- and
- a fifth computer code device configured to utilize TCP/IP communications to send the at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation to the remote database and to receive from the remote database at least one annotation from a second user reviewing the original document in parallel with the first user.
A computer-implemented method comprising:
- (a) authenticating a first user to a remote database;
- (b) receiving an original document stored in a first file repository;
- (c) creating, by the first user, at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation for the original document;
- (d) overlaying the original document and the at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation without changing a contents of the original document;
- and
- (e) utilizing TCP/IP communication to send the at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation to the remote database and to receive from the remote database at least one annotation from a second user reviewing the original document in parallel with the first user.
A system for separately managing an original document and annotations for the original document, the system comprising:
- an authentication device configured to authenticate a first user to a remote database;
- a receiver configured to receive an original document stored in a first file repository;
- an input device configured to create, by the first user, at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation for the original document;
- an overlay circuit configured to overlay the original document and the at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation without changing a contents of the original document;
- and
- a transceiver configured to utilize TCP/IP communications to send the at least one of a text annotation and a graphical annotation to the remote database and to receive from the remote database at least one annotation from a second user reviewing the original document in parallel with the first user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.