Method and system for contextually placed chat-like annotations

A system for annotating electronic records based on input of a plurality of users, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• one or more processing units for accessing an annotation engine resident on a web server;
• an interface for receiving input from the plurality of users, the interface in communication with the annotation engine;
• and
• the annotation engine executable by the web server, the annotation engine comprising:
• instructions for accessing an electronic record resident on the web server and displaying the electronic record via the interface;
• instructions for receiving the input from the plurality of users, comprising:
• an indication of a portion of the electronic record corresponding to an annotation input by one of the plurality of users, an indication of a location for a discussion window in the electronic record, and a plurality of successive annotations for insertion into the discussion window, each of the plurality of successive annotations corresponding to the annotation;
• instructions for displaying the discussion window at the location in the electronic record;
• instructions for time-tagging and entering into the discussion window the plurality of successive annotations;
• instructions for updating the discussion window to display the plurality of successive annotations,
• instructions for associating the electronic record with the plurality of successive annotations and storing the plurality of successive annotations with the electronic record on the web server upon receipt of each of the plurality of successive annotations;
• instructions for customizing the discussion window based on a determination made by one of the plurality of users;
• and
• instructions for customizing the discussion window by assigning a color code to the discussion window, wherein the assigning of the color code is based on at least one of:
• a categorization of the discussion window;
• importance of the discussion window;
• and a characteristic of the discussion window.

A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:

• instructions for generating a user interface at a web server for display at a local processing unit;
• instructions for accessing an electronic record resident on the web server;
• instructions for displaying at the user interface the electronic record;
• instructions for receiving an indication of a portion of the electronic record corresponding to an annotation;
• instructions for receiving position information from one of a plurality of users, the position information for displaying a discussion window at a location in the electronic record proximate to the indicated portion;
• instructions for receiving a plurality of annotations input by the plurality of users, each of the plurality of annotations corresponding to the annotation;
• instructions for successively displaying at the discussion window the plurality of annotations, the plurality of annotations time-tagged relative to its time of input by the plurality of users;
• instructions for receiving instructions from at least one of the plurality of users for electronically communicating at least a subset of the plurality of annotations to an identified recipient;
• instructions to display the discussion window in the electronic record;
• instructions for customizing the discussion window based on a determination made by one of the plurality of users;
• instructions for customizing the discussion window by assigning a color code to the discussion window, wherein the assigning of the color code is based on at least one of:
• a categorization of the discussion window;
• importance of the discussion window;
• and a characteristic of the discussion window;
• upon receipt of the instructions for electronically communicating a subset of the plurality of annotations, instructions for launching an email program resident on the web server and sending to the email program a copy of the subset of the plurality of annotations, and
• associating the electronic record with the plurality of annotations and storing the plurality of annotations in the electronic record on the web server upon receipt of each of the plurality of annotations.