Methods and systems for monitoring documents exchanged over email applications
First Claim
1. A method executed by a computer system for monitoring changes in a document exchanged over email, the system comprised of a data storage module further comprised of a first document file, the method comprising:
- prior to transmitting an outgoing email, identifying the presence of a first document file as an attachment to the outgoing email;
upon identifying the presence of the first document file attachment, attaching a first tag data uniquely identifying the first document file prior to the transmitting of the outgoing email;
transmitting from the computer system an outgoing email message comprised of the first document file attached to the outgoing email message and the first tag data uniquely identifying the first document file;
storing the first tag in a database record that references the first document, said database record accessible by the transmitting computer system;
receiving at the computer system an incoming email message comprised of a second document file attached to the incoming email message and a second tag data uniquely identifying the second document file;
executing a query on the database in order to select the first document file by determining using computer logic that the second tag data and the first tag data identify two versions of the same document;
extracting text data from the first document file and the second document file and using the extracted text data to compare the first document file and the second document file in order to identify at least one changes made to contents of the first document file in relation to the second document file; and
using the results of the compare step to compute a difference value between contents of the first file and the second file.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for monitoring and detecting changes in files attached to incoming emails. In one embodiment, if files are attached to an outgoing email, the change service uniquely tags each of the attached files and optionally stores local or remote copies of the tagged files. Additionally, in embodiments, the change service monitors and intercepts incoming emails. If files are attached to an incoming email, the change service identifies whether the files are tagged in a manner unique to the compare service. The change service then matches uniquely tagged files in the incoming email to corresponding files previously tagged by the change service. The change service then compares the two documents and generates reports that identify changes in the received document in relation to the transmitted document. Further, in embodiments, the change service provides visual indicators of the changes within the email application.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method executed by a computer system for monitoring changes in a document exchanged over email, the system comprised of a data storage module further comprised of a first document file, the method comprising:
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prior to transmitting an outgoing email, identifying the presence of a first document file as an attachment to the outgoing email; upon identifying the presence of the first document file attachment, attaching a first tag data uniquely identifying the first document file prior to the transmitting of the outgoing email; transmitting from the computer system an outgoing email message comprised of the first document file attached to the outgoing email message and the first tag data uniquely identifying the first document file; storing the first tag in a database record that references the first document, said database record accessible by the transmitting computer system; receiving at the computer system an incoming email message comprised of a second document file attached to the incoming email message and a second tag data uniquely identifying the second document file; executing a query on the database in order to select the first document file by determining using computer logic that the second tag data and the first tag data identify two versions of the same document; extracting text data from the first document file and the second document file and using the extracted text data to compare the first document file and the second document file in order to identify at least one changes made to contents of the first document file in relation to the second document file; and using the results of the compare step to compute a difference value between contents of the first file and the second file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method performed by a computer system for monitoring attachments to email messages, the method comprising:
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prior to transmitting an outgoing email, identifying the presence of a first document file as an attachment to the outgoing email; upon identifying the presence of the first document file attachment, attaching a first tag data uniquely identifying the first document file prior to the transmitting of the outgoing email; detecting a second file attached to an incoming second email that is received by the email program said second file further comprised of a second tag data uniquely identifying the second file; determining whether the second tag extracted from the second email and the first tag associated with the first file correspond to different versions of the same document; upon determining that the second tag and the first tag correspond to different versions of the same document, extracting text data from the first and second files, comparing using a compare service the extracted data of the first file and the second file to identify one or more changes made to contents of the second file in relation to the first file; based on the comparison of contents of the first file and the second file, computing a difference value between contents of the first file and the second file; and transmitting or displaying the difference value. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprised of at least one central processing unit operatively connected to at least one data storage device, for tracking changes in data files stored on the at least one data storage device, where the data files encode versions of documents transmitted by computers operating at least one email program, the system comprising:
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a tagging module configured to attach, upon detecting a first file attachment being made to an outgoing email message, a corresponding tag data to the detected first file attachment prior to the email application program transmitting the outgoing email message, the tag data being a number uniquely identifying the detected first file attachment; a receiving module configured to receive data representing an incoming email message comprised of a second data file attachment and a second tag data uniquely identifying the second document file attachment; a matching module configured to use the at least one central processing unit logic to; match the second tag data to at least one file identifier data stored in the at least one data storage device representing file identifiers uniquely identifying one or more data files previously transmitted by the system in order to select the first document data file from the one or more previously transmitted data files whose file identifier data identifies a file that is a different version of the same document as the second document file identifier data; and a document comparing module configured to use the at least one central processing unit logic to compare the second document data file and the selected first document data file in order to identify one or more changes made to the contents of the first document data file in relation to the second document data file. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer system for monitoring document files representing versions of a document that are attachments to emails messages, the system comprising:
a processor; a memory configured to store a set of instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the system to perform a method, the method comprised of the steps; prior to transmitting an outgoing email, identifying the presence of a first document file as an attachment to the outgoing email; upon identifying the presence of the first document file attachment, attaching a first tag data uniquely identifying the first document file prior to the transmitting of the outgoing email; transmitting from the computer system the outgoing email message comprised of the first document file attached to the outgoing email message representing a first document that contains a first tag data uniquely identifying the first document; storing the first tag data in a database record that references the first document file, said database record accessible by the computer system; receiving at the computer system as part of an incoming email message a second document file attached to the incoming email message comprised of a second tag data uniquely identifying the second document file; executing a query on the database in order to select the first document file by determining that the second tag data and the first tag data identify the same document; extracting text data from the first document file and the second document file and using the extracted text data to compare the first document file and the second document file in order to identify at least one changes made to contents of the first document file in relation to the second document file; and using the results of the compare step to compute a difference value between contents of the first document file and the second document file. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
Specification