Method and system for document management considering location, time and social context

• US 10,564,794 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2015
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Willamowski, Jutta K., Mazzega, Matthieu, Hoppenot, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Ashish
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahmood, Rezwanul
• Application Number:
  US14/854,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20170075945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for digital document management. A physical context can be identified, wherein such a physical context includes three dimensions of data. One or more digital documents can be automatically linked to the physical context, after identifying the physical context. Constraints can then be combined, which are derived from the three dimensions of data, allow particular actions with respect to the digital document(s). The three dimensions of data include, for example, data indicative of location, time, and a social component (e.g., people present at a location). Actions with respect to the digital document can include, for example: an allowed action, a restricted action, or a prohibited action (e.g., read/write).

Claims

1. A method for digital document management, said method comprising:

continuously pairing an electronic device with a user, the pairing achieved with a wearable eBeacon carried by the user and a physiological recognition of the user with the electronic device;

continuously sensing a physical context with respect to the electronic device accessing at least one digital document, the physical context comprising identification of at least one surrounding object, the distance to the at least one surrounding object, the current universal time, identification of other electronic devices, and identification of users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices;

advertising additional digital documents and actions on the electronic device according to the at least one surrounding object and who is logged on the identified other electronic devices;

automatically linking said at least one digital document to said physical context after said sensing said physical context;

combining constraints on said physical context to allow actions with respect to said at least one digital document;

continuously anticipating changes to the physical context;

filtering out content associated with said at least one digital document and processes associated with said at least one digital document according to said combined constraints on said physical context such that only relevant content and relevant processes remain for said physical context; and

providing a user interface, in response to a user input by the user, that displays said physical context, the anticipated changes to the physical context, and said constraints in a graphically displayed context dimension representation map that allows a user to identify and search for relevant content and relevant processes based on a current context of said user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said actions include navigating, verifying, and validating said at least one digital document and a process from which said at least one digital document depends.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining an optimal sequence for collaboration of the identification of users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices using a list of available users, selected from the identified users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices, an actual calendar associated with the identified users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices, and a role associated with the identified users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices; and

fulfilling missing context dimensions said missing context dimensions comprising spatial data, temporal data, and social activities with respect to said physical context utilizing a planning component displayed in said user interface.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said planning component enables dispatching the identified of users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices over an area containing multiple work documents including said at least one digital document according to the optimal sequence for collaboration.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising graphically displaying a dashboard interface which is accessible to visualize data based on document-action context with respect to said at least one digital document and wherein said user interface comprise an AR (Augmented Reality) user interface comprising said dashboard interface and wherein said data is visualized in said dashboard interface as AR data.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said physical context comprises three dimensions of data indicative of:

spatial data comprising a geographical map, temporal data represented with a graphically displayed slider, and social activities.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said social activities include data indicative of people present at a location and wherein said temporal data includes a plurality of time stamps associated with said electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said actions with respect to said at least one digital document include:

an allowed action, a restricted action, and a prohibited action and wherein extra time is provided for an allowed action that becomes a restricted action based on a change in said physical context.

9. A system for digital document management, said system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer-usable medium capable of communicating with said at least one processor, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said at least one processor and configured for;

continuously pairing an electronic device with a user, the pairing achieved with a wearable eBeacon carried by the user and a physiological recognition of the user with the electronic device;

continuously sensing a physical context with respect to the electronic device accessing at least one digital document, the physical context comprising identification of at least one surrounding object, the distance to the at least one surrounding object, the current universal time, identification of other electronic devices, and identification of users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices;

advertising additional digital documents and actions on the electronic device according to the at least one surrounding object and who is logged on the identified other electronic devices;

automatically linking said at least one digital document to said physical context after said sensing said physical context;

combining constraints on said physical context to allow actions with respect to said at least one digital document;

continuously anticipating changes to the physical context;

filtering out content associated with said at least one digital document and processes associated with said at least one digital document according to said combined constraints on said physical context such that only relevant content and relevant processes remain for said physical context; and

providing a user interface, in response to a user input by the user, that displays said physical context, the anticipated changes to the physical context, and said constraints in a graphically displayed context dimension representation map that allows a user to identify and search for electronic documents accessible based on a current context of said user.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said actions include navigating, verifying, and validating said at least one digital document and a process from which said at least one digital document depends.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for fulfilling missing context dimensions said dimensions comprising spatial data, temporal data, and social activities with respect to said physical context utilizing a planning component displayed in said user interface.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said planning component enables dispatching the identified of users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices over an area containing multiple work documents including said at least one digital document according to the optimal sequence for collaboration.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for graphically displaying a dashboard interface which is accessible to visualize data based on document-action context with respect to said at least one digital document and wherein said user interface comprise an AR (Augmented Reality) user interface comprising said dashboard interface and wherein said data is visualized in said dashboard interface as AR data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said physical context comprises three dimensions of data indicative of:

spatial data comprising a geographical map, temporal data represented with a graphically displayed slider, and social activities.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said actions with respect to said at least one digital document include:

an allowed action, a restricted action, and a prohibited action and wherein extra time is provided for an allowed action that becomes a restricted action based on a change in said physical context.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for digital document management, that when executed by a client device, cause said client device to perform functions comprising:

continuously pairing an electronic device with a user, the pairing achieved with a wearable eBeacon carried by the user and a physiological recognition of the user with the electronic device;

continuously sensing a physical context with respect to the electronic device accessing at least one digital document, the physical context comprising identification of at least one surrounding object, the distance to the at least one surrounding object, the current universal time, identification of other electronic devices, and identification of users who are logged on to the identified other electronic devices;

advertising additional digital documents and actions on the electronic device according to the at least one surrounding object and who is logged on the identified other electronic devices;

automatically linking said at least one digital document to said physical context after said sensing said physical context;

combining constraints on said physical context to allow actions with respect to said at least one digital document;

continuously anticipating changes to the physical context;

filtering out content associated with said at least one digital document and processes associated with said at least one digital document according to said combined constraints on said physical context such that only relevant content and relevant processes remain for said physical context; and

providing a user interface, in response to a user input by the user, that displays said physical context, the anticipated changes to the physical context, and said constraints in a graphically displayed context dimension representation map that allows a user to identify and search for electronic documents accessible based on a current context of said user.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said physical context comprises three dimensions of data indicative of:

spatial data comprising a geographical map, temporal data represented with a graphically displayed slider, and social activities.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said social activities include data indicative of people present at a location and wherein said temporal data includes a plurality of time stamps associated with said electronic device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said actions with respect to said at least one digital document include:

an allowed action, a restricted action, and a prohibited action and wherein extra time is provided for an allowed action that becomes a restricted action based on a change in said physical context.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein:

said actions include navigating, verifying, and validating said at least one digital document and a process from which said at least one digital document depends; and

said functions further include;

fulfilling missing context dimensions said missing context dimensions comprising spatial data, temporal data, and social activities with respect to said physical context utilizing a planning component displayed in said user interface; and

graphically displaying a dashboard interface which is accessible to visualize data based on document-action context with respect to said at least one digital document and wherein said user interface comprise an AR (Augmented Reality) user interface comprising said dashboard interface and wherein said data is visualized in said dashboard interface as AR data.