Ensured workflow system and method for editing a consolidated file

• US 20020116399A1
• Filed: 01/08/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enfocus NV
• Original Assignee: Enfocus NV
• Inventors: Driessche, David van, Camps, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/09 Recognition of logos

Abstract

An ensured workflow system for editing a consolidated file, such as a portable document formatted (PDF) file, which may be in the form of a plug-in application that communicates with a host application through an application program interface. The system comprises means for storing identifying information in association with the consolidated document indicating that the document was edited using the system, and means for storing edit information relating to each editing session. The edit information includes at least a listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, and any comments entered by the user relating to the session. The system may also comprise means for storing native application information identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created and/or means for storing a preflight profile to be used for preflighting the document and means for preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile.

Claims

1. An ensured workflow system for editing a consolidated document in one or more editing sessions in which one or more users edit and save successive versions of the consolidated document, the system comprising:

means for storing identifying information in association with the consolidated document, the identifying information indicating that the document was edited using the ensured workflow system;

means for storing native application information in association with the consolidated document, the native application information identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created;

means for storing preflight information in association with the consolidated document, the preflight information identifying a preflight profile and parameters thereof to be used for preflighting the document;

means for preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile; and

means for storing edit information in association with the consolidated document relating to each editing session, the edit information comprising;

a listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, comment data optionally entered by the user relating to the session, and one or more preflight results, if preflighting has been performed.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for allowing the one or more users to optionally not store the native application information using the corresponding means, optionally not store the preflight information using the corresponding means, optionally not preflight the edited document, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1 comprising means for preflighting and saving the document with a single user command.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the consolidated document comprises a portable document format (PDF) file.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the system comprises a plug-in application for use with a host application that enables viewing and creation of PDF files and that has an application program interface (API) for integrating the functionality of the plug-in application.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises means for detecting edits which were not made by the system.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the means for detecting edits not made by the system comprises a checksum.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the checksum comprises a message digest algorithm selected from a group consisting of MD2, MD4 and MD5.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to display the listing of one or more edits made during the session in an edit log.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for displaying a portion of the edited file in response to the user to selecting a corresponding entry in the edit log.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for displaying a history of editing sessions for the edited file.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for comparing one document version saved after one session with an other document version saved after an other session.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for visually comparing the one version of the document side-by-side with the other version of the document.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for comparing the one version of the document with the other version of the document using an edit log listing all the edits made between the one version and the other version.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising means for displaying a portion of the edited file in response to the user to selecting a corresponding entry in the edit log.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for saving a snapshot of a previous document version saved after a selected editing session.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for reviewing an identifier of the preflight profile associated with the document, reviewing whether the preflight profile associated with the document matches a database preflight profile, reviewing whether the document has been preflighted with the preflight profile, and reviewing whether the preflight results indicate any errors in the document.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising means for reviewing a preflight report.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein each means for storing information is adapted to store the corresponding information as part of the consolidated document file.

20. The system of claim 5, wherein the identifying information indicating that the document was edited using the ensured workflow system comprises a key comprising a prefix approved by a developer of the host application.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a stand-alone application.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a library file.

23. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for verifying parameters of a preflight profile stored in a user'"'"'s memory device with the parameters of the preflight profile stored in association with the consolidated document.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising:

means for storing a preflight profile in association with the consolidated document to be used for preflighting the document; and

means for preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile;

wherein the means for storing the edit information further comprises means for storing one or more preflight results related to any preflight step that was performed.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

means for optionally storing information in association with the consolidated document identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

(c) storing information in association with the consolidated document identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

(c) storing a preflight profile in association with the consolidated document to be used for preflighting the document; and

(d) preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile;

wherein storing the edit information in step (b) further comprises one or more preflight results related to the preflighting step.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

(e) storing information in association with the consolidated document identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created.

24. An ensured workflow system for editing a consolidated document in one or more editing sessions in which one or more users edit and save successive versions of the consolidated document, the system comprising:

means for storing information in association with the consolidated document indicating that the document was edited using the ensured workflow system;

means for storing edit information in association with the consolidated document relating to each editing session, the edit information comprising;

a listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, and any comments entered by the user relating to the session.

27. An plug-in application for use with a host application for editing a PDF file in one or more editing sessions in which one or more users edit and save successive versions of the consolidated document, the system comprising:

means for storing information in association with the consolidated document indicating that the document was edited using the ensured workflow system;

means for optionally storing information in association with the consolidated document identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created; and

means for optionally storing a preflight profile in association with the consolidated document to be used for preflighting the document;

means for optionally preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile;

means for storing edit information in association with the consolidated document relating to each editing session, the edit information comprising;

an edit log listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, comment data optionally entered by the user relating to the session, and one or more preflight results, if preflighting has been performed;

means for displaying a history of editing sessions for the edited file, including means for comparing a first document version saved after a first session with a second document version saved after a second session; and

means for saving a snapshot of a previous document version saved after a selected editing session; and

means for reviewing the preflight profile associated with the document, reviewing whether the preflight profile associated with the document matches a database preflight profile having an identical name, reviewing whether the document has been preflighted with the preflight profile, and reviewing whether the preflight results indicate any errors in the document.

28. A method for verifying responsibility for edits made to a consolidated document in one or more editing sessions in which one or more users edit and save successive versions of the consolidated document using an ensured workflow software program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing information in association with the consolidated document indicating that the document was edited using the ensured workflow software package;

(b) storing edit information in association with the consolidated document relating to each editing session, the edit information comprising;

a listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, and any comments entered by the user relating to the session.

32. A computer readable carrier including computer program instructions that cause a computer to implement a method for verifying responsibility for edits made to a consolidated document in one or more editing sessions in which one or more users edit and save successive versions of the consolidated document using an ensured workflow program, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing information in association with the consolidated document indicating that the document was edited using the ensured workflow program;

(b) storing edit information in association with the consolidated document relating to each editing session, the edit information comprising;

a listing of one or more edits made during the session, user information relating to the user who conducted the edit, and any comments entered by the user relating to the session.

33. The computer readable carrier of claim 32 wherein the method implemented by the instructions further comprises:

(c) storing a preflight profile in association with the consolidated document to be used for preflighting the document; and

(d) preflighting the edited document in accordance with the preflight profile;

wherein storing the edit information in step (b) further comprises one or more preflight results related to the preflighting step.

34. The computer readable carrier of claim 32 wherein the method implemented by the instructions further comprises:

(c) storing information in association with the consolidated document identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created.

35. The computer readable carrier of claim 33 wherein the method implemented by the instructions further comprises:

(e) storing information in association with the consolidated document identifying one or more native application format documents from which the consolidated document was created.

36. An ensured workflow system for ensuring that a consolidated document has been preflighted with a correct preflight profile, the system comprising:

means for storing preflight information in association with the consolidated document, the preflight information identifying a preflight profile and parameters thereof to be used for preflighting the document;