Methods and systems to manage and track the states of electronic media

• US 20030028607A1
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MetricStream, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MetricStream, Inc.
• Inventors: Axe, Brian, Hanson, Michael, Miller, Graham, Evans, Steven Richard
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/34 Betting or bookmaking, e.g. Internet betting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3288 Betting, e.g. on live events, bookmaking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Method and systems are described which can be used to track and manage the states of electronic media in a communications network. The electronic medium can be restored, archived, and used to create new electronic media. Moreover, the electronic medium can be superseded and deleted. Additionally, notification processes can be used to prioritize and emphasize certain portions of the electronic medium. Access to the electronic medium may also be blocked or limited to certain recipients of the medium.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source; and

sending a notification in response to the occurrence of the dynamic update and retrieval of the content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is one of XML and HTML.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending a notification further comprises rendering a portion of the content to be different from other portions of the content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the notification further comprises sending the notification to selected ones of a plurality of participants.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the notification further comprises setting a flag indicating an occurrence of the notification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the notification further comprises sending the notification to at least one participant configured with one of a client, an instant messenger, and electronic mail.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the notification further comprises describing a reason for the notification.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending the notification further comprises defining a priority for the notification.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending of the notification further comprises determining a capability of at least one participant receiving the notification.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the determining the capability further comprises one of sending a link to the electronic medium, sending an updated version of the electronic medium, and polling to indicate the sending of the notification.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting a time stamp to indicate when the notification is sent.

12. A method, comprising:

co-authoring an electronic form;

generating an electronic medium with content, after accepting the electronic form at a server; and

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving the content for the electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the co-authoring the electronic form further comprises partially completing the electronic form and defining a co-authoring list to permitting a plurality of authors continue completing the electronic form.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the co-authoring the electronic form further comprises storing the partially completed electronic form.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the co-authoring the electronic form further comprises storing the partially completed electronic form in one of a database and on a disk.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the co-authoring the electronic form further comprises notifying one of the plurality of participants of the existence of an electronic form and sending a link to the plurality of participants.

17. A method, comprising

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content in an electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source;

and

cloning the electronic medium.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the copying the electronic medium further comprises copying one of static content, dynamic content, and a recipient list.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the copying the electronic medium further comprises generating a new electronic medium.

20. A method, comprising asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to input from one of ate least one participant and an external source;

and archiving at least a portion of the content for the electronic medium in a server.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the archiving the at least a portion of the content further comprises compressing the portion of the content and moving the compressed content to an archive repository in the server.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the archiving the at least a portion of the content further comprises setting one of an auto-restore and a read-only flag in a database of the server.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the archiving the at least a portion of the content further comprises setting a state of the electronic medium as archived and remembering a prior state of the electronic medium.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the setting a flag further comprises providing an indication of an archived state, the content also being viewable when the auto-restore flag is turned on.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising restoring the archived content.

26. The method of claim 26 further comprising uncompressing the archived content.

27. A method, comprising:

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source; and

blocking access to at least a portion of the content.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the blocking access further comprises describing a reason for the blocking.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the blocking access further comprises setting a flag in a database to initiate the blocking the access to at least a portion of the content.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the blocking the access further comprises setting an indication describing when the blocking is one of turned on and off.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein the blocking the access further comprises blocking access to one of a plurality of dynamic content and responses.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising determining a reason for the blocking and disabling the blocking by clearing a flag in a database.

33. A method, comprising

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content in an electronic medium in response to an open action;

and

closing interaction to the electronic medium.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the closing interaction further comprises notifying a plurality of participants of the closing of the electronic medium.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the notifying the plurality of the recipients further comprises describing a reason for the closing the interaction.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the closing interaction to the electronic medium further comprises setting a state of the electronic medium to closed in a database.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the content further comprises one of static content and dynamic content.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the closing the interaction to the electronic medium further comprises permitting viewing of one of the static content, dynamic content, a closure rationale and a close state indicator.

39. A method, comprising

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source;

and

opening interaction to the electronic medium.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the opening interaction to the electronic medium further comprises setting a state of the electronic medium to open in a database.

41. The method of claim 39 further comprising describing a reason for opening interactions to the electronic medium.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein the opening interaction to the electronic medium further comprises sending a link to at least one participant.

43. The method of claim 39 wherein the opening interaction to the electronic medium further comprises notifying a plurality of participants of the opening of the electronic medium.

50. The method of claim 39, wherein the opening interaction further comprises notifying a plurality of participants of the opening of the electronic medium.

44. A method, comprising:

generating an electronic medium; and

asynchronously dynamically updated and retrieving content for the electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source; and

specifying a plurality of characteristics for notifying at least one participant interacting with the electronic medium.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising storing at least one of the 5 characteristics in a database.

46. The method of claim 44 further comprising refreshing a view of the electronic medium to the at least one participant.

47. The method of claim 44 further comprising tracking one of responses and changes in content of the electronic medium.

48. The method of claim 44 further comprising determining a method for receiving the notifications.

49. The method of claims 48 further comprising selecting one of tagging the electronic medium for inclusion within a digest to be delivered at a specified time, waiting for a time interval to elapse as specified by a participant, and determining whether a participant has viewed a previous notification.

51. A method, comprising

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source;

and superseding the electronic medium.

52. The method of claim 51 further comprising defining a reason for superseding the electronic medium.

53. The method of claim 51 wherein the superseding the electronic medium further comprises selecting a new electronic medium from a predefined list and generating a new electronic medium.

54. The method of claim 51 wherein the superseding the electronic medium further comprises setting a state in a database indicating that the electronic medium is superseded.

55. The method of claim 51 further comprising sending a link to at least one participant.

56. A method, comprising

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content in for electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source;

and externalizing a state of the electronic medium.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the externalizing a state of the electronic medium further comprises generating a page having the content rendered as static HTML.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein the externalizing the state of the electronic medium further comprises generating a definition and providing data representative of the content and rendering the content as XML.

59. The method of claim 56 further comprising restoring the electronic medium from an external source.

60. The method of claim 56 further comprising uploading the externalized state of the electronic medium and restoring the electronic medium.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the externalizing the state further comprises choosing an externalization format.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the externalization format is one of HTML and XML.

63. A network system including a plurality of client terminals, comprising:

at least one data processing machine located at each of the client terminals, and computer software, residing on a computer readable medium at each machine to cause the machine to perform the following operations;

parsing an electronic message in response to an open action;

receiving an electronic medium from a server containing dynamic content; and

one of tracking and managing of plurality of states of the electronic medium.

64. A method, comprising:

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to commands executed by business logic in a server; and

sending a notification in response to the commands executed by the business logic.

65. A method, comprising:

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response from one of at least one participant and an external source; and

deleting the electronic medium from a database.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the deleting the electronic medium further comprises making a status of the electronic medium as deleted.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the deleting the electronic medium further comprises notifying at least one participant of the deletion.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the deleting the electronic medium further comprises deleting the electronic medium from a database after a predetermined time.

69. A method, comprising:

inputting data to an electronic form;

delaying sending of the electronic form to a server;

generating an electronic medium with content, after accepting the electronic form at 5 the server; and

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response from one of at least one participant and an external source.

70. A method, comprising:

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to commands executed by business logic in a server; and

one of managing and tracking states of the electronic medium in response to the commands executed by the business logic.

71. A method, comprising:

asynchronously dynamically updating and retrieving content for an electronic medium in response to input from one of at least one participant and an external source; and

one of managing and tracking states of the electronic medium in response to the dynamically updating and retrieving the content.