Apparatus, system, method and computer program product

• US 20030182262A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yohei, Kanasaki, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

A document management apparatus is configured to designate a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and to make a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document is provided. The document management apparatus includes an apparatus configured to accept a document call request for the desired document, that is made by a requesting device by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node and to make connections to the specified nodes. The document ID includes a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating respective nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

Claims

1. A document management apparatus designating a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and making a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, the document management apparatus comprising:

a document call request accepting device configured to accept a document call request for the desired document, that is made by a requesting device by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating respective nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document;

a connecting device configured to make connections to nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, that are designated by the document ID, sequentially from an upper level one to a lower level one; and

a returning device configured to obtain, when a connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made, predetermined information relating to the desired node, and to return the predetermined information relating to the desired node to the requesting device making the document call request.

2. The document management apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the document call request accepting device is configured to accept, together with the document ID, a request of a method that designates information to be returned by the returning device to the requesting device, and

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made, the information designated by the method to be returned by the returning device to the requesting device, and to return the information to the requesting device making the document call request.

3. The document management apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the document call request accepting device is configured to accept, as the request of a method, a request for a property of the desired node specified by the document ID, and

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the request for the property of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted by the document call request accepting device, the property of the desired node specified by the document ID, and to return the property of the desired node specified by the document ID to the requesting device making the document call request.

4. The document management apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the document call request accepting device is configured to accept, as the request of the method, a request for a content element of the desired node specified by the document ID, and

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the request for the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted by the document call request accepting device, the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID, and to return the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID to the requesting device making the document call request.

5. The document management apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the document ID accepted by the document call request accepting device omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, all content elements at a lower level of a rendition designated by the document ID, and to return the all content elements at the lower level of the rendition designated by the document ID to the requesting device making the document call request.

6. The document management apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting device is configured to make a connection to a latest version of the desired document designated by the document ID, when the document ID accepted by the document call request accepting device omits designation of a version in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

7. The document management apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting device is configured to make a connection to a primary rendition at a lower level of a version of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, when the document ID accepted by the document call request accepting device omits designation of a rendition in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

8. The document management apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting device is configured to make a connection to a top content element at a lower level of a rendition of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, when the document ID accepted by the document call accepting device omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

9. A client apparatus for accessing a document management apparatus, in which designation of a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document are made, to request predetermined information relating to the desired node, the client apparatus comprising:

a document call request making device configured to make a document call request to the document management apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document; and

a storage device configured to store an application program for making the document call request to the document management apparatus.

10. A document management system comprising:

a document management apparatus configured to designate a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and to make a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document; and

a client apparatus configured to access the document management apparatus to make a document call request for the desired document by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document,

the document management apparatus including;

a document call request accepting device configured to accept the document call request for the desired document, that is made by the client apparatus;

a connecting device configured to make connections to nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, that are designated by the document ID, sequentially from an upper level one to a lower level one; and

a returning device configured to obtain, when a connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made, predetermined information relating to the desired node, and to return the predetermined information relating to the desired node to the client apparatus making the document call request.

11. The document management system according to claim 10,

wherein the document call request accepting device of the document management apparatus is configured to accept, together with the document ID, a request of a method that designates information to be returned by the returning device of the document management apparatus to the client apparatus making the document call request, and

wherein the returning device of the document management apparatus is configured to obtain, when the connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made, the information designated by the method to be returned by the returning device to the client apparatus, and to return the information designated by the method to the client apparatus making the document call request.

12. The document management system according to claim 11,

wherein the document call accepting device is configured to accept, as the request of the method, a request for a property of the desired node specified by the document ID, and

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the request for the property of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted by the document call request accepting device, the property of the desired node specified by the document ID, and to return the property of the desired node specified by the document ID to the client apparatus making the document call request.

13. The document management system according to claim 11,

wherein the document call request accepting device is configured to accept, as the request of the method, a request for a content element of the desired node specified by the document ID, and

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the request for the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted by the document call request accepting device, the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID, and to return the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID to the client apparatus making the document call request.

14. The document management system according to claim 13,

wherein the returning device is configured to obtain, when the document ID accepted by the document call request accepting device omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, all content elements at a lower level of a rendition designated by the document ID, and to return the all content elements at the lower level of the rendition designated by the document ID to the client apparatus making the document call request.

15. The document management system according to claim 10,

wherein the connecting device of the document management apparatus is configured to make a connection to a latest version of the desired document designated by the document ID, when the document ID accepted by the document call request accepting device of the document management apparatus omits designation of a version in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

16. The document management system according to claim 10,

wherein the connecting device of the document management apparatus is configured to make a connection to a primary rendition at a lower level of a version of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, when the document ID accepted by the document call accepting device of the document management apparatus omits designation of a rendition in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

17. The document management system according to claim 10,

wherein the connecting device of the document management apparatus is configured to make a connection to a top content element at a lower level of a rendition of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, when the document ID accepted by the document call accepting device of the document management apparatus omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

18. A document management method for designating a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and for making a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, the method comprising the steps of;

accepting a document call request for the desired document, that is made by a client apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document;

making connections to nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, that are designated by the document ID, sequentially from an upper level one to a lower level one; and

obtaining, when a connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made in the connections making step, predetermined information relating to the desired node specified by the document ID, and returning the predetermined information relating to the desired node to the client apparatus making the document call request.

19. The document management method according to claim 18,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, together with the document ID, a request of a method that designates information to be returned to the client apparatus is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made in the connections making step, the information designated by the method is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

20. The document management method according to claim 19,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, as the request of the method, a request for a property of the desired node specified by the document ID is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the request for the property of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted in the document call request accepting step, the property of the desired node specified by the document ID is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

21. The document management method according to claim 19,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, as the request of the method, a request for a content element of the desired node specified by the document ID is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the request for the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted in the document call request accepting step, the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

22. The document management method according to claim 21,

wherein in the returning step, when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, all content elements at a lower level of a rendition designated by the document ID are obtained and are returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

23. The document management method according to claim 18,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a latest version of the desired document designated by the document ID is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a version in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

24. The document management method according to claim 18,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a primary rendition at a lower level of a version of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a rendition in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

25. The document management method according to claim 18,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a top content element at a lower level of a rendition of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

26. A method for accessing a document management apparatus in which designation of a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document are made to request predetermined information relating the desired node, the method comprising the steps of:

making a document call request to the document management apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired nodded, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document; and

storing an application program for making the document call request to the document management apparatus.

27. A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions which when executed by a computer performs a document managing operation of designating a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and making a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, the document managing operation comprising the steps of:

accepting a document call request for the desired document, that is made by a client apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document;

making connections to nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, that are designated by the document ID, sequentially from an upper level one to a lower level one; and

obtaining, when a connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made in the connections making step, predetermined information relating to the desired node specified by the document ID, and returning the predetermined information relating to the desired node to the client apparatus making the document call request.

28. The computer readable medium according to claim 27,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, together with the document ID, a request of a method that designates information to be returned to the client apparatus is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made in the connections making step, the information designated by the method is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

29. The computer readable medium according to claim 28,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, as the request of the method, a request for a property of the desired node specified by the document ID is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the request for the property of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted in the document call request accepting step, the property of the desired node specified by the document ID is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

30. The computer readable medium according to claim 28,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, as the request of the method, a request for a content element of the desired node specified by the document ID is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the request for the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted in the document call request accepting step, the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

31. The computer readable medium according to claim 30,

wherein in the returning step, when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, all content elements at a lower level of a rendition designated by the document ID are obtained and are returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 27,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a latest version of the desired document designated by the document ID is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a version in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 27,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a primary rendition at a lower level of a version of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a rendition in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

34. The computer readable medium according to claim 27,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a top content element at a lower level of a rendition of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

35. A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions which when executed by a computer performs an operation for accessing a document management apparatus in which designation of a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document are made to request predetermined information relating the desired node, the accessing operation comprising the steps of:

making a document call request to the document management apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document; and

storing an application program for making the document call request to the document management apparatus.

36. A computer program product directly loadable into an internal memory of a computer, comprising computer program instructions which when executed by the computer performs a document managing operation of designating a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and making a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, the document managing operation comprising the steps of:

accepting a document call request for the desired document, that is made by a client apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document;

making connections to nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, that are designated by the document ID, sequentially from an upper level one to a lower level one; and

obtaining, when a connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made in the connections making step, predetermined information relating to the desired node specified by the document ID, and returning the predetermined information relating to the desired node to the client apparatus making the document call request.

37. The computer program product according to claim 36,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, together with the document ID, a request of a method that designates information to be returned to the client apparatus is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the connection to the desired node specified by the document ID has been made in the connections making step, the information designated by the method is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

38. The computer program product according to claim 37,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, as the request of the method, a request for a property of the desired node specified by the document ID is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the request for the property of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted in the document call request accepting step, the property of the desired node specified by the document ID is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

39. The computer program product according to claim 37,

wherein in the document call request accepting step, as the request of the method, a request for a content element of the desired node specified by the document ID is accepted, and

wherein in the returning step, when the request for the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID has been accepted in the document call request accepting step, the content element of the desired node specified by the document ID is obtained and is returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

40. The computer program product according to claim 39,

wherein in the returning step, when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document, all content elements at a lower level of a rendition designated by the document ID are obtained and are returned to the client apparatus making the document call request.

41. The computer program product according to claim 36,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a latest version of the desired document designated by the document ID is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a version in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

42. The computer program product according to claim 36,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a primary rendition at a lower level of a version of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a rendition in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

43. The computer program product according to claim 36,

wherein in the connections making step, a connection to a top content element at a lower level of a rendition of the desired document, that is designated by the document ID, is made when the document ID accepted in the document call request accepting step omits designation of a content element in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document.

44. A computer program product directly loadable into an internal memory of a computer, comprising computer program instructions which when executed by the computer performs an operation of accessing a document management apparatus in which designation of a desired document in a series of documents managed under a DMA document object model and a connection to a desired node in a hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document are made to request predetermined information relating the desired node, the accessing operation comprising the steps of:

making a document call request to the document management apparatus by presenting a document ID designating the desired document and specifying the desired node, the document ID including a character string indicating a location of the desired document and character strings designating nodes in the hierarchical tree-structure of the desired document; and

storing an application program for making the document call request to the document management apparatus.

45. A method of retrieving a document in a document management system comprising:

receiving a document request at a server, said document request including a plurality of parameters;

identifying at least one node of said document based on at least one parameter of said plurality of parameters; and

returning, at least, a portion of said document corresponding to a said at least one node.

46. A method of retrieving a document in a document management system as defined in claim 45, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a document identification parameter.

47. A method of retrieving a document in a document management system as defined in claim 45, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a version identification parameter.

48. A method of retrieving a document in a document management system as defined in claim 45, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a rendition identification parameter.

49. A method of retrieving a document in a document management system as defined in claim 45, wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a content element identification parameter.

50. A method of retrieving a document in a document management system as defined in claim 45, wherein said identifying at least one node comprises:

providing a default value for said node.

51. A document management system comprising:

a server, said server being adapted to receive a document request, said document request including a plurality of parameters, said server being further adapted to identify at least one node of said document request based on at least one parameter of said plurality of parameters, said server being further adapted to return at least a portion of said document corresponding to said at least one node.

52. A document management system as defined in claim 51 wherein said server comprises a computer coupled to a communication system.

53. A document management system as defined in claim 51 wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a document identification parameter.

54. A document management system as defined in claim 51 wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a rendition identification parameter.

55. A document management system as defined in claim 51 wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a rendition identification parameter.

56. A document management system as defined in claim 51 wherein said plurality of parameters comprises:

a content element identification parameter.

57. A document management system comprising:

a client, said client being adapted to submit a document request to a server, said document request including a plurality of parameters, said document request being adapted to identify at least one node of said document request based on at least one parameter of said plurality of parameters, said client being further adapted to receive at least a portion of said document corresponding to said at least one node.

58. A document management system as defined in claim 57 wherein said client comprises a computer coupled to a communication system.