Electronic filing system with file-placeholders
First Claim
1. An electronic document processing system for processing electronic representations of documents, comprising:
- an electronic filing system for managing filing system objects;
the filing system objects managed by the electronic filing system including an electronic document file class of filing system object that is associated with an electronic document file;
a placeholder object generator for generating a placeholder class of filing system objects in the electronic filing system that are distinct from the electronic document file class of filing system objects;
each placeholder object generated by the placeholder generator (a) being stored in the electronic filing system with metadata that identifies an expected document file that is to be created in the electronic filing system and (b) representing the expected document file which is not recognized as being present in the electronic filing system but which is explicitly expected to be stored in the electronic filing system; and
a placeholder controller for performing a redeem operation to redeem a placeholder object when the expected document file is presented;
the expected document file being recognized as being present in the electronic filing system after the placeholder controller redeems the placeholder object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an electronic document filing system, placeholder objects are used to provide an explicit representation of document files which are not yet present but which are explicitly expected by the system. A placeholder object can be a real filing system object, which may be processed by the filing system in the same manner as any other filing system object, and can include filing system data such as file metadata. The metadata may be associated with an expected source for the document file in, for example, filing systems, messaging systems, workflow systems, and document scanning systems.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic document processing system for processing electronic representations of documents, comprising:
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an electronic filing system for managing filing system objects;
the filing system objects managed by the electronic filing system including an electronic document file class of filing system object that is associated with an electronic document file;
a placeholder object generator for generating a placeholder class of filing system objects in the electronic filing system that are distinct from the electronic document file class of filing system objects;
each placeholder object generated by the placeholder generator (a) being stored in the electronic filing system with metadata that identifies an expected document file that is to be created in the electronic filing system and (b) representing the expected document file which is not recognized as being present in the electronic filing system but which is explicitly expected to be stored in the electronic filing system; and
a placeholder controller for performing a redeem operation to redeem a placeholder object when the expected document file is presented;
the expected document file being recognized as being present in the electronic filing system after the placeholder controller redeems the placeholder object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for processing electronic representations of documents, comprising:
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managing filing system objects in an electronic filing system;
the filing system objects managed by the electronic filing system including an electronic document file class of filing system object that is associated with an electronic document file;
generating a placeholder class of filing system objects in the electronic filing system that are distinct from the electronic document file class of filing system objects;
each placeholder object generated by the placeholder generator (a) being stored in the electronic filing system with metadata that identifies an expected document file that is to be created in the electronic filing system and (b) representing the expected document file which is not recognized as being present in the electronic filing system but which is explicitly expected to be stored in the electronic filing system; and
performing a redeem operation to redeem a placeholder object when the expected document file is presented;
the expected document file being recognized as being present in the electronic filing system after the placeholder controller redeems the placeholder object. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An electronic document processing system for processing electronic representations of documents, comprising:
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means for managing filing system objects in an electronic filing system;
the filing system objects managed by the electronic filing system including an electronic document file class of filing system object that is associated with an electronic document file;
means for generating a placeholder class of filing system objects in the electronic filing system that are distinct from the electronic document file class of filing system objects;
each placeholder object generated by the placeholder generator (a) being stored in the electronic filing system with metadata that identifies an expected document file that is to be created in the electronic filing system and (b) representing the expected document file which is not recognized as being present in the electronic filing system but which is explicitly expected to be stored in the electronic filing system; and
means for performing a redeem operation to redeem a placeholder object when the expected document file is presented;
the expected document file being recognized as being present in the electronic filing system after the placeholder controller redeems the placeholder object. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification