Meta-document and method of managing

• US 20040194025A1
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hubert, Laurence, Gastaldo, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

A meta-document includes an object conveying document information, processing information pertaining to processing of the meta-document and metadata for indexing and retrieving the processing information. The processing information is recorded on the meta-document each time the meta-document is processed in some manner. Each time processing information is recorded on the document, appropriate metadata for indexing and retrieving the processing information is also stored on the meta-document. Creation and recording of the processing information and associated metadata on the meta-document may be accomplished externally by the particular source or environment to which the meta-document may be residing. Alternatively, each meta-document may include a tool (e.g., a software program or macro) embedded on the object. Whenever the meta-document is accessed or processed, the embedded tool creates the appropriate processing information and associated metadata.

Claims

1. A meta-document comprising an object conveying document information, processing information, wherein the processing information comprises information pertaining to processing of the meta-document, and metadata for indexing and retrieving the processing information, wherein each time the meta-document is processed during its entire lifetime, processing information pertaining thereto and associated metadata is stored on the meta-document.

2. The meta-document of claim 1, wherein processing information comprises information pertaining to transformation of the document information.

3. The meta-document of claim 1, wherein the processing information comprises a user comment to the document information.

4. The meta-document of claim 1, wherein the processing information comprises information pertaining to distribution of the meta-document.

5. The meta-document of claim 1, further comprising a tool, embedded on the object, responsive to a processing of the meta-document, for generating and storing processing information and associated metadata on the meta-document.

6. A method of managing a meta-document comprising:

creating a meta-document, wherein the meta-document comprises an object conveying document information, processing information pertaining to processing of the meta-document, and metadata for indexing and retrieving the processing information;

processing the meta-document comprising generating and storing on the meta-document processing information pertaining thereto and associated metadata;

transmitting the meta-document to a source;

parsing the meta-document for extracting stored processing information and metadata; and

wherein each time the meta-document is processed during its entire lifetime, processing information pertaining thereto and associated metadata is stored on the meta-document.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the meta-document further comprises a tool, embedded on the object, responsive to a processing of the meta-document, for generating and storing processing information and associated metadata on the meta-document, wherein the parsing step is performed by the tool.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the source comprises a tool, responsive to a processing of the meta-document, for generating and storing processing information and associated metadata on the meta-document, wherein the parsing step is performed by the tool.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the meta-document further comprises a second tool, embedded on the object, for parsing and extracting selected processing information stored on the meta-document, and further comprising the step of:

parsing the meta-document for extracting the selected processing information and associated metadata; and

distributing the extracted selected processing information to the source.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the source further comprises a second tool for parsing and extracting selected processing information stored on the meta-document, and further comprising the step of:

parsing the meta-document for extracting the selected processing information and associated metadata; and

distributing the extracted selected processing information to the source.

11. A system for managing document information comprising a meta-document and a plurality of sources, each source located at a different location,

wherein the meta-document comprises an object conveying document information, processing information, wherein the processing information comprises information pertaining to processing of the meta-document, and metadata for indexing and retrieving the processing information, wherein each time the meta-document is processed during its entire lifetime, processing information pertaining thereto and associated metadata is stored on the meta-document;

and

wherein each time the meta-document is received by a source, processing information and its associated metadata is parsed and extracted from the meta-document at the source.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein processing information comprises information pertaining to transformation of the document information.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing information comprises a user comment to the document information.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing information comprises information pertaining to distribution of the meta-document.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the meta-document further comprises a tool, embedded on the object, responsive to a processing of the meta-document, for generating and storing processing information and associated metadata on the meta-document.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein a source further comprises a tool, responsive to a processing of the meta-document, for generating and storing processing information and associated metadata on the meta-document.