Method for asynchronous sharing of integrated spreadsheets using a network

• US 20040237045A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eivia Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E.Intelligence, Inc.
• Inventors: Meltzer, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/844,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20040237045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/530
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method is described for collaborative viewing, editing, and interacting in an asynchronous manner with shared data utilizing conventionally available programs, web browsers, and email. A server capable of interacting with, modifying, integrating, and exporting shared data from a data source, generates and sends a data file via email using technology such as HTML or XML. The user accesses the email and makes changes, modifications, additions, or provides navigational directions to the system based on the fields presented in the data file. When done, the user completes the session and communicates the changes or changed data file to the result server. The results of the user'"'"'s work are received and integrated by the result server back into the data repository. In one embodiment, the result server then generates and sends new views of the data and latest changes to the user.

Claims

1. A method of a plurality of users collaboratively sharing, manipulating, and integrating data asynchronously through a network, comprising:

exporting a data file from the data repository;

sending the data file to a first and second user;

allowing the first and second user to asynchronously modify the data file;

sending a response to a results server having one or more changes to the data file from the first user;

sending a response to a results server having one or more changes to the data file from the second user; and

integrating the one or more changes of the first and second user to the data repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data file is modified off-line.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the data file to a first and second user further comprises encapsulating the data file in an email and sending the email to a first and second user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein encapsulating the data file further comprises attaching the data file to the email.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein encapsulating the data file further comprises incorporating the data file into the body of the email.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating and sending a new data file to the first or second user upon receiving a response based on the updated data in the data repository.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating and sending a new data file to the first or second user based on data navigation instructions the response form the first or second user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a response to a results server having one or more changes to the data file from the first or second user further comprises executing one or more programs embedded in the data file.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein executing one or more embedded programs further comprises evaluating one of a checksum, a user permission check, a valid data check, a data range check, and a data security check.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein exporting a data file from the data repository further comprises exporting a data file in one of XML, HTML, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word format.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a response to a results server having one or more changes to the data file from the first or second user further comprises sending changes via one of email, HTTP, and FTP.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the data file to the first or second user with a presentation application, wherein the presentation application is one of a web browser, an email program, a spreadsheet application, and a word processor.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein allowing the first and second user to asynchronously modify the data file further comprises allowing the user to insert navigational directions to the data file.

14. A method of operating a collaboration system, comprising:

generating a first and second data file from a data source by a collaboration engine;

sending the first data file to a first user and the second data file to a second user;

modifying the first and second data file off-line and/or inserting navigational directions;

asynchronously returning the first and second data file to a results server; and

integrating the first and second data file to the data source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the first and second data files to a first and second user further comprises downloading the first and second data files from one of a web server and a portal.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein sending the first and second data files to a first and second user further comprises encapsulating the first and second data files in a first and second email and sending the first and second emails to the first and second users.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

generating and sending a new data file to the first or second user upon the return of the first or second data file based on the latest data in the data source.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein modifying the first or second data file off-line and/or inserting navigational directions further comprises executing one or more programs or scripts embedded in the first or second data file.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein executing one or more embedded programs or scripts further comprises evaluating one of a checksum, a user permission check, a valid data check, a data range check, and a data security check.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein returning the first and second data file to a results server further comprises sending only modified data of the first and second data file to the results server.

21. A system, comprising:

a data source coupled to a collaboration engine; and

a results server coupled to the data source, wherein the collaboration engine is adapted to generate a data file and send it to a first and second user to be modified off-line and where the results server is adapted to asynchronously receive the modified data file from the first and second user and integrate it back into the data source.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the collaboration engine is adapted to send the data file to the first and second user by encapsulating the data file in an email.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the generated data file includes one or more programs or scripts embedded in the data file.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the results server is adapted to generate and send a new data file to the first or second user based on user input in the modified data file and the latest data in the data source.

25. A computer-usable medium, the computer-usable medium containing a software routine for causing a processor to execute a method, wherein the method comprises:

generating a data file from a data source by a collaboration engine;

sending the data file to a first and second user;

modifying the data file off-line and/or inserting navigational directions;

asynchronously returning the data file to a results server from the first and second users; and

integrating the modifications from the data file of the first and second user into the data source.

26. A method of asynchronously modifying shared data, comprising:

generating a plurality of data files from a data source;

sending each data file of the plurality of data files to a user of a plurality of users;

asynchronously receiving the plurality of data files with a results server; and

asynchronously integrating the data changes in the plurality of data files to the data source.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein sending each data file of the plurality of data files to a user of a plurality of users further comprises encapsulating each data file of the plurality of data files in an email and sending each email to a user of the plurality of users.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

generating and sending a new data file to a user of the plurality of users upon the return of the data file utilizing the updated data in the data source.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

modifying the data contained in each data file of the plurality of data files and/or inserting data navigational directions.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein modifying the data contained in each data file of the plurality of data files and/or inserting data navigational directions further comprises executing one or more programs or scripts embedded in the data file.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein executing one or more embedded programs or scripts further comprises evaluating one of a checksum, a user permission check, a valid data check, a data range check, and a data security check.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein asynchronously returning the plurality of data files to a results server further comprises sending only modified data of the plurality of data files to the results server.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein asynchronously integrating the data changes in the plurality of data files to the data source further comprises integrating data changes by one of a priority of change, a last change made, a data average, a data mean, a weighted average, a specified data change function, and a user ranking.

34. A method of asynchronously modifying shared data in a collaboration system, comprising:

generating a plurality of data files from a data source of a collaboration system and encapsulating each data file in an email;

sending each email to a user of a plurality of users;

asynchronously modifying the data contained in the data file of each email and/or giving data navigational directions;

asynchronously returning the plurality of data files to a results server; and

asynchronously integrating the plurality of data files to the data source.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

generating and sending a new data file to a user of the plurality of users upon the return of the data file utilizing the updated data in the data source.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

executing one or more embedded programs or scripts that evaluate one of a checksum, a user permission check, a valid data check, a data range check, and a data security check.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein asynchronously returning the plurality of data files to a results server further comprises sending only modified data of the plurality of data files to the results server.