Apparatus and method for meta-document creation and processing

• US 20050114462A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Catalystweb LLC
• Original Assignee: Catalystweb LLC
• Inventors: Mathew, Boban, John, Thomas, Evans, Dagny
• Application Number:
  US10/956,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114462A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A graphical user interface (“GUI”) is described for creating and managing a meta-document comprising: a sub-documents region for receiving and storing graphical indications of a plurality of different types of documents responsive to user input; a personal note region for receiving and storing a text message related to the plurality of different types of sub-documents; and a send document graphic which, when selected by a user, transmits the meta-document including all of the sub-documents to one or more destinations.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface (“

GUI”

) for creating and managing a meta-document comprising;

a sub-documents region for receiving and storing graphical indications of a plurality of different types of documents responsive to user input;

a personal note region for receiving and storing a text message related to the plurality of different types of sub-documents; and

a send document graphic which, when selected by a user, transmits the meta-document including all of the sub-documents to one or more user-specified destinations.

2. The GUI as in claim 1 further comprising:

a document destinations region for storing one or more of the destinations to which the meta-document may be sent.

3. The GUI as in claim 2 wherein one of the destinations is a file transfer protocol (“

FTP”

) site.

4. The GUI as in claim 2 wherein one of the destinations is a World Wide Web site.

5. The GUI as in claim 1 further comprising:

a browse dialog to allow the user to browse and select sub-documents to be included within the sub-documents region of the meta-document.

6. A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to generate a GUI comprising:

a sub-documents region for receiving and storing graphical indications of a plurality of different types of documents responsive to user input;

a personal note region for receiving and storing a text message related to the plurality of different types of sub-documents; and

a send document graphic which, when selected by a user, transmits the meta document including all of the sub-documents to one or more user-specified destinations.

7. The machine-readable medium as in claim 6 wherein the GUI further comprises:

a document destinations region for storing one or more of the destinations to which the meta document may be sent.

8. The machine-readable medium as in claim 7 wherein one of the destinations is a file transfer protocol (“

FTP”

) site.

9. The machine-readable medium as in claim 7 wherein one of the destinations is a World Wide Web site.

10. The machine-readable medium as in claim 6 wherein the GUI further comprises:

a browse dialog to allow the user to browse and select sub-documents to be included within the sub-documents region of the meta-document.

11. A method comprising:

combining a plurality of sub-documents into a single meta-document;

defining security information for providing access to the sub-documents within the meta-document;

transmitting the meta-document to a particular storage area on a network;

transmitting an indication of the location of the meta-document to one or more users;

receiving a request to access the meta-document from a user;

requesting the security information from the user;

providing the user with access to the sub-documents only if the user provides the correct security information; and

transmitting an electronic receipt to a creator/sender of the meta-document indicating that the user was provided access to the meta-document.

12. The method as in claim 11 wherein the security information comprises a password unique to the meta-document.

13. The method as in claim 11 wherein the storage area comprises a file transfer protocol (“

FTP”

) site or a Web server.

14. The method as in claim 11 wherein the indication of the location of the meta-document is transmitted via an email message.

15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the security information comprises a password transmitted in the email message along with the indication of the location of the meta-document.

16. A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:

combining a plurality of sub-documents into a single meta-document;

defining security information for providing access to the sub-documents within the meta-document;

transmitting the meta-document to a particular storage area on a network;

transmitting an indication of the location of the meta-document to one or more users;

receiving a request to access the meta-document from a user;

requesting the security information from the user;

providing the user with access to the sub-documents only if the user provides the correct security information; and

transmitting an electronic receipt to a creator/sender of the meta-document indicating that the user was provided access to the meta-document.

17. The method as in claim 16 wherein the security information comprises a password unique to the meta-document.

18. The method as in claim 16 wherein the storage area comprises a file transfer protocol (“

FTP”

) site or a Web server.

19. The method as in claim 16 wherein the indication of the location of the meta-document is transmitted via an email message.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the security information comprises a password transmitted in the email message along with the indication of the location of the meta-document.