Method and apparatus for tracking documents in a workflow

• US 20050182757A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Hull, Jonathan J., Lee, Dar-Shyang, Segawa, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 7,357,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A workflow system and method include tracking the physical movement of documents. The information of the physical movement is incorporated with the flow graph of a workflow. A display of the workflow can then be enhanced by the information relating to the physical movement of the document.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring documents in a workflow comprising:

receiving a workflow graph representative of said workflow, said workflow graph comprising information representative of one or more stages in said workflow;

sensing a first document at a first sensed location;

determining whether there is a first matching stage among said one or more stages that corresponds to said first sensed location;

associating said first matching stage with document-related information relating to said first document;

sensing said first document at a second sensed location;

determining whether there is a second matching stage among said one or more stages that corresponds to said second sensed location; and

associating said second matching stage with said document-related information.