New document management and access control by document's attributes for document query system

• US 20050240572A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Kao, John, Chang, Ching-Chung, Chiu, Cheng-Hui, Sung, Feng-Kuang
• Granted Patent: US 7,254,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A document management system generates a hierarchical category tree itemizing documents within a database from associated attributes of the documents. The document management system further provides access privileges to the documents itemized in the hierarchical category tree by associating access privileges to the attributes of the documents with itemized by the hierarchical category tree.

Claims

1. A document management system comprising:

a document database retention device containing body text for a plurality of documents, a document identification record associated with each document of the plurality of documents, at least one document attribute record for each document of the plurality of documents, an attribute tree level record providing a hierarchical categorization for each attribute and a document access control record associated with each document of the plurality of documents identifying which of said document attributes govern access to said documents; and

a document database control system in communication with the document database to generate a document tree categorizing said documents based on properties of said attributes and in communication with a user to transfer those documents selected by said user from said document tree and for which said user has access privileges granted based on contents of said document access control record.

2. The document management system of claim 1 wherein said document database control system creates a user access profile for said user, said user access profile defining access privileges for each attribute of each of the plurality of documents.

3. The document management system of claim 2 wherein said document database control system compares said user access profile to said document access control record to determine that those documents selected by said user are transferable to said user.

4. The document management system of claim 3 wherein said user modifies said hierarchical categorization of any attribute and said document database control system retains a modified attribute tree level record within said user access profile established for said user.

5. A method for management of categorization and access to documents comprising the steps of:

retaining within a document database body text for a plurality of documents;

creating a document identification record associated with each document of the plurality of documents;

categorizing at least one document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

creating an attribute record for each category of document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

creating an attribute tree level record providing a hierarchy for each categorization defined by each attribute;

defining a document access control record associated with each document of the plurality of documents identifying which of said document attributes govern access to said documents;

generating a document tree categorizing said documents based on properties of said attributes; and

transferring to a user those documents selected by said user from said document tree and for which said user has access privileges granted based on contents of said document access control record.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of:

creating a user access profile for said user, said user access profile defining access privileges for each attribute of each of the plurality of documents.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

comparing said user access profile to said document access control record; and

determining that those documents selected by said user are transferable to said user.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

modifying by said user, said hierarchical categorization of any attribute; and

retaining a modified attribute tree level record within said user access profile established for said user.

9. An apparatus for management of categorization and access to documents comprising:

means for retaining within a document database body text for a plurality of documents;

means for creating a document identification record associated with each document of the plurality of documents;

means for categorizing at least one document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

means for creating an attribute record for each category of document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

means for creating an attribute tree level record providing a hierarchy for each categorization defined by each attribute;

means for defining a document access control record associated with each document of the plurality of documents identifying which of said document attributes govern access to said documents;

means for generating a document tree categorizing said documents based on properties of said attributes; and

means for transferring to a user those documents selected by said user from said document tree and for which said user has access privileges granted based on contents of said document access control record.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:

means for creating a user access profile for said user, said user access profile defining access privileges for each attribute of each of the plurality of documents.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

means for comparing said user access profile to said document access control record; and

means for determining that those documents selected by said user are transferable to said user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

means for modifying by said user, said hierarchical categorization of any attribute; and

means for retaining a modified attribute tree level record within said user access profile established for said user.

13. A computing system in communication with a document database, wherein said computing system executes a program process that manages categorization and access to a plurality of documents retained within said document database, said program process comprising the steps of:

retaining within a document database body text for a plurality of documents;

creating a document identification record associated with each document of the plurality of documents;

categorizing at least one document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

creating an attribute record for each category of document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

creating an attribute tree level record providing a hierarchy for each categorization defined by each attribute;

defining a document access control record associated with each document of the plurality of documents identifying which of said document attributes govern access to said documents;

generating a document tree categorizing said documents based on properties of said attributes; and

transferring to a user those documents selected by said user from said document tree and for which said user has access privileges granted based on contents of said document access control record.

14. The computing system claim 13 wherein said program process further comprises the step of:

creating a user access profile for said user, said user access profile defining access privileges for each attribute of each of the plurality of documents.

15. The computing system claim 14 wherein said program process further comprises the steps of:

comparing said user access profile to said document access control record; and

determining that those documents selected by said user are transferable to said user.

16. The computing system claim 15 wherein said program process further comprises the steps of:

modifying by said user, said hierarchical categorization of any attribute; and

retaining a modified attribute tree level record within said user access profile established for said user.

17. A medium for retaining a computer program which is executed by a computing system in communication with a document database, wherein said computer program manages categorization and access to a plurality of documents retained within said document database, said program process comprising the steps of:

retaining within a document database body text for a plurality of documents;

creating a document identification record associated with each document of the plurality of documents;

categorizing at least one document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

creating an attribute record for each category of document attribute for each document of the plurality of documents;

creating an attribute tree level record providing a hierarchy for each categorization defined by each attribute;

defining a document access control record associated with each document of the plurality of documents identifying which of said document attributes govern access to said documents;

generating a document tree categorizing said documents based on properties of said attributes; and

transferring to a user those documents selected by said user from said document tree and for which said user has access privileges granted based on contents of said document access control record.

18. The medium claim 17 wherein said computer program further comprises the step of:

creating a user access profile for said user, said user access profile defining access privileges for each attribute of each of the plurality of documents.

19. The medium claim 18 wherein said computer program further comprises the steps of:

comparing said user access profile to said document access control record; and

determining that those documents selected by said user are transferable to said user.

20. The medium claim 19 wherein said computer program further comprises the steps of:

modifying by said user, said hierarchical categorization of any attribute; and

retaining a modified attribute tree level record within said user access profile established for said user