Data managing method, data managing system data managing apparatus, data handling apparatus, computer program, and recording medium

• US 20060095449A1
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masae Yanagi
• Original Assignee: Masae Yanagi
• Inventors: Yanagi, Masae
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• 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

Abstract

A client unit 1 which a user uses to request for data, an agent unit 2 which keeps encrypted document data and attributes information, a document managing unit 3 which executes user authentication, access control and document image edition by means of decrypting of encrypted document data each have a processing function and an interface function which are independent of each other, and are connected via a communication network. This realizes a new data managing method which makes it easy to retrieve document data from a database through an on-line use or to search, output and otherwise document data in a single computer system, and therefore, a high level of security is achieved.

Claims

1. A data managing system, comprising:

a client unit for producing a request for data;

at least one agent unit for saving encrypted data files, each encrypted data file comprising document data representing a complete document and attributes information; and

a document managing unit for executing user authentication, access control and document image edition and for decrypting encrypted document data;

wherein

said client unit and said at least one agent unit and said document managing unit each have independent processing functions and interface functions and are connected to one another via a communication network.

2. The data managing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said client unit and said at least one agent unit are housed in a user terminal, and

said document managing unit is disposed at a location remote from said user terminal and connected to said user terminal via the communication network.

3. A data managing system, comprising:

a client unit for producing a request for data, said client unit having a processing function and an interface function;

a first agent unit saving encrypted document data and first document attribute information identifying a first document type, said first agent having a processing function and an interface function;

a second agent unit saving encrypted document data and second document attribute information different than said first document attribute information identifying a second document type, said second agent unit having a processing function and an interface function; and

a document managing unit receiving the request for data from the client unit, performing user authentication and access control and retrieving encrypted data in response to the request for data, decrypting the encrypted document data, and producing a document containing the requested data in a given format independent of the document type, said document managing unit having a processing function and an interface function;

wherein the processing function and interface function of one of said client unit, first agent unit, second agent unit and document managing unit are independent of the processing function and interface function of another of said client unit, first agent unit, second agent unit and document managing unit, said client unit, first agent unit, second agent unit and document managing unit being connected by a communication network.

4. The data managing system of claim 3 wherein said request for data comprises a request for a single document and wherein said encrypted document data saved by said first agent unit comprises the entire single document.

5. The data managing system of claim 3 wherein said request for data comprises a request for a single document reproducible from encrypted document data saved by said first agent unit and no other agent unit.

6. A data managing method comprising:

providing a first agent unit having a processing function and an interface function;

saving encrypted document data and first document attribute information identifying a first document type with the first agent;

providing a second agent unit having a processing function and an interface function;

saving encrypted document data and second document attribute information different than said first document attribute information identifying a second document type with said second agent unit;

providing a document managing unit having a processing function and an interface function;

providing a client unit having a processing function and an interface function;

sending a request for data from the client unit to the document managing unit; and

at the document managing unit, in response to the request for data from the client unit, performing user authentication and access control,

retrieving encrypted document data, decrypting the encrypted document data, and producing a document containing the requested data in a given format independent of the document type.