System, method, and service for automatically and dynamically composing document management applications

• US 20060095830A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Krishna, Vikas, Srinivasan, Savitha
• Granted Patent: US 7,475,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1444 Selective acquisition, locating or processing of specific regions, e.g. highlighted text, fiducial marks or predetermined fields

Abstract

A document management system applies relevant document analysis, metadata extraction, and business process association algorithms and methodology to automatically and dynamically classify documents for routing, processing, and executing customized business logic. The document management system accepts documents from one or more channels, classifies the document and extracts metadata, executes customized application profiles and triggers business logic associated with the process. The document management system comprises a rules engine to detect and classify unstructured forms as well as structured forms, where the locations of attributes and visual layout are not fixed. The document management system provides automatic linkage between disparate systems that manages documents for the complete execution of a business process.

Claims

1. A method of automatically and dynamically composing a plurality of document management applications for a document, comprising:

receiving the document from an input device;

automatically acquiring a plurality of user-prompted metadata related to the document;

automatically extracting a plurality of extracted metadata from the document;

executing a business process on any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, the extracted metadata; and

the zonal data elements to obtain business process execution results;

if needed, automatically notifying a user that any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata requires a verification; and

integrating the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata with an output device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically performing a selective extraction on the document to generate zonal data elements.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata to a user for verification.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically prompting a user for the plurality of user-prompted metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the document comprises any one or more of a paper document, an electronic document, a video recording, an audio recording, a photograph, and a digital photograph.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification comprises a plurality of user-provided augmented data.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein automatically extracting extracted metadata comprises performing an optical character recognition on the document.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically performing the selective extraction comprises performing the optical character recognition on a specific section of the document.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the specific section of the document is defined by the business process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the business section is modified by the user to change a location of the specific section of the document.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises any one or more of a scanner, a computer, a printer, and a device in which a document can be viewed in any one or more of a native viewer and an application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating comprises any one or more of a create, an update, a delete, and a query.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein integrating comprises interfacing with an external system interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the external system interface is specified by the business processes.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifies a verification interface for the verification by means of the business processes.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifies a notification interface for the notification by means of the business processes.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the user specifies access to the output device by means of the business process.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the business processes operate in a distributed environment.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process is specified in a document comprising a structured format.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the business process is specified in a document comprising a semi-structured format.

21. A method of automatically and dynamically composing a plurality of document management applications for a document, comprising:

providing means for a user to identify and modify a business process;

invoking an automatic document management utility program, wherein the document and the business process are made available to the automatic document management utility program;

providing means for the user to verify the document and associated data;

generating a verified document and a plurality of verified data;

providing means for the user to augment the document and associated data, and for generating a plurality of augmented data; and

wherein the verified document, the verified data, and the augmented data are processed by the automatic document management utility program as directed by the business process.

22. A computer program product having a plurality of executable instruction codes for automatically and dynamically composing a plurality of document management applications for a document, comprising:

a first set of instruction codes for receiving the document from an input device;

a second set of instruction codes for automatically acquiring a plurality of user-prompted metadata related to the document;

a third set of instruction codes for automatically extracting a plurality of extracted metadata from the document;

a fourth set of instruction codes for executing a business process on any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, the extracted metadata; and

the zonal data elements to obtain business process execution results;

if needed, a fifth set of instruction codes automatically notifies a user that any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata requires a verification; and

a sixth set of instruction codes for integrating the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata with an output device.

23. A document management system for automatically and dynamically composing a plurality of document management applications for a document, comprising:

an input device that generates the document;

a module for automatically acquiring a plurality of user-prompted metadata related to the document;

a metadata extraction module for automatically extracting a plurality of extracted metadata from the document;

an execution module for executing a business process on any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, the extracted metadata; and

the zonal data elements to obtain business process execution results;

if needed, a notification module automatically notifies a user that any one or more of the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata requires a verification; and

an output device for integrating the document, the user-prompted metadata, and the extracted metadata with an output device.