Method for automatically associating data with a document based on a prescribed type of the document

• US 20060161590A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gur-esh, Ethan D., Cahill, Jason M., Liu, Hai, Fanaru, Adrian, Friesenhahn, Dustin G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

A system and method is provided to automatically associate type-specific information with a document of a prescribed type. The type information includes instance-specific type information that can be instantiated to each document of the prescribed type. The type information also includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type. Such generic type information includes policies that govern, for example, the life span of the documents or who can access the documents. Instance-specific type information can be demoted to and promoted from a document of the prescribed type. Generic type information can only be demoted to a document of the prescribed type. Type information may be demoted into a document only when the document is requested.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically associating data with a document, wherein the data is based on a prescribed type of the document, comprising:

identifying a prescribed type of a document;

retrieving corresponding type information of the prescribed type; and

associating the type information with the document.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising creating a type template that defines a prescribed type, wherein the type template is instantiated for each document of the prescribed type.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the type template includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the type template further includes instance-specific type information that is instantiated for each document of the prescribed type.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising retrieving and storing instantiated instance-specific type information from the document.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein type information includes document management information selected from a group consisting of workflow, access right, and business process.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

creating a dependency between the type template and a document of the prescribed type;

marking the document as dirty when the type template is changed; and

associating the type information with the document only when receiving a request for the document.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for automatically associating data with a document, wherein the data is based on a prescribed type of the document, comprising:

identifying a prescribed type of a document;

retrieving corresponding type information of the prescribed type; and

associating the type information with the document.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising creating a type template that defines a prescribed type, wherein the type template is instantiated for each document of the prescribed type.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the type template includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the type template further includes instance-specific type information that is instantiated for each document of the prescribed type.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising retrieving and storing instantiated instance-specific type information from the document.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein type information includes document management information selected from a group consisting of workflow, access right, and business process.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

creating a dependency between the type template and a document of the prescribed type;

marking the document as dirty when the type template is changed; and

associating the type information with the document only when receiving a request for the document.

15. A computing system for automatically associating data with a document, wherein the data is based on a prescribed type of the document, comprising:

(a) a data storage component for storing documents and data for each prescribed type; and

(b) a processor, coupled with the data storage component, for

(i) identifying a prescribed type of a document;

(ii) retrieving corresponding type information of the prescribed type; and

(iii) associating the type information with the document.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the processor first creates a type template that defines a prescribed type, wherein the type template is instantiated for each document of the prescribed type.

17. The computing system of claim 16, wherein the type template includes generic type information that is automatically applied to all documents of the prescribed type.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the type template further includes instance-specific type information that is instantiated for each document of the prescribed type.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the processor retrieves and stores instantiated instance-specific type information from the document.

20. The computing system of claim 16, wherein the processor further:

creates a dependency between the type template and a document of the prescribed type;

marks the document as dirty when the type template is changed; and

associates the type information with the document only when receiving a request for the document.