COMPUTER FORM ACTION ZONE SUMMARY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110093769A1
• Filed: 10/20/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: RightSignature LLC (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Bernstein, Daryl, Siegel, Jonathan, Dunn, Cary
• Granted Patent: US 9,286,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating the entry by a signer user of information into a scaffold electronic document having multiple information entry fields, over the internet or similar network. The system includes a document summary server, in communication with a document execution server, and associated with a scaffold electronic document via network. The document summary server facilitates the entry by a signer user of information into one or more information entry fields in a scaffold document.

Claims

1. Method for facilitating the entry by a user, of information into a scaffold electronic document, wherein the scaffold electronic document includes content displayable to a user as text and/or graphics on one or more pages, and m groups of information entry fields U₁, . . . , U_i, . . . , U_m, each group being associated with a distinct user, and wherein the i^th group of information entry fields includes n_i information entry fields F_i1, . . . , F_iji, . . . , F_ini, wherein the information entry fields are adapted to receive information entered therein by an i^th user, comprising the steps of:

by a document summary server,

A. for the scaffold electronic document, establishing a group index i for each of the m groups of information entry fields where 1≦

i≦

m, and establishing a subgroup index j_i for the i^th group of information entry fields F_iji of the respective m groups where 1≦

i≦

m and where 1≦

j_i≦

n_i, wherein i and j_i for the i^th user have initial values equal to 1 for the scaffold electronic document, and i and j_i have maximum values equal to m and n_i respectively for the scaffold electronic document,

B. making available over a network for display to the user, the scaffold electronic document,

C. in response to receipt over the network of data indicative of entry by the i^th user of information into the i_i^th information entry field of the i^th group, modifying the scaffold electronic document to include the entered information in the i_i^th information entry field, and incrementing the subgroup index j for the F_iji^th subgroup, and

D. making available for display in relation to the i^th user, a steps-to-go display representative of the difference between the maximum value of the subgroup index j_i for the i^th user and the current value of the subgroup index j_i for the i^th user.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network is the Internet.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps-to-go display is made available for display to the i^th user.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the steps-to-go display is made available for display to the i^th user in the form of a gauge showing the initial value of index j_i (=1) for the i^th user, the maximum value of the index j_i (=n) for the i^th user and the current value of the index j_i (=j_i) for the i^th user.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of making available for display in relation to the i^th user, a next-field display representative of the location in the scaffold electronic document of the next information entry field in the i^th group in the scaffold electronic document having no user-entered data.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the next field display is made available for display to the i^th user.

7. Method for facilitating the entry by a user, of information into a scaffold electronic document, wherein the scaffold electronic document includes content displayable to a user as text and/or graphics on one or more pages, and m groups of information entry fields U₁, . . . U_i, . . . , U_m, each group being associated with a distinct user, and wherein the i^th group of information entry fields includes n_i information entry fields F_i1, . . . , F_iji, . . . F_ini, wherein the information entry fields are adapted to receive information entered therein by an i^th user, comprising the steps of:

by a document summary server,

A. for the scaffold electronic document, establishing a group index i for each of the m groups of information entry fields where 1≦

i≦

m, and establishing a subgroup index j_i for the i^th group of information entry fields F_iji of the respective m groups where 1≦

i≦

m and where 1≦

j_i≦

n_i, wherein i and j_i for the i^th user have initial values equal to 1 for the scaffold electronic document, and i and j_i have maximum values equal to m and n_i respectively for the scaffold electronic document,

B. making available over a network for display to the user, the scaffold electronic document,

C. in response to receipt over the network of data indicative of entry by the i^th user of information into the j_i^th information entry field of the i^th group, modifying the scaffold electronic document to include the entered information in the j_i^th information entry field, and incrementing the subgroup index j for the F_iji^th subgroup, and

D. making available for display in relation to the i^th user, a progress display representative of the current value of the subgroup index j_i for the i^th user.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the network is the Internet.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the progress display is made available for display to the i^th user.

10. The method according to claim 7, comprising the further step of making available for display in relation to the i^th user, a next-field display representative of the location in the scaffold electronic document of the next information entry field in the i^th group in the scaffold electronic document having no user-entered data.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the next field display is made available for display to the i^th user.

12. Method for facilitating the entry by a user, of information into a scaffold electronic document, wherein the scaffold electronic document includes content displayable to a user as text and/or graphics on one or more pages, and m groups of information entry fields U₁, U_i, . . . , U_m, each group being associated with a distinct user, and wherein the i^th group of information entry fields includes n_i information entry fields F_i1, . . . , F_iji, . . . , F_ini, wherein the information entry fields are adapted to receive information entered therein by an i^th user, comprising the steps of:

by a document summary server,

A. for the scaffold electronic document, establishing a group index i for each of the m groups of information entry fields where 1≦

i≦

m, and establishing a subgroup index j_i for the i^th group of information entry fields F_iji of the respective m groups where 1≦

i≦

m and where 1≦

j_i≦

n_i, wherein i and j_i for the i^th user have initial values equal to 1 for the scaffold electronic document, and i and j_i have maximum values equal to m and n_i respectively for the scaffold electronic document,

B. making available over a network for display to the user, the scaffold electronic document,

C. in response to receipt over the network of data indicative of entry by the i^th user of information into the i_i^th information entry field of the i^th group, modifying the scaffold electronic document to include the entered information in the j_i^th information entry field, and incrementing the subgroup index j for the I_iji^th subgroup, and

D. making available for display in relation to the i^th user, a scope display representative of the maximum value of the subgroup index j_i for the i^th user.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the network is the Internet.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the scope display is made available for display to the i^th user.

15. The method according to claim 12, comprising the further step of making available for display in relation to the i^th user, a next-field display representative of the location in the scaffold electronic document of the next information entry field in the i^th group in the scaffold electronic document having no user-entered data.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the next field display is made available for display to the i^th user.