Method and apparatus for document image management in a case processing system

• US 5,161,214 A
• Filed: 08/28/1990
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Addink, Marvin, Hu, Cheney Y., Holmes, Andrew W., Till, Carolyn A., Mullen, John J., Leyba, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): CLARK, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/573,942
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 395/145, 395/600
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

An improved method manages the storage of document images so as to minimize the average access time while minimizing overall storage costs, consistent with the probable usage of the documents for a particular application. Document images can be selectively stored on high speed, low capacity magnetic DASD or alternately on low speed, high capacity optical storage. DASD storage is more expensive than optical storage for a document image. By characterizing the probable use of a document image in association with a case processing work flow within which the document image is to participate, optimum document storage can be achieved. When a case has a predefined plurality of document image types, and a particular document image type is missing, the case can be placed in a pending state while awaiting the receipt of the missing document image. In the pending state, the documents which are members of the pended case can be removed from the DASD and retained on the optical storage device. A notation as to the missing document type is associated with the pended case. When the missing document type is received, the case of which it is to be a member, is reactivated by accessing the existing documents for the case from the optical storage and transferring them to the DASD, along with storing the newly received missing document. The case with its full complement of documents is then made available to the user. Provision is made for prohibiting the deletion of a document image from the DASD when other active cases have that document as a member.

Claims

1. In a digitized document image storage and retrieval system, for storing document images organized into a plurality of cases having a common case format defining a plurality of document types required in each case, a method for managing the storage of digitized documents comprising the steps of:

receiving a first document image having a first document type and inputting an identifier and first document type characterization to said system and assigning a first document ID thereto;

deriving a case ID from said identifier;

storing said first document image on a DASD storage device and on an optical storage device;

storing said first document ID and an address of said first image in said optical storage, in a document file in a memory in said system and cross referencing said first document ID with said case ID;

inputting a pend command and a second document type characterization to said system, to remove said first document image from said DASD storage device until said system receives a document image having a second document type for said case ID, and storing a pending status for said case ID in said memory;

storing said case ID and said second document type characterization in a case pending file in said memory;

deleting said first document image from said DASD storage device;

receiving a second document image having said second document type and inputting said identifier and second document type characterization to said system and assigning a second document ID thereto;

storing said second document image on said DASD storage device;

storing said second document ID and an address of said second image in said DASD storage, in said memory in said system and cross referencing said second document ID with said case ID;

accessing said case pending file in said memory to determine whether said case ID is stored therein;

comparing said second document type characterization stored in said case pending file with said second document type characterization inputted with said step of receiving said second image, and in response thereto, accessing said first image from said optical storage and transferring it to said DASD storage;

substituting an active status for said pending status for said case ID in said memory and displaying a notice of said active status.

2. In a digitized document image storage and retrieval system, for storing document images organized into a plurality of cases having a common case format defining a plurality of document types required in each case, a method for managing the storage of digitized documents comprising the steps of:

receiving a first document image having a first document type and inputting information representing a first case ID and first document type characterization to said system and assigning a first document ID thereto;

storing said first document image on a DASD storage device and on an optical storage device;

storing said first document ID and an address of said first image in said optical storage, in a document file in a memory in said system and cross referencing said first document ID with said first case ID;

storing a value of unity in a use count field of said document file for said first document ID;

inputting information representing a second case ID and cross referencing said first document ID with said second case ID;

incrementing by unity said use count field of said document file for said first document ID;

inputting a pend command and a second document type characterization to said system, to remove said first document image from said DASD storage device until said system receives a document image having a second document type for said first case ID, and storing a pending status for said first case ID in said memory;

decrementing by unity said use count field of said document file for said first document ID;

storing said first case ID and said second document type characterization in a case pending file in said memory;

accessing said use count field and only if its value is zero, then in response thereto deleting said first document image from said DASD storage device;

receiving a second document image having said second document type and inputting said first case ID and second document type characterization to said system and assigning a second document ID thereto;

storing said second document image on said DASD storage device;

storing said second document ID and an address of said second image in said DASD storage, in said memory in said system and cross referencing said second document ID with said first case ID;

accessing said case pending file in said memory to determine whether said first case ID is stored therein;

comparing said second document type characterization stored in said case pending file with said second document type characterization inputted with said step of receiving said second image, and in response thereto, determining whether said first document image is on said DASD and if it is not, then accessing said first image from said optical storage and transferring it to said DASD storage;

substituting an active status for said pending status for said first case ID in said memory, incrementing by unity said use count field of said document file for said first document ID and displaying a notice of said active status.

3. In a digitized document image storage and retrieval system, a method for managing the storage of digitized documents comprising the steps of:

inputting a digitized document into the system;

storing the digitized document on a DASD and entering a record of the document ID and DASD address in a document file;

storing the document on an optical storage in the system and entering the optical address in said document file entry;

incrementing a use count in said entry in said document file for said document when a case which includes said document is activated;

changing the status of said case to pending and entering a pending status in a case pending list when a document type is missing from said case;

decrementing said use count for said document in said pending case;

storing in a case pending list the ID of said case, said missing document type, and the maximum time for waiting for the missing document;

deleting said document from said DASD when said expiration date occurs;

inputting said missing document;

transferring said original document from said optical storage to said DASD in response to the receipt of said missing document;

incrementing said use counter in said document file;

placing said case containing said missing document and said original document in a work queue in response to the activation of said case.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of placing said case, further comprises the steps of:

selecting an alternate work queue;

placing said case containing said missing document and said original document in said alternate work queue in response to the activation of said case.