Method and system for storing and retrieving collaboratively processed information by associated identification data
First Claim
1. A method of storing collaboratively processed information referenced in a group work carried out through a computer network system in which a plurality of terminal units are interconnected through a network, each terminal unit comprising a microprocessor provided with a control program for controlling communication of control commands and data with other terminal units, a data base producing program for automatically producing a data set indicative of features of the group work and at least one application program for performing data processing according to control commands and data supplied through said control program a display unit and an input unit, and a plurality of users in remote places engaged in the group work by referring to at least one material displayed equally on a screen of the display unit of each terminal unit under control of said control program, said method comprising steps of:
- establishing in said network a logical communication path for connecting a plurality of control programs of said terminal units, and starting the group work;
creating group work identification data by said data base creating program in response to a predetermined control command supplied from said control program when the group work is started;
selectively creating, by said data base creating program, work matter data indicative of index information for retrieving a material referenced in the group work when control command or data is supplied from said control program during the group work; and
storing said work matter data in association with said work identification data in a file by said data base creating program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A collaborative information processing system is formed of a plurality of terminal units interconnected through a network. Each terminal unit includes a microprocessor provided with a control program for controlling the execution of various application programs and the communication with other terminal units, input/output devices such as a display unit with a display screen and keyboard, and a telephone set. A plurality of users join in a conference or such a group work to create materials by making reference to a material which is displayed equally on the screen of each terminal unit and making conversation through the telephone set under control of the control program. Records of group work information including the outline of the group work, names of participants, and names of materials and data created or referenced during the group work or conference are stored automatically in a database so that the records can readily be retrieved in the future.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of storing collaboratively processed information referenced in a group work carried out through a computer network system in which a plurality of terminal units are interconnected through a network, each terminal unit comprising a microprocessor provided with a control program for controlling communication of control commands and data with other terminal units, a data base producing program for automatically producing a data set indicative of features of the group work and at least one application program for performing data processing according to control commands and data supplied through said control program a display unit and an input unit, and a plurality of users in remote places engaged in the group work by referring to at least one material displayed equally on a screen of the display unit of each terminal unit under control of said control program, said method comprising steps of:
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establishing in said network a logical communication path for connecting a plurality of control programs of said terminal units, and starting the group work; creating group work identification data by said data base creating program in response to a predetermined control command supplied from said control program when the group work is started; selectively creating, by said data base creating program, work matter data indicative of index information for retrieving a material referenced in the group work when control command or data is supplied from said control program during the group work; and storing said work matter data in association with said work identification data in a file by said data base creating program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of storing group work information referenced in a group work carried out through a computer network system in which a plurality of terminal units are interconnected through a network, each terminal unit comprising a display unit having a display screen, an input unit, a processor provided with a control program for implementing communication among said terminal units so that a plurality of terminal units operate in unison for information processing in response to input operation on said input units, and a telephone set, and a plurality of participants in remote places engage in a group work by using group work information displayed on the display screens and voices through said telephone sets, said method comprising steps of:
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forming, on the display screen, a group work environment carrying out the group work; creating work identification data for identifying the group work environment formed on the display screen; selectively creating work matter data indicative of index information for retrieving a material referenced in the group work, in response to user operations taken in the group work environment; and storing said work matter data in association with said work identification data in a data file for future information retrieval of said material. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of storing and retrieving group work information referenced in a group work carried out through a computer network system in which a plurality of terminal units are interconnected through a network, each terminal unit comprising a display unit having a display screen, an input unit, a processor provided with a control program for implementing communication among said terminal units so that said terminal units operate in unison for information processing in response to input operations on said input units, a telephone set, and file means for storing group work information, and a plurality of participants in remote places engaged in the group work by using information displayed on the display screens and voices through said telephone sets, said method comprising steps of:
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forming, on the display screen, a group work environment for carrying out the group work; creating work identification data for identifying the group work environment formed on the display screen; creating work matter data indicative of index information for retrieving a material referenced in the group work, in response to a certain user operation taken in the group work environment; storing said work matter data in association with said work identification data in said file means for future information retrieval; and searching the file means for a set of work identification data and work matter data which fit a search condition specified by a user and displaying the data on the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A terminal unit for used in a computer network system in which a plurality of terminal units are interconnected through a network so that a plurality of users in remote places engage in a group work by making reference to at least one visual material displayed equally on each display screen of the terminal units, comprising:
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display means for presenting information through a plurality of windows created on the display screen; input means for selectively inputting command and data in one of said windows by a user; processor means coupled with said display unit and said input unit, for selectively executing one of a plurality of application programs to change information displayed in one of said windows on each display screen in response to a command or data input from said input means; and data file means for storing various document data and group work information; said processor means being provided with; group work control means for controlling communication of commands and data with other of the terminal units so that the plurality of terminal units carry out information processing in unison when an input operation occurring at one of said terminal units for a specific window of a group work environment; means for selectively creating work identification data indicative of the group work environment and index data for retrieving document data referred in the group work, in response to input operations for the specific window, and storing the index data in association with the work identification data into said data file means; and means for retrieving index data from said data file in accordance with work identification data specified by a user, and displaying the index data on the display screen.
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Specification