Method and apparatus for automated procedure initiation in a data processing system including soliciting an evaluation vote from users automatically determined in response to identification of a functional area associated with a document

• US 5,377,355 A
• Filed: 08/16/1993
• Issued: 12/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rose, Curtis G., Hager, Dean J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Application Number:
  US08/107,423
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200, 395/600, 395/145, 395/146, 395/149, 395/650, 364/400, 364/401, 364/419.19
• US Class Current: 715/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The method and apparatus of the present invention may be utilized to automatically initiate additional procedures in a data processing system with regard to documents stored therein. A selected document, such an invention disclosure document, is identified and evaluations of the selected document are automatically solicited from a selected group of evaluators enrolled within the data processing system. In one embodiment of the present invention the evaluators are automatically selected in response to the technical or functional subject matter of the document. Each evaluation of a document is then stored and the content of all evaluations are then utilized to automatically initiate an additional procedure. For example, if a majority of evaluations indicate that a selected document should be closed, the file is automatically closed and a report is automatically generated indicating this action. Similarly, a number of evaluations indicating a request for additional information may be utilized, in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention, to automatically initiate a search request directed to an appropriate search facility. A display of a summary of all evaluations is also preferably provided so that a computer user may override or counterman the automatic initiation of a selected procedure.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein for automatically initiating additional procedures with regard to a document stored within said data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a document stored within said data processing system and a functional area associated with said document;

automatically soliciting an evaluation vote regarding said document from a selected group of said plurality of users enrolled within said data processing system, said selected group of said plurality of users automatically determined in response to said identification of said functional area associated with said document;

storing within said data processing system each evaluation vote regarding said document received from said selected group of said plurality of users; and

thereafter utilizing said data processing system to automatically initiate a selected procedure with regard to said document among a plurality of procedures within said data processing system in response to an assessment of said stored evaluation votes regarding said document from said selected group of said plurality of users.

2. The method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein for automatically initiating additional procedures with regard to a document stored within said data processing system according to claim 1, further including the step of displaying a summary of said evaluations of said document from said selected group of said plurality of users.

3. The method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein for automatically initiating additional procedures with regard to a document stored within said data processing system according to claim 1, further including the step of automatically transmitting a report in response to an initiation of said selected procedure.

4. The method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein for automatically initiating additional procedures with regard to a document stored within said data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said selected procedure comprises the automatic reformatting of said document into a selected format.

5. The method in a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein for automatically initiating additional procedures with regard to a document stored within said data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said selected procedure comprises the closing of a file containing said document.

6. A system for automatically initiating an additional procedure with regard to a document stored within a data processing system having a plurality of users enrolled therein, said system comprising:

means for identifying a selected document stored within said data processing system and a functional area associated with said document;

data entry means for permitting entry of an evaluation vote regarding said selected document by a selected group of users enrolled in said data processing system, said selected group of said plurality of users automatically determined in response to said identification of said functional area associated with said document;

storage means for storing within said data processing system each evaluation vote regarding said selected document by said selected group of users enrolled in said data processing system; and

data processing system means for automatically initiating a selected procedure with regard to said document among a plurality of procedures within said data processing system in response to an assessment of said stored evaluation votes regarding said document from said selected group of said plurality of users.

7. The system for automatically initiating an additional procedure with regard to a document stored within a data processing system according to claim 6, further including means for displaying a summary of said evaluations of said selected document by said selected group of users.

8. The system for automatically initiating an additional procedure with regard to a document stored within a data processing system according to claim 6, further including means for automatically transmitting a report in response to an initiation of said selected procedure.