Method and system for a network-based document review tool utilizing comment classification

• US 6,243,722 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Romero, Carl William, Day, Don Rutledge
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bashore, William L.
• Application Number:
  US08/976,882
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501, 707/512, 707/513, 707/530, 707/531
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and system in a computer network for assisting users in collectively creating documents with minimal document intrusiveness via the computer network. Initially, a document is displayed in a graphic interface of a computer in a computer network, such that the document may also be displayed at any one of a number of computers within the computer network. Next, portions of the document are designated which may be commented upon by users. These portions of the document are automatically associated with displayable interface wherein users may enter comments pertaining to the document. The displayable interface is then displayed within the graphic interface, in response to user input. A user is then permitted to enter comments pertaining to the document within the displayable interface, such that the comments may be separately stored, subsequently retrieved and utilized in the creation of the document without cluttering. The displayable interface is then automatically closed upon completion of an entry of comments pertaining to the document within the displayable interface.

Claims

1. A method in a collaborative data processing environment for associating user comments with particular portions of a shared document, said method comprising:

receiving at a client a document from a server, wherein said document includes a first portion designated for review, an undesignated second portion, and a selectable object associated only with said first portion;

simultaneously displaying said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in a user interface of said client;

in response to a selection of said selectable object, displaying in said user interface a pop-up window that includes an input field for receiving a user comment and that includes two or more objects for specifying a class of said user comment; and

in response to a determination that a user has finished entering said user comment in said input field, removing said input field from said user interface and automatically preserving said user comment apart from said document with an identification link associating said user comment only with said first portion.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of automatically preserving said user comment comprises storing said user comment in a database associated with said document, such that said database associates said comment with said first portion.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of simultaneously displaying said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object comprises displaying said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in a web browser, such that said document may also be displayed in, and additional user comments obtained from, one or more additional data processing systems while said document is displayed in, and said user comment is being obtained from, said client.

3. A method in a collaborative data processing environment for associating user comments with particular portions of a shared document, said method comprising:

receiving at a client a document from a server, wherein said document includes a first portion designated for review, an undesignated second portion, and a selectable object associated only with said first portion;

simultaneously displaying said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in a user interface of said client;

in response to a selection of said selectable object, displaying in said user interface an input field for receiving a user comment; and

in response to a determination that a user has finished entering said user comment in said input field, removing said input field from said user interface and automatically transmitting said user comment to a designated user with an indication that said user comment is associated with said first portion.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of simultaneously displaying said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object comprises displaying said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in a web browser, such that said document may also be displayed in, and additional user comments obtained from, one or more additional data processing systems while said document is displayed in, and said user comment is being obtained from, said client.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein:

said first portion is designated for solicited review, said selectable object is a first selectable object, said input field is a first input field, and said user comment is a first user comment;

said document includes a third portion designated for unsolicited review and a second selectable object associated only with said third portion; and

said method further comprises;

in response to selection of said second selectable object, displaying a second input field in said user interface for receiving a second user comment; and

automatically storing said second user comment in a database associated with said document, such that said database associates said second user comment with said third portion.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein:

said step of displaying said first input field comprises displaying said first input field as a message portion of an e-mail form and including an indication that said first user comment is associated with said first portion in a subject portion of said e-mail form; and

said step of displaying said second input field comprises displaying a pop-up window that includes said second input field and that includes two or more objects for specifying a class of said second user comment.

8. A data processing system with facilities for associating user comments with particular portions of a shared document, said data processing system comprising:

an input facility that receives a document from a server, wherein said document includes a first portion designated for review, an undesignated second portion, and a selectable object associated only with said first portion;

a user interface that simultaneously displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object; and

a comment acquisition facility that;

displays, in said user interface, a pop-up window that includes an input field for receiving a user comment and that includes two or more objects for specifying a class of said user comment, in response to a selection of said selectable object; and

removes said input field from said user interface and automatically preserves said user comment apart from said document with an identification link associating said user comment only with said first portion in response to a determination that a user has finished entering said user comment in said input field.

9. A data processing system according to claim 8, wherein said comment acquisition facility automatically preserves said user comment by storing said user comment in a database associated with said document, such that said database associates said comment with said first portion.

12. A data processing system according to claim 8, wherein:

said data processing system comprises a first data processing system that includes a web browser; and

user interface displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in said web browser, such that said document may also be displayed in, and additional user comments obtained from, one or more additional data processing systems while said document is displayed in, and said user comment is being obtained from, said first data processing system.

10. A data processing system with facilities for associating user comments with particular portions of a shared document, said data processing system comprising:

an input facility that received a document from a server, wherein said document includes a first portion designated for review, an undesignated second portion, and a selectable object associated only with said first portion;

a user interface that simultaneously displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object; and

a comment acquisition facility that;

displays, in said user interface, an input field for receiving a user comment in response to a selection of said selectable object; and

removes said input field from said user interface and automatically transmits said user comment to a designated user with an indication that said user comment is associated with said first portion, in response to a determination that a user has finished entering said user comment in said input field.

11. A data processing system according to claim 10, wherein:

said data processing system comprises a first data processing system that includes a web browser; and

said user interface displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in said web browser, such that said document may also be displayed in, and additional user comments obtained from, one or more additional data processing systems while said document is displayed in, and said user comment is being obtained from, said first data processing system.

13. A data processing system according to claim 10, wherein:

said first portion is designated for solicited review, said selectable object is a first selectable object, said input field is a first input field, and said user comment is a first user comment;

said document includes a third portion designated for unsolicited review and a second selectable object associated only with said third portion;

said user interface displays a second input field for receiving a second user comment in response to selection of said second selectable object; and

said comment acquisition facility responds to a determination that a user has finished entering said second user comment in said second input field by automatically storing said second user comment in a database associated with said document, such that said database associates said second user comment with said third portion.

14. A data processing system according to claim 13, wherein:

said comment acquisition facility displays said first input field as a message portion of an e-mail form and includes an indication that said first user comment is associated with said first portion in a subject field of said e-mail form; and

said comment acquisition facility displays said second input field in a pop-up window that includes said second input field and that includes two or more objects for specifying a class of said second user comment.

15. A program product for associating user comments with particular portions of a shared document comprising:

an input facility that receives a document from a server, wherein said document includes a first portion designated for review, an undesignated second portion, and a selectable object associated only with said first portion;

a user interface that simultaneously displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object;

a comment acquisition facility that;

displays, in said user interface, a pop-up window that includes an input field for receiving a user comment and that includes two or more objects for specifying a class of said user comment, in response to a selection of said selectable object; and

removes said input field from said user interface and automatically preserves said user comment apart from said document with an identification link associating said user comment only with said first portion in response to a determination that a user has finished entering said user comment in said input field; and

a computer usable medium encoding said input facility, said user interface, and said comment acquisition facility.

16. A program product according to claim 15, wherein said comment acquisition facility automatically preserves said user comment by storing said user comment in a database associated with said document, such that said database associates said comment with said first portion.

19. A program product according to claim 15, wherein

said program product comprises a web browser executing on a first data processing system; and

user interface displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in said web browser, such that said document may also be displayed in, and additional user comments obtained from, one or more additional data processing systems while said document is displayed in, and said user comment is being obtained from, said first data processing system.

17. A program product with facilities for associating a user comments with particular portions of a shared document, said program product comprising:

an input facility that receives a document from a server, wherein said document includes a first portion designated for review, an undesignated second portion, and a selectable object associated only with said first portion;

a user interface that simultaneously displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object; and

a comment acquisition facility that;

displays, in said user interface, an input field for receiving a user comment in response to a selection of said selectable object; and

removes said input field from said user interface and automatically transmits said user comment to a designated user with an indication that said user comment is associated with said first portion, in response to a determination that a user has finished entering said user comment in said input field.

18. A program product according to claim 17, wherein:

said program product comprises a web browser executing on a first data processing system; and

said user interface displays said first portion, said second portion, and said selectable object in said web browser, such that said document may also be displayed in, and additional user comments obtained from, one or more additional data processing systems while said document is displayed in, and said user comment is being obtained from, said first data processing system.

20. A program product according to claim 17, wherein:

said first portion is designated for solicited review, said selectable object is a first selectable object, said input field is a first input field, and said user comment is a first user comment;

said document includes a third portion designated for unsolicited review and a second selectable object associated only with said third portion;

said user interface displays a second input field for receiving a second user comment in response to selection of said second selectable object; and

said comment acquisition facility responds to a determination that a user has finished entering said second user comment in said second input field by automatically storing said second user comment in a database associated with said document, such that said database associates said second user comment with said third portion.

21. A program product according to claim 20, wherein:

said comment acquisition facility displays said first input field as a message portion of an e-mail form and includes an indication that said first user comment is associated with said first portion in a subject field of said e-mail form; and

said comment acquisition facility displays said second input field in a pop-up window that includes said second input field and that includes two or more objects for specifying a class of said second user comment.