Apparatus and method for managing electronic original data

• US 6,658,403 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Takashi, Ono, Etsuo, Kuroda, Yasutsugu
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Linh
• Application Number:
  US09/639,762
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-205, 715/5, 715/11, 715/500, 713/155-158, 713/165-168, 713/175-178, 713/200-202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

An electronic document is registered as electronic original data in an apparatus different from the computer environment of a user. At this time, a registration certificate for uniquely identifying the electronic original data is issued, and the user accesses the electronic original data using the issued registration certificate.

Claims

1. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

a registration device registering electronic information as original data information;

an assignment device assigning, to the electronic information, logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

a management device managing the original data information using combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information; and

an issue device issuing registration certificate information containing the combination identification information, and used for access to the original data information and distinguishing the original data information from a copy of the original data information.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a user accesses the original data information registered in said electronic original data management apparatus according to the combination identification information contained in the registration certificate information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said management device compares the location identification information with the physical location at which the electronic information is stored, and determines that the electronic information is an illegal copy if the location identification information does not match the physical location.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a generation device generating the logical identification information according to identification information of said electronic original data management apparatus, electronic information identification information in said apparatus, type attribute information for distinguishing a copy from an original, and time stamp information, wherein

said management device manages a combination of the identification information of the electronic original data management apparatus and the electronic information identification information as original data sequence identification information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said management device processes all registered electronic information as original data information, and assigns the type attribute information indicating an original to the registered electronic information when a registering process is performed.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

a user determines whether the electronic information is an original or a copy by referring to the type attribute information contained in the registration certificate information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

when the electronic information is a copy, the user determines at which time point the electronic information has been copied by referring to the time stamp information contained in the registration certificate information.

8. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

a registration device to register electronic information as original data information;

a generation device to generate logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, based on apparatus identification information of said electronic original data management apparatus, an identifier of the electronic information used by said electronic original data management apparatus, type attribute information for distinguishing a copy from an original, and time stamp information;

an assignment device to assign, to the electronic information, the logical identification information, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

an issue device to issue registration certificate information containing combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information, and used for access to the original data information; and

a management device to manage the original data information using the combination identification information and original data sequence identification information combining the apparatus identification information of the electronic original data management apparatus and the identifier of the electronic information, to process all registered electronic information as original data, to assign the type attribute information indicating an original to the electronic information when a registration process is performed and, when the electronic information is copied, to produce generated logical identification information whose type attribute information is changed to copy attribute information indicating a copy without changing the original data sequence identification information and the time stamp information, and to assign the generated logical identification information to a copy of the electronic information.

9. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

a registration device to register electronic information as original data information;

a generation device to generate logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, based on apparatus identification information of said electronic original data management apparatus, an identifier of the electronic information used by said electronic original data management apparatus, type attribute information for distinguishing a copy from an original, and time stamp information;

an assignment device to assign, to the electronic information, the logical identification information, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

an issue device to issue registration certificate information containing combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information, and used for access to the original data information; and

a management device to manage the original data information using the combination identification information and original data sequence identification information combining the apparatus identification information of the electronic original data management apparatus and the identifier of the electronic information and, when the original data information is updated, to change the time stamp information without changing the original data sequence identification information and the type attribute information to manage the original data information before and after update.

10. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

a registration device to register electronic information as original data information;

a generation device to generate logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, based on apparatus identification information of said electronic original data management apparatus, an identifier of the electronic information used by said electronic original data management apparatus, type attribute information for distinguishing a copy from an original, and time stamp information;

an assignment device to assign, to the electronic information, the logical identification information, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

an issue device to issue registration certificate information containing combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information, and used for access to the original data information; and

a management device to manage the original data information using the combination identification information and original data sequence identification information combining the apparatus identification information of the electronic original data management apparatus and the identifier of the electronic information, to generate a series of instances of original data information depending on changes in a time series in the original data information, and to process the instances in the time series as one original data sequence.

11. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

a registration device to register electronic information as original data information;

a generation device to generate logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, based on apparatus identification information of said electronic original data management apparatus, an identifier of the electronic information used by said electronic original data management apparatus, type attribute information for distinguishing a copy from an original, and time stamp information;

an assignment device to assign, to the electronic information, the logical identification information, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

an issue device to issue registration certificate information containing combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information, and used for access to the original data information; and

a management device to manage the original data information using the combination identification information and original data sequence identification information combining the apparatus identification information of the electronic original data management apparatus and the identifier of the electronic information and, when original data information is moved to said electronic original data management apparatus from another electronic original data management apparatus, to manage the original data information that is moved by changing time stamp information without changing original data sequence identification information and type attribute information about the original data information that is moved.

12. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

a management device generating a series of instances of corresponding original data information depending on changes in a time series of electronic information, and managing the series of the instances as one original data sequence;

an assignment device assigning original data sequence identification information to the original data sequence.

an issue device issuing registration certificate information which contains the original data sequence identification information, and is used for access to an instance in the series of instances.

13. An electronic original data managing method, comprising:

registering electronic information as original data information;

assigning, to the electronic information, logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

managing the original data information using combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information; and

accessing the original data information according to registration certificate information containing the combination identification information and distinguishing the original data information from a copy of the original data information.

14. An electronic original data managing method, comprising:

generating a series of instances of corresponding original data information depending on changes in a time series of electronic information;

managing the series of the instances as one original data sequence;

assigning original data sequence identification information to the original data sequence; and

accessing an instance in the series of instances according to registration certificate information containing the original data sequence identification information.

15. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

registration means for registering electronic information as original data information;

assignment means for assigning, to the electronic information, logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

management means for managing the original data information using combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information; and

issue means for issuing registration certificate information containing the combination identification information, and used for access to the original data information and distinguishing the original data information from a copy of the original data information.

16. An electronic original data management apparatus, comprising:

management means for generating a series of instances of corresponding original data information depending on changes in a time series of electronic information, and managing the series of the instances as one original data sequence;

assignment means for assigning original data sequence identification information to the original data sequence; and

issue means for issuing registration certificate information which contains the original data sequence identification information, and is used for access to an instance in the series of instances.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for directing a computer to perform a process comprising:

assigning, to electronic information registered as original data information, logical identification information for identifying the electronic information uniquely in logic, and location identification information indicating a physical location of the electronic information;

managing the original data information using combination identification information based on a combination of the logical identification information and the location identification information; and

issuing registration certificate information containing the combination identification information for access to the original data information and distinguishing the original data information from a copy of the original data information.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for directing a computer to perform the process comprising:

generating a series of instances of corresponding original data information depending on changes in a time series of electronic information;

managing the series of the instances as one original data sequence;

assigning original data sequence identification information to the original data sequence; and

issuing registration certificate information containing the original data sequence identification information for access to an instance in the series of instances.