Systems, processes, and products for storage and retrieval of physical paper documents, electro-optically generated electronic documents, and computer generated electronic documents

• US 6,775,422 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Carr Shop
• Inventors: Altman, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIRE, GREGORY M
• Application Number:
  US09/665,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,423 Days
• Field of Search: 382/305-306, 382/312, 382/321, 707/1-10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/200, 707/204, 707/205, 358/402-404, 358/474
• US Class Current: 382/305
• 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

Abstract

A storage system is provided for paper and electronic documents. Electronic documents include electronic image documents and electronic work documents, which may be completely unrelated in form or content, are acquired or produced to provide one or more real time sequences of electronic documents in one or more real time sequences of date/time instances. Acquired or produced physical documents, for ultimate convenience, simply are added to the front (or the back) of one or more cumulative physical stack. The resulting electronic records of a database, with assured precision, uniquely identify the physical locations of the physical documents and the electronic locations of the electronic documents, both in terms of their associated date/time instances. In effect, these date/time instances guarantee that virtual sets of related physical documents may be conveniently accessed and physically retrieved, and that corresponding sets of related electronic documents may be immediately displayed and suitably presented.

Claims

1. A system comprising a computer and a scanner for processing paper documents and electronic documents, certain of said electronic documents constituting electronic image documents corresponding to certain of said paper documents, certain of said electronic documents being computer generated electronic work documents:

(a) said scanner being operative for production of said image documents from said paper documents to provide pairs of said paper documents and said image documents;

(b) said computer being driven by at least one application for production of said work documents;

(c) said production of said documents being effected in an arbitrary real time sequence such that each of said documents is automatically specified by a unique date/time identifier;

(d) a physical storage for containing at least one physical collection of said paper documents substantially in said real time sequence;

(e) each of said paper documents being logically classified by its date/time identifier with the date/time identifiers of other paper documents;

(f) said paper documents being logically classified by other identifiers into restricted virtual groups;

(g) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said physical collection;

(h) an electronic storage responsive to said application for containing at least one electronic collection of said image documents and said work documents;

(i) each of said electronic documents in said electronic collection being logically classified by its date/time identifier with the date/time identifiers of other image documents and work documents in said electronic collection;

(j) said image documents and said work documents in said electronic collection being logically classified by said other identifiers into restricted electronic groups;

(j) said application recording said date/time sequences and for presenting said restricted groups of electronic documents;

(k) said physical storage having a plurality of physical containers for holding said paper documents substantially in said real time sequence;

(l) said physical containers being uniquely marked with visual media designating ranges of said date/time identifiers;

(m) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said physical containers.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said date/time identifiers specify seconds.

3. A process using a scanner and a computer to process paper documents and electronic documents, certain of said electronic documents constituting electronic image documents corresponding to certain of said paper documents, certain of said electronic documents being computer generated electronic work documents, said process comprising as steps:

(a) scanning said paper documents for the production of said image documents from said paper documents to provide pairs of said paper documents and said image documents;

(b) running at least one application in said computer for the production of said work documents;

(c) said production of said documents being effected in an arbitrary real time sequence such that each of said documents is automatically specified by a unique date/time identifier;

(d) depositing in a physical storage at least one physical collection of said paper documents substantially in said real time sequence;

(e) each of said paper documents being logically classified by its date/time identifier with the date/time identifiers of other paper documents;

(f) said paper documents being logically classified by other identifiers into restricted virtual groups;

(g) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said physical collection;

(h) depositing in an electronic storage at least one electronic collection of said image documents and said work documents;

(i) each of said image documents in said electronic collection being logically classified by its date/time identifier with the date/time identifiers of other image documents and work documents in said electronic collection;

(j) said image documents and said work documents in said electronic collection being logically classified by said other identifiers into restricted electronic groups;

(k) said application recording said date/time sequences and presenting said restricted groups of electronic documents;

(l) said physical storage having a plurality of physical containers for holding said paper documents substantially in said real time sequence;

(m) uniquely marking said physical containers with visual media designating ranges of said date/time identifiers;

(n) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said physical containers.

4. A document storage and retrieval system comprising a physical system for filing a sequence of paper documents, a scanner for converting said sequence of paper documents to a sequence of electronic image documents, and an electronic system for producing a sequence of electronic work documents, said electronic image documents and said electronic work documents constituting electronic documents, said electronic system filing said electronic documents at a sequence of date/time instances, certain of said date/time instances uniquely designating matched pairs of said paper documents and said electronic image documents:

(a) said physical system including a primary physical repository and a plurality of secondary physical repositories therein, selected ranges of said sequence of paper documents corresponding to selected ranges of said date/time instances, said selected ranges of said sequences of paper documents being contained by selected ones of said secondary physical repositories, said selected ones of said secondary physical repositories being visually marked with physical indicia corresponding to said selected ranges of said date/time instances;

(b) said electronic system presenting at least one electronic table representing a grid containing rows of electronic records and columns of electronic fields, at least one of said electronic fields including a primary electronic field and a plurality of secondary electronic fields, said primary electronic field including a sequence of date/time entries that designate a corresponding sequence of said paper documents and said electronic documents, said secondary electronic fields including arrangements of other entries that designate corresponding arrangements of logical groups of said paper documents and logical groups of said electronic images;

(c) said logical groups of said paper documents including virtual collections of said paper documents that are intermingled throughout said secondary repositories so as to be unadapted for immediate physical compilation;

the location in said secondary repositories of any one paper document being indicated by at least one of said records that includes the date/time instance by which said one paper document is uniquely identified;

said logical groups of said electronic documents being identified by logical groups of said electronic records so as to be adapted for immediate electronic compilation.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said secondary depositories include physical file folders and imprinted on said folders are visual indicia specifying limited date/time ranges of physical documents therein.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said secondary depositories include file pockets and imprinted on said file pockets are visual indicia specifying limited date/time ranges of physical documents therein.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said primary depositories are boxes and imprinted on said boxes are visual indicia specifying limited date/time ranges of physical documents therein.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said electronic system automatically generates electronic date/time indicia in said primary field at each of said date/time instances.

9. A database storage comprising at least one physical storage location for filing and retrieving at least one date/time sequence of paper documents, and at least one electronic storage for filing and retrieving at least one date/time sequence of electronic documents:

(a) said paper documents in said one physical storage location being stored in a single order corresponding to the date/time sequence of their filing;

(b) said electronic documents including electronic image documents that are counterparts of said paper documents, and electronic work documents that are not counterparts of said paper documents;

(c) certain of said paper documents and certain of said electronic image documents constituting matched pairs;

(d) certain of said date/time instances uniquely designating said matched pairs, the paper document and the electronic image document of each of said matched pairs being substantially identical visually;

(e) said electronic system presenting an electronic table representing a grid containing rows of electronic records and columns of electronic fields;

(f) at least one of said fields being a primary field characterized by a date/time data type;

(g) at least a plurality of other fields being secondary fields characterized by at least another data type;

(h) said physical system including a primary container and a plurality of secondary containers therein;

(i) a physical collection of said paper documents being deposited in said plurality of secondary containers;

(j) each of said pairs being logically classified by one of said date/time identifiers of said primary field, each of said pairs logically classified by said other data type into restricted virtual groups;

(k) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said secondary containers;

(l) the physical location of a particular document being indicated by a particular one of said date/time instances.

10. A digital system for producing a collection of electronic images from a collection of paper documents in an arbitrary date/time sequence of transactions, the paper documents and electronic images thereby being matched in pairs:

(a) each pair being uniquely identified by one of said date/time sequence of transactions;

(b) different pairs being classified by different contents in different logical groups;

(c) a primary physical container and a plurality of secondary physical containers therein;

(d) ranges of said paper documents being deposited in said secondary physical containers;

(e) said ranges being uniquely identified by corresponding ranges of said date/time sequence;

(f) said secondary physical containers being marked with physical indicia corresponding to said ranges of said date/time sequence;

(g) an electronic table representing a grid containing rows of electronic records and columns of at least a primary electronic field and a plurality of secondary electronic fields;

(h) entries in said primary field identifying said date/time sequence of transactions;

(i) entries in said secondary fields identifying said different logical groups;

(j) paper documents identifying said different logical groups being intermingled in said secondary physical

(k) logical groups of electronic images being organized by said entries in said secondary fields for electronic presentation;

(l) the date/time entry for any electronic image indicating the physical location in said secondary containers of the paper document represented thereby.

11. The digital system of claim 10 wherein said date/time sequence specifies seconds.

12. A digital process for producing a collection of electronic images from a collection of paper documents in an arbitrary date/time sequence of transactions, the paper documents and electronic images thereby being matched in pairs:

(a) uniquely identifying each pair by one of said date/time sequence of transactions;

(b) different contents classifying different pairs in different logical groups;

(c) depositing ranges of said paper documents in a plurality of secondary physical containers;

(d) depositing said plurality of secondary physical containers in a primary physical container;

(e) automatically identifying said ranges of paper documents by corresponding ranges of said date/time sequence;

(f) marking said secondary physical containers with physical indicia corresponding to said ranges of said date/time sequence;

(g) creating an electronic table representing a grid containing rows of electronic records and columns of at least a primary electronic field and a plurality of secondary electronic fields;

(h) inserting entries in said primary field identifying said date/time sequence of transactions;

(i) inserting entries in said secondary fields identifying said different logical groups;

(j) intermingling paper documents identifying said different logical groups in said secondary physical containers;

(k) organizing logical groups of electronic images by said entries in said secondary fields for electronic presentation;

(l) the date/time entry for any electronic image indicating the physical location in said secondary containers of the paper document represented thereby.

13. The digital process of claim 12 wherein said date/time sequence specifies seconds.

14. A document storage and retrieval system comprising a physical system for filing a sequence of paper documents, a scanner for converting said sequence of paper documents to a sequence of electronic images at a sequence of date/time instances, and an electronic system for filing said sequence of electronic images, each one of said date/time instances uniquely designating a matched pair of one of said paper documents and one of said electronic images:

(a) said physical system including at least a primary physical repository and a plurality of secondary physical repositories therein, selected ranges of said sequence of paper documents corresponding to selected ranges of said date/time instances, said selected ranges of said sequences of paper documents being contained by selected ones of said secondary physical repositories, said selected ones of said secondary physical repositories being visually marked with physical indicia corresponding to said selected ranges of said date/time instances;

(b) said electronic system presenting an electronic table representing a grid containing rows of electronic records and columns of electronic fields, said electronic fields including a primary electronic field and a plurality of secondary electronic fields, said primary field including a sequence of date/time entries that designate a corresponding sequence of said paper documents and said electronic images, said secondary fields including arrangements of other entries that designate corresponding arrangements of logical groups of said paper documents and logical groups of said electronic images;

(c) said logical groups of said paper documents including virtual collections of said paper documents that are intermingled throughout said secondary repositories so as to be unadapted for immediate physical compilation, the location in said secondary repositories of any one paper document being indicated by a record that includes the date/time instance by which said one paper document is uniquely identified, said logical groups of said electronic images being identified by logical groups of said electronic records so as to be adapted for immediate electronic compilation.

15. The document storage and retrieval system of claim 14 wherein said date/time instances specify seconds.

16. A document storage system comprising:

(a) a physical system and an electronic system for storing pairs of paper documents and electronic images;

(b) each of said pairs being specified by a unique date/time identifier;

(c) a physical storage for containing at least one physical collection of said paper documents;

(d) each of said paper documents in said physical collection being logically classified by said date/time identifier with the date/time identifiers of the other paper documents in said physical collection;

(e) said paper documents in said physical collection being logically classified by other identifiers into restricted virtual groups;

(f) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said physical collection;

(g) an electronic storage for containing at least one electronic collection of said electronic images;

(h) each of said electronic images in said electronic collection being logically classified by said date/time identifier with the date/time identifiers of the other electronic images in said electronic collection;

(i) said electronic images in said electronic collection being logically classified by said other identifiers into restricted image groups;

(j) digital processing means for recording said date/time sequence and for presenting said restricted image groups;

(k) said physical storage having a plurality of physical containers for holding said paper documents in said date/time sequence;

(l) said physical containers being uniquely marked with visual media designating ranges of said date/time identifiers;

(m) paper documents of different ones of said restricted virtual groups being intermingled physically throughout said physical containers.

17. The document storage system of claim 16 wherein both said physical system and said electronic system provide matched archival termination indicia, which enable concomitant disposal of physical documents and electronic images bearing the same date/time termination indicia.

18. A system for processing corresponding pairs of original paper documents and resulting electronic documents, said system comprising:

(a) a physical system and an electronic system;

(b) a scanner and a printer, both operatively connected to said physical system and said electronic system;

(c) said physical system having at least a primary physical repository and at least a plurality of secondary physical repositories therein;

(d) said secondary physical repositories holding selected sequences of said paper documents corresponding to selected ranges of date/time instances;

(f) said primary repository holding selected sequences of said selected secondary repositories;

(g) said primary physical repository and said secondary repositories being visually marked with physical indicia corresponding to sequences of date/time instances;

(h) said electronic system containing a database that includes a plurality of electronic tables, each representing a grid of rows of electronic records and columns of electronic fields;

(i) said electronic fields including at least one primary electronic field and at least a plurality of secondary electronic fields;

(j) said primary field including entries of said date/time instances which designate corresponding logical groups of paper documents and corresponding logical groups of electronic documents;

(k) said secondary fields including other entries which designate corresponding logical groups of the paper documents and of electronic documents;

(l) selected date/time instances in said primary field specifying the physical locations of selected paper documents and logical locations of selected electronic documents in terms of their date/time instances;

(m) said selected paper documents being virtual collections that are intermingled throughout said secondary repositories;

(n) said selected electronic documents being adapted for electronic compilation and presentation.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said primary repositories include boxes.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said secondary repositories include file folders.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein said secondary repositories include file pockets.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein said primary repositories include shelves.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein said primary repository includes at least a room.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein said electronic documents include electronic image files and electronic work files, and said paper documents occupy a plurality of locations, said paper documents in at least one of said locations and said image documents corresponding thereto being scheduled for disposal following a particular archive retention date, said paper documents in at least another of said locations and said image documents corresponding thereto being scheduled for permanent archive retention.

25. A database comprising:

(a) a physical system having a physical storage for receiving physical documents;

(b) an electronic system having an electronic storage for receiving electronic documents;

(c) said physical storage and said electronic storage providing pairs of certain of said physical documents and certain of said electronic documents;

(d) corresponding physical documents and electronic documents of said pairs having corresponding visual contents;

(e) corresponding selections of physical documents and electronic documents of said pairs being respectively assigned corresponding date/time physical markings and corresponding date/time electronic addresses;

(f) corresponding physical documents and electronic documents of said pairs having corresponding relational contents;

(g) said corresponding selections of physical documents being physically organized by the logic of their physical markings;

(h) said corresponding selections of electronic documents being electronically organized by the logic of their relational contents.

26. A digital computer system comprising at least an electronic display, at least an electronic storage, and at least a relational database, which is characterized by a grid containing (1) columns of fields, and (2) rows of records:

(a) said grid containing a set of said rows in the form of a succession of records representing a succession of electronic documents;

(b) said electronic documents of said succession of records representing visual contents that can be viewed on said display;

(c) said electronic documents of said succession having a succession of electronic addresses that are characterized by a date/time data type;

(d) said grid containing a set of said columns in the form of a set of fields representing selections of attributes of said electronic documents;

(e) said selection of attributes being characterized by data types other than said date/time data type;

(f) sets of said electronic documents of said successions being indexed according to groupings that are defined by the logic of their date/time addresses;

(g) sets of said electronic attributes of said selections being indexed according to groupings that are defined by the logic of their fields.

27. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are e-mail documents.

28. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are image documents.

29. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are image documents.

30. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are work documents.

31. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are correspond to photographic documents.

32. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are PDF documents.

33. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are XML documents.

34. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are electronic image documents and electronic work documents.

35. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are electro-optically generated electronic documents.

36. The digital computer system of claim 26, wherein said electronic documents are computer generated electronic documents.

37. A digital computer system comprising at least an electronic storage:

(a) said storage containing a set of records representing a succession of electronic documents;

(b) each record of said set of records containing a selection of attributes of said succession of electronic documents;

(c) said electronic documents of said set of records representing visual contents that can be viewed on a display;

(d) said selection of attributes of said electronic documents of said succession of electronic documents containing a succession of unique identifiers that are characterized by a date/time data type;

(e) said succession of unique identifiers constituting a succession of storage addresses;

(f) said selection of attributes of said electronic documents of said succession of electronic documents containing a succession of non-unique identifiers that are not characterized by a date/time data type;

(g) sets of said electronic documents actually being indexed according to groupings of said electronic documents that are defined by the logic of their unique identifiers;

(h) sets of said electronic documents actually being indexed according to groupings of said electronic documents that are defined by the logic of selections of their non-unique identifiers.

38. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are e-mail documents.

39. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are image documents.

40. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are include a stream of image documents.

41. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are work documents.

42. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents correspond to photographic documents.

43. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are PDF documents.

44. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are XML documents.

45. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are electronic image documents and electronic work documents.

46. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are electro-optically generated electronic documents.

47. The digital computer system of claim 37, wherein said electronic documents are computer generated electronic documents.