Method and apparatus for data storage and retrieval

• US 6,938,037 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC (Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Goldman Sachs & Company (Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Severino, Donna M., Zingale, Thomas B., Carlstrom, Karl E., Saunders, Faith M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Application Number:
  US09/944,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 707/4, 707/102, 707/3, 707/5, 707/6, 707/7, 707/8, 707/9, 707/10, 707/100, 707/103, 707/517, 713/200, 382/202, 382/306, 709/217
• US Class Current: 707/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/919 Geographic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, and computer program code for data storage and retrieval. According to some embodiments, data storage pursuant to the present invention includes receiving document information associated with a document to be stored. A pending record containing the document information is generated. The document information is verified, and an active record is generated if the verifying is successful.

Claims

1. A method for storing a document, comprising:

conducting a search for existing records of a record management system referencing said document;

submitting a request to add said document to said record management system if said search indicates that said document is not referenced in said record management system, said request identifying at least a type of said document;

entering document data in a data entry template, said data entry template directing a user to enter data, said data entry template selected based at least in part on said type of said document; and

associating said data from said data entry template with an image of said document.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said data entry template to said user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding said document data to a document management database, said document management database storing said document data in a document record.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said image of said document is associated with said document record.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said document image is associated with said document record based on a record identifier of said document record.

6. A data storage method, comprising:

identifying a template based on a classification of a document to be stored, said template directing a user to enter data;

receiving document information associated with said document, said document information including said data entered by said user;

generating a pending record containing said document information;

associating said pending record containing said document information with an image of said document;

verifying said document information; and

generating an active record if said verifying is successful, said active record available for searching and retrieval by a user.

7. The data storage method of claim 6, wherein said template is selected from among a library of available templates.

8. The data storage method of claim 6, wherein said classification is a document collection classification.

9. The data storage method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining if said document has previously been stored.

10. The data storage method of claim 6, wherein said template defines a plurality of data elements required to identify a document according to said classification.

11. The data storage method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving document data corresponding to each of said plurality of data elements prior to generating said pending record.

12. The data storage method of claim 6, wherein said associating includes referencing a document record identifier in both said pending record and said image.

13. The data storage method of claim 6, further comprising:

associating said active record with an image of said document.

14. The data storage method of claim 6, wherein said document information includes at least one of:

a collection name;

a file name;

category information;

location information;

owner information;

creator information;

cross reference information;

status information;

history information;

geographical information; and

archive information.

15. The data storage method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing said pending record in a document management database; and

storing an indicator with said pending record indicating that it has not yet been approved.

16. The data storage method of claim 15, further comprising:

modifying said indicator upon approval of said pending record, thereby converting said pending record into said active record.

17. The data storage method of claim 15, wherein access to said pending records in said document management database is limited to authorized reviewers operating client devices.

18. The data storage method of claim 6, wherein said receiving document information further comprises:

receiving document information from an external system used to generate said document.

19. The data storage method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying said template to said user.

20. A data storage system, comprising:

means for identifying a template based on a classification of a document to be stored, said template directing a user to enter data;

means for receiving from said user document information associated with said document, said document information including said data entered by said user;

means for generating a pending record containing said document information;

means for associating said pending record containing said document information with an electronic representation of said document;

means for verifying said document information; and

means for generating an active record if said verifying is successful, said active record available for searching and retrieval by a user.

21. The data storage system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for displaying said template to said user.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

identifying a template based on a classification of a document to be stored, said template directing a user to enter data;

receiving from said user document information associated with said document, said document information including said data entered by said user;

generating a pending record containing said document information;

associating said pending record containing said document information with an electronic representation of said document;

verifying said document information; and

generating an active record if said verifying is successful, said active record available for searching and retrieval by a user.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-executable instructions are also for:

displaying said template to said user.

24. A data storage apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a communications device, in communication with said processor, receiving data; and

a memory unit in communication with said processor and storing a program, wherein the processor is operative with the program to;

identify a template based on a classification of a document to be stored, said template directing a user to enter data;

receive from said user document information associated with said document, said document information including said data entered by said user;

generate a pending record containing said document information;

associate said pending record containing said document information with an electronic representation of said document;

verify said document information; and

generate an active record if said verifying is successful, said active record available for searching and retrieval by a user.

25. The data storage system of claim 24, further comprising:

a display unit;

and wherein said processor is operative with the program and with the display unit to display said template to said user.