Document collection manipulation

• US 7,757,162 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Rhodes, Bradly, Savitzky, Stephen R., Wolff, Gregory J., Barrus, John W., Piersol, Kurt Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ludwig; Matthew J
• Application Number:
  US10/687,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,463 Days
• Field of Search: 715/530, 715/230, 715/231, 715/232, 715/233, 715/277
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2166 for mass storage, e.g. in document filing systems information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2183 the stored images being distributed among a plurality of different locations, e.g. among a plurality of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2187 with image input from a plurality of different locations or from a non-central location, e.g. from one or more users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2191 for simultaneous, independent access by a plurality of different users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32106 separate from the image data, e.g. in a different computer file
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3266 of text or character information, e.g. text accompanying an image H04N2201/3226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

In a system for inputting and managing document collections, the order in which documents are presented to the system dictates the organization and hierarchy for the electronically stored document collection. Users can add annotations to documents and collections by writing on a coversheet; the system scans the coversheet, reads the written material, and adds the material to the electronically stored document and/or collection. In addition, in one aspect the invention provides a mechanism for granting different levels of access to different individuals, by generating coversheets that point to the same collection but that provide different levels of access to the collection.

Claims

1. A method of composing a collection of information comprising:

receiving, at a multi-function peripheral, a plurality of paper documents in an order, wherein receiving the plurality of paper documents includes receiving a first paper document and receiving a subsequent paper document;

determining, by the multi-function peripheral, the order of the plurality of paper documents;

responsive to the order of the plurality of paper documents determining, by the multi-function peripheral, whether the first paper document includes an indicium identifying a collection;

responsive to determining that the first paper document includes an indicium, the multi-function peripheral adding an electronic representation of the subsequent paper document to the collection identified by the indicium; and

responsive to determining that the first paper document does not include an indicium, the multi-function peripheral creating a new collection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a new collection further comprises adding an electronic representation of the subsequent paper document to the new collection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a separator prior to receiving the subsequent paper document.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the separator comprises a piece of paper including a separator indicium.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the first paper document including an indicium identifying a first collection, and the subsequent paper document including an indicium identifying a second collection, adding a subset of the contents of the second collection to the first collection.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the first paper document including an indicium identifying a first collection, and the subsequent paper document including an indicium identifying a second collection, adding the second collection as a subcollection of the first collection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving a first paper document comprises scanning the first paper document; and

receiving a subsequent document comprises scanning the subsequent paper document.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection comprises at least one multimedia item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

documents;

images;

files;

video data; and

audio data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adding the electronic representation of the subsequent paper document comprises:

retrieving, from a storage device, the collection;

modifying the retrieved collection to add the electronic representation of the subsequent paper document; and

storing the modified collection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection comprises a collection of multimedia documents.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicium comprises a machine-readable code.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the new collection further comprises adding an electronic representation of the first paper document to the new collection.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions for composing a collection of information, the computer program instructions when executed by a computer processor performing steps comprising:

receiving a plurality of paper documents in an order, wherein receiving the plurality of paper documents includes receiving a first paper document and receiving a subsequent paper document;

determining the order of the plurality of paper documents;

responsive to the order of the plurality of paper documents determining whether the first paper document includes an indicium identifying a collection;

responsive to determining that the first paper document includes an indicium, adding an electronic representation of the subsequent paper document to the collection identified by the indicium; and

responsive to determining that the first paper document does not include an indicium, creating a new collection.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein creating a new collection further comprises adding an electronic representation of the subsequent paper document to the new collection.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program instructions when executed further performing steps comprising:

receiving a separator prior to receiving the subsequent paper document.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the separator comprises a piece of paper including a separator indicium.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program instructions when executed further performing steps comprising:

responsive to the first paper document including an indicium identifying a first collection, and the subsequent paper document including an indicium identifying a second collection, adding a subset of the contents of the second collection to the first collection.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program instructions when executed further performing steps comprising:

responsive to the first paper document including an indicium identifying a first collection, and the subsequent paper document including an indicium identifying a second collection, adding the second collection as a subcollection of the first collection.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein:

receiving a first paper document comprises scanning the first paper document; and

receiving a subsequent document comprises scanning the subsequent paper document.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the collection comprises at least one multimedia item.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the collection comprises at least one item selected from the group consisting of:

documents;

images;

files;

video data; and

audio data.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein adding the electronic representation of the subsequent paper document comprises:

retrieving, from a storage device, the collection;

modifying the retrieved collection to add the electronic representation of the subsequent paper document; and

storing the modified collection.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the collection comprises a collection of multimedia documents.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the indicium comprises a machine-readable code.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein creating the new collection further comprises adding an electronic representation of the first paper document to the new collection.