Document destruction management

• US 8,229,593 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Herman, Smith, Newton James, Spinac, Clifford Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rao, Sheela S
• Application Number:
  US11/242,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,486 Days
• Field of Search: 700/221, 700223-224, 700/275, 241 33- 36, 705/8, 221/1, 222/65
• US Class Current: 700/224
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 18/0007 specially adapted for disintegrating documents
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 2018/0015 for disintegrating CDs, DVDs and/or credit cards
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 25/00 Control arrangements specially adapted for crushing or disintegrating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40

Abstract

A computer implemented method for object destruction. An object is detected in a receptacle and identified. Based on the type of object identified, the object may be destroyed in a shredder and a confirmation of the destruction of the object is recorded for reference. The object may also be directed to a secure bin where it will not be destroyed.

Claims

1. A programmed method for managing object destruction in a shredding apparatus, the method comprising:

establishing a communications link between a controller in the shredding apparatus and a data processing system when the shredding apparatus is not in a standalone state;

transferring, from the data processing system when the shredding apparatus is not in a standalone state, a list of documents that cannot be destroyed;

saving, when the shredding apparatus is not in the standalone state, the list of documents that cannot be destroyed in a memory of the shredding apparatus;

shifting, by the shredding apparatus, to a standalone state by removing the communications link between the controller in the shredding apparatus and the data processing system;

after shifting to the standalone state, detecting by the shredding apparatus in the standalone state, a first document in a receptacle of the shredding apparatus;

responsive to detecting the first document in the receptacle, generating, by the controller in the shredding apparatus in the standalone state, a first identification of the first document;

determining, by the controller in the shredding apparatus in the standalone state, whether to destroy the first document based on the first identification of the first document, and the list of documents that cannot be destroyed in the memory of the shredding apparatus; and

responsive to a determination by the controller in the shredding apparatus when the shredding apparatus is in the standalone state that the first document is on the list of documents that cannot be destroyed, sending the first document to a secure bin.

2. The programmed method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to detecting a second document in the receptacle of the shredding apparatus in the standalone state, generating a second identification of the second document;

determining, by the controller in the shredding apparatus in the standalone state, whether to destroy the second document based on a second identification of the second document and the list of documents that cannot be destroyed in the memory; and

responsive to a determination by the controller in the shredding apparatus in the standalone state that the second object is not on the list of documents that cannot be destroyed, destroying the second document;

responsive to destroying the second document, creating, by the controller, a confirmation object based on the destruction of the second object, wherein the confirmation object comprises;

the second identification of the second object that the shredding apparatus destroyed;

a time and date that the shredding apparatus destroyed the second document; and

a certificate of information that provides information about the shredding apparatus that destroyed the second document, an identification of a person who destroyed the second document, an indication of a location of the shredding apparatus, a size of the second document, a weight of the second document, a thickness of the second document, and a page count of the second document;

wherein a time during which the second document may be destroyed is determined by an access control policy stored in the memory of the shredding apparatus and controlled by the controller.

3. The programmed method of claim 2, further comprising:

re-establishing a communications link to the data processing system; and

transferring the confirmation object to the data processing system through the communications link.

4. The programmed method of claim 3:

determining an access control level of a user and

using the access control level, determining level whether the user is authorized to destroy the object.

5. The programmed method of claim 3, further comprising:

creating a profile based on a frequency of usage of the shredding apparatus;

identifying an amount of destroyed objects in a shred bin of the shredding apparatus;

predicting when the shred bin will become full based on the profile and the identified amount of destroyed objects in the shred bin; and

scheduling a pick up for the destroyed objects in the shred bin based on the prediction.

6. The programmed method of claim 2, wherein the confirmation object is encrypted with a private key to form a secure confirmation.

7. The programmed method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to sending the first document to the secure bin, locking the secure bin by a lock operably coupled to the controller; and

sending an error message to a display on the shredding apparatus.