Virtual filing system

• US 20020147789A1
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Controldocs Operating Corporation
• Original Assignee: Controldocs Operating Corporation
• Inventors: Higbee, Robert N., Loomis, Timothy F., Kendrick, John J. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US09/826,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147789A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for providing a remote office where documents are stored in a separate location on a storage medium. The documents are available to the remote office through a secure link over the Internet.

Claims

1. A method of operating a remote office having access to a plurality of documents comprising the steps of:

storing said plurality of documents on a storage medium;

providing a website accessible through an Internet;

when a user accesses said website, verifying said user is said remote office user;

providing a search engine for said remote office user to enter search terms to be found within said plurality of documents;

searching for said search terms within said plurality of documents;

displaying a list of found documents which contain said search terms;

providing said user with a selected one of said found documents.

2. A method of operating a remote office as in claim 1, wherein said providing step comprises displaying said document to said remote office user.

3. A method of operating a remote office as in claim 1, wherein said providing step comprises permitting said remote office user to print said selected document at said remote office user'"'"'s location.

4. A method of operating a remote office as in claim 1, further comprising a step of scanning said plurality of documents prior to said storing step.

5. A method of operating a remote office as in claim 1, further comprising a step of converting an electronic format of at least one of said plurality of documents to a standard format of documents stored on said storage medium.

6. A virtual document filing system for an office comprising:

a storage medium;

a website accessible through an Internet, said website providing access to said storage medium for said office;

a security system, said security system being capable of verifying an identity of said office;

a search engine, said search engine enabling said office to search for terms within said representations of said documents stored on said storage medium.

7. A virtual document filing system as in claim 6, further comprising a scanner, said scanner being capable of scanning said documents to create said representations of said documents to be stored in said storage medium.

8. A virtual document filing system as in claim 6, further comprising an electronic document conversion tool, said electronic document conversion tool being capable of converting an electronic document into a standard format for a representation of a document to be stored on said storage medium prior to storage.