Distributed revision block service

• US 20030135557A1
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Davis, Kenneth L.
• Application Number:
  US10/044,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135557A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for distributing design document changes. A representation (e.g., an extensible markup language [XML] representation) of a revision block of a design document is captured. The revision block documents a history of changes to the design document. Once captured, the representation is distributed via a network service to consumers, document management utilities, and/or a database.

Claims

1. A method for distributing design document changes comprising:

capturing a representation of a revision block of a design document, wherein the revision block documents a history of changes to the design document; and

distributing the representation via a network service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is an extensible markup language (XML) representation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the revision block comprises a table of various design document properties.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the design document properties are customized to meet documentation needs of an organization.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is automatically captured.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is captured transparently to a designer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation is distributed to a consumer of the design document such that the consumer is notified of changes in the design document without having to refer to the design document directly.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the representation as additional revisions are added to the revision block; and

redistributing the representation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the distributing comprises transmitting the representation to the network service via a network, wherein the network service transmits the representation:

to a web site used to track revisions for a project;

to a database used for document management; and

in an email to a design document consumer.

10. An apparatus for distributing design document changes in a computer system comprising:

(a) a computer having a memory;

(b) an application executing on the computer, wherein the application is configured to;

(i) capture a representation of a revision block of a design document into the memory, wherein the revision block documents a history of changes to the design document; and

(ii) distribute the representation via a network service.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the representation is an extensible markup language (XML) representation.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the revision block comprises a table of various design document properties.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the design document properties are customized to meet documentation needs of an organization.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the representation is automatically captured.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the representation is captured transparently to a designer.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the representation is distributed to a consumer of the design document such that the consumer is notified of changes in the design document without having to refer to the design document directly.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the application is further configured to:

update the representation as additional revisions are added to the revision block; and

redistribute the representation.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the application distributes the representation by transmitting the representation to the network service via a network, wherein the network service transmits the representation:

to a web site used to track revisions for a project;

to a database used for document management; and

in an email to a design document consumer.

19. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying logic executable by the computer that causes the computer to distribute design document changes, wherein the logic comprises:

capturing a representation of a revision block of a design document, wherein the revision block documents a history of changes to the design document; and

distributing the representation via a network service.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the representation is an extensible markup language (XML) representation.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the revision block comprises a table of various design document properties.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the design document properties are customized to meet documentation needs of an organization.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the representation is automatically captured.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the representation is captured transparently to a designer.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the representation is distributed to a consumer of the design document such that the consumer is notified of changes in the design document without having to refer to the design document directly.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the logic further comprises:

updating the representation as additional revisions are added to the revision block; and

redistributing the representation.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the logic for distributing comprises logic for transmitting the representation to the network service via a network, wherein the network service transmits the representation:

to a web site used to track revisions for a project;

to a database used for document management; and

in an email to a design document consumer.