Document aspect system and method

• US 20060195431A1
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ebrary
• Original Assignee: Ebrary
• Inventors: Santos, Tom, Holzgrafe, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

A generic and expandable document aspect system and method for searching, browsing, presenting, and interacting with data assembled from document contents and related external data is provided. New varieties of document aspects are added to existing installations and can be accessed by users without requiring upgrades to server or clients, for example by using plug-in technology.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for searching, browsing, presenting, and interacting with data assembled from document contents and related external data, comprising the steps of:

for one or more predetermined types, performing the following steps;

extracting from a document one or more objects related to said predetermined type and, if desired and available, extracting from a related external data source one or more objects related to said predetermined type; and

storing said one or more extracted objects from said document and, if available, said one or more extracted objects from said related external data source, as an assembled collection in a repository for a subsequent use;

repeating said extracting step and said storing step iteratively until no more predetermined types;

when said document is accessed, providing said one or more assembled collections for post-processing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein post-processing is any of or any combination of searching, browsing, presenting, and interacting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an extracted object comprises either of or the combination of:

a portion of said document'"'"'s contents and relevant metadata obtained from sources other than the document'"'"'s contents.

4. The method of claim 1, said extracting step further comprising the step of:

formatting said one or more extracted objects and storing said one or more formatted extracted objects.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a new predetermined type and said associated extracting and storing steps can be added as a piece of server plug-in software, such that a client recognizes and presents said associated collection without need for client upgrades or plug-ins.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting and storing steps are performed responsive to a trigger event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a trigger event is any of:

document submission, periodic spidering, administrator request, and user request via a servlet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said repository is a server'"'"'s collection of per-document data stored in a hierarchy of files on a hard disk.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said stored collection is a cross-document collection, formed from a union of collections of multiple documents.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said stored collection of extracted objects is associated with a user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting step uses heuristic techniques to identify objects of said predetermined type.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting and storing steps are encapsulated in a self-contained jar.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more collections comprises one or more collections hierarchically.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein when said document is accessed, further comprising the step of:

requesting available collections for presenting.

15. A system for searching, browsing, presenting, and interacting with data assembled from document contents and related external data, comprising:

for one or more predetermined types, means for performing the following;

extracting from a document one or more objects related to said predetermined type and, if desired and available, extracting from a related external data source one or more objects related to said predetermined type; and

storing said one or more extracted objects from said document and, if available, said one or more extracted objects from said related external data source, as an assembled collection in a repository for a subsequent use;

means for repeating said extracting step and said storing step iteratively until no more predetermined types;

when said document is accessed, means for providing said one or more assembled collections for post-processing.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein post-processing is any of or any combination of searching, browsing, presenting, and interacting.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein an extracted object comprises either of or the combination of:

a portion of said document'"'"'s contents and relevant metadata obtained from sources other than the document'"'"'s contents.

18. The system of claim 15, said means for extracting further comprising:

means for formatting said one or more extracted objects and means for storing said one or more formatted extracted objects.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein a new predetermined type and said associated extracting and storing steps can be added as a piece of server plug-in software, such that a client recognizes and presents said associated collection without need for client upgrades or plug-ins.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein said extracting and storing steps are performed responsive to a trigger event.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a trigger event is any of:

document submission, periodic spidering, administrator request, and user request via a servlet.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein said repository is a server'"'"'s collection of per-document data stored in a hierarchy of files on a hard disk.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein said stored collection is a cross-document collection, formed from a union of collections of multiple documents.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein said stored collection of extracted objects is associated with a user.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein said means for extracting uses heuristic techniques to identify objects of said predetermined type.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein said means for extracting and storing are encapsulated in a self-contained jar.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein said one or more collections comprises one or more collections hierarchically.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein when said document is accessed, further comprising:

means for requesting available collections for presenting.