AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT EXCHANGE WITH ARCHIVING CAPABILITY

• US 20110113110A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Echosign Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Foygel, Dan A., Zwelling, Jeffrey M., Lemkin, Jason M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

The exchange of documents for execution can be performed efficiently using an automated system that routes and archives documents. The system may facilitate the exchange of drafts between parties by highlighting changes of the current draft with respect to the previous draft. Documents may be conveniently archived for efficient document storage and access by providing one or more central archive databases accessible through a shared network to a plurality of organizations. The operating system of the database may provide systematic access to individuals associated with an organization with the privilege to access documents according to a specific organizational hierarchy. Routing and archiving documents may be accomplished through a central exchange server.

Claims

1. A method for the exchange of a document for execution and the distribution of the executed document, the method comprising:

routing a document automatically for execution based on instructions received electronically by a server; and

automatically routing images of the executed document to a plurality of e-mail addresses following return of the executed document by all appropriate parties.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing of the document is performed by e-mail.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the documents are executed with physical signatures.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the documents are executed with electronic signatures.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing of images is directed at least to the signatories of the document.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the routing of documents comprises directing the document to at least one non-signatory of the document.

7. A central exchange server comprising a processor programmed to perform the method of claim 1 and an output subsystem operably connected with the processor, the output subsystem comprising data connections to external addresses for the output of data associated with the images of the documents.

8. A method for facilitating document preparation, the method comprising:

automatically exchanging drafts of a document iteratively between two or more parties through a document exchange server wherein current drafts are maintained and highlighted with respect to changes within the previous iterative draft prior to forwarding back to a particular party and wherein the document is finalized upon approval by a receiving party.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein upon receipt of a revised document from a party all embedded changes are accepted to remove indications of amendments by particular individuals prior to highlighting the changes with respect to the previous iteration.

10. A central exchange server comprising a processor programmed to perform the method of claim 8 and an output subsystem operably connected with the processor, the output subsystem comprising data connections to external addresses for the output of data associated with the images of the documents.

11. A method for facilitating document preparation, the method comprising:

automatically exchanging drafts of a document iteratively between two or more parties through a document exchange server wherein current drafts are maintained; and

routing the document automatically for execution upon finalization of the document.